[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37874-37875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13532]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Processed Products Family of Forms

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before August 24, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0018 in the subject line of your 
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise 
sensitive or protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Melissa Yencho, NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology, 
(301) 427-8193 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a current information collection.
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National 
Marine Fisheries Service annually collects information from seafood and 
industrial fishing processing plants on the volume and value of their 
processed fishery products and their monthly employment figures. These 
data are required by the Secretary of Commerce in carrying out 
provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. as amended). Each Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP) established under the Act must determine the estimated capacity 
by United States (U.S.) seafood processors for the managed fishery. 
Data from these surveys are used in economic analyses to estimate the 
capacity and extent to which U.S. fish processors, on an annual basis, 
will process that portion of the optimum yield harvested by domestic 
fishing vessels. Employment data are used in socioeconomic analyses for 
determining potential impacts on processing employment, due in part to 
management measures.
    Federally permitted dealers of Atlantic mackerel, squid, 
butterfish, Atlantic sea scallop, Northeast multispecies, monkfish, 
summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, Atlantic bluefish, spiny 
dogfish, Atlantic herring, Atlantic hagfish, Atlantic deep-sea red 
crab, tilefish, skate, surf clam or ocean quahog in the National Marine 
Fisheries Service's (NOAA Fisheries) Northeast Region are required 
under 50 CFR 648.7 to complete and submit all sections of NOAA Form 88-
13.
    NOAA Form 88-13c is used to collect monthly production of fish meal 
and oil. These data are needed by the Department of Commerce to report 
market and supply conditions and are used by the industry to procure 
sufficient inputs to produce such products as animal feeds, paint, 
lubricants, and fertilizers (13 U.S.C. 61 et seq.).
    NOAA Fisheries and Regional Council economists use the collected 
information to estimate processing capacity and to forecast and 
subsequently measure the economic impact of fishery management 
regulations on fish and shellfish supplies using the data on volume and 
value. The employment data are used to analyze the seasonality of a 
specific fishery. The data are also used for establishing negotiating 
positions on international trade by determining which seafood 
industries might be adversely affected by reducing or eliminating 
established tariffs.
    Data from the annual survey are reported in Fisheries of the United 
States (NOAA Fisheries), Statistical Abstract of the United States 
(Census Bureau) and Agricultural Statistics (U.S Department of 
Agriculture (USDA)). As a member of the United Nations Food and 
Agriculture Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation 
and Development, NOAA Fisheries supplies aggregate data to these 
organizations.
    In addition to the aforementioned publications, the information 
collected

[[Page 37875]]

through the 88-13 family of forms supports activities of other federal 
agencies. NOAA Fisheries supports the International Trade Commission 
(ITC) with their various trade investigations by supplying aggregate 
data on specific processed seafood items. The Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) annually requests information on the processing of 
seafood. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS), establishes the annual tariff-rate quota for 
tuna fish described in item 1604.14.22 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States based on the U.S. canned tuna production 
for the preceding calendar year (19 U.S.C. 3007). Failure to collect 
these data would prevent the Secretary of Commerce from meeting the 
statutory obligations under the Act. It would also prevent the CBP from 
establishing the annual tariff-rate quota on canned tuna.
    In the current survey, NOAA Fisheries provides each processor with 
a pre-printed paper survey form that includes the products produced by 
that processor in the previous year. The processor only needs to fill 
in the quantity of product, value of product, monthly employment, and 
add any new products. New firms to the survey are provided blank forms.

II. Method of Collection

    Responses are submitted by mail, via postage-paid envelopes 
provided by NOAA Fisheries. If preferred by the processor, an 
electronically fillable pdf can also be provided and transmitted via 
encrypted messaging.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0018.
    Form Number(s): NOAA Forms 88-13, 88-13C.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 650.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 325.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-13532 Filed 6-23-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P