[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 164 (Monday, August 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52090-52091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18493]


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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; Non-commercial Permit and Reporting Requirements in the Main 
Hawaiian Islands Bottomfish Fishery

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 October 23, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0577 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 Walter Ikehara, Fishery Information Specialist, National Marine 
Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Region, 1845 Wasp Blvd., 
Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818, (808) 725-5175, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 52091]]

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) established regional fishery management 
councils, including the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council), to develop fishery management plans for fisheries in the 
U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). If approved by the Secretary of 
Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implements these plans by 
Federal regulations, which are enforced by NMFS and the U.S. Coast 
Guard (USCG), in cooperation with State agencies to the extent 
possible. The Council and NMFS use the fishery management plans to 
manage fishing to ensure sustained productivity and achievement of 
optimum yield from the resources for the benefit of the United States. 
The Council uses fishery ecosystem plans as fishery management plans 
for federal fisheries management.
    Regulations established under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the 
Hawaii Archipelago (FEP) at 50 CFR 665, Subpart C, require that all 
participants (including vessel owners, operators, and crew) in the 
boat-based non-commercial bottomfish fishery in the Exclusive Economic 
Zone around the main Hawaiian Islands obtain a federal bottomfish 
permit. They are exempt if they hold a current State of Hawaii 
Commercial Marine License. The information collected in the permit 
process is needed to identify participants in the fishery, determine 
qualifications for permitting, support effective enforcement of fishery 
regulations, and provide a communication link between NMFS and 
fishermen.
    Regulations also require that all vessel owners or operators in 
this fishery submit a report (logbook) upon completion of each fishing 
trip to document the species and amount of fish caught during the trip. 
The information in these logbooks is crucial to monitoring the fishery, 
developing annual catch limits, evaluating the effectiveness of 
management measures, determining whether changes in fishery management 
measures are necessary, and estimating the impacts and implications of 
alternative management measures.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents may submit permit applications electronically via 
secure email, or online process when implemented. Logbooks are paper 
forms that must be submitted to NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science 
Center.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0577.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, extension of a current 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes per email permit 
application; 5 minutes per online permit application; 2 hours per 
appeal of denied permit; 20 minutes per logbook form.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 29 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $4,250.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: 50 CFR part 665.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department 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. 2020-18493 Filed 8-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P