[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 138 (Thursday, July 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 38685]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15559]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Southeast Region Vessel and Gear Identification Requirements

    The Department of Commerce will submit the following information 
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite 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. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register on February 19, 2021, (86 FR 10250) during a 60-day 
comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments.
    Agency: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
    Title: Southeast Region Vessel and Gear Identification 
Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0358.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular submission. Extension of a current 
information collection.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,031.
    Estimated Time per Response: Vessel marking: 75 minutes. Gear 
marking: aquacultured live rocks, 10 seconds each; golden crab traps, 2 
minutes each; spiny lobster traps, 7 minutes each; sea bass pots, 16 
minutes each; and Spanish mackerel gillnets, 20 minutes each; and buoy 
gear, 10 minutes each.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 40,335.
    Needs and Uses: The NMFS Southeast Region manages the U.S. 
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of the U.S. Caribbean, Gulf of 
Mexico, and South Atlantic regions under multiple fishery management 
plans (FMPs). The regional fishery management councils and NMFS 
prepared the FMPs pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). NMFS implements the 
regulations for the FMPs that are located at 50 CFR part 622.
    The recordkeeping and reporting regulations located at 50 CFR part 
622 form the basis for the information collection requirements that are 
currently approved under OMB Control Number 0648-0358. NMFS proposes to 
extend to the information collections under 0648-0358 without change. 
Regulations at 50 CFR part 622 require that all federally permitted 
fishing vessels must be marked with the official identification number 
or some other form of identification. A vessel's official number, under 
most regulations, must be displayed on the port and starboard sides of 
the deckhouse or hull, and on the weather deck. In addition, 
regulations for certain fisheries also require the display of the 
assigned color code for the vessel. The official number and color code 
identify each vessel and should be visible at distance from the sea and 
in the air. These markings provide law enforcement personnel with a 
means to monitor fishing, at-sea processing, and other related 
activities, as well as to ascertain whether the vessel's observed 
activities are in accordance with those authorized for that vessel. The 
identifying official number is used by NMFS, the United States Coast 
Guard, and other marine agencies in issuing violations, prosecutions, 
and other enforcement actions. Vessels that are authorized for 
particular fisheries are readily identified, gear violations are more 
readily prosecuted, and this allows for more cost-effective 
enforcement.
    In addition to vessel marking, requirements that fishing gear be 
marked are essential to facilitate enforcement. The ability to link 
fishing gear to the vessel owner is crucial to enforcement of 
regulations issued under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 
marking of fishing gear is also valuable in actions concerning damage, 
loss, and civil proceedings. The requirements imposed in the U.S. 
southeast region are for aquacultured live rock; golden crab traps; 
spiny lobster traps; black sea bass pots; Spanish mackerel gillnets; 
and buoy gear.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations, 
individuals or households.
    Frequency: On occasion or as needed.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of 
Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
    Submit written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of the publication of this notice 
on the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this 
particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day 
Review--Open for Public Comments,'' or by using the search function and 
entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 
0648-0358.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-15559 Filed 7-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P