[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40200-40201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15955]


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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; Southeast Region Family of Forms

AGENCY: National Oceanic & 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 to assess the impact of 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 by September 27, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number ``0648-0016'' 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 Rich Malinowski, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 
Sustainable Fisheries Division, 263 13th Avenue S, St. Petersburg, 
Florida 33701, phone: (727) 824-5305, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for an extension and revision of a current 
information collection.
    Participants in most federally managed fisheries in the NMFS 
Southeast Region are currently required to keep and submit catch and 
effort logbooks from their fishing trips. A subset of fishermen on 
these vessels also provides information on the species and quantities 
of fish, shellfish, marine turtles, and marine mammals that are caught 
and discarded or have interacted with the fishing gear. A subset of 
fishermen on these vessels also provides information about dockside 
prices, trip operating costs, and annual fixed costs. An intercept 
survey for vessels with Federal charter vessel/headboat permits is 
designed to support and validate the electronic logbooks.
    The data are used for scientific analyses that support critical 
conservation and management decisions made by national and 
international fishery management organizations. Interaction reports are 
needed for fishery management planning and to help protect endangered 
species and marine mammals. Price and cost data will be used in 
analyses of the economic effects of proposed and existing regulations.
    Regulatory Amendment 29 effective July 15, 2020 would require at 
least one descending device to be on board and ready for use on 
commercial, for-hire, and private recreational vessels while fishing 
for or possessing snapper-grouper species in the South Atlantic.

[[Page 40201]]

Most recently the Descend Act was passed, which added a new section 321 
to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This 
requires commercial and recreational fishermen to possess a venting 
tool or descending device that is rigged and ready for use when fishing 
for reef fish in the Gulf Exclusive Economic Zone.
    Descending devices increase survivability from barotrauma, which is 
injury caused by internal gas expansion when reeled up from depth. In 
addition to being asked to report the number of fish released 
respondents would be asked to report the number of fish released with 
descending devices as part of their current logbook submissions. The 
purpose of asking respondents to distinguish between fish releases 
without descending devices and fish released with descending devices is 
to provide data needed by NMFS to accurately account for fishing 
mortality when performing stock assessments.
    NMFS seeks to revise this collection to add an additional question 
to the recreational Headboat part of the collection to make it more 
consistent with the data collected through the commercial discard 
logbook. The new column (#DESCENDED) will be added to the (#KEPT) and 
(#RELEASED) columns that are currently on the form. This will provide 
fishermen an opportunity to report which unwanted fish will be released 
to the bottom of the ocean, providing them a better chance at survival.

II. Method of Collection

    The information is submitted on paper forms and electronic 
transmissions. The intercept survey is collected through in-person 
interviews at verified landing locations.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0016.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension and revision of a 
current information collection).
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,971.
    Estimated Time per Response: Annual fixed-cost report, 45 minutes; 
discard logbook, 15 minutes; headboat, charter vessel, golden crab, 
reef fish-mackerel, economic cost per trip, wreckfish, 10 minutes; no-
fishing report for golden crab, reef fish-mackerel, charter vessels, 
and wreckfish, 2 minutes; installation of a vessel monitoring unit, 5 
hours; landing location request and power-down exemption request, 5 
minutes; trip declaration, 2 minutes; and proposed intercept survey, 15 
minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 69,752.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,706,211.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

IV. Request for Comments

    NMFS is soliciting public comments 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 the time and cost 
burden estimates 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. NMFS will include or summarize each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this information collection request. 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, NMFS cannot guarantee that will occur.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-15955 Filed 7-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P