[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 176 (Wednesday, September 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51345-51347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19815]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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; Pacific Islands Region Permit Family of Forms

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 November 15, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0490 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 Regional Office, 1845 Wasp 
Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818, (808) 725-5175, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a revision to merge the permit application 
forms from two

[[Page 51346]]

currently approved information collections, 0648-0463 Pacific Islands 
Region Coral Reef Ecosystem Permit Form and 0648-0577 Non-commercial 
Permit and Reporting Requirements in the Main Hawaiian Islands 
bottomfish fishery, into the currently approved collection 0648-0490 
Pacific Islands Region Permit Family of Forms, and to extend all 
included collections to the 0648-0490 expiration date of 3/31/2024. 
0648-0463 will be discontinued after the revision is approved. The 
reporting collection of 0648-0577 will be continued.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
established the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), 
to develop fishery ecosystem plans (FEP) for fisheries in the U.S. 
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and high seas of the Pacific Islands 
Region. These plans, if approved by the Secretary of Commerce, are 
implemented in Federal regulations by the NOAA NMFS and enforced by 
NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), in 
cooperation with state and territorial agencies. FEPs establish a 
management regime and Federal regulations control fishing to prevent 
overfishing and to ensure the long-term productivity and social and 
economic benefit of the resources.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 665 Subpart F require that a vessel used to 
fish with longline gear for western Pacific pelagic management unit 
species (PMUS), land or transship longline caught PMUS, or receive 
longline caught PMUS from a longline vessel, within the EEZ or 
management subarea around U.S. islands in the central and western 
Pacific must be registered to a valid Federal fishing permit. The 
regulations also require that a vessel used to fish with squid jig gear 
for pelagic squid species listed in the western Pacific PMUS within the 
EEZ or management subareas around U.S. islands in the central and 
western Pacific, or fish with troll and handline gear for PMUS in 
allowed locations within the EEZ around each of the Pacific Remote 
Island Areas (PRIA), must be registered to a valid Federal fishing 
permit.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 665 Subparts D and E require that the owner 
of a vessel used to fish for, land, or transship bottomfish management 
unit species (BMUS) or ecosystem component species (ECS) using a large 
vessel (50 ft or longer) in the Guam management subarea, fish 
commercially for BMUS or ECS in the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands management subarea, or fish for BMUS or ECS in allowed 
locations within the EEZ around each of the PRIA, must register it to a 
valid Federal fishing permit.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 665 Subparts B, C, D, and E, require that the 
owner of a vessel used to fish for, land, or transship crustacean 
management unit species or ECS in the EEZ or management subareas around 
American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, or in allowed 
locations within the EEZ around each of the PRIA, must register it to a 
valid Federal fishing permit. The regulations also require that a 
vessel used to fish for precious corals within the EEZ or management 
subarea around U.S. islands in the central and western Pacific must be 
registered to a valid Federal fishing permit for a specific precious 
coral permit area.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 665 Subparts B, C, D, and E, require any 
person in the Pacific Islands Region (1) fishing for, taking, 
retaining, or using a vessel to fish for coral reef ECS in designated 
low-use Marine Protected Areas, (2) fishing for any of these species 
using gear not specifically allowed in the regulations, or (3) fishing 
for, taking, or retaining any of these species in a coral reef 
ecosystem management subarea, to obtain and carry a special permit. A 
receiving vessel owner must also have a transshipment permit for at-sea 
transshipment of coral reef ecosystem component species. The permit 
application provides information about the applicant, vessel, fishing 
gear and method, target species, and projected fishing effort so NMFS 
and the Council can determine permit eligibility in consultation with 
the USCG, state or territory fisheries agency, and/or the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
    Regulations 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 to obtain a Federal bottomfish permit. 
Participants are exempt if they hold a current State of Hawaii 
Commercial Marine License.
    The information collected is needed to identify participants in the 
fishery, determine qualifications for permitting, support effective 
enforcement of fishery regulations, facilitate fisheries management, 
and provide a communication link between NMFS and fishermen.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents may submit applications and required documents via 
secure email, or via online application systems when implemented.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0490.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (Revision and extension of an 
existing collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 281.
    Estimated Time per Response: Hawaii longline limited entry permit: 
Renew via secure email--30 min; renew online--15 min; transfer--1 hr.; 
apply for closed area exemption--2 hr. American Samoa longline limited 
entry permit: Renew or apply for additional permit via secure email--45 
min; transfer--1 hr. 15 min. All other permits: Apply via secure 
email--30 min. Permit appeal--2 hr.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 150.5.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $17,655.48.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: 50 CFR 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 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, we

[[Page 51347]]

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. 2021-19815 Filed 9-14-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P