[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 207 (Friday, October 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59999-60000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23570]


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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; Collection of High Resolution Spatial and Temporal Fishery 
Dependent Data To Support Scientific Research

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 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 December 28, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. 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 Katie Burchard, Operations Specialist, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 28 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882, 508-667-8158, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This is a request for a new collection of information.
    NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center (NEFSC) will collaborate with regional harvesters to 
self-collect high resolution effort and catch fishery dependent data 
electronically using the Fisheries Logbook Data Recording Software 
(FLDRS), developed by the NEFSC. For trip level, this includes 
information such as sail date, trip end date, crew size, port landed. 
For haul level, this includes information such as date/time and 
location of every effort, details on gear used, catch (species and 
species' weight) for kept and discard of every effort. The FLDRS 
software is installed on a laptop which is dedicated to the data 
collection effort. FLDRS has the ability to collect data at the subtrip 
level, which can be used to satisfy Federal electronic vessel trip 
reporting, and at a higher resolution haul level, which is used by 
various Cooperative Research Branch programs and projects without the 
data needing to be collected more than once.
    Respondents will be asked to sign a one page data waiver that 
documents the respondent agreement to the release of the data they 
collect to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center Cooperative Research 
Branch.
    The data collected will provide scientists with more precise and 
accurate fishery-dependent data than is collected on mandatory Federal 
Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs).
    Collection of information about commercial fisheries is necessary 
to fulfill the statutory requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). By collecting 
this high resolution, fine scale spatial and temporal fishery dependent 
data we are improving the data available to support improved 
understanding of population, ecosystem, and fishery dynamics in the 
northeast region. These improved understandings help the Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center conduct accurate stock assessments and inform 
fisheries management, which is essential to achieve the standards laid 
out in the Magnuson Stevens Act.
    By collecting fine scale spatial and temporal fisheries 
information, fishers provide scientists with data from areas and 
seasons that are not sampled by Federal and state surveys. This fishery 
dependent data can be used with fishery independent data to improve 
species mapping. Fishery dependent data catch per unit effort (CPUE) 
calculations can be standardized and integrated into stock assessment 
models as indices of abundance. Collecting this fine scale commercial 
fisheries data also helps scientists understand patterns in fishing 
effort and relationships between catch and variables such as time of 
day, location, temperature, and depth.

II. Method of Collection

    The data waiver can either be returned via email, fax or the postal 
service. The fishery dependent high resolution catch and effort data 
collection will be self-collected electronically by commercial 
harvesters using the Fisheries Logbook Data Recording Software (FLDRS).

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission: New information collection.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 39.
    Estimated Time per Response: Data Waiver: 6 minutes; High 
Resolution Catch and Effort Data Collection: 35 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 892 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $39,025.74.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    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

[[Page 60000]]

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. 2021-23570 Filed 10-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P