[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71624-71625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27398]


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

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; Northeast Multispecies Amendment 16

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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

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 February 15, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0605 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 Claire Fitz-Gerald, Fishery Policy Analyst, Greater Atlantic 
Regional Fisheries Office, (978) 281-9255, and [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for the revision and extension of a current 
information collection. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (MSA), the Secretary of Commerce has the 
responsibility for the conservation and management of marine fishery 
resources. We, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the Regional Fishery 
Management Councils are delegated the majority of this responsibility. 
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) develops 
management plans for fishery resources in New England.
    In 2010, we implemented a new suite of regulations for the 
Northeast (NE) multispecies fishery through Amendment 16 to the NE 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This action updated status 
determination criteria for all regulated NE multispecies or ocean pout 
stocks; adopted rebuilding programs for NE multispecies (groundfish) 
stocks newly classified as being overfished and subject to overfishing; 
revised management measures, including significant revisions to the 
sector management

[[Page 71625]]

measures (established under Amendment 13) necessary to end overfishing, 
rebuild overfished regulated NE multispecies and ocean pout stocks, and 
mitigate the adverse economic impacts of increased effort controls. It 
also implemented new requirements under Amendment 16 for establishing 
acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits (ACLs), and 
accountability measures for each stock managed under the FMP, pursuant 
to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act).
    Sectors are a management tool in the NE groundfish fishery. A 
sector consists of three or more limited access NE multispecies vessel 
permits, with distinct ownership, who voluntarily enter into a contract 
to manage their fishing operations and to share liability. A sector is 
granted an annual allocation of most stocks of fish managed by the NE 
Multispecies FMP. In return for increased operational flexibility, such 
as exemptions from certain effort controls and the ability to pool and 
trade quota, sectors have additional reporting and monitoring 
requirements. The sector reporting and monitoring requirements, as 
established by Amendment 16 and revised by subsequent framework 
adjustments to the NE Multispecies FMP, are contained within this 
information collection.
    This revision incorporates a number of recent changes. Amendment 16 
required sectors to develop and fund an independent third-party at-sea 
monitoring (ASM) program. Amendment 16 allowed sectors to use 
electronic monitoring (EM) instead of human monitors to meet ASM 
requirements, provided that the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator 
deemed it sufficient. Using the authority and process granted to the 
agency in Amendment 16, NMFS announced its determination that sectors 
may use EM to meet monitoring requirements (86 FR 16686; March 31, 
2021). To implement this change, we are proposing to collect additional 
data elements necessary to support an electronic monitoring program. 
Specifically, we propose to require the development and submission of 
vessel monitoring plans and trip-level feedback reports, both of which 
are critical for accurate catch data and management of ACLs. We also 
propose to require the collection of information related to the 
purchase and installation of EM equipment. This is necessary for NMFS 
to reimburse industry's ASM costs as directed and funded by 
Congressional appropriations.
    In 2020, the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) 
established a new requirement that vessels fishing in the NAFO 
Regulatory Area must submit daily catch reports via a vessel monitoring 
system (VMS) and NMFS implemented this requirement to ensure compliance 
with NAFO reporting requirements. Daily VMS catch reports allow for 
near real-time quota monitoring and are necessary for the management of 
ACLs.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents must submit either paper forms via postal service, or 
electronic forms submitted via the internet or a vessels' VMS.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0605.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a 
current information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,309.
    Estimated Time per Response: Sector operations plan and membership 
list updates, 110 hours; Monitoring service provider initial 
application, 10 hours; Monitoring service provider response to 
application disapproval, 10 hours; Data entry for sector discard 
monitoring system, 3 minutes; Sector weekly catch report, 4 hours; 
Sector annual report, 10 hours; Notification of expulsion from a 
sector, 30 minutes; Request to transfer Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE), 
5 minutes; Request to lease days-at-sea (DAS), 5 minutes; request to 
downgrade DAS baseline, 5 minutes; VMS area and DAS declaration, 5 
minutes; VMS trip-level catch report; VMS daily catch reports when 
fishing in multiple broad stock areas, 15 minutes; Daily VMS catch 
reports when fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area and Closed Area 
II Special Access Programs (SAP), 15 minutes; Daily VMS catch reports 
when fishing in the Regular B DAS Program, 15 minutes; Pre-trip hail 
report, 2 minutes; Trip-end hail report, 15 minutes; Pre-Trip 
Notification System notification, 2 minutes; Vessel notification of 
selection for ASM coverage, 5 minutes; at-sea monitor deployment 
report, 10 minutes; ASM and EM service provider catch report to NMFS 
upon request, 5 minutes; at-sea monitor or electronic monitoring staff 
report of harassment, safety concerns, and other issues, 30 minutes; 
at-sea and EM service provider contracts upon request, 30 minutes; ASM 
and EM service provider information materials upon request, 30 minutes; 
EM vessel monitoring plan development and submission, 2 hours; EM 
vessel feedback letters, 30 minutes; EM equipment installation, 16 
hours; EM equipment purchase and installation reimbursement form, 30 
minutes; Office of Law Enforcement debriefing of at-sea monitors and 
electronic monitoring staff, 2 hours; ASM Database and Data Entry 
Requirements, 0 minutes; DAS Transfer Program, 5minutes; Submission of 
Proposed SAPs, 20 hours; NAFO Reporting Requirements, 23 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 73,198.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $10,632,454 in recordkeeping 
and reporting costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the NMFS 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. 2021-27398 Filed 12-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P