[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1725-1726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00405]


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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 Monitoring System (VMS) and Related 
Requirements

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 the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB).

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed

[[Page 1726]]

information collection must be received on or before March 14, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0554 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 Carolyn Sramek, Investigative Support Program Manager, National 
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast 
Division, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, (727) 824-
5346, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The NMFS, Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Enforcement Division 
is submitting this request for an extension of a currently approved 
information collection.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
authorizes the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) 
and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) 
to prepare and amend fishery management plans for any fishery in 
Federal waters under their respective jurisdictions. NMFS and the Gulf 
Council manage the reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) under 
the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the 
Gulf of Mexico. NMFS and the South Atlantic Council manage the fishery 
for rock shrimp in the South Atlantic under the FMP for the Shrimp 
Fishery in the South Atlantic Region. The vessel monitoring system 
(VMS) regulations for the Gulf reef fish fishery and the South Atlantic 
rock shrimp fishery may be found at 50 CFR 622.28 and 622.205, 
respectively.
    The FMPs and the implementing regulations contain several specific 
management areas where fishing is restricted or prohibited to protect 
habitat or spawning aggregations, or to control fishing pressure. 
Unlike size, bag, and trip limits, where the catch can be monitored on 
shore when a vessel returns to port, area restrictions require at-sea 
enforcement. However, at-sea enforcement of offshore areas is difficult 
due to the distance from shore and the limited number of patrol 
vessels, resulting in a need to improve enforceability of area fishing 
restrictions through remote sensing methods. In addition, all fishing 
gears are subject to some area fishing restrictions. Because of the 
sizes of these areas and the distances from shore, the effectiveness of 
enforcement through over flights and at-sea interception is limited. An 
electronic VMS allows a more effective means to monitor vessels for 
intrusions into restricted areas.
    The VMS provides effort data and significantly aids in enforcement 
of areas closed to fishing. All position reports are treated in 
accordance with NMFS existing guidelines for confidential data. As a 
condition of authorized fishing for or possession of Gulf reef fish or 
South Atlantic rock shrimp in or from Federal waters, vessel owners or 
operators subject to VMS requirements must allow NMFS, the United 
States Coast Guard, and their authorized officers and designees, access 
to the vessel's position data obtained from the VMS.
    The information collected on the ``Vessel Monitoring System 
Installation and Activation Certification for the Reef Fish Fishery of 
the Gulf of Mexico'' form provides NMFS assurance that vessels are 
compliant with the requirements to install and activate an approved VMS 
unit. Information collected on the ``Vessel Monitoring System Mobile 
Transceiver Unit (MTU) Power-Down Exemption Request for Vessels in the 
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery'' form provides information that 
allows NMFS to exempt a vessel from their the VMS reporting requirement 
under specific criteria.

II. Method of Collection

    Information about VMS unit installation and activation and power-
down exemption requests are currently collected via paper form; trip 
declarations and timed position reports are submitted via VMS satellite 
transmission.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0544.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,027.
    Estimated Time per Response: VMS unit installation, 5 hours; 
installation and activation checklist, 20 minutes; power-down exemption 
request, 5 minutes; transmission of fishing activity report, 1 minute; 
and annual maintenance, 2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,499 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,466,255 in start-up, 
transfer, operations, and maintenance costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Submission of the Installation and 
Activation certification is and mandatory. Transmission of fishing 
activity report is mandatory. Submission of a Powerdown Exemption 
Authorization request is required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Agency to: (a) 
Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for 
the proper functions of the Agency, 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. 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. 2022-00405 Filed 1-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P