[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 149 (Thursday, August 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47725-47726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-16705]


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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; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Rationalization Social Study

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 October 3, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0606 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 Suzanne Russell, Human Dimensions Team, Northwest Fisheries Science 
Center, NOAA Fisheries, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 
98112, (206) 860-3274, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This is a request for extension of an approved information 
collection.
    The Human Dimensions Team of the Conservation Biology Division at 
the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), Seattle, WA, is 
requesting a renewal of its currently approved voluntary information 
collection 0648-0606. The data collected under this authorization 
supports the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the current 
Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation Act (MSA), contributes 
information to the Endangered Species Act requirements, and the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act. Information from this data collection has 
supported National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Pacific 
Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) fisheries management actions. Data 
from this study has been included in broad resources to include the MSA 
mandated 5-year review of the West Coast Groundfish Trawl Catch Shares 
Program, in peer-reviewed documents, websites, and white papers. The 
collection of this data not only informs legal requirements for 
existing management actions, but provides information for future 
management actions requiring equivalent information.
    Literature indicates fisheries rationalization programs have an 
impact on those individuals participating in the affected fishery. The 
PFMC implemented a rationalization program for the West Coast 
Groundfish limited entry trawl fishery in January 2011. This research 
aims to continue to study the individuals in the affected fishery over 
the long term. It aims to collect data on a five-year cycle, post 
initial data collection efforts. Prior data collection was related to 
program design elements. A baseline data collection occurred in 2010, 
followed by a second post-implementation collection in 2012, and a post 
quota-share trading collection in 2015/2016. The data collected has 
contributed to the five-year review of the program and highlighted 
several areas for continued research. Efforts have also identified the 
need for long term data collection as species recover and external 
factors affect fishermen in this fishery. Such challenges include 
underutilization, high costs of participation, difficulty finding 
qualified crew, COVID challenges, and other challenges. The study has 
been able to highlight several issues such as `graying of the fleet' in 
smaller communities, changing women's roles in commercial fishing, and 
fishermen's adaptations under the new regulations. Continued research 
is needed to

[[Page 47726]]

understand continued and long-term social impacts. Combined with the 
ongoing mandatory Economic Data Collection (EDC) and biological data 
collection, this research provides the PFMC extensive information on 
concerns and impacts to fishing communities.
    This data collection not only supports the requirements of NEPA and 
NSA, but supports the NWFSC's Vivid Description of the Future (VDOF) 
priorities to include Healthy Coastal Communities. This research 
project also supports NOAA's 2022-2026 Strategic Plan contributing 
information to Strategic Objective 2.2: Support Underserved and 
Vulnerable Communities, and Strategic Objective 3.3: Improve Resilience 
of Coastal Communities and Economies.
    This study collects a broad swath of information from community 
members through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. 
Questionnaire sections include Demographic Information, Individual 
Participation Information, Connections, Catch Shares Perspectives, 
Quota Owners & Vessel Account Manager Section, Fishermen Section, and a 
Processors Section. The questionnaire is primarily administered in 
person in communities where respondents live. Study participants 
include anyone who has a connection to the West Coast Groundfish Trawl 
Fishery. This includes fishermen, fishermen's wives, processing 
personnel, suppliers (ice, net, drydock, etc.), and others linked to 
the fishery.
    As previously indicated information from this study has broad 
applications. To date, this project has informed concerns of graying of 
the fleet--age disparities in some fisheries, has highlighted changing 
women's roles, has supported management to open Yelloweye fisheries, 
has reported on crew disparities, aims to understand processing 
challenges, and is contributing to Ecosystem Science Studies. Ongoing 
studies include infrastructure changes, vessel typology studies, and is 
contributing to fishing diversity knowledge as well as climate studies. 
Continued research will inform resilience and adaptation studies, will 
further inform infrastructure studies, and contribute to and further 
support efforts to understand underserved communities and build strong 
and healthy coastal communities.
    At this time there are no changes to the questionnaire, no changes 
to the frequency of the data collection, and no changes to the target 
population. It is critical to maintain consistent study parameters for 
the longitudinal and time series study of this fishery to result in 
accurate and consistent data and results.

II. Method of Collection

    The questionnaire is primarily administered in person in the 
communities where study participants live, work, and travel through. 
The questionnaire is also available to be downloaded on our study 
website in a fillable MSWord or PDF format, may be emailed to any 
individual, or a hard copy can be hand delivered or mailed to any 
individual to participate in the study. Interviews are conducted in-
person at the time the questionnaires are administered in person. They 
may be used in lieu of a questionnaire if a study participant prefers 
an interview. Interview data supplements the survey and fills in any 
data holes and provides the participant the opportunity to voice any 
additional information they wish to have recorded.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0606.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular (Extension of a current information 
collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions; State or Local 
government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 350.
    Estimated Time per Response: 45 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 191.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: 0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: MSA, NEPA.

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 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. 2022-16705 Filed 8-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P