[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 77 (Friday, April 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24595-24596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08441]


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

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; American Lobster--Annual Trap Transfer Program

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 June 20, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0673 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 Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9341 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for an extension of a currently approved 
information collection.
    The American lobster resource and fishery are cooperatively managed 
by the states and NMFS under the authority of the Atlantic Coastal 
Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, according to the framework 
established by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) 
in Amendment 3 of its Interstate Fishery Management Plan (ISFMP). This 
collection of information is in response to several addenda to 
Amendment 3 of the ISFMP that work to reduce trap fishing effort 
through limited entry fishing and trap allocation limit reductions. The 
Trap Transfer Program is intended to foster economic flexibility for 
the lobster industry while reducing fishing effort on the American 
lobster resource. The regulations implementing the FMP in the EEZ are 
specified at 50 CFR part 697.
    This collection of information is being conducted to help mitigate 
the economic burden of scheduled trap allocation reductions in Lobster 
Conservation Management Areas 2 and 3 on Federal lobster permit holders 
through the Annual Lobster Trap Transfer Program, which allows all 
qualified Federal lobster permit holders to buy and sell trap 
allocation from Areas 2, 3, or Outer Cape Cod. NMFS collects 
application forms from Lobster permit holders who wish to transfer trap 
allocation from these areas during a 2-month period (from August 1 
through September 30) each year; and the revised allocations resulting 
from the transfers become effective for each participating lobster 
permit at the start of the following Federal lobster fishing year, on 
May 1. Both the seller and buyer of the traps are required to sign the 
application form, date the document, and clearly show that the seller 
has sufficient allocation to transfer and that the buyer has sufficient 
room under the applicable trap cap. There were no modifications to this 
collection.

II. Method of Collection

    Applications for the Trap Transfer Program are accepted annually 
from August 1 through September 30 by mail or email.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0673.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations; State, local, or Tribal government; Federal 
Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 204.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 17.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $492.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Legal Authority: Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management 
Act (16 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.).

[[Page 24596]]

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 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 personally identifying information--may 
be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your 
comment to withhold your personally 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 Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-08441 Filed 4-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P