[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 120 (Friday, June 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41081-41082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13372]



[[Page 41081]]

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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; NOAA Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Survey on Marine 
Mammal Deterrents

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 August 22, 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-XXXX 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 Katie Denman, Policy Analyst, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Office of Policy, 1325 East-West Hwy Silver Spring, MD 20910, (301) 
427-8038, and [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This is a request for a new information collection.
    A recent summary of a series of marine mammal deterrent workshops 
by NOAA Fisheries states, ``under a recent proposed rule, NOAA 
Fisheries developed guidelines for deterring marine mammals under its 
jurisdiction, and recommended specific measures for species listed 
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The guidelines focus on how to 
safely use deterrents to avoid injuring or killing marine mammals. 
However, evaluation of the efficacy of each deterrent was beyond the 
scope of the rulemaking process, and available data on deterrent 
effectiveness is lacking.'' \1\
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    \1\ (Raum-Suryan et al.) p. 1.
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    Consequently, the Protected Resources Subcommittee of the Marine 
Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC) was asked to help NOAA Fisheries 
narrow down the scope for assessing the effectiveness of the marine 
mammal deterrents listed in the proposed guidelines and create a 
decision making process to prioritize areas to begin characterizing the 
effectiveness. To achieve this, the Subcommittee plans to rank relative 
risk of expected losses from interactions with marine mammals by 
various user groups nationwide, which will identify where the biggest 
impacts of marine mammals are likely to be occurring. The information 
for the relative risk and expected loss analysis will be generated 
through a survey of five user groups (commercial fishermen, 
recreational fishermen, tribal fishermen (inclusive of tribal nations 
and other coastal indigenous populations), aquaculture operators, and 
waterfront property managers (e.g. harbormasters and harbor facility 
assistants)).

II. Method of Collection

    The MAFAC will employ electronic technology to conduct and analyze 
the survey through the open access and easy-to-use Google Forms 
software. The link to the form can be shared widely by announcement on 
the NOAA MAFAC website, through e-newsletters, email, and to the wide 
spectrum of NOAA partners and constituents.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission [New information collection].
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 150 individuals.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 12.5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: The Secretary of Commerce approved the 
establishment of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC or 
Committee) on December 28, 1970. The Committee was initially chartered 
on February 17, 1971, and has been renewed periodically under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (FACA), 5 U.S.C. app. It has 
been determined the Committee's continuance is in the public interest 
in accordance with the duties and the laws imposed on the Department. 
The Committee advises the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) on all 
living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the 
Department of Commerce. Specifically, the Committee draws on the 
expertise of its members, its task forces, and other appropriate 
sources, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 
(NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), to evaluate and 
recommend priorities and needed changes in national program direction. 
Its objective is to ensure the Nation's living marine resource policies 
and programs meet the needs of commercial and recreational fishermen, 
aquaculture activities, and environmental, consumer, academic, tribal, 
governmental, and other national interests.

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

[[Page 41082]]

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. 2023-13372 Filed 6-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P