[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41931-41932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13752]


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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; Electronic Monitoring Systems for Atlantic Highly Migratory 
Species (HMS)

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 Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB).

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before August 28, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0372 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 Cliff Hutt, Fisheries Management Specialist, National Marine 
Fisheries Service (NMFS), Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Management 
Division, 1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 301-
427-8503; or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for renewal and extension without revision of a 
current information collection request (ICR) 0648-0372 Electronic 
Monitoring Systems for Atlantic HMS. This renewal and extension is 
separate from the temporary ICR associated with Amendment 15 to the 
2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan (0648-BI10), 
which is considering substantial revisions to 0648-0372. Amendment 15 
will not be finalized before the current ICR expires, necessitating 
this separate renewal effort.
    Vessel monitoring systems (VMS) and other electronic monitoring 
systems collect important information on fishing effort, catch, and the 
geographic location of fishing effort and catch for certain sectors of 
the Atlantic HMS fleet. Data collected through these systems are used 
in both domestic and international fisheries management, including for 
law enforcement, stock assessments, and quota management purposes. 
Atlantic HMS vessels required to use VMS are pelagic longline, bottom 
longline (directed shark permit holders in North Carolina, South 
Carolina, and Virginia), and gillnet (directed shark permit holders 
consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic large whale take 
reduction plan requirements at 50 CFR 229.39.(h)) vessels. In addition 
to VMS, pelagic longline vessels are also required to have electronic 
monitoring systems to monitor catch and account for bluefin tuna 
interactions, and, when appropriate, monitoring the harvest of shortfin 
mako sharks.
    NMFS Office of Law Enforcement monitors fleet adherence to gear- 
and time-area restrictions with VMS position location data. Gear 
restricted areas and time-area closures are important. Atlantic HMS 
management tools that have been implemented to reduce bycatch of 
juvenile swordfish, sea turtles, and bluefin tuna, among other species. 
Electronic monitoring data from the pelagic longline fleet are used by 
NMFS to accurately monitor bluefin tuna catch by the pelagic longline 
fleet, to ensure compliance with Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) limits 
and requirements, and to ensure that the Longline category bluefin tuna 
quota is not over-harvested. Additionally, electronic monitoring is 
used to verify disposition of retained shortfin mako sharks, when 
retention is allowed, consistent with binding international agreements. 
VMS reporting of bluefin tuna catch is used to monitor IBQ allocations 
in real-time.
    Atlantic HMS fisheries are managed under the dual authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and the 
Atlantic Tunas Conservation Act (ATCA). Under the MSA, management 
measures must be consistent with the National Standards, and fisheries 
must be managed to maintain optimum yield, rebuild overfished 
fisheries, and prevent overfishing. Under ATCA, the Secretary

[[Page 41932]]

of Commerce shall promulgate regulations, as necessary and appropriate, 
to implement measures adopted by the International Commission for the 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

II. Method of Collection

    First-time VMS respondents must install a VMS unit and submit an 
activation checklist to NMFS via mail. Hail-out, hail-in, hourly 
position reports, and bluefin tuna catch reports must be submitted to 
NMFS electronically via the VMS communication system. First-time 
electronic monitoring respondents must have an electronic monitoring 
system installed by a NMFS contractor. Except when the hard drive is at 
capacity after one trip or otherwise stated by NMFS in writing, 
electronic monitoring data must be submitted after every other pelagic 
longline trip by mailing computer hard drives to the designated NMFS 
contractor.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0372.
    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: 154.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 4 hours for initial VMS installation; 
5 minutes per VMS initial activation checklist; 2 minutes per hail-out/
hail-in declaration; 6 hours for initial electronic monitoring 
installation; 1 hour for camera boom installation; 5 minutes for 
pelagic longline bluefin tuna catch records; 1 minute for dockside 
review of bluefin tuna catch records; 1 hour for electronic monitoring 
data retrieval.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,305 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $238,862.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and the Atlantic Tunas 
Convention Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.).

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 Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-13752 Filed 6-27-23; 8:45 am]
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