[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 187 (Thursday, September 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66816-66817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21288]


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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; NMFS Alaska Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program

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 November 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0445 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 Gabrielle Aberle, National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 21668, 
Juneau AK 99802-1668, or 907-586-7356.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS), Alaska Regional 
Office, is requesting extension of a currently approved information 
collection for the NMFS Alaska Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) 
Program. There are no proposed changes to this information collection.
    NMFS requires the owners and operators of selected vessels 
participating in federally managed groundfish and crab fisheries off 
Alaska to obtain, install, and maintain an operational, NMFS-approved 
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). VMS units automatically transmit the 
location of a vessel several times per hour using a Global Positioning 
System satellite. The VMS unit is passive and automatic, requiring no 
reporting effort by the vessel operator. A communications service 
provider receives the transmission and relays it to NMFS Office for Law 
Enforcement (OLE).
    Tracking vessel location using VMS is required to monitor 
compliance with area-specific catch allocations, to monitor compliance 
with requirements to redeploy or remove fishing gear from commercial 
fishing grounds, and to monitor compliance with complicated time and 
area closures in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands (BSAI) designed to protect Steller sea lion or essential fish 
habitat. The VMS requirements are found at 50 CFR parts 679 and 680.
    VMS is an essential component of monitoring and management for 
complicated, geographically widespread fishing closures. Given the 
large size and remoteness of the area in which Alaska fisheries occur, 
and the limited enforcement infrastructure available, determining a 
vessel's location depends crucially on VMS reports. When a VMS track is 
examined, information can be inferred about whether a vessel is 
actively fishing, the type of gear being used, and the fisheries that 
are open. NMFS uses information from VMS to identify where vessels are 
operating, to organize patrols so as to increase the number of fishing 
vessels visually examined, or to focus examination of vessels of 
greatest concern, and as evidence in prosecutions.

II. Method of Collection

    Automatic GPS position reporting starts after VMS transceiver 
installation and power activation on board the vessel. The unit is pre-
configured and tested for NMFS VMS operations. The VMS unit is passive 
and automatic, requiring no reporting effort by the vessel operator.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0445.
    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.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 550.
    Estimated Time per Response: VMS installation, maintenance, and 
troubleshooting, 12 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,476 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $812,668.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C.1801 et. seq.; 16 U.S.C. 773-773k.

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,

[[Page 66817]]

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. 2023-21288 Filed 9-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P