[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 4, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68586-68587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21994]


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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; Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; U.S.-Canada 
Albacore Treaty Reporting System

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 December 4, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0492 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 Karen Palmigiano, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 
[email protected], 206-526-4491, West Coast Region (WCR) 
Permits Branch, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for an extension of a currently approved 
information collection.
    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), West Coast Region 
(WCR), manages the United States (U.S.)--Canada Albacore Tuna Treaty of 
1981 (Treaty). Owners of vessels that fish from U.S. West Coast ports 
for albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) are required to notify the NMFS 
WCR of their desire to be on the list of vessels provided to Canada 
each year indicating vessels eligible to fish for albacore tuna in 
waters under the jurisdiction of Canada. Additionally, vessel operators 
are required to report in advance their intention to fish in Canadian 
waters prior to crossing the maritime border as well as to mark their 
fishing vessels to facilitate enforcement of the effort limits under 
the Treaty. Vessel operators are also required to maintain and submit a 
logbook of all catch and fishing effort. The regulations implementing 
the reporting and vessel marking requirements under the Treaty are at 
50 CFR part 300.172-300.176. If a vessel enters into Canadian waters 
without adhering to these regulations, they will be in violation of the 
treaty and Canadian enforcement may issue a fine or a warning.
    The estimated burden below includes hours to complete the logbook 
requirement, although it is assumed that most if not all of the 
respondents already complete the required logbook under the mandatory 
West Coast Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (HMS FMP), 
OMB Control No. 0648-0223. Duplicate reporting under the Treaty and HMS 
FMP is not required. Most years, there will be much less fishing (and 
thus less reporting)

[[Page 68587]]

under the Treaty than the level on which the estimate is based.

II. Method of Collection

    Requests to be placed on the vessel eligibility list may be made by 
telephone or in writing via mail, fax, or email. Communications to 
comply with `hail in' and `hail out' requirements are made via ship to 
shore radio or via telephone and are compiled in an electronic database 
by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Summaries of hail reports are provided 
to NMFS on a periodic basis. Vessel marking requirements entail 
painting the letter `U' immediately after the U.S. Coast Guard 
documentation identification number or state registration number 
already on the vessel. Logbooks are maintained in preprinted paper 
format and submitted via mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0492.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Businesses and other for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 135.
    Estimated Time per Response: Five minutes for the request to be 
placed on the eligible list per year; 2 hours and 55 minutes for 
required vessel markings; 10 minutes for logbook entries; 5 minutes for 
each set of two hail reports for border crossings per year.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 43 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $250.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.

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. 2023-21994 Filed 10-3-23; 8:45 am]
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