[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8413-8414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02506]


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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; Marine Mammal Stranding Reports/Marine Mammal Rehabilitation 
Disposition Report/Human Interaction Data Sheet

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 April 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0178 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 Stephen Manley, Biologist, Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East 
West Highway, #13604, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (301) 427-8476 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for a 1-year extension of this previously approved 
data collection. An extension is requested in order to provide time for 
the program office to address revisions to the collection pursuant to a 
recent law. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), who has delegated responsibility 
under this Act to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA) Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, is charged with the 
protection and management of marine mammals and is responsible for 
collecting information on marine mammal strandings, which will be 
compiled and analyzed, by region, to monitor species, numbers, 
conditions, and causes of illnesses and deaths of stranded animals. The 
Secretary is also responsible for collection of information on other 
life history and reference level data, including marine mammal tissue 
analyses, that would allow comparison of the causes of illness and 
deaths in stranded marine mammals by physical, chemical, and biological 
environmental parameters.
    In addition, determinations must be made on the sustainability of 
population stocks, on the impact of fisheries and other human 
activities on marine mammals and endangered species, and on the health 
of marine mammals and related environmental considerations. NOAA's 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has the responsibility to 
carry out these mandates.
    Section 402(b) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1421a) requires the Secretary 
to collect and update information on strandings. It further provides 
that the Secretary shall compile and analyze, by region, the species, 
numbers, conditions, and causes of illnesses and deaths in stranded 
marine mammals. Section 404 (a) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1421c) mandates 
that the Secretary respond to unusual marine mammal mortality events. 
Without a historical baseline provided by marine mammal information 
collected from strandings, detection of such events could be difficult 
and the investigation could be impeded. Section 401(b) of the MMPA (16 
U.S.C. 1421) requires NMFS to facilitate the collection and 
dissemination of reference data on the health of marine mammal 
populations in the wild and to correlate health with physical, 
chemical, and biological environmental parameters. In order to perform 
this function, NMFS must standardize data collection protocols for 
health and correlations. Data and samples collected from stranded 
animals are a critical part of the implementation of this mandate of 
the MMPA.
    Specifically, the data from the Marine Mammal Stranding Report 
(MMSR) forms provide NMFS with information on the morphology, life 
history, biology, general health, health and stranding trends, causes 
of mortality, and distribution of marine mammal species. These data 
provide information which may help in making assessments on the status 
of population stocks. Recording data on gross mortalities may serve as 
an indicator that a particular population is impacted, threatened or at 
increased risk, and when provided in a timely manner, aid in dynamic 
management practices. Stranding data also provide an important baseline 
for detecting and monitoring the impacts of environmental phenomena, 
such as El Ni[ntilde]o and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Minor edits to 
the current version of the form are proposed, including beginning to 
collect live, entangled large whale data in this data collection and 
streamlining the confidence codes.
    The Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Disposition Report (MMRDR) 
provides NMFS with information on the disposition of animals brought in 
for rehabilitation, the success of medical

[[Page 8414]]

treatment, and the number of animals released. This information will 
assist the Agency in tracking marine mammals that move into captive 
display and in the monitoring of rehabilitation and release. The data 
will also be used to assess the burden on stranding network centers. 
This form will be filled out only in the case of live-stranded marine 
mammals. The form will be required from rehabilitation centers in all 
five NMFS Regions. Each of the NMFS regions approves and issues a 
Letter of Agreement (LOA) or other form of agreement to marine mammal 
rehabilitation centers under Sec.  112(c) of the MMPA, which allows the 
Secretary to enter into agreements in order to fulfill the general 
purposes of the Act, and under Sec.  403 of the MMPA, which provides 
specific authority to enter into such stranding response agreements. 
These data will be monitored as part of the Rehabilitation Facilities 
Inspection (RFI) program. No changes are proposed to this form.
    The Human Interaction Data Sheet will provide NMFS with consistent 
and detailed information on signs of human interaction in stranded 
marine mammals. This form also includes a subjective section that 
allows the examiner to evaluate the likelihood that human interaction 
contributed to the stranding of the animal. This information will 
assist the Agency in tracking resource conflicts and will provide a 
solid scientific foundation for conservation and management of marine 
mammals. With a better understanding of interactions, appropriate 
measures can be taken to resolve conflicts and stranding data are the 
best source of information regarding the occurrence of different types 
of human interaction. No changes are proposed for this form.

II. Method of Collection

    Paper applications, electronic reports, and telephone calls are 
required from participants, and methods of submittal include internet 
through the NMFS National Marine Mammal Stranding Database; facsimile 
transmission of paper forms; or mailed copies of forms.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0178.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: State governments; not-for-profit institutions; 
business or other for-profits organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 400.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes for Stranding Reports and 
Rehabilitation Disposition Forms; 45 minutes for the Human Interaction 
Data Sheet.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,600.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $203.45.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

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. 2024-02506 Filed 2-6-24; 8:45 am]
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