[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10042-10043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02968]


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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; Southeast Region Individual Fishing Quota Programs

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic & 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

[[Page 10043]]


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 by April 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0551 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 Britni LaVine, NMFS, Southeast Regional Office, Sustainable 
Fisheries Division, 263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, 727-
824-5305, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This is a request for an extension of an approved information 
collection. The NMFS Southeast Regional Office manages three commercial 
individual fishing quota (IFQ) and individual transferable quota (ITQ) 
programs in the NMFS Southeast Region under the authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. The IFQ programs for red snapper, 
and groupers and tilefishes occur in Federal waters of the Gulf of 
Mexico (Gulf), and the ITQ program for wreckfish occurs in Federal 
waters of the South Atlantic.
    The NMFS Southeast Regional Office proposes to extend the 
information collection currently approved under OMB Control Number 
0648-0551. This collection of information tracks the transfer and use 
of IFQ and ITQ shares, and IFQ allocation and landings by commercial 
fishermen necessary for NMFS to operate, administer, and review 
management of the IFQ and ITQ programs. Regulations for the IFQ and ITQ 
programs are located at 50 CFR part 622. NMFS proposes no revisions to 
the existing information collections for the IFQ and ITQ programs 
approved under OMB Control Number 0648-0551.

II. Method of Collection

    Information for the Gulf red snapper, and grouper and tilefish IFQ 
programs is collected electronically via a web-based system, through 
satellite-linked vessel monitoring systems, through a 24-hour call 
line, and with paper form submission for landing corrections, closing 
an account, and account applications, as well as landing transactions 
under catastrophic circumstances.
    The share transfer process in the wreckfish ITQ program requires 
the signatures of witnesses on paper forms. The wreckfish ITQ program 
remains paper-based until the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
and NMFS consider whether to implement an electronic system.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0551.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission--extension of a current 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,064.
    Estimated Time per Response:

 Transfer Shares, 3 minutes
 Share Receipt, 2 minutes
 Account Update, 2 minutes
 Trip Ticket Update, 2 minutes
 Transfer Allocation, 3 minutes
 Landing Transaction Correction Request, 5 minutes
 Dealer Cost Recovery Fee Submission through pay.gov, 3 minutes
 Commercial Reef Fish Landing Location Request, 5 minutes
 Dealer Landing Transaction Report, 6 minutes (electronic form)
 Dealer Landing Transaction Report, 5 minutes (paper form used 
in catastrophic conditions only)
 IFQ Notification of Landing, 5 minutes
 Gulf Reef Fish Notification of Landing, 3 minutes
 IFQ Close Account, 3 minutes
 IFQ Online Account Application, 13 minutes
 Wreckfish Quota Share Transfer, 20 minutes

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,397.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $651 in recordkeeping and 
reporting costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory, required to obtain or retain 
benefits.
    Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 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. 2024-02968 Filed 2-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P