[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 145 (Monday, July 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 60881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16621]


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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; Foreign Fishing Vessel Permits, Vessel, and Gear 
Identification, and Reporting Requirements

    The Department of Commerce will submit the following information 
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite 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. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register on March 20, 2024 during a 60-day comment period. This 
notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
    Title: Foreign Fishing Vessel Permits, Vessel, and Gear 
Identification, and Reporting Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0075.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 4.
    Average Hours per Response: 5 hours for reporting requirements for 
foreign vessels operating in internal waters, 2 hours for foreign 
fishing and transshipment permit applications, 5 hours for joint 
venture reporting and recordkeeping requirements, and 5 hours for 
foreign fishing vessel and gear identification requirements.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 17.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently 
approved information collection. The National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS) issues permits, under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; MSA), to foreign fishing 
vessels fishing or operating in U.S. waters. MSA and associated 
regulations at 50 CFR part 600 require that vessels apply for fishing 
permits, that vessels and certain gear be marked for identification 
purposes, that observers be embarked on selected vessels, and that 
permit holders report their fishing effort and catch or, when 
processing fish under joint ventures, the amount and locations of fish 
received from U.S. vessels. These requirements apply to all foreign 
vessels fishing, transshipping, or processing fish in U.S. waters.
    Information is collected from persons who operate a foreign fishing 
vessel in U.S. waters to participate in a directed fishery or joint 
venture operation, transship fish harvested by a U.S. vessel to a 
location outside the U.S., or process fish in internal waters. Each 
person operating a foreign fishing vessel under MSA authority may be 
required to submit information for a permit, mark their vessels and 
gear, or submit information about their fishing activities. To 
facilitate observer coverage, foreign fishing vessel operators must 
provide a quarterly schedule of fishing effort and upon request must 
also provide observers with copies of any required records. For foreign 
fishing vessels that process fish in internal waters, the information 
collected varies somewhat from other foreign fishing vessels that 
participate in a directed fishery or a joint venture operation. In 
particular, these vessels may not be required to provide a permit 
application or mark their vessels. The information submitted in 
applications is used to determine whether permits should be used to 
authorize directed foreign fishing, participation in joint ventures 
with U.S. vessels, or transshipments of fish or fish products within 
U.S. waters. The display of identifying numbers on vessels and gear aid 
in fishery law enforcement and allows other fishermen to report 
suspicious activity. Reporting of fishing activities allows monitoring 
of fish received by foreign vessels.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: Annually, weekly, and on occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
    Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of 
Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 
Find this particular information collection by selecting ``Currently 
under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search 
function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB 
Control Number 0648-0075.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-16621 Filed 7-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P