[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61063-61064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16759]


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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; Recreational Angler Survey of Sea Turtle Interactions

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 September 30, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0774 in the subject line of your 
comments. All comments received are part of the public record and will 
generally be posted on https://www.regulations.gov without change. 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 Wendy Piniak, Biologist, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
Maryland 20910; (301) 427-8402; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) proposes 
to revise and extend a current information collection designed to 
assess the extent of hook and line interactions between recreational 
anglers on piers and other shore-based fishing locations and sea 
turtles. The collection comprises an Angler Intercept Survey, a Fishing 
Site Characterization Form, and a Survey Cover Sheet. The Angler 
Intercept Survey will be verbally administered on piers and shore-based 
fishing locations within NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region and 
Southeast Region and will be administered to approximately 20,000 
individual recreational fishermen. The respondents will be verbally 
asked a series of questions about their fishing practices and 
observations of sea turtles and the interviewer will record their 
answers. The survey will also assess the feasibility of an intercept 
survey for this purpose in terms of response rates and data collection. 
The Fishing Site Characterization Form will be completed by the survey 
administrator at each fishing location and collects information on the 
structure and operation of the pier or shore-based fishing location. 
The Site Characterization Sheet will be completed by the survey 
administrator during each survey period and collects information on the 
environmental conditions for that particular day, the number of anglers 
fishing, number of lines in the water, and the number of surveys 
completed. The collection previously included a Sea Turtle Incidental 
Capture Form. This form will be removed from this collection and is now 
included in the National Sea Turtle Stranding & Salvage Network 
Stranding & Gear Interaction Data Collection (0648-0496).
    Collection of data on sea turtle interactions in the shore-based 
recreational fishing sector is necessary to fulfill statutory 
requirements of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
This collection will allow NOAA Fisheries obtain specific information 
about recreational piers (defined here to include piers and other 
shore-based structures), the anglers that fish on piers, the nature of 
interactions between pier-based anglers and sea turtles, as well as to 
determine specific factors that may influence the rate of interactions. 
NOAA Fisheries can use the information collected to evaluate the impact 
of these interactions on sea turtle populations and determine 
conservation measures that can be implemented to reduce interactions 
and support the conservation and recovery of endangered and threatened 
sea turtle populations.

II. Method of Collection

    The survey will be implemented through verbal interviews.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0774.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission [Extension including a revision 
of a current information collection.]
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes for the Fishing Site 
Characterization Form, 5 minutes for the Survey Cover Sheet, 10 minutes 
for the Angler Intercept Survey.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,145.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $100.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Collection of these data on sea turtle 
interactions in the shore-based recreational fishing sector is 
necessary to fulfill statutory requirements of the Endangered Species 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 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)

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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. 2024-16759 Filed 7-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P