[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 66689]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18394]


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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; Application for Commercial Fisheries Authorization Under 
Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

    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 May 2, 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: Application for Commercial Fisheries Authorization under 
Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0293.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of existing 
collection.)
    Number of Respondents: 100.
    Average Hours per Response: Initial registration 15 minutes.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 25 hours.
    Needs and Uses: This is a request for an extension of a currently 
approved collection. Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
(MMPA) requires any commercial fisherman operating in Category I and II 
fisheries to register for a certificate of authorization that will 
allow the fisherman to take marine mammals incidental to commercial 
fishing operations. Category I and II fisheries are those identified by 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on the MMPA List of Fisheries 
as having either frequent or occasional takings of marine mammals. All 
states have integrated the NMFS registration process into the existing 
state fishery registration process and vessel owners do not need to 
file a separate federal registration. If applicable, vessel owners will 
be notified of this simplified registration process when they apply for 
their state or Federal permit or license. A valid certificate of 
authorization protects the vessel owner from prosecution under the MMPA 
for violation of the moratorium on taking marine mammals. The 
information needed to register or update a commercial fishery 
authorization is found at 50 CFR 229.4. There are no revisions to this 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Frequency: One time for initial registration. Then only on an as 
needed if vessel owners' contact or vessel information changes after 
initial registration.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to lawfully take marine mammals' 
incidental to fishing operations.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; MMPA.
    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 0648-0293.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-18394 Filed 8-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P