[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 174 (Monday, September 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 73074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20269]


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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 Vessel and Gear Identification 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 May 9th, 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: Southeast Region Vessel and Gear Identification 
Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0358.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular submission--extension of a current 
information collection.
    Number of Respondents: 10,031.
    Estimated Time per Response: Vessel marking: 75 minutes. Gear 
marking: aquacultured live rocks, 10 seconds each; golden crab traps, 2 
minutes each; spiny lobster traps and buoys, 7 minutes each; black sea 
bass pots, buoys, and buoy lines, 16 minutes each; and Spanish mackerel 
gillnet buoys, 20 minutes each; and buoy gear, 10 minutes each.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 40,335.
    Needs and Uses: The NMFS Southeast Region manages domestic 
fisheries in the U.S. exclusive economic zone of the Caribbean, Gulf of 
Mexico, and South Atlantic regions under multiple fishery management 
plans (FMPs). The regional fishery management councils prepared the 
FMPs pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). NMFS implements the FMPs through 
located at 50 CFR part 622.
    The regulations located at 50 CFR part 622 form the basis for the 
information collection requirements that are currently approved under 
OMB Control Number 0648-0358, Southeast Region Vessel and Gear 
Identification Requirements. NMFS has no immediate plans to change 
identification requirements for fishing vessels or gear in 50 CFR part 
622. Accordingly, NMFS proposes to extend to the information 
collections under OMB Control Number 0648-0358 without change.
    Regulations at 50 CFR part 622 require that all federally permitted 
fishing vessels must be marked with some form of identification. A 
vessel's official number, under most regulations, must be displayed on 
the port and starboard sides of the deckhouse or hull, and on the 
weather deck. In addition, regulations for certain fisheries also 
require the display of the assigned color code for the vessel. The 
official number and color code identify each vessel and should be 
visible at distance from the sea and in the air. These markings provide 
law enforcement personnel with a means to monitor fishing, at-sea 
processing, and other related activities, and to determine whether 
observed activities on the vessel are in accordance with those 
authorized for that vessel. NMFS, the United States Coast Guard, and 
other marine agencies use the identifying official number in monitoring 
compliance, issuing violations, prosecutions, and other enforcement 
actions. Vessels that are permitted for particular fisheries are 
readily identified and gear violations are more readily prosecuted, 
thereby enabling for more cost-effective enforcement.
    In addition to vessel marking, requirements that fishing gear be 
marked are essential to facilitate enforcement. The ability to link 
fishing gear to the vessel owner is crucial to enforcement of 
regulations issued under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 
marking of fishing gear is also valuable in actions concerning damage, 
loss, and civil proceedings. The requirements imposed on U.S. fisheries 
in the southeast region apply to aquacultured live rock; golden crab 
traps; spiny lobster traps and buoys; black sea bass pots, buoys, and 
buoy lines; Spanish mackerel gillnet buoys; and buoy gear.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: As needed.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
    This information collection request may be viewed at https://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 must be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this 
notice on the following website https://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 
information collection or the OMB Control Number 0648-0358.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-20269 Filed 9-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P