Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Data Collections To Support Comprehensive Economic and Socio-Economic Evaluations of the Fisheries in Regions of the United States Affected by Catastrophic Events
| Published date | 02 March 2021 |
| Citation | 86 FR 12174 |
| Record Number | 2021-04285 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Commerce Department,National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration |
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 39 (Tuesday, March 2, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12174-12175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04285]
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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; Data Collections To Support Comprehensive Economic and Socio-
Economic Evaluations of the Fisheries in Regions of the United States
Affected by Catastrophic Events
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 May 3, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0767 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 Dr. Joe Terry, Office of Science and Technology, 1315 East-West
Hwy., Bldg. SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282, (858) 454-2547,
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for revision and extension of a currently
approved information collection.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Science and
Technology's Economics and Social Analysis Division seeks to conduct
as-needed data collections to support mandated comprehensive economic
and socio-economic evaluations of the fisheries in regions of the
United States affected by catastrophic events. The six NMFS Fisheries
Science Centers will assist in conducting the proposed collections.
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA)
includes the following requirement (see SEC. 315 (c)), ``Within 2
months after a catastrophic regional fishery disaster the Secretary [of
Commerce] shall provide the Governor of each State participating in the
program a comprehensive economic and socio-economic evaluation of the
affected region's fisheries to assist the Governor in assessing the
current and future economic viability of affected fisheries, including
the economic impact of foreign fish imports and the direct, indirect,
or environmental impact of the disaster on the fishery and coastal
communities.'' The MSA permits the proposed collection and NMFS would
conduct it under the MSA.
This collection will provide information that NMFS will use to
produce the comprehensive economic and socio-economic evaluation
required by the MSA.
For a rapid catastrophic event, such as a hurricane, NMFS seeks to
collect data on the immediate and long-term disruption and impediments
to recovery of normal business practices to the commercial and
recreational fishing industries, including fishing dependent
businesses. In addition, for an ongoing event, such as a pandemic or
red tide that lingers for many months in the same region(s), NMFS seeks
to collect data quarterly to semi-annually as needed to evaluate the
ongoing event. NMFS would collect the data from
[[Page 12175]]
commercial and recreational for hire fishermen, fish dealers, seafood
processors, bait and tackle shops, and boat repair/marine supply/other
associated businesses.
NMFS will use the data to prepare the required economic and socio-
economic evaluations and to improve research and analysis of potential
fishery management actions by understanding the immediate, quarterly or
semi-annual, and/or long-term compounding effects of catastrophic
events on the commercial and recreational fishing industries and the
communities most dependent on those industries.
The proposed revisions would expand the coverage of the currently
approved information collection in two ways. First, they would expand
the types of catastrophic events from ``hurricanes and other climate
related natural disasters'' to events including hurricanes, tsunamis,
floods, freshwater intrusions, severe harmful algal blooms (e.g., red
tides), extreme temperatures, oil spills, and pandemics. Second, they
would extend the geographic scope from the ``Eastern, Gulf Coast and
Caribbean Territories of the United States'' to all regions and
territories of the United States. These proposed expansions are
reflected in the request to change the title from ``Assessment of the
Social and Economic Impact of Hurricanes and Other Climate Related
Natural Disasters on Commercial and Recreational Fishing Industries in
the Eastern, Gulf Coast and Caribbean Territories of the United
States'' to ``Data Collections to Support Comprehensive Economic and
Socio-Economic Evaluations of the Fisheries in Regions of the United
States Affected by Catastrophic Events.'' NMFS will improve the survey
instruments and collection methods based on lessons learned from
conducting and assessing the previous information collections. The
frequency of reporting will be from one to four times a year for each
catastrophic event.
II. Method of Collection
NMFS will use a combination of in-person, telephone and video call
interviews, as well as mail and internet surveys, to collect the
required information.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0767.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission [revision of a currently
approved collection].
Affected Public: Individuals or households and business or other
for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,400.
Estimated Time per Response: Rapid Response and Quarterly to Semi-
Annual Fisherman Survey: 20 min; Long Term Response Fisherman Survey:
20 min; Rapid Response and Quarterly to Semi-Annual Fishing Related
Business Survey: 20 min; Long Term Response Fishing Related Business
Survey: 20 min.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,463.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act SEC. 315(c).
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 Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-04285 Filed 3-1-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
