Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region Gear Identification Requirements
| Published date | 13 November 2019 |
| Citation | 84 FR 61598 |
| Record Number | 2019-24578 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration |
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61598-61599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24578]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region
Gear Identification Requirements
AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995.
DATES: To ensure consideration, written or on-line comments must be
submitted on or before January 13, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Adrienne Thomas, PRA Officer,
NOAA, 151 Patton Avenue, Room 159, Asheville, NC 28801 (or via the
internet at [email protected]). All comments received are part of the
public record. Comments will generally be posted without change. All
Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address)
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Gabrielle Aberle, National Marine Fisheries
Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668. Telephone (907) 586-
7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for extension of a currently approved information
collection.
Regulations pertaining to gear markings are set forth at 50 CFR
part 679 and in the annual management measures published in the Federal
Register pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62. This information collection
contains the following gear identification requirements for
participants in the groundfish fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone
off Alaska and for vessels using longline pot gear to fish for
individual fishing quota (IFQ) sablefish in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA).
Marker Buoys
All hook-and line, longline pot, and pot-and-line marker buoys
carried on board or used by any vessel regulated under 50 CFR part 679
must be marked with the vessel's Federal Fisheries Permit number or
Alaska Department of Fish and Game vessel registration number.
Regulations that marker buoys be marked with identification information
are essential to facilitate fisheries enforcement and actions
concerning damage, loss, and civil proceedings. The ability to link
fishing gear to the vessel owner or operator is crucial to enforcement
of regulations.
Longline Pot Gear Vessel Registration and Tags
A vessel owner using longline pot gear to fish for IFQ sablefish in
the GOA must annually register their vessel with the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) and be assigned pot tags for that vessel. Each
pot tag is printed with a unique serial number for identification, and
is specific to the IFQ regulatory area to which the tag is registered
and where the pot gear will be fished. A valid pot tag must be securely
attached to each pot used to fish for IFQ sablefish in the GOA.
Vessel owners submit the form ``Vessel Registration and Request for
IFQ Sablefish Pot Gear Tags'' to annually register their vessels and to
request new pot tags if a vessel does not have previously issued tags.
Tags assigned to a vessel in previous years are valid as long as the
tag can be secured to a pot and the serial number is legible. Vessel
owners submit the form ``Request for Replacement of Longline Pot Gear
Tags'' if previously issued tags need to be replaced.
NMFS requires all vessel operators using longline pot gear in the
GOA sablefish IFQ fishery to complete logbooks (see OMB Control Numbers
0648-0213). When the number of pots
[[Page 61599]]
deployed by a vessel is self-reported through logbooks, the use of pot
tags provides an additional enforcement tool to ensure that the pot
limits are not exceeded. The use of pot tags allows at-sea enforcement
and post-trip verification of the number of pots fished.
II. Method of Collection
The forms to request pot gear tags and register a vessel are
available on the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska as fillable PDFs and may be
downloaded and printed. These forms are submitted to NMFS by mail, fax,
or delivery. Marker buoys are marked with identification information.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0353.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current
information collection).
Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 988.
Estimated Time per Response: Marking longline pot gear marker
buoys, 15 minutes per buoy; marking groundfish hook-and-line marker
buoys, 10 minutes per buoy; 15 minutes each for the Vessel Registration
and Request for IFQ Sablefish Pot Gear Tags form and for the Request
for Replacement of Longline Pot Gear Tags form. These estimates are
based on the most recent supporting statement prepared for this
information collection in 2017. This supporting statement is available
on NOAA's Paperwork Reduction Act web page at https://www.cio.noaa.gov/itmanagement/pdfs/0353ext2017.pdf.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,841 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $11,310 in recordkeeping and
reporting costs.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer,
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2019-24578 Filed 11-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
