Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Reporting of Sea Turtle Entanglement in Fishing Gear or Marine Debris
| Published date | 27 March 2020 |
| Record Number | 2020-06401 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 60 (Friday, March 27, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 60 (Friday, March 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 17313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06401]
[[Page 17313]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Reporting of
Sea Turtle Entanglement in Fishing Gear or Marine Debris
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 take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 26, 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 or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Kate Sampson, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries
Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, (978) 282-8470,
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) manages the Sea
Turtle Disentanglement Network (STDN) to respond to sea turtle
entanglement in active or discarded fishing gear (in particular those
involving the vertical line of fixed gear fisheries), marine debris, or
other line in the marine environment. Entanglement has the potential to
cause serious injury or mortality, which would negatively impact the
recovery of endangered and threatened sea turtle populations. The STDN
is made up of dedicated, trained, and specially-equipped non-profit
organizations, state and federal agencies, and universities. The STDN's
goals are to increase reporting, to reduce serious injury and mortality
to sea turtles, and to collect information that can be used for
mitigation of these threats. Initial reports are provided by radio or
phone from a variety of sources, including private and commercial
boaters, fishermen, government and state agencies, and even non-profit
organizations. Once initial reports are received and the STDN responds
to document and, hopefully, release the entangled turtle, information
from the initial report and the response are provided via hard copy or
electronic entanglement report forms that are later submitted to NOAA
Fisheries via electronic mail (most often). As there is limited
observer coverage of fixed gear fisheries, the STDN data are invaluable
to NMFS in understanding the threat of entanglement and working towards
mitigation.
II. Method of Collection
Reports will be submitted on paper (faxed or mailed), by telephone,
or electronically.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0496.
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; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or
Tribal government; Federal government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 116.
Estimated Time per Response: 2 to 2.5 hours per case (78 cases).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 168.5 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $100.
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.
Dated: March 24, 2020.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-06401 Filed 3-26-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
