81 FR 73382 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Herring Amendment 5 Data Collection

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 206 (October 25, 2016)

Page Range		73382-73383
FR Document		2016-25733

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.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 206 (Tuesday, October 25, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73382-73383]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25733]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic 
Herring Amendment 5 Data Collection

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 December 27, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Daniel Luers, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries 
Office, 55 Great Republic Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930, (978) 282-8457, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a current information collection. 
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the 
Secretary of Commerce has the responsibility for the conservation and 
management of marine fishery resources. Much of this responsibility has 
been delegated to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). 
Under this stewardship role, the Secretary was given certain regulatory 
authorities to ensure the most beneficial uses of these resources. One 
of the regulatory steps taken to carry out the conservation and 
management objectives is to collect information from users of the 
resources.
    Data collection for Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery 
Management Plan requires renewal of Category E permits for limited 
access herring permit holders. This collection also requires herring 
carrier vessels that sell herring (rather than deliver those fish on 
behalf of a dealer for purchase) to obtain or maintain an At-Sea 
Atlantic Herring Dealer Permit. Vessels that have both an At-Sea 
Atlantic Herring Dealer Permit and a Federal fishing permit are 
required to fulfill the reporting requirements of both permits as 
appropriate.
    This collection has several vessel monitoring system (VMS) and 
vessel trip reporting (VTR) components. Category E vessels must submit 
daily VMS reports, weekly VTRs, and maintain a VMS unit on their 
vessels and declare intent to target Atlantic herring via VMS. This 
collection allows a vessel that opts to enroll as a herring carrier to 
do so via VMS rather than obtaining a letter of authorization (LOA). By 
declaring a herring trip via VMS, a vessel is exempt from daily VMS 
catch reporting, and is not bound by the 7-day enrollment period 
required by the herring carrier LOA. Vessels with limited access 
herring permits, Category E permits, and vessels declaring herring 
carrier trips via VMS also must give a pre-landing notification to the 
NMFS Office of Law Enforcement via VMS. In addition, vessels are 
prohibited from turning off VMS units while in port. A vessel 
representative must request a letter of exemption (LOE) from NMFS to 
turn off its VMS if that vessel will be out of the water for more than 
72 hours. A vessel owner is able to sign a herring vessel out of the 
VMS program for a minimum of 30 days by requesting and obtaining an LOE 
from NMFS. A vessel is not able to leave the dock unless the VMS unit 
is turned back on.
    This collection also requires that vessels with limited access 
herring permits, vessels with open access Category D permits that are 
fishing with midwater trawl gear in Areas 1A, 1B, and/or 3, vessels 
with open access category E permits, and herring carrier vessels 
contact NMFS at least 48 hours in advance of fishing to request an 
observer. Vessels currently contact NMFS via phone, and selection 
notices or waivers are issued by NMFS via VMS. Vessels with limited 
access herring permits, Category E permits, and vessels declaring 
herring carrier trips via VMS must notify NMFS via VMS of their intent 
to participate in the herring fishery prior to leaving port on each 
trip by entering the appropriate activity and gear codes in order to 
harvest, possess, or land herring on that trip.
    Additionally, this collection requires vessels issued limited 
access permits working cooperatively in the herring fishery to provide 
NMFS-approved observers with the estimated weight of each species 
brought on board or released on each tow.
    Finally, this collection requires that all herring vessels (i.e. 
any area throughout the EEZ, any gear type) bring all catch aboard the 
vessel and make it available for sampling by an observer. If catch is 
not made available to an observer before discard, that catch is defined 
as slippage, and the vessel operator must complete a ``Released Catch 
Affidavit'' form within 48 hours of the end of the fishing trip which 
details why catch was slipped, estimates the quantity and species 
composition of the slipped catch, and records the time and location of 
the slipped catch.

II. Method of Collection

    Information is collection on paper forms, by telephone, or 
electronically.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0674.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular (extension of a current information 
collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
individual or households, state, local, or tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 16,065.

[[Page 73383]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,231.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $46,877 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.
    Estimated Time per Response: Category E permit renewal, 1 minute; 
At-Sea Herring Dealer Permit renewal, 5 minutes; weekly dealer reports, 
15 minutes; VMS activity declarations, 5 minutes; VMS power-down 
exemption letter, 5 minutes; VMS pre-landing notification and gear 
declaration, 5 minutes; catch reports and vessel trip reports, 5 
minutes; request for an observer prior to a trip, 5 minutes; 
cancellation of trip, 1 minute; estimate of catch/discard provision, 1 
minute; documentation of slippage, 5 minutes.

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: October 20, 2016.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-25733 Filed 10-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

73382 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 206 / Tuesday, October 25, 2016 / Notices

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: vessel representative must request a
Heather E. Liwanag, Ph.D. (California Requests for additional information or letter of exemption (LOE) from NMFS to
Polytechnic State University, San Luis copies of the information collection turn off its VMS if that vessel will be out
Obispo, CA 93407–0401) has withdrawn instrument and instructions should be of the water for more than 72 hours. A
an application for a permit to conduct directed to Daniel Luers, Greater vessel owner is able to sign a herring
research on Weddell seals Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 vessel out of the VMS program for a
(Leptonychotes weddellii) near Great Republic Dr., Gloucester, MA minimum of 30 days by requesting and
McMurdo Station, Antarctica. 01930, (978) 282–8457, Daniel.luers@ obtaining an LOE from NMFS. A vessel
ADDRESSES: The application and related noaa.gov. is not able to leave the dock unless the
documents are available for review SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VMS unit is turned back on.
upon written request or by appointment This collection also requires that
in the Permits and Conservation I. Abstract vessels with limited access herring
Division, Office of Protected Resources, This request is for extension of a permits, vessels with open access
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room current information collection. Under Category D permits that are fishing with
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery midwater trawl gear in Areas 1A, 1B,
(301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376. Conservation and Management Act, the and/or 3, vessels with open access
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Secretary of Commerce has the category E permits, and herring carrier
Young or Amy Sloan, (301) 427–8401. responsibility for the conservation and vessels contact NMFS at least 48 hours
management of marine fishery in advance of fishing to request an
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August
resources. Much of this responsibility observer. Vessels currently contact
3, 2016, notice was published in the
has been delegated to NOAA’s National NMFS via phone, and selection notices
Federal Register (81 FR 51189) that a
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). or waivers are issued by NMFS via
request for a permit to conduct research
Under this stewardship role, the VMS. Vessels with limited access
on Weddell seals had been submitted by
Secretary was given certain regulatory herring permits, Category E permits, and
the above-named applicant.
authorities to ensure the most beneficial vessels declaring herring carrier trips
The applicant has withdrawn the
uses of these resources. One of the via VMS must notify NMFS via VMS of
application from further consideration.
regulatory steps taken to carry out the their intent to participate in the herring
Dated: October 20, 2016. fishery prior to leaving port on each trip
conservation and management
Julia Harrison, by entering the appropriate activity and
objectives is to collect information from
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, users of the resources. gear codes in order to harvest, possess,
Office of Protected Resources, National or land herring on that trip.
Data collection for Amendment 5 to
Marine Fisheries Service. Additionally, this collection requires
the Atlantic Herring Fishery
[FR Doc. 2016–25764 Filed 10–24–16; 8:45 am]
Management Plan requires renewal of vessels issued limited access permits
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
Category E permits for limited access working cooperatively in the herring
herring permit holders. This collection fishery to provide NMFS-approved
also requires herring carrier vessels that observers with the estimated weight of
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE each species brought on board or
sell herring (rather than deliver those
fish on behalf of a dealer for purchase) released on each tow.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Finally, this collection requires that
Administration to obtain or maintain an At-Sea Atlantic
Herring Dealer Permit. Vessels that have all herring vessels (i.e. any area
both an At-Sea Atlantic Herring Dealer throughout the EEZ, any gear type) bring
Proposed Information Collection;
Permit and a Federal fishing permit are all catch aboard the vessel and make it
Comment Request; Atlantic Herring
required to fulfill the reporting available for sampling by an observer. If
Amendment 5 Data Collection
requirements of both permits as catch is not made available to an
AGENCY: National Oceanic and appropriate. observer before discard, that catch is
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), This collection has several vessel defined as slippage, and the vessel
Commerce. monitoring system (VMS) and vessel operator must complete a ‘‘Released
ACTION: Notice. trip reporting (VTR) components. Catch Affidavit’’ form within 48 hours
Category E vessels must submit daily of the end of the fishing trip which
SUMMARY: The Department of details why catch was slipped, estimates
VMS reports, weekly VTRs, and
Commerce, as part of its continuing the quantity and species composition of
maintain a VMS unit on their vessels
effort to reduce paperwork and the slipped catch, and records the time
and declare intent to target Atlantic
respondent burden, invites the general and location of the slipped catch.
herring via VMS. This collection allows
public and other Federal agencies to
a vessel that opts to enroll as a herring II. Method of Collection
take this opportunity to comment on
carrier to do so via VMS rather than Information is collection on paper
proposed and/or continuing information
obtaining a letter of authorization forms, by telephone, or electronically.
collections, as required by the
(LOA). By declaring a herring trip via
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. III. Data
VMS, a vessel is exempt from daily
DATES: Written comments must be VMS catch reporting, and is not bound
submitted on or before December 27, OMB Control Number: 0648–0674.
by the 7-day enrollment period required Form Number(s): None.
2016. by the herring carrier LOA. Vessels with
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

Type of Review: Regular (extension of
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments limited access herring permits, Category a current information collection).
to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental E permits, and vessels declaring herring Affected Public: Business or other for-
Paperwork Clearance Officer, carrier trips via VMS also must give a profit organizations; individual or
Department of Commerce, Room 6616, pre-landing notification to the NMFS households, state, local, or tribal
14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Office of Law Enforcement via VMS. In government.
Washington, DC 20230 (or via the addition, vessels are prohibited from Estimated Number of Respondents:
Internet at JJessup@doc.gov). turning off VMS units while in port. A 16,065.

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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 206 / Tuesday, October 25, 2016 / Notices 73383

Estimated Total Annual Burden amount of time that a patent examiner FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Hours: 1,231. is expected to spend examining a patent Roundtable information, including
Estimated Total Annual Cost to application in a particular technology. roundtable registration information:
Public: $46,877 in recordkeeping/ The Office plans to use the public Elizabeth Magargel, Strategic Planning
reporting costs. feedback as an input to help ensure that Project Manager, Office of the Assistant
Estimated Time per Response: the Office’s examination time goals Deputy Commissioner for Patent
Category E permit renewal, 1 minute; accurately reflect the amount of time Operations, by telephone at (571) 270–
At-Sea Herring Dealer Permit renewal, 5 needed by examiners to conduct quality 7248.
minutes; weekly dealer reports, 15 examination in a manner that responds Written comments: Raul Tamayo,
minutes; VMS activity declarations, 5 to stakeholders’ interests. In addition to Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Patent
minutes; VMS power-down exemption accepting public feedback through the Legal Administration, Office of the
letter, 5 minutes; VMS pre-landing submission of written comments, the Deputy Commissioner for Patent
notification and gear declaration, 5 Office will provide the following Examination Policy, by telephone at
minutes; catch reports and vessel trip avenues for increased interactive (571) 272–7728.
reports, 5 minutes; request for an participation: IdeaScale®, a Web-based Examination time goals: Daniel
observer prior to a trip, 5 minutes; collaboration tool that allows users to Sullivan, Director Technology Center
cancellation of trip, 1 minute; estimate post comments and interact with the 1600, by telephone at (571) 272–0900.
of catch/discard provision, 1 minute; posted comments of others; and five SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office
documentation of slippage, 5 minutes. roundtables that the Office will be has a staff of approximately 8,400 patent
IV. Request for Comments conducting in: Alexandria, Virginia; examiners who examine patent
Detroit, Michigan; Denver, Colorado; applications in hundreds of technology
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether Dallas, Texas; and San Jose, California.
the proposed collection of information areas. Each technology area is assigned
is necessary for the proper performance DATES: Written Comments Deadline: To an examination time goal. The goals are
of the functions of the agency, including be ensured of consideration, written used by the Office for a variety of
whether the information shall have comments must be received on or before purposes, including forecasting
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the December 27, 2016. pendency and staffing needs and
agency’s estimate of the burden evaluating individual examiner
ADDRESSES: Written comments should performance. The goals originally were
(including hours and cost) of the be sent by electronic mail addressed to
proposed collection of information; (c) assigned over 40 years ago and have
ExternalExaminationTimeStudy@ been adjusted twice.
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and USPTO.gov. Comments also may be
clarity of the information to be Since the examination time goals
submitted by postal mail addressed to: were originally assigned, significant
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the Mail Stop Comments—Patents,
burden of the collection of information changes to the examination process
Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box have occurred, including increased use
on respondents, including through the 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450,
use of automated collection techniques of electronic tools, changes in law due
marked to the attention of Raul Tamayo, to court decisions, a growing volume of
or other forms of information Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Patent
technology. prior art, and progress in technology,
Legal Administration, Office of the which results in increasingly complex
Comments submitted in response to Deputy Commissioner for Patent
this notice will be summarized and/or subject matter in applications. In
Examination Policy. addition, the Office recently
included in the request for OMB
Although comments may be transitioned from the United States
approval of this information collection;
submitted by postal mail, the Office Patent Classification (USPC) system to
they also will become a matter of public
prefers to receive comments by the Cooperative Patent Classification
record.
electronic mail in order to facilitate (CPC) system. Because the current
Dated: October 20, 2016. posting on the USPTO’s Internet Web examination time goals were assigned
Sarah Brabson, site (http://www.uspto.gov). Electronic based on the USPC system,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. comments may be submitted in plain implementation of the CPC system has
[FR Doc. 2016–25733 Filed 10–24–16; 8:45 am] text, ADOBE® portable document caused the Office to reconsider and
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P format, or MICROSOFT WORD® format. reassess the assignments of examination
Comments not submitted electronically time goals. Furthermore, the Office is (i)
should be submitted on paper in a implementing the Enhanced Patent
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE format that facilitates digital scanning Quality Initiatives in order to provide a
into ADOBE® portable document higher quality examination to our
Patent and Trademark Office format. stakeholders and (ii) assessing the
[Docket No. PTO–P–2016–0040] The comments will be available for relationship between examination time
viewing via the USPTO’s Internet Web and value-added examination activities,
Request for Comments on site (http://www.uspto.gov). The such as best practices for enhancing the
Examination Time Goals comments also will be available for clarity of the record with respect to
AGENCY: United States Patent and public inspection at the Office of the claim interpretation, interview
Trademark Office, Commerce. Commissioner for Patents, currently summaries, and reasons for allowance.
located in Madison East, Tenth Floor, All of these factors warrant a
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

ACTION: Request for comments.
600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia reevaluation of the Office’s examination
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and 22314. Because the comments will be time goals.
Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) is made publicly available, information To help inform public comments
soliciting public feedback as part of an that the submitter does not desire to responsive to this request for comments
effort to reevaluate its examination time make public, such as an address or (RFC), the Office has prepared
goals. Examination time goals vary by phone number, should not be included background material illustrating the use
technology and represent the average in the comments. of examination time goals in the context

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Document Created: 2018-02-13 16:38:11
Document Modified: 2018-02-13 16:38:11

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		Written comments must be submitted on or before December 27, 2016.
Contact		Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Daniel Luers, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930, (978) 282-8457, [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 73382

81 FR 73382 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Herring Amendment 5 Data Collection

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 206 (October 25, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration