82 FR 32535 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Billfish Tagging Report Card

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 134 (July 14, 2017)

Page Range		32535-32536
FR Document		2017-14862

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 82 Issue 134 (Friday, July 14, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 134 (Friday, July 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32535-32536]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14862]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Billfish 
Tagging Report Card

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 September 12, 
2017.

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 Gerard DiNardo, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 
(858) 546-7106, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center operates a billfish tagging program. 
Tagging supplies are provided to volunteer anglers. When anglers catch 
and release a tagged fish they submit a

[[Page 32536]]

brief report on the fish and the location of the tagging. The 
information obtained is used in conjunction with tag returns to 
determine billfish migration patterns, mortality rates, and similar 
information useful in the management of the billfish fisheries. This 
program is authorized under 16 U.S.C. 760(e), Study of migratory game 
fish; waters; research; purpose.

II. Method of Collection

    Information is submitted by mail, via a paper form the size of a 
postcard.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0009.
    Form Number(s): NOAA Form 88-162.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 83.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

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: July 11, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-14862 Filed 7-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 134 / Friday, July 14, 2017 / Notices 32535

coverage. EM would not replace returned to the sea as quickly as and have minimal impacts that do not
Northeast Fishery Observer Program possible. All other species would be change the scope or impact of the
(NEFOP) observers, but EM would run handled per normal commercial fishing initially approved EFP request. Any
concurrently on these trips. Initially, operations. No legal-size regulated fishing activity conducted outside the
100 percent of the video from every trip groundfish would be discarded, unless scope of the exempted fishing activity
would be reviewed for data collection to otherwise permitted through regulatory would be prohibited.
monitor discards and support ongoing exemptions granted to the participating Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
analysis to implement an audit program vessel’s sector.
(i.e., reduce video review rates below NMFS has not yet developed the full Dated: July 11, 2017.
100 percent and/or use electronic VTR set of business rules for an audit Emily H. Menashes,
for discard data in quota monitoring). program, such as the pass/fail criteria Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Given presumably high and the video review rates. However, Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
concentrations of healthy fish stocks in under this EFP, vessels would continue [FR Doc. 2017–14820 Filed 7–13–17; 8:45 am]
portions of groundfish closed areas, and to pursue the audit model by reporting BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
because vessels would be fully all catch (kept and discards) on their
monitored, the CCCFA also requested electronic VTR, and EM would be used
access to portions of groundfish closed to monitor discards from each trip. This DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
areas to enable vessels to more EFP is expected to significantly increase
effectively target healthy fish stocks EM data collection by requiring EM on National Oceanic and Atmospheric
(i.e., pollock, haddock, hake, and 100 percent of trips along with Administration
redfish), while avoiding cod. If increased opportunities for accessing
Proposed Information Collection;
approved, this request would help healthy fish stocks within some closed
Comment Request; Billfish Tagging
achieve another project objective, which areas. This will improve the ability to
Report Card
is to increase participation and develop and implement an audit
incentivize the use of EM. These program, beyond the EFPs that required AGENCY: National Oceanic and
exemptions would include: (1) Hook EM coverage of 14 percent last year, and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
gear (jig machines, hand gear, benthic 16 percent this year. Commerce.
long lines) and sink gillnets in Closed The CCCFA requested a gear ACTION: Notice.
Area I (CAI) and Closed Area II (CAII); exemption from the Atlantic Highly
(2) Hook gear (jig machines, hand gear, Migratory Species (HMS) regulations; SUMMARY: The Department of
benthic long lines) in the Western Gulf that request is being considered Commerce, as part of its continuing
of Maine (WGOM) Closure Area; and (3) separately by the Atlantic HMS effort to reduce paperwork and
Jig gear (jig machines and hand gear) in program. respondent burden, invites the general
the Fippennies Ledge portion of Cashes The CCCFA also requested an public and other Federal agencies to
Ledge. The CCCFA did not request that exemption from the Pre-Trip take this opportunity to comment on
trawl gear vessels be allowed to access Notification System (PTNS), which is proposed and/or continuing information
these closed areas under the EFP. The used in several fisheries for NEFOP collections, as required by the
EFP would not exempt any participating observer deployment and for ASM Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
vessels from the seasonal Gulf of Maine deployment in the groundfish fishery; DATES: Written comments must be
(GOM) Cod Protection Areas to ensure we do not intend to grant that submitted on or before September 12,
cod spawning protection is not exemption. Vessels participating in this 2017.
undermined. EFP trips would occur EFP are still required to take NEFOP
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
year-round (excluding seasonal observers, and without a suitable and
fair alternative, we must still use PTNS to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
closures), although the majority of trips Paperwork Clearance Officer,
would occur in the summer and fall to facilitate and monitor observer
deployments in the fishery. Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
months. Participation in this EFP would
Additionally, it is highly likely that all 14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
be heavily dependent on how many
Federal vessels will have a pre-trip Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
vessels leave the already-approved EFP
requirement as part of the Region’s Internet at pracomments@doc.gov).
(i.e., 16 percent coverage, no closed area
access), and choose to join this new EFP Fishery-Dependent Data Vision (FDDV) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
(i.e., 100 percent coverage, closed area project. We think it is important to Requests for additional information or
access). There are currently 14 vessels retain this type of requirement, rather copies of the information collection
listed on the current EFP. Because than temporarily exempt vessels only to instrument and instructions should be
vessels may only participate in one of have it replaced by a similar directed to Gerard DiNardo, NOAA
these EFPs; these 14 vessels, plus an requirement in the near future. Southwest Fisheries Science Center,
additional 3 vessels, could be approved However, we recognize the concerns (858) 546–7106, or gerard.dinardo@
under this new 100-percent EM EFP. If expressed by the applicants, and the noaa.gov.
access to the closed areas is approved, fishing industry at-large regarding SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
we expect most vessels would choose to reporting requirements. We expect that
the FDDV will address many of these I. Abstract
participate in this new EFP.
All catch of groundfish stocks concerns, and that EM may offer the This request is for extension of a
allocated to sectors by vessels would be ability to simplify reporting. If currently approved information
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES

deducted from the sector’s annual catch approved, the applicant may request collection. The National Oceanic and
entitlement for each groundfish stock. minor modifications and extensions to Atmospheric Administration’s
Legal-sized regulated groundfish would the EFP throughout the year. EFP Southwest Fisheries Science Center
be retained and landed, as required by modifications and extensions may be operates a billfish tagging program.
the FMP. Undersized groundfish would granted without further notice if they Tagging supplies are provided to
be handled according to the EM project are deemed essential to facilitate volunteer anglers. When anglers catch
guidelines in view of cameras and completion of the proposed research and release a tagged fish they submit a

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Document Created: 2018-10-24 11:18:23
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 11:18:23

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 September 12, 2017.
Contact		Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Gerard DiNardo, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, (858) 546-7106, or [email protected]
FR Citation		82 FR 32535

82 FR 32535 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Billfish Tagging Report Card

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 134 (July 14, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration