83 FR 16329 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Reporting of Sea Turtle Incidental Take in Virginia Chesapeake Bay Pound Net Operations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 73 (April 16, 2018)

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 83, Number 73 (Monday, April 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16329-16330]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07885]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Reporting of 
Sea Turtle Incidental Take in Virginia Chesapeake Bay Pound Net 
Operations

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 June 15, 2018.

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 Carrie Upite, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries 
Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930; (978) 282-8475; or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a current information collection.
    This action would continue the reporting measure requiring all 
Virginia Chesapeake Bay pound net fishermen to report interactions with 
endangered and threatened sea turtles, found both live and dead, in 
their pound net operations. When a live or dead sea turtle is 
discovered during a pound net trip, the Virginia pound net fisherman is 
required to report the incidental take to National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) and, if necessary, the appropriate rehabilitation and 
stranding network. This information will be used to monitor the level 
of incidental take in the state-managed Virginia pound net fishery and 
ensure that the seasonal pound net leader restrictions (50 CFR 
223.206(d)(10)) are adequately protecting listed sea turtles. Based on 
the number of sea turtle takes anticipated in the Virginia pound net 
fishery and the available number of Virginia pound net fishermen and 
pound nets, the number of responses anticipated on an annual basis is 
988. This is an increase from the previous information collection 
(n=483) as we used the maximum number of possible licensed pound net 
sites per Virginia fishery regulations (n=161) on which to base our 
information collection estimate, rather than the number of documented 
sites from NMFS monitoring efforts (n=80), as the latter is outdated 
and may be an underestimate.

II. Method of Collection

    Reports may be made either by telephone or fax.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0470.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 35.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 165.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $227 in recordkeeping/
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

[[Page 16330]]

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: April 11, 2018.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-07885 Filed 4-13-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P