83 FR 39075 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast Multispecies Amendment 16

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 153 (August 8, 2018)

Page Range		39075-39076
FR Document		2018-16955

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 Issue 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39075-39076]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16955]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast 
Multispecies Amendment 16

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

[[Page 39076]]

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 October 9, 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 Liz Sullivan, (978) 282-8493 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for an extension of a current information 
collection. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (MSA), the Secretary of Commerce has the responsibility 
for the conservation and management of marine fishery resources. We, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National 
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the Regional Fishery Management 
Councils are delegated the majority of this responsibility. The New 
England Fishery Management Council (Council) develops management plans 
for fishery resources in New England.
    In 2010, we implemented a new suite of regulations for the 
Northeast (NE) multispecies fishery through Amendment 16 to the NE 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This action updated status 
determination criteria for all regulated NE multispecies or ocean pout 
stocks; adopted rebuilding programs for NE multispecies (groundfish) 
stocks newly classified as being overfished and subject to overfishing; 
revised management measures, including significant revisions to the 
sector management measures (established under Amendment 13) necessary 
to end overfishing, rebuild overfished regulated NE multispecies and 
ocean pout stocks, and mitigate the adverse economic impacts of 
increased effort controls. It also implemented new requirements under 
Amendment 16 for establishing acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual 
catch limits (ACLs), and accountability measures (AMs) for each stock 
managed under the FMP, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
    Sectors are a management tool in the NE groundfish fishery. A 
sector consists of three or more limited access NE multispecies vessel 
permits, with distinct ownership, who voluntarily enter into a contract 
to manage their fishing operations and to share liability. A sector is 
granted an annual allocation of most stocks of fish managed by the NE 
Multispecies FMP. In return for increased operational flexibility, such 
as exemptions from certain effort controls and the ability to pool and 
trade quota, sectors have additional reporting and monitoring 
requirements. The sector reporting and monitoring requirements, as 
established by Amendment 16 and revised by subsequent framework 
adjustments to the NE Multispecies FMP, are contained within this 
information collection.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents must submit either paper forms via postal service, or 
electronic forms submitted via the internet or a vessels' vessel 
monitoring system (VMS).

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0605.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a 
current information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,334.
    Estimated Time per Response: Sector operations plan and membership 
list updates, 176 hr/response; Monitoring service provider initial 
application, 10 hr/response; Monitoring service provider response to 
application disapproval, 10 hr/response; Data entry for sector discard 
monitoring system, 3 min/response; Sector weekly catch report, 4 hr/
response; Sector annual report, 12 hr/response; Notification of 
expulsion from a sector, 30 min/response; Request to transfer Annual 
Catch Entitlement (ACE), 5 min/response; Request to lease day-at-sea 
(DAS), 5 min/response; request to downgrade, 5 min/response; VMS 
certification form, 10 min/response; VMS confirmation call, 5 min/
response; VMS area and DAS declaration, 5 min/response; VMS trip-level 
catch report; VMS daily catch reports when fishing in multiple broad 
stock areas, 15 min/response; Daily VMS catch reports when fishing in 
the U.S./Canada Management Area and CA II SAPs, 15 min/response; Daily 
VMS catch reports when fishing in the CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP, 15 
min/response; Daily VMS catch reports when fishing in the Regular B DAS 
Program, 15 min/response; Pre-trip hail report, 2 min/response; Trip-
end hail report, 15 min/response; Forward trip start/end hails to NMFS, 
2 min/response; ASM Pre-Trip Notification, 2 min/response; Vessel 
notification of selection for at-sea monitoring coverage, 5 min/
response; at-sea monitor deployment report, 10 min/response; at-sea 
monitoring service provider catch report to NMFS upon request, 5 min/
response; at-sea monitor report of harassment and other issues, 30 min/
response; at-sea monitoring service provider contract upon request, 30 
min/response; at-sea monitoring service provider information materials 
upon request, 30 min/response; OLE debriefing of at-sea monitors, 2 hr/
response; ASM Database and Data Entry Requirements, 3 min/response; 
Observer program pre-trip notification, 2 min/response; DAS Transfer 
Program, 5min/response; Expedited Submission of Proposed SAPs, 20 hr/
response; NAFO Reporting Requirements, 10 min/response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 39,351.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $ 4,466,172 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 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: August 3, 2018.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-16955 Filed 8-7-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 8, 2018 / Notices 39075

expected to be impacted by the will have a negligible impact on all not individually or cumulatively have
proposed survey. affected marine mammal species or the potential for significant impacts on
Mitigation measures are expected to stocks. the quality of the human environment
reduce the number and/or severity of and for which we have not identified
Small Numbers
takes by (1) giving animals the any extraordinary circumstances that
opportunity to move away from the As noted above, only small numbers would preclude this categorical
sound source before HRG survey of incidental take may be authorized exclusion. Accordingly, NMFS has
equipment reaches full energy; (2) under Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA determined that the issuance of the IHA
preventing animals from being exposed for specified activities other than qualifies to be categorically excluded
to sound levels that may otherwise military readiness activities. The MMPA from further NEPA review. We have
result in injury. Additional vessel strike does not define small numbers and so, reviewed all comments submitted in
avoidance requirements will further in practice, where estimated numbers response to the proposed IHA notice
mitigate potential impacts to marine are available, NMFS compares the prior to concluding our NEPA process
mammals during vessel transit to and number of individuals taken to the most and making this final decision on the
within the survey area. appropriate estimation of abundance of IHA request.
NMFS concludes that exposures to the relevant species or stock in our
marine mammal species and stocks due determination of whether an Endangered Species Act
to Dominion’s proposed survey would authorization is limited to small Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
result in only short-term (temporary and numbers of marine mammals. Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
short in duration) effects to individuals Additionally, other qualitative factors seq.) requires that each Federal agency
exposed. Marine mammals may may be considered in the analysis, such insure that any action it authorizes,
temporarily avoid the immediate area, as the temporal or spatial scale of the funds, or carries out is not likely to
but are not expected to permanently activities. jeopardize the continued existence of
abandon the area. Major shifts in habitat The numbers of marine mammals that any endangered or threatened species or
use, distribution, or foraging success are we authorized to be taken would be result in the destruction or adverse
not expected. NMFS does not anticipate considered small relative to the relevant modification of designated critical
the authorized take estimates to impact stocks or populations for all species and habitat.
annual rates of recruitment or survival. stocks (less than 10 percent of The NMFS Office of Protected
In summary and as described above, bottlenose dolphin stocks, and less than Resources is proposing mitigation to
the following factors primarily support 1 percent of each of the other species avoid the incidental take of the species
our determination that the impacts and stocks). See Tables 6 and 7. Based of marine mammals which are likely to
resulting from this activity are not on the analysis contained herein of the be present and are listed under the ESA:
expected to adversely affect the species proposed activity (including the The North Atlantic right and fin whales.
or stock through effects on annual rates mitigation and monitoring measures) Therefore, consultation under section 7
of recruitment or survival: and the anticipated take of marine of the ESA is not required.
• No mortality or serious injury is mammals, NMFS finds that small
anticipated or authorized; numbers of marine mammals will be Authorization
• No injury is anticipated or taken relative to the population size of NMFS has issued an IHA to Dominion
authorized; the affected species or stocks. for conducting UXO surveys offshore
• The anticipated impacts of the Virginia for a period of one year,
proposed activity on marine mammals Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis
provided the previously mentioned
would be limited to temporary and Determination
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting
behavioral changes due to avoidance of There are no relevant subsistence uses requirements are incorporated.
the area around the survey vessel; of the affected marine mammal stocks or
Dated: July 31, 2018.
• Alternate areas of similar habitat species implicated by this action.
value for marine mammals to Therefore, NMFS has determined that Donna S. Wieting,
temporarily vacate the survey area the total taking of affected species or Director, Office of Protected Resources,
during the proposed survey and avoid stocks would not have an unmitigable National Marine Fisheries Service.
exposure to sounds from the activity are adverse impact on the availability of [FR Doc. 2018–16885 Filed 8–7–18; 8:45 am]
available; such species or stocks for taking for BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
• The proposed project area does not subsistence purposes.
contain areas of significance for feeding,
National Environmental Policy Act DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
mating or calving;
• Effects on species that serve as prey To comply with the National
species for marine mammals from the Environmental Policy Act of 1969 National Oceanic and Atmospheric
proposed survey are expected to be (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and Administration
minimal; NOAA Administrative Order (NAO)
Proposed Information Collection;
• Mitigation measures, including 216–6A, NMFS must review our
Comment Request; Northeast
visual and acoustic monitoring and proposed action (i.e., the issuance of an
Multispecies Amendment 16
shutdowns, are expected to minimize incidental harassment authorization)
potential impacts to marine mammals. with respect to potential impacts on the AGENCY: National Oceanic and
Based on the analysis contained
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

human environment. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
herein of the likely effects of the This action is consistent with Commerce.
specified activity on marine mammals categories of activities identified in ACTION: Notice.
and their habitat, and taking into Categorical Exclusion B4 (incidental
consideration the implementation of the harassment authorizations with no SUMMARY: The Department of
monitoring and mitigation measures, anticipated serious injury or mortality) Commerce, as part of its continuing
NMFS finds that the total marine of the Companion Manual for NOAA effort to reduce paperwork and
mammal take from the proposed activity Administrative Order 216–6A, which do respondent burden, invites the general

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Document Created: 2018-08-08 02:05:21
Document Modified: 2018-08-08 02:05:21

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 October 9, 2018.
Contact		Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Liz Sullivan, (978) 282-8493 or [email protected]
FR Citation		83 FR 39075

83 FR 39075 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast Multispecies Amendment 16

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 153 (August 8, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration