[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50470-50471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20445]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Highly
Migratory Species Recreational Landings Reports
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 October 22,
2012.
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 JJessup@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Katie Davis, (727) 824-5399 or Katie.Davis@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for an extension of a currently approved
information collection.
Recreational catch reporting provides important data used to
monitor catches of Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) and
supplements other existing data collection programs. Data collected
through this program are used for both domestic and international
fisheries management and stock assessment purposes.
Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) catch reporting provides real-time
catch information used to monitor the
[[Page 50471]]
recreational BFT fishery. Under the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of
1975 (ATCA, 16 U.S.C. 971), the United States is required to adopt
regulations, as necessary and appropriate, to implement recommendations
of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
(ICCAT), including recommendations on a specified BFT quota. BFT catch
reporting helps the U.S. monitor this quota monitoring and supports
scientific research consistent with ATCA and the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16
U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Recreational anglers are required to report
specific information regarding their catch after they land a BFT.
Atlantic billfish and swordfish are managed internationally by
ICCAT and nationally under ATCA and the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This
collection provides information needed to monitor the recreational
catch of Atlantic blue and white marlin, which is applied to the
recreational limit established by ICCAT, and the recreational catch of
North Atlantic swordfish, which is applied to the U.S. quota
established by ICCAT. This collection also provides information on
recreational landings of West Atlantic sailfish which is unavailable
from other established monitoring programs. Collection of sailfish
catch information is authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for
purposes of stock management.
II. Method of Collection
Respondents reporting BFT landings in states (and the United States
Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) other than Maryland and North Carolina
may use either an internet Web site or an interactive voice response
(IVR) telephone system. Respondents reporting Atlantic marlin, West
Atlantic sailfish, or North Atlantic swordfish in states (and the
United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) other than Maryland or
North Carolina may use either an internet Web site or a toll-free
telephone number to report landings information. In Maryland and North
Carolina, a paper reporting system is used for all of the
aforementioned species. Under state law, respondents in Maryland and
North Carolina must submit a landing card at a state-operated reporting
station. States that participate in a landing card program must submit
weekly reports and one annual report to NOAA to summarize landings and
results to date.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0328.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations;
individuals or households; and State, Local, or Tribal government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,500.
Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes for an initial call-in or
internet report; 5 minutes for a confirmation call; 10 minutes for a
landing card; 1 hour for a weekly state report; and 4 hours for an
annual state report.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,440.
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: August 15, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-20445 Filed 8-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P