[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 180 (Monday, September 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 57074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22820]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Social Capital 
Survey of Northeast Groundfish Fishery Permit Holders

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 November 16, 
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 Patricia Pinto Da Silva at (508) 295.2370 or 
patricia.pinto.da.silva@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a new information collection.
    Quota allocations to groups of self-selecting permit holders (known 
as sector allocations) are increasingly being considered as a way to 
provide fishermen with greater control and flexibility in their fishing 
businesses while achieving efficiency gains. This new approach, which 
devolves substantial management responsibilities to groups of 
fishermen, represents a potential transformation in the relationship 
among permit holders as well as the relationship between permit holders 
and fisheries governance structures.
    The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Region expect 
that the success of sectors is likely to be shaped by the strength of 
the relationships between permit holders including their degree of 
trust and collaboration. We also expect that successful sectors will 
build norms and networks that enable collective action over time. The 
value of these relationships is commonly referred to in social and 
economic literature as social capital.
    A baseline of existing social capital in the groundfish fishery in 
the Northeast Region was conducted in 2010 by the Gulf of Maine 
Research Institute. This survey, to be conducted twice over the next 
six years, will follow up on this earlier initiative and will enable 
researchers to measure the change in the types and strength of 
relationships between groundfish permit holders in the Northeast. This 
work will inform our understanding of how best to design collaborative 
management structures in support of sustainable fisheries in the region 
and nationally.

II. Method of Collection

    Information will be collected via telephone interviews.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular (new information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 550.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,100.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 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: September 12, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-22820 Filed 9-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P