2013-28009. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Large Pelagic Fishing Survey

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 January 21, 2014.

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 [e-mail]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Dr. Ronald J. Salz, [phone] or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This request is for revision and extension of a current information collection.

The Large Pelagic Fishing Survey consists of dockside and telephone surveys of recreational anglers for large pelagic fish (tunas, sharks, and billfish) in the Atlantic Ocean. The survey provides the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) with information to monitor catch of bluefin tuna, marlin and other federally managed species. Catch monitoring in these fisheries and collection of catch and effort statistics for all pelagic fish is required under the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The information collected is essential for the United States (U.S.) to meet its reporting obligations to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna.

This action seeks to revise the Large Pelagic Fishing Survey OMB Control No. 0648-0380 in the following ways:

• Drop the Large Pelagics Headboat Survey (LPHS) component.
• Increase the annual Large Pelagics Telephone Survey (LPTS) target sample size from 10,780 to 15,900 interviews for Northeast and Southeast combined.
• Add up to five questions to the LPTS questionnaire.
• Add a non-response follow-up survey to the LPTS in the Southeast region (previously only the Northeast was covered).
• Reduce the Large Pelagics Biological Survey annual sample size from 1,500 to 1,000 interviews.

II. Method of Collection

Dockside and telephone interviews are used. In lieu of telephone interviews, respondents may also provide information online via a web tool.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0380.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a current information collection).

Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Unduplicated Respondents: 15,024.

Estimated Time per Response: 11 minutes for a telephone interview; 5 minutes for a dockside interview; 11/2 minutes to respond to a follow-up validation call for dockside interviews; 1 minute for a biological sampling of catch.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,608.

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: November 18, 2013.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.