2010-31068. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Title: South Pacific Tuna Act.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0218.

Form Number(s): NA.

Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved collection).

Number of Respondents: 42.

Average Hours per Response: Expressions of interest, 2 hours for initial and 15 minutes for renewal; license applications and catch reports, 1 hour each; vessel registration, 45 minutes; unloading logsheets, 30 minutes.

Burden Hours: 389.

Needs and Uses: This request is for review of an extension of a currently approved collection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collects vessel license, vessel registration, catch, and unloading information from operators of United States (U.S.) purse seine vessels fishing within a large region of the central and western Pacific Ocean governed by the Treaty on Fisheries between the Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America. The collection of information is required to meet U.S. obligations under the Treaty.

The Treaty authorizes U.S. tuna vessels to fish within fishing zones of a large region of the Pacific Ocean. The South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 973-973r) and U.S. implementing regulations (50 CFR part 300, subpart D) authorize the collection of information from participants in the Treaty fishery. Vessel operators who wish to participate in the Treaty Fishery may submit expressions of interest in order to determine eligibility for the fishery, and must submit annual vessel license and registration (including registration of vessel monitoring system (VMS) units) applications and periodic written reports of catch and unloading of fish from licensed vessels. They are also required to ensure the continued operation of VMS units on board licensed vessels, which is expected to require periodic maintenance of the units. The license and registration application information is used to determine the operational capability and financial responsibility of vessel operators. Information obtained from vessel catch and unloading reports is used to assess fishing effort and fishery resources in the region and to track the amount of fish caught within each Pacific island state's exclusive economic zone for fair disbursement of Treaty monies. The maintenance of VMS units is needed to ensure the continuous operation of the units, used as an enforcement tool.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Frequency: Annually and on occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

OMB Desk Officer: [e-mail].

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, [phone], Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to [e-mail].

Dated: December 6, 2010.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.