E9-3457. 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: Application and Reports for Registration as a Tanner or Agent.

Form Number(s): None.

OMB Approval Number: 0648-0179.

Type of Request: Regular submission.

Burden Hours: 112.

Number of Respondents: 54.

Average Hours per Response: 2 hours.

Needs and Uses: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., Sections 1371, 1373, 1374 and 1379), mandates the protection and conservation of marine mammals and makes the taking, killing or serious injury of marine mammals, except under permit or exemption, a violation of the Act. An exemption is provided for Alaskan natives to take marine mammals if the taking is for subsistence or for creating and selling authentic native articles of handicraft and clothing. The possession of marine mammals and marine mammal parts by other than Alaskan natives is therefore prohibited (exception, 50 CFR 216.26: beach found non-Endangered Species Act (ESA) teeth or bones that have been registered with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)). As native handicrafts are allowed by the MMPA to enter interstate commerce, an exemption is also needed to allow non-natives to handle the skins or other marine mammal produce, whether to tan the pinniped hide or to act as an agent for the native to sell his handicraft products.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; State, local or tribal government.

Frequency: Annually.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, [phone].

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 7845, 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 David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, FAX number [phone], or [e-mail].

Dated: February 12, 2009.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.