2014-06250. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Cost and Earnings Surveys for West Coast Commercial Albacore Fishery

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 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 May 23, 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 Stephen M. Stohs, [phone] or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This request is for a new information collection.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to collect economic information for fishing vessels in the West Coast Commercial Albacore Fishery. Information about revenues, variable and fixed costs, capital investment, vessel characteristics, and employment would be collected from vessel owners for a stratified random sample of vessels in this fishery. The data will be used to assess how fishermen will be impacted by and respond to federal regulation likely to be considered by fishery managers. Therefore, the data will be used to strengthen and improve fishery management decision-making, satisfy legal mandates under Executive Order 12866, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act, and other pertinent statues.

II. Method of Collection

The economic information sought will be collected via mail, phone and in-person surveys. Where feasible, the respondents will be provided with the option to respond to the mail survey on-line via email or other electronic forms such as an online survey tool.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: None.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (request for a new information collection).

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 250.

Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours. 30 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 625.

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: March 18, 2014.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.