2024-09141. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Fishermen's Contingency Fund

The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on January 19, 2024 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.

Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

Title: Fishermen's Contingency Fund.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0042.

Form Number(s): NOAA Forms 88-164, 88-166.

Type of Request: Regular submission [Extension of a current information collection].

Number of Respondents: 20.

Average Hours per Response: 15 minutes for a report, 45 minutes for a claim application.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 160.

Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently approved information collection. United States (U.S.) commercial fishermen may file claims for compensation for losses of, or damage to, fishing gear or vessels, plus 50 percent of resulting economic losses, attributable to oil and gas activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. To obtain compensation, applicants must comply with requirements set forth in 50 CFR part 296.

The requirements include a “report” within 15 days of the date the vessel first returns to port after the casualty incident to gain a presumption of eligible causation, and an “application” within 90 days of when the applicant first became aware of the loss and/or damage.

The report is NOAA Form 88-166 and it requests identifying information such as Respondent's name; address; social security number; and casualty location. NOAA usually completes the information in the report during a telephone call with the respondent.

The application is NOAA Form 88-164 and it requires the respondent to provide information on the property and economic losses and/or damages including type of damage; purchase date and price of lost/damaged gear; and income from recent fishing trips. It also includes an affidavit by which the applicant attests to the truthfulness of the claim.

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

Frequency: On Occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.

Legal Authority: Title IV of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1841) authorizes the Fishermen's Contingency Fund (Fund or FCF) program to compensate U.S. commercial fishermen for losses of, or damages to, fishing gear or vessels, plus 50% of resulting gross economic loss, attributable to oil and gas activities on the OCS. Program requirements are set forth in 50 CFR part 296.

This information collection request may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 0648-0082.

Sheleen Dumas,

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.