2018-16955. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast Multispecies Amendment 16

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 October 9, 2018.

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 Liz Sullivan, [phone] or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This request is for an extension of a current information collection. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the Secretary of Commerce has the responsibility for the conservation and management of marine fishery resources. We, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the Regional Fishery Management Councils are delegated the majority of this responsibility. The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) develops management plans for fishery resources in New England.

In 2010, we implemented a new suite of regulations for the Northeast (NE) multispecies fishery through Amendment 16 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This action updated status determination criteria for all regulated NE multispecies or ocean pout stocks; adopted rebuilding programs for NE multispecies (groundfish) stocks newly classified as being overfished and subject to overfishing; revised management measures, including significant revisions to the sector management measures (established under Amendment 13) necessary to end overfishing, rebuild overfished regulated NE multispecies and ocean pout stocks, and mitigate the adverse economic impacts of increased effort controls. It also implemented new requirements under Amendment 16 for establishing acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limits (ACLs), and accountability measures (AMs) for each stock managed under the FMP, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

Sectors are a management tool in the NE groundfish fishery. A sector consists of three or more limited access NE multispecies vessel permits, with distinct ownership, who voluntarily enter into a contract to manage their fishing operations and to share liability. A sector is granted an annual allocation of most stocks of fish managed by the NE Multispecies FMP. In return for increased operational flexibility, such as exemptions from certain effort controls and the ability to pool and trade quota, sectors have additional reporting and monitoring requirements. The sector reporting and monitoring requirements, as established by Amendment 16 and revised by subsequent framework adjustments to the NE Multispecies FMP, are contained within this information collection.

II. Method of Collection

Respondents must submit either paper forms via postal service, or electronic forms submitted via the internet or a vessels' vessel monitoring system (VMS).

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0605.

Form Number: None.

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

Affected Public: Business or for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,334.

Estimated Time per Response: Sector operations plan and membership list updates, 176 hr/response; Monitoring service provider initial application, 10 hr/response; Monitoring service provider response to application disapproval, 10 hr/response; Data entry for sector discard monitoring system, 3 min/response; Sector weekly catch report, 4 hr/response; Sector annual report, 12 hr/response; Notification of expulsion from a sector, 30 min/response; Request to transfer Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE), 5 min/response; Request to lease day-at-sea (DAS), 5 min/response; request to downgrade, 5 min/response; VMS certification form, 10 min/response; VMS confirmation call, 5 min/response; VMS area and DAS declaration, 5 min/response; VMS trip-level catch report; VMS daily catch reports when fishing in multiple broad stock areas, 15 min/response; Daily VMS catch reports when fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area and CA II SAPs, 15 min/response; Daily VMS catch reports when fishing in the CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP, 15 min/response; Daily VMS catch reports when fishing in the Regular B DAS Program, 15 min/response; Pre-trip hail report, 2 min/response; Trip-end hail report, 15 min/response; Forward trip start/end hails to NMFS, 2 min/response; ASM Pre-Trip Notification, 2 min/response; Vessel notification of selection for at-sea monitoring coverage, 5 min/response; at-sea monitor deployment report, 10 min/response; at-sea monitoring service provider catch report to NMFS upon request, 5 min/response; at-sea monitor report of harassment and other issues, 30 min/response; at-sea monitoring service provider contract upon request, 30 min/response; at-sea monitoring service provider information materials upon request, 30 min/response; OLE debriefing of at-sea monitors, 2 hr/response; ASM Database and Data Entry Requirements, 3 min/response; Observer program pre-trip notification, 2 min/response; DAS Transfer Program, 5min/response; Expedited Submission of Proposed SAPs, 20 hr/response; NAFO Reporting Requirements, 10 min/response.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 39,351.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $ 4,466,172 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: August 3, 2018.

Sarah Brabson,

NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.