2017-10292. 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: Foreign Fishing Vessel Permits, Vessel, and Gear Identification, and Reporting Requirements.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0075.

Form Number(s): None.

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

Number of Respondents: 7.

Average Hours per Response: For permit applications: One and one half hours for an application for a directed fishery; two hours for a joint venture application, and 45 minutes for a transshipment permit; for fishing activity reporting: 6 minutes for a joint venture report; 30 minutes per day for joint venture record-keeping; and 7.5 minutes per day for record-keeping by transport vessels; for weekly reports, 30 minutes per response; for foreign vessel and gear identification marking: 15 minutes per marking.

Burden Hours: 82.

Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently approved information collection.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issues permits, under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; MSA), to foreign fishing vessels fishing or operating in United States' (U.S.) waters. MSA and associated regulations at 50 CFR part 600 require that vessels apply for fishing permits, that vessels and certain gear be marked for identification purposes, that observers be embarked on selected vessels, and that permit holders report their fishing effort and catch or, when processing fish under joint ventures, the amount and locations of fish received from U.S. vessels. These requirements apply to all foreign vessels fishing, transshipping, or processing fish in U.S. waters.

Information is collected from persons who operate a foreign fishing vessel in U.S. waters to participate in a directed fishery or joint venture operation, transship fish harvested by a U.S. vessel to a location outside the U.S., or process fish in internal waters. Each person operating a foreign fishing vessel under MSA authority may be required to submit information for a permit, mark their vessels and gear, or submit information about their fishing activities. To facilitate observer coverage, foreign fishing vessel operators must provide a quarterly schedule of fishing effort and upon request must also provide observers with copies of any required records. For foreign fishing vessels that process fish in internal waters, the information collected varies somewhat from other foreign fishing vessels that participate in a directed fishery or a joint venture operation. In particular, these vessels may not be required to provide a permit application or mark their vessels. The information submitted in applications is used to determine whether permits should be used to authorize directed foreign fishing, participation in joint ventures with U.S. vessels, or transshipments of fish or fish products within U.S. waters. The display of identifying numbers on vessels and gear aid in fishery law enforcement and allows other fishermen to report suspicious activity. Reporting of fishing activities allows monitoring of fish received by foreign vessels.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Frequency: Annually, weekly and on occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

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

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

Dated: May 16, 2017.

Sarah Brabson,

NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.