2021-24507. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Scientific Research, Exempted Fishing, and Exempted Educational Activity Submissions

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 September 1, 2021 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: Scientific Research, Exempted Fishing, and Exempted Activity Submissions.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0309.

Form Number(s): None.

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

Number of Respondents: 123.

Average Hours per Response: Scientific research plans, 13 hours; scientific research reports, 6 hours; exempted fishing permit requests, 10 hours; exempted fishing permit reports, 4.5 hours; exempted educational requests, 5 hours; exempted educational reports, 2.5 hours.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,164.

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

Fishery regulations do not generally affect scientific research activities conducted by a scientific research vessel. Persons planning to conduct such research are encouraged to submit a scientific research plan to ensure that the activities are considered research and not fishing. The researchers are requested to submit reports of their scientific research activity after its completion. Eligible researchers on board federally permitted fishing vessels that plan to temporarily possess fish in a manner not compliant with applicable fishing regulations for the purpose of collecting scientific data on catch may submit a request for a temporary possession letter of authorization. The researchers are requested to submit reports of their scientific research activity after its completion. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) may also grant exemptions from fishery regulations for educational or other activities ( e.g., using non-regulation gear). The applications for these exemptions must be submitted, as well as reports on activities.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations and not-for-profit institutions such as educational and research institutions.

Frequency: As needed.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory and Voluntary.

Legal Authority: Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

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 0648-0309.

Sheleen Dumas,

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Commerce Department.