Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Haddock Bycatch Notification of Landing, 36119-36120 [05-12263]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 22, 2005 / Notices relevant Native American whaling organization about strikes on and catch of whales. Anyone retrieving a dead whale is also required to report. Captains must place a distinctive permanent identification mark on any harpoon, lance, or explosive dart used, and must also provide information on the mark and self-identification information. The relevant Native American whaling organization receives the reports, compiles them, and submits the information to NOAA. The information is used to monitor the hunt and to ensure that quotas are not exceeded. The information is also provided to the International Whaling Commission, which uses it to monitor compliance with its requirements. II. Method of Collection Reports may be made by phone or fax. Information on equipment marks must be made in writing. No form is used. III. Data OMB Number: 0648–0311. Form Number: None. Type of Review: Regular submission. Affected Public: Individuals or households; State, local, or tribal governments. Estimated Number of Respondents: 52. Estimated Time Per Response: 30 minutes for reports on whales struck or on recovery of dead whales; 5 minutes for providing the relevant Native American whaling organization with information on the mark and selfidentification information; 5 minutes for marking gear; and 5 hours for the relevant Native American whaling organization to consolidate and submit reports. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 48. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $100. 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 VerDate jul<14>2003 21:12 Jun 21, 2005 Jkt 205001 included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. Dated: June 16, 2005. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 05–12262 Filed 6–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Haddock Bycatch Notification of Landing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: 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 August 22, 2005. ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dHynek@doc.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Brian R. Hooker, Fishery Policy Analyst, Sustainable Fisheries Division, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, 978–281–9220. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Region manages Northeast (NE) multispecies and herring fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Northeastern United States through the NE Multispecies and Herring Fishery Management Plans (FMPs). The New England Fishery Management Council prepared the FMPs pursuant to the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act). The regulations implementing the FMPs are specified under 50 CFR 648.80 and 648.200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 36119 The recordkeeping and reporting requirements at § 648.80(d)(9) and (e)(8) form the basis for this collection of information. NMFS Northeast Region requests information from Category 1 herring vessel owners/operators in order to facilitate enforcement of haddock possession limits and monitor the bycatch of haddock in the herring fishery. The failure to collect information on Category 1 herring vessel activity or collecting it less frequently could undermine efforts to facilitate enforcement. This information is important in determining the impact of herring vessel operations on groundfish fishing mortality. The information is a prior notification of landing submitted through a vessel monitoring system (VMS). The cost of operation and installation of the VMS for Category 1 herring vessels is accounted for under OMB Control Number 0648–0404. This information, upon receipt, results in an increasingly more efficient and accurate database for management and monitoring of fisheries of the Northeastern U.S. EEZ. II. Method of Collection Information is collected electronically through the vessel’s VMS. III. Data OMB Number: 0648–0525. Form Number: None. Type of Review: Regular submission. Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 105. Estimated Time Per Response: 5 minutes. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 56. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $335. 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 E:\FR\FM\22JNN1.SGM 22JNN1 36120 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 22, 2005 / Notices approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. Dated: June 16, 2005. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 05–12263 Filed 6–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 060805C] Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Team Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of establishment of an Atlantic Longline Take Reduction Team and meeting. AGENCY: SUMMARY: NMFS is establishing a Take Reduction Team (TRT) and convening a TRT meeting to address the incidental mortality and serious injury of longfinned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) and short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) in the Atlantic region of the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery. The TRT will develop a Take Reduction Plan (TRP) as required in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NMFS will seek input from the Atlantic Pelagic Longline TRT on all scientific data related to stock structure, abundance, and human-caused mortality and serious injury of pilot whales. The TRT will focus on developing a plan to reduce incidental catch of pilot whales in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery to a level approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate within 5 years of implementation of the plan. DATES: The meeting will be held on June 29, 2005, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and on June 30, 2005, from 8:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. ADDRESSES: The PLTRT meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. Phone: (301) 657–1234, Fax: (301) 657–6453. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Cornish: (727) 824–5312 or Kristy Long: (301) 713–2322. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMPA defines the Potential Biological Removal (PBR) level of a marine mammal stock as the maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a VerDate jul<14>2003 21:12 Jun 21, 2005 Jkt 205001 marine mammal stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum sustainable population. The PBR level is the product of the following factors: the minimum population estimate of the stock; one-half the maximum theoretical or estimated net productivity rate of the stock at a small population size; and a recovery factor of between 0.1 and 1.0. The Western North Atlantic stocksof short-finned and long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala sp.) were designated as strategic in the 2003 marine mammal stock assessment report. However, NMFS has revised the abundance estimates for pilot whales based on recent surveys conducted throughout their range. The 2005 draft stock assessment report now indicates that the PBR for the combined stock of long-finned and short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala sp.) is 247, and that total fishery-related mortality and serious injury is 201. Therefore, the status of this combined stock in the 2005 draft stock assessment report will change from strategic to non-strategic because fishery-related serious injuries and mortalities are less than PBR. For a non-strategic stock, a take reduction plan shall be completed within 11 months of the establishment of the team, and shall focus on reducing incidental mortalities and serious injuries of pilot whales to a level approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate within 5 years of implementation of the plan. Both species of pilot whales are known to interact with the pelagic longline fishery, which is classified on the MMPA List of Fisheries as a Category I fishery, or one that has frequent incidental mortalities or serious injuries of marine mammals. Most of the observed interactions of pilot whales with the pelagic longline fishery have occurred in the MidAtlantic Bight, where the ranges of the two species overlap. Other commercial fisheries known to occasionally cause incidental mortality and serious injury of short-finned and long-finned pilot whales include the southern New England and mid-Atlantic midwater and bottom trawl fisheries targeting squid, mackerel, butterfish, and herring. These fisheries are identified in the 2004 List of Fisheries (69 FR 48407, August 10, 2004). As required under section 118 (f)(8) of the MMPA, the TRT shall develop a draft TRP by consensus, and shall submit this draft TRP to NMFS not later than 11 months after the date of the establishment of the TRT. The Secretary shall then consider the TRP, and no later than 60 days after the submission PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 of the draft TRP, NMFS shall publish in the Federal Register the TRP and any implementing regulations proposed by the team for a public comment period not to exceed 90 days. Within 60 days of the close of the comment period, NMFS shall issue a final TRP and any implementing regulations. List of invited participants: MMPA section 118 (f)(6)(C) requires that members of TRTs have expertise regarding the conservation or biology of the marine mammal species that the TRP will address, or the fishing practices that result in the incidental mortality or serious injury of such species. The MMPA further specifies that TRTs shall, to the maximum extent practicable, consist of an equitable balance among representatives of resource user and non-user interests. NMFS has asked the following individuals to serve as members of the TRT, which will focus on reducing bycatch of long-finned and short-finned pilot whales in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery: Nelson Beidman, Blue Water Fishermen’s Association; Jim Budi, Shoreside; Vicki Cornish, NMFS; Jean Cramer, Thunder Mountain Consulting; Brendan Cummings, Center for Biological Diversity; Damon Gannon, Mote Marine Laboratory; Charlotte Hudson Gray, Oceana; Gail Johnson, Fishing Vessel Seneca; David Kerstetter, Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Bill McLellan, University of North Carolina at Wilmington; Dan Mears, Fishing Vessel Monica; Tim Ragen, Marine Mammal Commission; Scott Rucky, Fishing Vessel Dakota; Rick Seagraves, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; and Sharon Young, Humane Society of the United States. Other individuals from NMFS and state and Federal agencies may be present as observers or for their scientific expertise. Members of TRTs serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed by NMFS, upon request, for reasonable travel costs and expenses incurred in performing their duties as members of the team. The TRT process will be facilitated by Scott McCreary and Eric Poncelet, CONCUR, Inc., Berkeley, California. The TRT will hold its first meeting from June 29–30, 2005 in Bethesda, Maryland (see DATES and ADDRESSES). NMFS fully intends to conduct the TRT process in a way that provides for national consistency yet accommodates the unique regional characteristics of the fishery and marine mammal stocks involved. Take Reduction Teams are not subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 App. U.S.C.). Meetings are open to the public. E:\FR\FM\22JNN1.SGM 22JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36119-36120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12263]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Haddock Bycatch 
Notification of Landing

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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 August 22, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Brian R. Hooker, Fishery Policy Analyst, Sustainable 
Fisheries Division, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, 978-281-
9220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Region 
manages Northeast (NE) multispecies and herring fisheries of the 
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Northeastern United States through 
the NE Multispecies and Herring Fishery Management Plans (FMPs). The 
New England Fishery Management Council prepared the FMPs pursuant to 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson 
Act). The regulations implementing the FMPs are specified under 50 CFR 
648.80 and 648.200
    The recordkeeping and reporting requirements at Sec.  648.80(d)(9) 
and (e)(8) form the basis for this collection of information. NMFS 
Northeast Region requests information from Category 1 herring vessel 
owners/operators in order to facilitate enforcement of haddock 
possession limits and monitor the bycatch of haddock in the herring 
fishery. The failure to collect information on Category 1 herring 
vessel activity or collecting it less frequently could undermine 
efforts to facilitate enforcement. This information is important in 
determining the impact of herring vessel operations on groundfish 
fishing mortality. The information is a prior notification of landing 
submitted through a vessel monitoring system (VMS). The cost of 
operation and installation of the VMS for Category 1 herring vessels is 
accounted for under OMB Control Number 0648-0404. This information, 
upon receipt, results in an increasingly more efficient and accurate 
database for management and monitoring of fisheries of the Northeastern 
U.S. EEZ.

II. Method of Collection

    Information is collected electronically through the vessel's VMS.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0525.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 105.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 56.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $335.

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

[[Page 36120]]

approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter 
of public record.

    Dated: June 16, 2005.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-12263 Filed 6-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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