Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Framework Adjustment 4 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan, 102-103 [E9-31178]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 102-103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31178]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Framework 
Adjustment 4 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan

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

ACTION: Notice.

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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 March 5, 2010.

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 Allison McHale, (978) 281-9103 or 
Allison.McHale@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) has the responsibility for the 
conservation and management of marine fishery resources. Much of this 
responsibility has been delegated to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS). Under this stewardship role, the Secretary was given certain 
regulatory authorities to ensure the most beneficial uses of these 
resources. One of the regulatory steps taken to carry out the 
conservation and management objectives is to collect data from users of 
the resource. Thus, as regional Fishery Management Councils develop 
specific Fishery Management Plans (FMP), the Secretary has promulgated 
rules for the issuance and use of a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and 
to obtain fishery-dependent data to monitor, evaluate, and enforce 
fishery regulations.
    The Monkfish FMP contains a provision that enables limited access 
monkfish vessels fishing in the Northern Fishery Management Area (NFMA) 
to change their days-at-sea (DAS) declaration through their VMS from a 
Northeast (NE) multispecies Category A DAS to a monkfish DAS while at 
sea, i.e., before crossing the VMS demarcation line upon the vessel's 
return to port or leaving the NFMA. The information gathered from a 
vessel's declaration of a monkfish DAS in the NFMA enables NMFS to 
monitor the overall fishing effort, in the form of monkfish DAS usage, 
being directed on the monkfish resource within this management area, 
and is also used in ongoing analyses of the type of management actions 
needed to effectively manage monkfish stocks. This information is also 
used by NMFS to monitor DAS usage by limited access

[[Page 103]]

monkfish vessels fishing in the NFMA to determine if these vessels have 
exceeded their annual allocation of monkfish DAS.

II. Method of Collection

    All information is submitted electronically through VMS units.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0561.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business and other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 450.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes per VMS declaration.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,158.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $6,975.

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: December 29, 2009.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-31178 Filed 12-31-09; 8:45 am]
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