Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Puget Sound Recreational Shellfish Harvesting Project, 36260-36261 [2012-14802]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36260-36261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14802]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Puget Sound 
Recreational Shellfish Harvesting Project

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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 August 17, 2012.

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 JJessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Mark Plummer, (206) 860-3492 or Mark.Plummer@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a new collection of information.
    The Puget Sound estuary provides one of the most valuable shellfish 
habitats in the Pacific Northwest. Shellfish are important 
economically, ecologically, and socially to the Puget Sound basin. 
While shellfish bed closures have decreased area-wide, persistent 
closures continue in certain locations, affecting local growers and 
restricting commercial and recreational harvest opportunities. The 
Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership), a Washington State agency 
established to facilitate the conservation and restoration of Puget 
Sound, has set a priority to reduce the risks of shellfish growing area 
closures and adverse effects on human health. The Partnership's Action 
Agenda, the blueprint for action to restore and protect Puget Sound, 
has set a goal for a net increase of 10,800 harvestable shellfish acres 
by 2020.
    In support of the Partnership's pursuit of this goal, the Northwest 
Fisheries Science Center is undertaking an economics research project 
to assess the behavior of individual shellfish harvesters in response 
to the opening and closing of individual shellfish beaches for human 
health reasons, and how these actions affect the value of shellfish 
harvesting. The Puget Sound Recreational Shellfish Harvesting Project 
(PSRSHP) will provide critical economic data related to recreational 
shellfish harvesting. More specifically, the PSRSHP will collect data 
needed to assess (1) The socioeconomic characteristics of recreational 
shellfish harvesting participants; (2) The economic value of access to 
Puget Sound beaches for recreational shellfish harvesting through 
statistical estimation of models; and (3) the potential changes in 
these values stemming from possible changes in management policies 
related to human health that affect the status of particular shellfish 
harvesting areas.

II. Method of Collection

    A sample of shellfish and fishing license holders will be screened 
with a brief telephone survey, followed by a mail survey where 
appropriate. Respondents to the telephone survey will submit data by 
telephone, and respondents to the mail survey will submit data on 
paper.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (new information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,463.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes for mail respondents who 
harvested shellfish in Puget Sound; 10 minutes for all other mail 
respondents; 3 minutes telephone screener.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 214.

[[Page 36261]]

    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 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: June 13, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-14802 Filed 6-15-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P