Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; U.S.-Canada Albacore Treaty Reporting System, 2817-2818 [2014-00696]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 11 (Thursday, January 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2817-2818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00696]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; U.S.-Canada 
Albacore Treaty Reporting System

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 17, 2014.

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

[[Page 2818]]

directed to Craig Dangelo, (562) 980-4024 or Craig.Dangelo@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), West Coast Region, 
manages the United States (U.S.)--Canada Albacore Tuna Treaty of 1981 
(Treaty). Owners of vessels that fish from U.S. West Coast ports for 
albacore tuna will be required to notify the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) West Coast Region of their desire to be on the list of 
vessels provided to Canada each year indicating vessels eligible to 
fish for albacore tuna in waters under the jurisdiction of Canada. 
Additionally, vessel operators are required to report in advance their 
intention to fish in Canadian waters prior to crossing the maritime 
border as well as to mark their fishing vessels to facilitate 
enforcement of the effort limits under the Treaty. Vessel operators are 
also required to maintain and submit a logbook of all catch and fishing 
effort. The regulations implementing the reporting and vessel marking 
requirements under the Treaty are at 50 CFR part 300.172-300.176.
    The estimated burden below includes hours to complete the logbook 
requirement, although it is assumed that most if not all of the 
respondents already complete the required logbook under the mandatory 
West Coast Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (HMS FMP), 
OMB Control No. 0648-0223. Duplicate reporting under the Treaty and HMS 
FMP is not required. Most years, there will be much less fishing (and 
thus less reporting) under the Treaty than the level on which the 
estimate is based.

II. Method of Collection

    Requests to be placed on the vessel eligibility list may be made in 
writing via mail, fax, by email, by telephone, or through online 
registration if available. Communications to comply with `hail in' and 
`hail out' requirements are made via ship to shore radio or via 
telephone and are compiled in an electronic database by Canada 
Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Summaries of hail reports are 
provided to NMFS on a periodic basis. Vessel marking requirements 
entail painting the letter `U' immediately after the U.S. Coast Guard 
documentation identification number already on the vessel. Logbooks are 
maintained in pre-printed paper format and submitted via mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0492.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes for the request to be placed 
on the eligible list per year, for required vessel markings and for 
logbook entries; 10 minutes for each set of two hail reports for border 
crossings per year.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 283.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $3,955 (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: January 10, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-00696 Filed 1-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P