Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; International Fisheries Trade To Include Shrimp and Abalone, 39077-39078 [2018-16987]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 8, 2018 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; International Fisheries Trade To Include Shrimp and Abalone National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: 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 October 9, 2018. 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 pracomments@doc.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to: Celeste Leroux at (301) 427– 8372 or Celeste.Leroux@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: I. Abstract The Seafood Traceability Program (see 50 CFR 300.320–300.325) is the first phase of a risk-based traceability program, which establishes permit, reporting and recordkeeping requirements needed to prevent illegally harvested and misrepresented seafood from entering into U.S. Commerce. In the development of the Seafood Traceability Program rule, 13 ‘‘priority’’ species were identified as being most at risk for Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and misrepresentation, and are the only species currently subject to this program. For two of those species (abalone and shrimp), NMFS stayed program requirements indefinitely (50 CFR 300.324(a)(3)). See 81 FR 88975 (December 9, 2016). A final rule was published on April 24, 2018 (83 FR 17762) which lifted the stay and established a compliance date of December 31, 2018 for shrimp and abalone. NMFS had stayed requirements for abalone and shrimp because gaps VerDate Sep<11>2014 22:37 Aug 07, 2018 Jkt 244001 existed in the collection of traceability information for domestic aquacultureraised shrimp and abalone, which is currently largely regulated at the state level. During development of the Seafood Traceability Program, NMFS explored the possibility of working with its state partners to establish reporting and recordkeeping requirements for aquaculture traceability information that could be shared with NMFS. However, this did not prove to be a viable approach. See 81 FR at 88977–78. In the Seafood Import Monitoring Program final rule, NMFS explained that ‘‘[A]t such time that the domestic reporting and recordkeeping gaps have been closed, NMFS will then publish an action in the Federal Register to lift the stay of the effective date for § 300.324(a)(3) of the rule pertaining to shrimp and abalone. Adequate advance notice to the trade community would be provided’’ to ensure all affected parties have sufficient time to come into compliance. On March 23, 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115–141) was signed by the President and became law. Section 539 of Division B of the Act directed the Secretary of Commerce to, within 30 days, ‘‘lift the stay on the effective date of the final rule for the Seafood Traceability Program published by the Secretary on December 9, 2016, (81 FR 88975 et seq.) for the species described in § 300.324(a)(3) of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations: Provided that the compliance date for the species described in § 300.324(a)(3) of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, shall occur not later than December 31, 2018.’’ A final rule was issued to implement the Act (83 FR 17762, April 24, 2018) and provides that shrimp and abalone will be subject to the requirements of the Seafood Traceability Program under 50 CFR 300.324(a)(3), with a compliance date December 31, 2018. The Program consists of two components: (1) Reporting of harvest events at the time of entry; and (2) permitting and recordkeeping requirements with respect to both harvest events and chain of custody information. See 50 CFR 300.324 and id. §§ 300.320–300.323 and 300.325. Application of the program’s reporting and recordkeeping requirements to shrimp and abalone will enable audits of imports to be conducted to determine the origin of the products and confirm that they were lawfully acquired. The final rule to lift the stay on shrimp and abalone contains a collection-of-information requirement subject to review and approval by OMB PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 39077 under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). OMB had previously approved the information collection requirements for the Seafood Traceability Program under Control Number 0648–0739, but the burden estimates did not include the requirements for shrimp and abalone given the stay. The requirements for permitting, reporting and recordkeeping for imports of shrimp and abalone will be submitted to OMB for approval. II. Method of Collection As of the December 31, 2018 compliance date established by the final rule to lift the stay, importers of shrimp and abalone species will be required to obtain an International Fisheries Trade Permit as specified at 50 CFR 300.322, submit harvest and landing information on those products into the U.S. Customs and Border Protection International Trade Data System (ITDS) through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal prior to entry into U.S. Commerce, and maintain supply chain records from the point of harvest to the point of entry into U.S Commerce for a period of two years after entry. III. Data OMB Control Number: 0648–xxxx. Form Number(s): None. Type of Review: Regular submission (request for a new information collection). Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000. Estimated Time per Response: International Fisheries Trade Permit, 5 minutes; data entry, 1 hour. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 215,167. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $805,000 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 E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM 08AUN1 39078 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 8, 2018 / Notices included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. Dated: August 3, 2018. Sarah Brabson, NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2018–16987 Filed 8–7–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XG348 Nominations for Advisory Committee and Species Working Group Technical Advisor Appointments to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of request for nominations. AGENCY: NMFS is soliciting nominations to the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) as established by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). NMFS is also soliciting nominations for Technical Advisors to the Advisory Committee’s species working groups. DATES: Nominations must be received by October 1, 2018. ADDRESSES: Nominations, including a letter of interest and a resume or curriculum vitae, should be sent via email to Terra Lederhouse at terra.lederhouse@noaa.gov with a copy to Grace Ferrara at grace.ferrara@ noaa.gov. Include in the subject line whether the nomination is for the Advisory Committee or for a Technical Advisor to a species working group. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grace Ferrara, Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection; telephone: (301) 427–8371; email: grace.ferrara@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: The Convention and the Commission ICCAT was established to provide an effective program of international cooperation in research and conservation in recognition of the unique problems related to the highly migratory nature of tunas and tuna-like species. The International Convention VerDate Sep<11>2014 22:37 Aug 07, 2018 Jkt 244001 for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (Convention) entered into force in 1969 after receiving the required number of ratifications. The Commission holds its Annual Meeting, usually in November of each year, and convenes meetings of working groups and other ICCAT bodies between annual meetings as needed. Under Section 971a of ATCA (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.), the United States is represented on the Commission by not more than three U.S. Commissioners. Additional information is available at www.iccat.int. Advisory Committee and Species Working Groups to the U.S. Section to the ICCAT Section 971b of ATCA (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) requires that an advisory committee be established that shall be comprised of: (1) Not less than 5 nor more than 20 individuals appointed by the U.S. Commissioners to ICCAT who shall select such individuals from the various groups concerned with the fisheries covered by the ICCAT Convention; and (2) the chairs (or their designees) of the New England, MidAtlantic, South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils. Each member of the Advisory Committee appointed under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of 2 years and be eligible for reappointment. The Committee meets at least twice a year when members receive information and provide advice on ICCAT-related matters. All members of the Advisory Committee are appointed in their individual professional capacity and undergo a background screening. Any individual appointed to the Committee who is unable to attend all or part of an Advisory Committee meeting may not appoint another person to attend such meetings as his or her proxy. Members of the Advisory Committee shall receive no compensation for their services. The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of State may pay the necessary travel expenses of members of the Advisory Committee. The terms of all currently appointed Advisory Committee members expire on December 31, 2018. NMFS is soliciting nominees to serve as members of the Advisory Committee for a term of 2 years that will expire December 31, 2020. Section 971b–1 of ATCA specifies that the U.S. Commissioners may establish species working groups for the purpose of providing advice and recommendations to the U.S. Commissioners and to the Advisory Committee on matters relating to the conservation and management of any highly migratory species covered by the PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ICCAT Convention. Any species working group shall consist of no more than seven members of the Advisory Committee and no more than four Technical Advisors, as considered necessary by the Commissioners. Currently, there are four species working groups advising the Committee and the U.S. Commissioners: A Bluefin Tuna Working Group, a Swordfish/ Sharks Working Group, a Billfish Working Group, and a Bigeye, Albacore, Yellowfin, and Skipjack (BAYS) Tunas Working Group. Technical Advisors to the species working groups serve at the pleasure of the Commissioners; therefore, the Commissioners can choose to alter these appointments at any time. As with Committee Members, Technical Advisors may not be represented by a proxy during meetings of the Advisory Committee. Procedure for Submitting Nominations Nominations to the Advisory Committee or to a species working group should include a letter of interest and a resume or curriculum vitae. Selfnominations are acceptable. Letters of recommendation are useful but not required. When making a nomination, please specify which appointment (Advisory Committee member or Technical Advisor to a species working group) is being sought. Nominees may also indicate which of the species working groups is preferred, although placement on the requested group is not guaranteed. Dated: August 3, 2018. John Henderschedt, Director, Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–16956 Filed 8–7–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Title: Report of Whaling Operations. OMB Control Number: 0648–0311. Form Number(s): None. E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM 08AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39077-39078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16987]



[[Page 39077]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; International 
Fisheries Trade To Include Shrimp and Abalone

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

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 October 9, 2018.

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 [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to: Celeste Leroux at (301) 427-8372 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Seafood Traceability Program (see 50 CFR 300.320-300.325) is 
the first phase of a risk-based traceability program, which establishes 
permit, reporting and recordkeeping requirements needed to prevent 
illegally harvested and misrepresented seafood from entering into U.S. 
Commerce. In the development of the Seafood Traceability Program rule, 
13 ``priority'' species were identified as being most at risk for 
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and 
misrepresentation, and are the only species currently subject to this 
program. For two of those species (abalone and shrimp), NMFS stayed 
program requirements indefinitely (50 CFR 300.324(a)(3)). See 81 FR 
88975 (December 9, 2016). A final rule was published on April 24, 2018 
(83 FR 17762) which lifted the stay and established a compliance date 
of December 31, 2018 for shrimp and abalone.
    NMFS had stayed requirements for abalone and shrimp because gaps 
existed in the collection of traceability information for domestic 
aquaculture-raised shrimp and abalone, which is currently largely 
regulated at the state level. During development of the Seafood 
Traceability Program, NMFS explored the possibility of working with its 
state partners to establish reporting and recordkeeping requirements 
for aquaculture traceability information that could be shared with 
NMFS. However, this did not prove to be a viable approach. See 81 FR at 
88977-78. In the Seafood Import Monitoring Program final rule, NMFS 
explained that ``[A]t such time that the domestic reporting and 
recordkeeping gaps have been closed, NMFS will then publish an action 
in the Federal Register to lift the stay of the effective date for 
Sec.  300.324(a)(3) of the rule pertaining to shrimp and abalone. 
Adequate advance notice to the trade community would be provided'' to 
ensure all affected parties have sufficient time to come into 
compliance.
    On March 23, 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 
(Pub. L. 115-141) was signed by the President and became law. Section 
539 of Division B of the Act directed the Secretary of Commerce to, 
within 30 days, ``lift the stay on the effective date of the final rule 
for the Seafood Traceability Program published by the Secretary on 
December 9, 2016, (81 FR 88975 et seq.) for the species described in 
Sec.  300.324(a)(3) of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations: Provided 
that the compliance date for the species described in Sec.  
300.324(a)(3) of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, shall occur not 
later than December 31, 2018.'' A final rule was issued to implement 
the Act (83 FR 17762, April 24, 2018) and provides that shrimp and 
abalone will be subject to the requirements of the Seafood Traceability 
Program under 50 CFR 300.324(a)(3), with a compliance date December 31, 
2018.
    The Program consists of two components: (1) Reporting of harvest 
events at the time of entry; and (2) permitting and recordkeeping 
requirements with respect to both harvest events and chain of custody 
information. See 50 CFR 300.324 and id. Sec. Sec.  300.320-300.323 and 
300.325. Application of the program's reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements to shrimp and abalone will enable audits of imports to be 
conducted to determine the origin of the products and confirm that they 
were lawfully acquired.
    The final rule to lift the stay on shrimp and abalone contains a 
collection-of-information requirement subject to review and approval by 
OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
    OMB had previously approved the information collection requirements 
for the Seafood Traceability Program under Control Number 0648-0739, 
but the burden estimates did not include the requirements for shrimp 
and abalone given the stay. The requirements for permitting, reporting 
and recordkeeping for imports of shrimp and abalone will be submitted 
to OMB for approval.

II. Method of Collection

    As of the December 31, 2018 compliance date established by the 
final rule to lift the stay, importers of shrimp and abalone species 
will be required to obtain an International Fisheries Trade Permit as 
specified at 50 CFR 300.322, submit harvest and landing information on 
those products into the U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
International Trade Data System (ITDS) through the Automated Commercial 
Environment (ACE) portal prior to entry into U.S. Commerce, and 
maintain supply chain records from the point of harvest to the point of 
entry into U.S Commerce for a period of two years after entry.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (request for a new information 
collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: International Fisheries Trade Permit, 
5 minutes; data entry, 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 215,167.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $805,000 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

[[Page 39078]]

included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 3, 2018.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-16987 Filed 8-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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