Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, 36280-36281 [2023-11803]

Download as PDF 36280 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 106 / Friday, June 2, 2023 / Notices The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public hybrid meeting of its Herring Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. DATES: This hybrid meeting will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. ADDRESSES: Webinar registration URL information: https://attendee. gotowebinar.com/register/ 5982149628204238171. Meeting address: This meeting will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton, One Audubon Road, Wakefield, MA 01880; phone: (781) 245–9300. Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 Agenda The Herring Committee will meet to receive recommendations from the Herring Advisory Panel and a report from the Herring Plan Development Team (PDT) covering these agenda topics. Revisit Amendment 8 Inshore Midwater Trawl Closure to suggest revisions to a draft problem statement and discuss preliminary PDT work on Committee tasking. River Herring and Shad discussion on a potential change in 2023 Council priorities to develop river herring and shad time/area closures. They will make recommendations to the Council, as appropriate. Other business will be discussed as necessary. Although non-emergency issues not contained on the agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. The public also should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request. Special Accommodations This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:34 Jun 01, 2023 Jkt 259001 sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at (978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: May 30, 2023. Rey Israel Marquez, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–11754 Filed 6–1–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on February 13, 2023 (88 FR 9252) during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. Title: Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. OMB Control Number: 0648–0364. Form Number(s): None. Type of Request: Regular (extension of a current information collection). Number of Respondents: 3,970. Average Hours per Response: Each mark requires approximately 6.7–8.6 minutes of time. Total Annual Burden Hours: 222,391. Needs and Uses: In 1996, pursuant to section 118 of the MMPA, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) established and convened an Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (Team) to assist in the development of the Atlantic Large Whale Take PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Reduction Plan (Plan). Throughout this process, the Team has provided NMFS with recommended measures designed to reduce mortality and serious injury to North Atlantic right (Eubalaena glacialis), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), and fin (Balaenoptera physalus) whales from incidental interactions with commercial fishing gear. To gather information on where entanglements are occurring and what type of gear is involved, the Team developed gear marking requirements. As a result, any person setting trap/pot or gillnet gear to fish commercially in some areas of the Atlantic Ocean are required to paint or otherwise mark their gear with specific color codes, designating the type of gear and area where it is set, in addition to specific buoy marking requirements. NMFS is continuing the gear marking regulations amended in the 2021 rule for the Northeast Region Trap/Pot Management Area (northeast region) commercial trap/pot fisheries because increased gear marking continues to be necessary to improve our understanding of where entanglement incidents occur (RIN 648–BJ09). The gear modifications required by the rule became effective May 1, 2022, which is at the start of the American lobster/Jonah crab fishing year. The continuation of this data collection allows for improved information on entanglement origins that will further enable NMFS to reduce injuries and deaths of large whales, especially North Atlantic right whales, due to incidental entanglement in United States commercial fishing gear. In order to develop fair and effective management measures, the Team requires comprehensive data on when, where, and how fixed gear vessels fish, and where whales become entangled in fishing gear. Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-profit organizations. Frequency: All gear must be marked and maintained so marks are visible. On average, gear is replaced every 5–6 years, at which time the new gear must be marked. Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory. Legal Authority: Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act. This information collection request may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the E:\FR\FM\02JNN1.SGM 02JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 106 / Friday, June 2, 2023 / Notices publication of this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/ public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 0648–0364. Sheleen Dumas, Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Commerce Department. [FR Doc. 2023–11803 Filed 6–1–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XD049] New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Advisory Panel via webinar to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. DATES: This webinar will be held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at 1 p.m. ADDRESSES: Webinar registration URL information: https://attendee. gotowebinar.com/register/ 2073639778606826075. Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: Agenda The Groundfish Advisory Panel will receive a report from the Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT) covering these agenda topics. The Advisory Panel will discuss. Framework Adjustment 66/Specifications and Management Measures (to be initiated)—this action may include 2024–26 specifications for redfish, Northern windowpane flounder, and Southern windowpane VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:34 Jun 01, 2023 Jkt 259001 flounder, 2024–25 specifications for white hake and U.S./Canada resources of Eastern Georges Bank cod, Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder, a revised white hake rebuilding plan, and Atlantic halibut management. They will also discuss a Framework Adjustment on Acceptable Biological Catches (ABC) Control Rules (to be initiated)—updates to the work plan, feedback from the Scientific and Statistical Committee, and facilitated meeting planning. The panel will talk about an Atlantic Cod Transition Plan—updates to the work plan, the general criteria for defining management units, and the latest cod spawning research. Also on the agenda is Gulf of Maine Haddock—a potential change in 2023 Council priorities to revise Gulf of Maine haddock specifications for 2024 and 2025 in Framework Adjustment 66. The panel will make recommendations to the Groundfish Committee, as appropriate. Other business may be discussed as necessary. Although non-emergency issues not contained on the agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. The public also should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request. Special Accommodations This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at (978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: May 26, 2023. Rey Israel Marquez, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–11729 Filed 6–1–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 36281 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XD054] New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. DATES: This hybrid meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. SUMMARY: ADDRESSES: Webinar registration URL information: https://attendee. gotowebinar.com/register/ 8671259301116413280. Meeting address: This meeting will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton, One Audubon Road, Wakefield, MA 01880; phone: (781) 245–9300. Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda The Groundfish Committee will meet to receive recommendations from the Recreational Advisory Panel and Groundfish Advisory Panel, and a report from the Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT) covering these agenda topics, Framework Adjustment 66/ Specifications and Management Measures (to be initiated)—this action may include 2024–26 specifications for redfish, Northern windowpane flounder, and Southern windowpane flounder, 2024–25 specifications for white hake and U.S./Canada resources of Eastern Georges Bank cod, Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder, a revised white hake rebuilding plan, and Atlantic halibut management. Framework Adjustment on Acceptable Biological Catches (ABC) Control Rules (to be initiated)—updates to the work plan, feedback from the Scientific and E:\FR\FM\02JNN1.SGM 02JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 106 (Friday, June 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36280-36281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11803]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take 
Reduction Plan

    The Department of Commerce will submit the following information 
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite the 
general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and 
continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of 
our information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register on February 13, 2023 (88 FR 9252) during a 60-day 
comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments.
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce.
    Title: Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take 
Reduction Plan.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0364.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a current information 
collection).
    Number of Respondents: 3,970.
    Average Hours per Response: Each mark requires approximately 6.7-
8.6 minutes of time.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 222,391.
    Needs and Uses: In 1996, pursuant to section 118 of the MMPA, the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) established and convened an 
Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (Team) to assist in the 
development of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (Plan). 
Throughout this process, the Team has provided NMFS with recommended 
measures designed to reduce mortality and serious injury to North 
Atlantic right (Eubalaena glacialis), humpback (Megaptera 
novaeangliae), minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), and fin 
(Balaenoptera physalus) whales from incidental interactions with 
commercial fishing gear. To gather information on where entanglements 
are occurring and what type of gear is involved, the Team developed 
gear marking requirements. As a result, any person setting trap/pot or 
gillnet gear to fish commercially in some areas of the Atlantic Ocean 
are required to paint or otherwise mark their gear with specific color 
codes, designating the type of gear and area where it is set, in 
addition to specific buoy marking requirements.
    NMFS is continuing the gear marking regulations amended in the 2021 
rule for the Northeast Region Trap/Pot Management Area (northeast 
region) commercial trap/pot fisheries because increased gear marking 
continues to be necessary to improve our understanding of where 
entanglement incidents occur (RIN 648-BJ09). The gear modifications 
required by the rule became effective May 1, 2022, which is at the 
start of the American lobster/Jonah crab fishing year.
    The continuation of this data collection allows for improved 
information on entanglement origins that will further enable NMFS to 
reduce injuries and deaths of large whales, especially North Atlantic 
right whales, due to incidental entanglement in United States 
commercial fishing gear. In order to develop fair and effective 
management measures, the Team requires comprehensive data on when, 
where, and how fixed gear vessels fish, and where whales become 
entangled in fishing gear.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Frequency: All gear must be marked and maintained so marks are 
visible. On average, gear is replaced every 5-6 years, at which time 
the new gear must be marked.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species 
Act.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of 
Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the

[[Page 36281]]

publication of this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by 
selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' 
or by using the search function and entering either the title of the 
collection or the OMB Control Number 0648-0364.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-11803 Filed 6-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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