Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Applications and Reports for Registration as a Tanner or Agent, 4594-4595 [2024-01278]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
4594
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 16 / Wednesday, January 24, 2024 / Notices
8. Questions to reviewers
9. Public comment
10. Closing comments and adjourn
The agenda order may change. The
meeting will run as late as necessary to
complete scheduled business.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Please direct
requests for sign language interpretation
or other auxiliary aids to Kitty M.
Simonds, (808) 522–8220 (voice) or
(808) 522–8226 (fax), at least 5 days
prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 19, 2024.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–01357 Filed 1–23–24; 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; Applications and Reports for
Registration as a Tanner or Agent
National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection,
request for comment.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), invites 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. The purpose of this
notice is to allow for 60 days of public
comment preceding submission of the
collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, written
or on-line comments must be submitted
on or before March 25, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer,
at NOAA.PRA@noaa.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648–
0179 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:06 Jan 23, 2024
Jkt 262001
specific questions related to collection
activities should be directed to Requests
for additional information or copies of
the information collection instrument
and instructions should be directed to
Jerod Cook, Enforcement Officer, PO
Box 1310 Petersburg, Alaska 99833
(907) 772–2285; jerod.cook@noaa.gov or
Robert Marvelle, Supervisory
Enforcement Officer, PO Box 21767
Juneau, Alaska 99802, (907) 586–9329;
robert.marvelle@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for extension of an
approved information collection. The
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.)
mandates the protection and
conservation of marine mammals and
makes the taking, killing or serious
injury of marine mammals, except
under permit or exemption, a violation
of the Act. An exemption is provided for
Alaskan natives to take marine
mammals if the taking is for subsistence
or for creating and selling authentic
native articles of handicraft and
clothing. Possession of marine mammals
and marine mammal parts by other than
Alaskan natives is therefore prohibited
(exception, 50 CFR 216.26: beach found
non-Endangered Species Act (ESA)
teeth or bones that have been registered
with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS)). As native handicrafts
are allowed by the MMPA to enter
interstate commerce, an exemption is
also needed to allow non-natives to
handle the skins or other marine
mammal produce, whether to tan the
pinniped hide or to act as an agent for
the native to sell his handicraft
products. The information is necessary
for law enforcement purposes to ensure
that only Alaska Indians, Aleuts, or
Eskimos are submitting marine mammal
hides or parts for tanning.
The information required by 50 CFR
216.23 is of two types. Applications:
Information is required to identify the
applicant as a tanner/agent in order to
preclude prosecution under the MMPA
and to determine that he/she has an
acceptable record keeping program to
accurately account for those marine
mammal products received. This
information serves as a deterrent for
those individuals who might use this
registration program for entering
prohibited marine mammal products
into interstate commerce. Reports:
Information is also needed annually to
evaluate the agent/tanner’s activities
during the year, and his/her procedures
for bookkeeping and yearly inventory to
assure NMFS, the Marine Mammal
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Commission, and the general public that
prohibited marine mammal products
were not being transshipped through
registered agents.
The reporting requirements are: report
in writing to the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS, any
changes in the facts stated in
Registrant’s applications for this
Certificate of Registration within 30
days of such change; maintain current
records of each transaction authorized
stating the marine mammals or marine
mammal parts or products involved,
from whom received, any processing
accomplished, to whom returned, and
the date of each such transaction. These
records shall be kept separate and apart
from other records maintained in the
ordinary course of business and shall be
retrained for not less than three years;
and annually, during the month of
January, send certified copies of such
records (annual report) to the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries.
II. Method of Collection
Paper documentation is submitted to
meet the requirements found at 50 CFR
216.23(c).
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0179.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of an existing information
collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for
profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
25.
Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours
for an application and 2 hours for a
report.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 50.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $150.00.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Paper documentation
is submitted to meet the requirements
found at 50 CFR 216.23(c).
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to
permit the Department/Bureau to: (a)
Evaluate whether the proposed
information collection is necessary for
the proper functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the
accuracy of our estimate of the time and
cost burden for this proposed collection,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
Evaluate ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) Minimize the
reporting burden on those who are to
E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM
24JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 16 / Wednesday, January 24, 2024 / Notices
respond, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments that you submit in
response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or
summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before
including your address, phone number,
email address, or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you may ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024–01278 Filed 1–23–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XD671]
Implementation of Fish and Fish
Product Import Provisions of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act—
Notification of Issuance of
Comparability Findings
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Under the authority of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA), the NMFS Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries (Assistant
Administrator) has issued comparability
findings for the Government of New
Zealand’s (GNZ) regulated fisheries:
West Coast North Island multi-species
set-net fishery, and West Coast North
Island multi-species trawl fishery.
NMFS bases the comparability findings
on documentary evidence submitted by
the GNZ and other relevant, readily
available information.
DATES: These comparability findings are
valid from February 21,2024, through
December 31, 2025, unless revoked or
revised by the Assistant Administrator
in a subsequent action.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kellie Foster-Taylor, NMFS Office of
International Affairs, Trade, and
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:06 Jan 23, 2024
Jkt 262001
Commerce at mmpa.loff@noaa.gov or by
phone at 301–427–7721.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The MMPA Import Provisions
The MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1371 et seq.,
states that the Secretary of the Treasury
shall ban the importation of commercial
fish or products from fish which have
been caught with commercial fishing
technology which results in the
incidental kill or incidental serious
injury of ocean mammals in excess of
U.S. standards. For purposes of
applying this import restriction, the
Secretary of Commerce shall insist on
reasonable proof from the government of
any nation, from which fish or fish
products will be exported to the United
States, of the effects on ocean mammals
of the commercial fishing technology in
use for such fish or fish products
exported from such nation to the United
States.
In August 2016, NMFS published a
final rule (81 FR 54390; August 15,
2016) implementing the fish and fish
product import provisions in section
101(a)(2) of the MMPA (MMPA Import
Provisions). This rule established
conditions for evaluating a harvesting
nation’s regulatory programs to address
incidental and intentional mortality and
serious injury of marine mammals in
fisheries operated by nations that export
fish and fish products to the United
States. Under the final rule, fish or fish
products may not be imported into the
United States from commercial fishing
operations that result in the incidental
mortality or serious injury of marine
mammals in excess of U.S. standards
(16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)).
The final rule established a 5-year
exemption period, through December
31, 2021, before imports would be
subject to any trade restrictions (see 50
CFR 216.24(h)(2)(ii)). The Department of
Commerce and NMFS have revised the
regulations implementing the Fish and
Fish Product Import Provisions of the
MMPA Import Provisions to extend the
exemption period, most recently on
November 17, 2023. Following careful
consideration, the Department of
Commerce and NMFS concluded that
additional time is required to effectively
complete the comparability finding
evaluation process and issued a Federal
Register notice (88 FR 80193; November
17, 2023) extending the exemption
period to end on December 31, 2025 for
foreign nations to receive a
comparability finding for their
commercial fishing operations to export
fish and fish products to the United
States.
In the 2016 final rule, NMFS stated
that it may consider emergency actions
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
4595
during the exemption period to ban
imports of fish and fish products from
a foreign fishery having or likely to have
an immediate and significant adverse
impact on a marine mammal stock. (81
FR 54390; August 15, 2016). In addition,
pursuant to the MMPA Import
Provisions rule, nothing prevents a
nation from implementing a bycatch
reduction regulatory program and
seeking a comparability finding during
the exemption period. The GNZ
submitted its comparability finding
application by the November 30, 2021
regulatory deadline, including
information pertaining to the West Coast
North Island multi-species set-net
fishery and the West Coast North Island
multi-species trawl fishery. In December
2022, after the Court of International
Trade (CIT) enjoined the two fisheries,
the GNZ submitted supplemental
documentary evidence regarding its
monitoring and reporting programs and
estimates of Ma¯ui dolphin
(Cephalorhynchus hectori maui)
mortality and serious injury pertaining
to the two enjoined fisheries for NMFS’
consideration for comparability
findings. NMFS is undertaking this
action in response to the GNZ’s request
and prior comparability findings, its
2021 application for comparability
findings and its submission of
additional documentary evidence
regarding its regulatory program to
reduce mortality and serious injury of
Ma¯ui dolphin in the West Coast North
Island multi-species set-net fishery and
the West Coast North Island multispecies trawl fishery.
Petition for Rulemaking and Request
for a Comparability Finding
On May 21, 2020, Sea Shepherd New
Zealand and Sea Shepherd Conservation
Society (collectively, ‘‘Plaintiffs’’)
initiated a lawsuit in the CIT
challenging NMFS’ denial of its
petition. On June 24, 2020, the GNZ
announced its final fisheries measures
for reducing bycatch of Ma¯ui dolphins
(effective October 1, 2020) and its final
Threat Management Plan (TMP).
On July 15, 2020, the GNZ requested
that NMFS perform a comparability
assessment of the TMP and its
regulatory program as it relates to Ma¯ui
dolphins.On November 9, 2020, NMFS
issued comparability findings for the
West Coast North Island multi-species
set-net and trawl fisheries because the
GNZ had implemented a regulatory
program governing the bycatch of Ma¯ui
dolphin that is comparable in
effectiveness to U.S. standards. Based
on NMFS’ decision, Plaintiffs
subsequently filed a Motion for
E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM
24JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4594-4595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01278]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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; Applications and Reports for Registration as a Tanner or Agent
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites 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. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, written or on-line comments must be
submitted on or before March 25, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0179 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Requests for additional information or copies of the information
collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Jerod
Cook, Enforcement Officer, PO Box 1310 Petersburg, Alaska 99833 (907)
772-2285; [email protected] or Robert Marvelle, Supervisory
Enforcement Officer, PO Box 21767 Juneau, Alaska 99802, (907) 586-9329;
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for extension of an approved information
collection. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) (16 U.S.C. 1361 et
seq.) mandates the protection and conservation of marine mammals and
makes the taking, killing or serious injury of marine mammals, except
under permit or exemption, a violation of the Act. An exemption is
provided for Alaskan natives to take marine mammals if the taking is
for subsistence or for creating and selling authentic native articles
of handicraft and clothing. Possession of marine mammals and marine
mammal parts by other than Alaskan natives is therefore prohibited
(exception, 50 CFR 216.26: beach found non-Endangered Species Act (ESA)
teeth or bones that have been registered with NOAA's National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS)). As native handicrafts are allowed by the
MMPA to enter interstate commerce, an exemption is also needed to allow
non-natives to handle the skins or other marine mammal produce, whether
to tan the pinniped hide or to act as an agent for the native to sell
his handicraft products. The information is necessary for law
enforcement purposes to ensure that only Alaska Indians, Aleuts, or
Eskimos are submitting marine mammal hides or parts for tanning.
The information required by 50 CFR 216.23 is of two types.
Applications: Information is required to identify the applicant as a
tanner/agent in order to preclude prosecution under the MMPA and to
determine that he/she has an acceptable record keeping program to
accurately account for those marine mammal products received. This
information serves as a deterrent for those individuals who might use
this registration program for entering prohibited marine mammal
products into interstate commerce. Reports: Information is also needed
annually to evaluate the agent/tanner's activities during the year, and
his/her procedures for bookkeeping and yearly inventory to assure NMFS,
the Marine Mammal Commission, and the general public that prohibited
marine mammal products were not being transshipped through registered
agents.
The reporting requirements are: report in writing to the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS, any changes in the facts stated in
Registrant's applications for this Certificate of Registration within
30 days of such change; maintain current records of each transaction
authorized stating the marine mammals or marine mammal parts or
products involved, from whom received, any processing accomplished, to
whom returned, and the date of each such transaction. These records
shall be kept separate and apart from other records maintained in the
ordinary course of business and shall be retrained for not less than
three years; and annually, during the month of January, send certified
copies of such records (annual report) to the Assistant Administrator
for Fisheries.
II. Method of Collection
Paper documentation is submitted to meet the requirements found at
50 CFR 216.23(c).
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0179.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of an existing
information collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours for an application and 2 hours
for a report.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $150.00.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Paper documentation is submitted to meet the
requirements found at 50 CFR 216.23(c).
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden
on those who are to
[[Page 4595]]
respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-01278 Filed 1-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
