Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Pacific Islands Region Seabird-Fisheries Interaction Recovery Reporting

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and 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, comments regarding this proposed information collection must be received on or before June 21, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at Adrienne.thomas@noaa.gov. Please reference OMB Control Number 0648-0456 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 Walter Ikehara, Fishery Information Specialist, NMFS Pacific Islands Region, 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818, (808) 725-5175, walter.ikehara@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This request is for an extension of a currently approved information collection.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implemented Federal regulations at 50 CFR 665.815(b) requiring Hawaii-based longline fisherman to safely handle and release short-tailed albatrosses (Phoebastria albatrus) (STAL) caught incidentally during fishing operations. These regulations satisfy the Terms and Conditions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) November 2000 “Biological Opinion for the Effects of the Hawaii-based Longline Fleet on the Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastra albatrus) [FWS 1-2-1999-F-02R]” (revised November 18, 2002, October 8, 2004, and January 6, 2012) (BiOp) issued pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Following the retrieval of the albatross from the ocean, the vessel operator must record the condition of the bird on a recovery data form. A veterinarian will use the information to provide advice to the vessel operator for caring for the bird. If the albatross is dead, the vessel operator must attach an identification tag to the carcass to assist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologists in follow-up studies on the specimen. This collection is one of the terms and conditions contained in the Endangered Species Act Section 7 biological opinion issued by USFWS and is intended to maximize the probability of the long-term survival of short-tailed albatross accidentally taken by longline gear.

II. Method of Collection

Respondents have a choice of either electronic or paper forms. Methods of submittal include email or electronic forms, or mail or facsimile transmission of paper forms within 72 hours of landing.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0456.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Review: Regular submission, extension of a current information collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; individuals or households.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.

Estimated Time per Response: 3 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $100 in recordkeeping/reporting costs, mainly for at-sea communication costs.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Legal Authority: 50 CFR 665.815.

IV. Request for Comments

We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department 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 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 information collection request. 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.