Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 13 / Friday, January 22, 2021 / Notices 6635 

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– 

0376 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 Elaine 

Saiz, Chief, Financial Services Division, 

NOAA National Marine Fisheries 

Service, (301) 427–8725 or elaine.saiz@

noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

The Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) 

amended the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(MSA) to provide for voluntary 

reduction of excess fishing capacity 

through fishing capacity reduction 

(buyback) programs. Excess fishing 

capacity decreases fisheries earnings, 

complicates fishery management, and 

imperils fishery conservation. The 

statutory objective of a program is ‘‘to 

obtain the maximum sustained 

reduction in fishing capacity at the least 

cost and in a minimum period of time.’’ 

Buybacks pay fishermen either to: (1) 

Surrender their fishing permits; or (2) 

both surrender their permits and either 

scrap their fishing vessels or restrict 

vessel title to prevent fishing. Buybacks 

can involve either a Federal or State 

fishery. Buybacks can be funded via a 

long-term loan from the Federal 

government to the fishery (industryfunded buybacks), to be repaid by the 

industry by post-buyback landing fees, 

or funded from appropriations (nonindustry funded) or other non-loan 

sources of funds. Programs involving 

industry financed loans are authorized 

by section 1111 of title XI of the 

Merchant Marine Act, 1936. 

NOAA National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS) established programs to 

reduce excess fishing capacity by paying 

fishermen to surrender their vessels/ 

permits. The information collected by 

NMFS involves the submission of 

buyback requests by industry, 

submission of bids, referenda of fishery 

participants and reporting of collection 

of fees to repay buyback loans. For 

buybacks involving State-managed 

fisheries, the State may be involved in 

developing the buyback plan and 

complying with other information 

requirements. NMFS requests 

information from participating buyback 

participants to track repayments of the 

loans as well as ensure accurate 

management and monitoring of the 

loans. The fees for recordkeeping and 

reporting requirements at 50 CFR parts 

600.1013 through 600.1017 form the 

basis for the collection of information. 

II. Method of Collection 

Paper reports or electronic reports are 

required from buyback participants. 

Methods of submittal include mailing of 

paper reports, electronic submission via 

the internet, and/or facsimile 

transmission. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0376. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(extension of a current information 

collection). 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; individuals or 

households; and state, local, or tribal 

government. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

200. 

Estimated Time per Response: 

Implementation plan, 6,634 hours; 

referenda votes, bids, seller/buyer 

reports and annual fee collection 

reports, 4 hours each; completion of fish 

ticket, 10 minutes; monthly fee 

collection report, 2 hours; advising 

holder/owner of conflict with accepted 

bidders’ representations, 1 hour; 

potentially 270 hours-state approval/ 

review of plans. Estimated Total Annual 

Burden Hours: 15,838. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $1,596 in recordkeeping/ 

reporting costs. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Required to 

obtain or retain benefits, Mandatory. 

Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Reauthorization Act. 

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 

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 Chief Information Officer, Commerce 

Department. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01393 Filed 1–21–21; 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; West Coast Region Vessel 

Identification Requirements 

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, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before March 23, 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– 

0355 in the subject line of your 

comments. Do not submit Confidential 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
6636 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 13 / Friday, January 22, 2021 / Notices 

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 Keeley 

Kent, (206) 247–8252 or keeley.kent@

noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

The success of fisheries management 

programs depends significantly on 

regulatory compliance. The vessel 

identification requirement is essential to 

facilitate enforcement. The ability to 

link fishing (or other activity) to the 

vessel owner or operator is crucial to 

enforcement of regulations issued under 

the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act. A vessel’s official number is 

required to be displayed on the port and 

starboard sides of the deckhouse or hull, 

and on a weather deck. It identifies each 

vessel and should be visible at distances 

at sea and in the air. Law enforcement 

personnel rely on vessel marking 

information to assure compliance with 

fisheries management regulations. 

Vessels that qualify for particular 

fisheries are also readily identified, and 

this allows for more cost-effective 

enforcement. Cooperating fishermen 

also use the vessel numbers to report 

suspicious or non-compliant activities 

that they observe in unauthorized areas. 

The identifying number on fishing 

vessels is used by the National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NMFS), the United 

States Coast Guard (USCG), and other 

marine agencies in issuing regulations, 

prosecutions, and other enforcement 

actions necessary to support sustainable 

fisheries behaviors as intended in 

regulations. Regulation-compliant 

fishermen ultimately benefit from these 

requirements, as unauthorized and 

illegal fishing is deterred, and more 

burdensome regulations are avoided. 

II. Method of Collection 

Fishing vessel owners physically 

mark vessels with identification 

numbers in three locations per vessel. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0355. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission, 

extension of a current information 

collection. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1,203. 

Estimated Time per Response: 15 

minutes per gear marking. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 901 hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $25,701. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory. 

Legal Authority: 50 CFR 660.12. 

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 

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 Chief Information Officer, Commerce 

Department. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01392 Filed 1–21–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Patent and Trademark Office 

[Docket No. PTO–T–2020–0043] 

Sovereign Immunity Study 

AGENCY: Patent and Trademark Office, 

Department of Commerce. 

ACTION: Request for information. 

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and 

Trademark Office (USPTO) published a 

notice in the Federal Register on 

November 5, 2020, requesting 

information on the extent to which 

patent or trademark rights holders are 

experiencing infringement by state 

entities without adequate remedies 

under state law, and the extent to which 

such infringements appear to be based 

on intentional or reckless conduct. With 

this new notice, the USPTO is 

supplementing the previous notice with 

additional questions. 

DATES: Comment date: Written 

comments must be received on or before 

February 22, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: For reasons of government 

efficiency, comments must be submitted 

through the Federal eRulemaking Portal 

at www.regulations.gov. To submit 

comments via the portal, enter docket 

number PTO–T–2020–0043 on the 

homepage and click ‘‘search.’’ The site 

will provide a search results page listing 

all documents associated with this 

docket. Find a reference to this Request 

for Information and click on the 

‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the 

required fields, and enter or attach your 

comments. Attachments to electronic 

comments will be accepted in ADOBE®

portable document format or 

MICROSOFT WORD® format. Because 

comments will be made available for 

public inspection, information that the 

submitter does not desire to make 

public, such as an address or phone 

number, should not be included in the 

comments. 

Visit the Federal eRulemaking Portal 

(www.regulations.gov) for additional 

instructions on providing comments via 

the portal. If electronic submission of 

comments is not feasible due to a lack 

of access to a computer and/or the 

internet, please contact the USPTO 

using the contact information below for 

special instructions regarding how to 

submit comments by mail or by hand 

delivery, based on the public’s ability to 

obtain access to USPTO facilities at the 

time. 

Submissions of Business Confidential 

Information: Any submissions 

containing business confidential 

information must be marked 

‘‘confidential treatment requested’’ and 

submitted through www.regulations.gov. 

Submitters should provide an index 

listing the document(s) or information 

they would like the USPTO to withhold. 

The index should include information 

such as numbers used to identify the 

relevant document(s) or information, 

document title and description, and 

relevant page numbers and/or section 

numbers within a document. Submitters 

should provide a statement explaining 

their grounds for objecting to the 

disclosure of the information to the 

public as well. The USPTO also requests 

that submitters of business confidential 


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