60650 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / Notices 

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 November 6, 2023. 

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– 

0709 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 John 

Foster, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, Office of Science and 

Technology, 1315 East-West Hwy./ 

FST1, Silver Spring, MD 21910, Phone: 

(301) 427–8130 or john.foster@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. The For-Hire Survey (FHS) is 

conducted for NMFS to estimate fishing 

effort on for-hire vessels (i.e., charter 

boats and head boats) in coastal states 

from Maine to Mississippi. These data 

are required to carry out provisions of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act (16 

U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as amended, 

regarding conservation and management 

of fishery resources. 

The FHS collects fishing effort 

information from for-hire vessel 

representatives by telephone interview. 

For-hire vessels are randomly selected 

for the FHS from a comprehensive 

sample frame developed and 

maintained by NMFS. A sample of 10% 

of the vessels on the FHS frame are 

selected for reporting each week. Each 

interview collects information about the 

vessel, the number and type of trips the 

vessel made during the reporting week, 

the number of anglers on each trip, and 

other trip-level information. 

For-hire fishing effort is estimated in 

numbers of angler-trips per sub-region, 

state, two-month wave, vessel type, and 

fishing area (inshore, nearshore, 

offshore). To get a total for-hire effort 

estimate, weekly FHS effort estimates 

are summed to produce wave estimates 

that are adjusted to account for frame 

coverage and reporting error. The FHS 

estimates are then combined with forhire catch-rate estimates derived from 

complementary MRIP surveys, to 

estimate total, state-level fishing catch. 

These estimates are used in the 

development, implementation, and 

monitoring of fishery management 

programs by the NMFS, regional fishery 

management councils, interstate marine 

fisheries commissions, and state fishery 

agencies. 

II. Method of Collection 

Telephone interviews will be 

conducted using Computer Assisted 

Telephone Interviewing (CATI) 

methodology. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0709. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(extension of a current information 

collection). 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households; Business or other for-profit 

organizations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

22,000. 

Estimated Time per Response: 31⁄2

minutes each for a telephone interview. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 1,283. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $0 in recordkeeping/reporting 

costs. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. 

Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

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 Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, 

Commerce Department. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19108 Filed 9–1–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD322] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 27459 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Robin Trayler, Ph.D., University of 

California, Merced, 5200 N Lake Road, 

Science and Engineering 1, 283, Merced, 

CA 95343, has applied in due form for 

a permit to import marine mammal 

specimens for scientific research. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before October 5, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on 

the Applications and Permits for 

Protected Species (APPS) home page, 

https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then 

selecting File No. 27459 from the list of 

available applications. These documents 

are also available upon written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted via email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 27459 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. The request should set forth 

the specific reasons why a hearing on 

this application would be appropriate. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / Notices 60651 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jennifer Skidmore and Carrie Hubard, 

(301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested under the 

authority of the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended 

(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the 

regulations governing the taking and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216). 

The applicant proposes to import up 

to 20 samples annually from each of the 

following species: ringed seal (Pusa 

hispida), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) 

and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus); and 

up to 40 samples annually from killer 

whales (Orcinus orca) from the Swedish 

Natural History Museums’ collections 

(i.e., collection of beached or 

accidentally killed animals). The 

applicant proposes to use stable isotope 

analysis of bone collagen to investigate 

the dietary ecology of grey wolves 

(Canis lupus) and killer whales over the 

past 100 years. By quantifying the 

contribution of seals to the diet of the 

predators, the research will study the 

energy flow between marine and 

terrestrial ecosystems and pressure on 

seal populations in Sweden. The permit 

would be valid for 3 years from the date 

of issuance. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: August 30, 2023. 

Julia M. Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19056 Filed 9–1–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD293] 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public online meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Coastal Pelagic Species 

(CPS) Subcommittee of the Pacific 

Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific 

Council’s) Scientific and Statistical 

Committee (SSC) will hold an online 

meeting to update the Accepted 

Practices Guidelines for CPS Stock 

Assessments document. The meeting is 

open to the public. 

DATES: The SSC CPS Subcommittee’s 

online meeting will be held Friday, 

September 22, 2023 beginning at 8 a.m. 

and continuing until 12 p.m. Pacific 

Daylight Time or until business for the 

day has been completed. 

ADDRESSES: The SSC CPS 

Subcommittee’s meeting will be an 

online meeting. Specific meeting 

information, including directions on 

how to join the meeting and system 

requirements, will be provided in the 

meeting announcement on the Pacific 

Council’s website (see 

www.pcouncil.org). You may send an 

email to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt 

(kris.kleinschmidt@noaa.gov) or contact 

him at (503) 820–2412 for technical 

assistance. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Jessi Doerpinghaus, Staff Officer, Pacific 

Fishery Management Council; 

telephone: (503) 820–2415. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the SSC CPS Subcommittee’s 

meeting is to update best practices for 

conducting CPS stock assessments. 

Recommendations of SSC CPS 

Subcommittee members will inform the 

Accepted Practices Guidelines for Stock 

Assessments in 2024, which is a 

compilation of guidelines for CPS stock 

assessment scientists. The full SSC and 

the Pacific Council will review the 

Accepted Practices Guidelines for Stock 

Assessments as recommended by the 

SSC CPS Subcommittee at the 

November Pacific Council meeting. The 

updated version of the Accepted 

Practices Guidelines for Stock 

Assessments will be posted on the 

Pacific Council’s website shortly after 

the meeting. 

No management actions will be 

decided by the SSC CPS Subcommittee. 

The SSC CPS Subcommittee members’ 

role will be the development of 

recommendations for consideration by 

West Coast CPS stock assessment 

scientists. 

Although nonemergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agendas may 

be discussed, those issues may not be 

the subject of formal action during this 

meeting. 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 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

provided the public has been notified of 

the intent of the SSC CPS Subcommittee 

to take final action to address the 

emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov; (503) 820–2412) at least 10 

days prior to the meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: August 30, 2023. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19084 Filed 9–1–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD307] 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of hybrid meetings. 

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Council) 

Groundfish Plan Teams will hold a 

meeting. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for agenda. 

DATES: The meetings will be held on 

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 through 

Friday, September 22, 2023, from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m., PDT. 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be hybrid 

meetings. The in-person component of 

the meetings will be held at the Alaska 

Fishery Science Center in the Traynor 

Room (2076) and Room 2079, 7600 Sand 

Point Way NE, Building 4, Seattle, WA 

98115. If you plan to attend in-person 

you need to notify Sara Cleaver 

(sara.cleaver@noaa.gov) or Diana Stram 

(diana.stram@noaa.gov) at least two 

days prior to the meeting (or two weeks 

prior if you are a foreign national). You 

will also need a valid U.S. Identification 

Card. If you are attending virtually, join 

the meeting online through the link at 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1