Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 237 / Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / Notices 86117 

C/P Co-op Program: 

• 0.1 percent = ($29,364.40/ 

$33,367,530.60) × 100. 

MS Co-op Program: 

• 1.8 percent = ($280,187.19/ 

$15,425,857.68) × 100. 

However, the calculated fee 

percentage cannot exceed the statutory 

limit of 3 percent. The IFQ Program fee 

calculation (3.5 percent) exceeds this 

limit, therefore, the 2024 fee percentage 

for the IFQ Program is 3 percent. The 

final 2024 fee percentages are 3.0 

percent for the IFQ Program, 0.1 percent 

for the C/P Co-op Program, and 1.8 

percent for the MS Co-op Program. 

MS Average Pricing 

MS pricing is the average price per 

pound that the C/P Co-op Program will 

use to determine the fee amount due for 

that sector. The C/P sector value is 

calculated by multiplying the retained 

catch estimates (weight) of Pacific 

whiting harvested by the vessel 

registered to a C/P-endorsed limited 

entry trawl permit by the MS pricing. 

NMFS has calculated the 2024 MS 

pricing to be used as a proxy by the CP 

Co-op Program as: $0.11 per pound for 

Pacific whiting. 

Cost recovery fees are submitted to 

NMFS by fish buyers via Pay.gov 

(https://www.pay.gov). Fees are only 

accepted in Pay.gov by credit/debit card 

or bank transfers. Cash or checks cannot 

be accepted. Fish buyers registered with 

Pay.gov can login in the upper righthand corner of the screen. Fish buyers 

not registered with Pay.gov can go to the 

cost recovery forms directly from the 

website below. The links to the Pay.gov 

forms for each program (IFQ, MS, or 

C/P) are listed below: 

• IFQ: https://www.pay.gov/public/ 

form/start/58062865; 

• MS: https://www.pay.gov/public/ 

form/start/58378422; and 

• C/P: https://www.pay.gov/public/ 

form/start/58102817. 

As stated in the preamble to the cost 

recovery proposed and final rules, in the 

spring of each year, NMFS will release 

an annual report documenting the 

details and data used for the fee 

percentage calculations. Annual reports 

are available at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/ 

sustainable-fisheries/west-coastgroundfish-trawl-catch-shareprogram#cost-recovery. 

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

U.S.C.773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq. 

Dated: December 6, 2023. 

Everett Wayne Baxter, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–27188 Filed 12–11–23; 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 for Review 

and Approval; Comment Request; 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species 

Scientific Research, Exempted Fishing, 

and Exempted Activity Submissions 

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 the Office of Management 

and Budget. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before February 12, 2024. 

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– 

0471 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 Cliff 

Hutt, Fisheries Management Specialist, 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

(NMFS), Highly Migratory Species 

(HMS) Management Division, 1315 EastWest Highway, SSMC3, Silver Spring, 

MD 20910; 301–427–8503; or cliff.hutt@

noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

Atlantic highly migratory species 

(HMS) fisheries are managed under the 

2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP) and its 

amendments, pursuant to the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 

et seq.) and consistent with the Atlantic 

Tunas Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 

971 et seq.). The implementing 

regulations for HMS fisheries are found 

at 50 CFR part 635. 

Issuance of exempted fishing permits 

(EFPs), scientific research permits 

(SRPs), display permits, letters of 

acknowledgment (LOAs), and shark 

research fishery permits is necessary for 

the collection of HMS for public display 

and scientific research that requires 

exemption from regulations (e.g., 

seasons, prohibited species, authorized 

gear, minimum sizes) that otherwise 

may prohibit such collection. Display 

permits are issued for the collection of 

HMS for the purpose of public display, 

and a limited number of shark research 

fishery permits are issued for the 

collection of fishery-dependent data for 

future stock assessments and 

cooperative research with commercial 

fishermen to meet the shark research 

objectives of the Agency. 

Regulations at 50 CFR 600.745 and 50 

CFR 635.32 govern scientific research 

activity, exempted fishing, and 

exempted educational activities with 

respect to HMS. Since the MagnusonStevens Act does not include scientific 

research within the definition of 

‘‘fishing,’’ scientific research is exempt 

from this statute, and NMFS does not 

issue EFPs for bona fide research 

activities (e.g., research conducted from 

a research vessel and not a commercial 

or recreational fishing vessel) involving 

species that are only regulated under the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act (e.g., most 

species of sharks) and not under ATCA. 

NMFS requests copies of scientific 

research plans for these activities and 

indicates concurrence by issuing a LOA 

to researchers to indicate that the 

proposed activity meets the definition of 

scientific research and is therefore 

exempt from regulation. 

Scientific research is not exempt from 

regulation under ATCA. NMFS issues 

SRPs for collection of species managed 

under this statute (i.e., tunas, swordfish, 

billfish, and some shark species), which 

authorize researchers to collect HMS 

from bona fide research vessels (e.g., 

NMFS or university research vessel). 

NMFS will issue an EFP when research/ 

collection involving such species occurs 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
86118 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 237 / Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / Notices 

from commercial or recreational fishing 

platforms. 

To regulate these fishing activities, 

NMFS needs information to determine 

the justification for granting an EFP, 

LOA, SRP, display, or shark research 

fishery permit. The application 

requirements are detailed at 50 CFR 

600.745(b)(2). Interim, annual, and nocatch/fishing reports must also be 

submitted to the HMS Management 

Division within NMFS (excluding 

LOAs). The authority for NMFS 

requiring this information is found at 50 

CFR 635.32. 

NMFS has updated the burden 

estimates based on participation in the 

HMS Management Division’s exempted 

fishing program from 2021 through 2023 

and the Shark Research Fishery from 

2021 through 2023. 

II. Method of Collection 

Respondents can submit the required 

information via email via electronic 

forms (PDF or spreadsheet). NMFS is 

currently developing an online 

electronic reporting portal for the 

submission of required EFP reports, 

which will be available in 2024. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0471. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(extension of a currently approved 

collection). 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

58. 

Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours 

for a scientific research plan; 40 minutes 

for an application for an EFP, display 

permit, SRP, LOA, or shark research 

fishery permit; 1 hour for an interim 

report; 40 minutes for an annual fishing 

report; 15 minutes for an application for 

an amendment; 5 minutes for 

notification of departure phone calls to 

NMFS Enforcement; 10 minutes for calls 

to request and observer; and 2 minutes 

for ‘‘no-catch’’ reports. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 224. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: None. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary 

for applications and Mandatory for 

reporting and notifications. 

Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and the 

Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975. 

(16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) 

IV. Request for Comments 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department/NMFS to: (a) 

Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary for 

the proper functions of the Department/ 

NMFS, 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. 2023–27248 Filed 12–11–23; 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; Pacific Islands Region Permit 

Family of Forms 

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 February 12, 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– 

0490 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, 

National Marine Fisheries Service, 

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 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

established the Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council), to 

develop fishery ecosystem plans (FEP) 

for fisheries in the United States (U.S.) 

exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and high 

seas of the Pacific Islands region. These 

plans, if approved by the Secretary of 

Commerce, are implemented in Federal 

regulations by the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

(NMFS) and enforced by NOAA’s Office 

of Law Enforcement (OLE) and the U.S. 

Coast Guard (USCG), in cooperation 

with state and territorial agencies. FEPs 

regulate fishing to prevent overfishing 

and to ensure the long-term productivity 

and social and economic benefit of the 

resources. 

Regulations at 50 CFR 665, Subpart F, 

require that a vessel used to fish with 

longline gear for western Pacific pelagic 

management unit species (PMUS), land 

or transship longline caught PMUS, or 

receive longline caught PMUS from a 

longline vessel, within the Exclusive 

Economic Zone (EEZ) or management 

subarea around U.S. islands in the 

central and western Pacific must be 

registered to a valid Federal fishing 

permit. The regulations also require that 

a vessel used to fish with squid jig gear 

for pelagic squid species listed in the 

western Pacific PMUS within the EEZ or 

management subareas around U.S. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1