11416 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 48 / Wednesday, March 12, 1997 / Notices

Northeast Multispecies Fishery (FMP).

Action is requested by March 17, 1997.

Specifically, Framework 20 would

implement a gillnet vessel effortreduction program (by including a cap

on the number of nets and revising

days-at-sea monitoring), and implement

programs to re-direct effort off of the

overexploited cod stock in the Gulf of

Maine (GOM) area. These measures

need to be in effect before May 1, 1997

(the start of the 1997/1998 fishing year)

in order to achieve the objectives of the

FMP in that fishing year. Failure to have

them in effect at the start of the 1997/

1998 fishing year would cause

administrative problems and prove

unnecessarily confusing to the industry.

Implementation also cannot be delayed

because of the need to make days-at-sea

allocations, implement effort-reduction

programs in the gillnet fishery, re-direct

focus off of the overexploited cod stock

in the GOM area, and reduce discards at

sea to the maximum extent practicable

(as required by the Magnuson-Stevens

Fishery Conservation and Management

Act). These measures, combined with

the measures currently in place, are

critical to the overall success of the FMP

to rebuild the principal multispecies

stocks and mitigate some of its impacts.

It is anticipated that these measures will

curb a recent pattern of effort

displacement into the GOM inshore area

that resulted from initial phases of

effort-reduction programs under

Amendments 5, 6, and 7 to the FMP.

Emergency approval of this request is

essential to the mission of the National

Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

As emergency approvals under the

PRA are for a very limited duration, this

notice also requests public comments on

a follow-up submission that will be

made to OMB under standard review

procedures.

A number of specific information

requirements are contained in

Framework 20. These measures require

that multispecies gillnet vessels select to

fish under a ‘‘Day gillnet’’ and ‘‘Trip

gillnet’’ category designation; adds effort

reduction requirements for Day gillnet

vessels—a requirement to take 120 days

out of the gillnet fishery, and the

requirement to request tags for, and tag,

gillnets; adds a call in requirement for

vessels exceeding the cod trip limit

when fishing north of 42°00′ N. latitude;

and adds a cod trip limit exemption

program for the cod fishery south of

42°00′ N. latitude.

II. Method of Collection

Declarations and requests for net tags

are made by form. Cod hail reports and

exemption requests are made by phone.

III. Data

OMB Number: 0648–0202.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Emergency and Regular

Submission.

Affected Public: Individuals and

businesses (fishermen).

Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500.

Estimated Time Per Response: 5 minutes

for category changes, 3 minutes to declare the

120 days out of the fishery, 1 minute to

attach each tag, 3 minutes to report cod

catch, and 2 minutes to request cod limit

exemption.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:

1,999.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public:

$30,240 for tags.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden

(including hours and cost) of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval of this information collection;

they also will become a matter of public

record.

Dated: March 6, 1997.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office

of Management and Organization.

[FR Doc. 97–6161 Filed 3–11–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

Final Certification for the Automation

of 11 Weather Service Offices (WSOs)

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: On March 3, 1997 the Under

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and

Atmosphere approved and transmitted

11 automation certifications to

Congress.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 12, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the

final automation certification packages

should be sent to Tom Beaver, Room

09356, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Julie Scanlon at 301–713–1698 ext 151.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 11

automation certifications were proposed

in the Federal Register notice published

on September 30, 1996 and the 60-day

public comment period closed on

November 29, 1996. There were no

public comments received. The

Modernization Transition Committee

(MTC) considered and endorsed these

11 automation certifications at its

December 12, 1996 meeting, concluding

that these certifications would not result

in any degradation of service.

(1) Grand Island, NE

(2) Bristol, TN

(3) Columbus, GA

(4) Macon, GA

(5) Port Arthur, TX

(6) Waco, TX

(7) Bakersfield, CA

(8) Helena, MT

(9) Phoenix, AZ

(10) Reno, NV

(11) Salem, OR

After consideration that no public

comments were received and the MTC

endorsements, the Under Secretary of

Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

approved all 11 automation

certifications and transmitted them to

Congress on March 3, 1997. Certification

approval authority was delegated from

the Secretary to the Under Secretary in

June 1996. The NWS is now completing

the certification requirements by

publishing the final automation

certifications in the Federal Register.

Dated: March 6, 1997.

Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator for Weather Services.

[FR Doc. 97–6136 Filed 3–11–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–12–M

[I.D. 030697A]

Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of an application for

modification 8 to scientific research

permit 825 (P513).

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish

Commission in Portland, OR (CRITFC)

has applied in due form for a

modification to a permit authorizing

takes of endangered and threatened

species for scientific research purposes.

DATES: Written comments or requests for

a public hearing on this application

must be received on or before April 11,

1997.

ADDRESSES: The application and related

documents are available for review in

the following offices, by appointment: