Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 1998 / Notices 27051

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: May 12, 1998.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office

of Management and Organization.

[FR Doc. 98–12956 Filed 5–14–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

Alaska Region Gear Identification;

Proposed Collection

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment

request.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Commerce, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub.

L. 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before July 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental

Forms Clearance Officer, Department of

Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington

DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection

instrument(s) and instructions should

be directed to Patsy A. Bearden, F/

AK01, NOAA/NMFS, P.O. Box 21668,

Juneau, AK 99802–1668 (907–586–

7228).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

Participants in the groundfish fishery

in the Alaska Region are required to

identify all longline marker buoys

carried onboard or used by any vessel.

This requirement is currently cleared

under OMB Control Number 0648–0305,

which dealt with all NOAA gearmarking requirements, but those

requirements will now be submitted on

a regional basis.

II. Method of Collection

The vessel’s name, Federal fisheries

permit number, or the vessel’s

registration number shall be in

characters at least 4 inches (10.16 cm)

in height and 0.5 in. (1.27 cm) in width

in a contrasting color visible above the

water line and shall be maintained so

the markings are clearly visible.

III. Data

OMB Number: New Number to be

Assigned.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular Submission.

Affected Public: Individuals, Business

and other for-profit (commercial

fishermen).

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1,916.

Estimated Time Per Response: 0.25

hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 3,450 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to

Public: The cost to fishermen is

minimal. Materials needed are paint and

paint brush, or permanent ink

applicator, and possibly a stencil. Labor

costs probably range between $10 and

$15 per hour with the average estimated

time varying from 1 to 5 minutes to

paint/mark each buoy. Total estimated

cost per vessel varies greatly with the

type and amount of gear being used.

Given the adverse weather conditions

and salt water, we expect each number

will need to be repainted, repaired, or

replaced annually.

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: May 12, 1998.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office

of Management and Organization.

[FR Doc. 98–12957 Filed 5–14–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

Northwest Region Gear Identification

Requirements; Proposed Collection

ACTION: Proposed Collection; Comment

Request.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Commerce, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before July 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental

Forms Clearance Officer, Department of

Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington

DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection

instrument(s) and instructions should

be directed to William L. Robinson,

NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE,

Seattle, WA 98115, 206–526–6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The success of fisheries management

programs depends significantly on

regulatory compliance. Requirements

that fishing gear be marked are essential

to facilitate endorsement. The ability to

link fishing gear to the vessel owner or

operator is crucial to endorsement of

regulations issued under the authority

of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation

and Management Act to govern

domestic and foreign fishing, and the

Atlantic Tunas Convention act. The

marking of fishing gear is also valuable

in actions concerning damage, loss, and

civil proceedings.

The regulations specify fishing gear

must be marked with the vessel’s

official number, federal permit or tag

number, or some other specified form of

identification. The regulations further

specify how the gear is to be marked,
27052 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 1998 / Notices

e.g., location and color. Law

endorsement personnel rely on this

information to assure compliance with

fisheries management regulations. Gear

that is not properly identified is

confiscated. The identifying number on

fishing gear is used by NMFS, the U.S.

Coast Guard, and other marine agencies

in issuing violations, prosecutions, and

other enforcement actions. Gear marking

helps ensure that a vessel harvests fish

only from its own traps/pots/other gear

and that traps/pots/other gear are not

illegally placed. Gear violations are

more readily prosecuted, and this

allows for more cost-effective

enforcement. Cooperating fishermen

also use the number to report placement

or occurrence of gear in unauthorized

areas. Regulation-compliant fishermen

ultimately benefit as unauthorized and

illegal fishing is deterred and more

burdensome regulations are avoided.

These requirements are currently

cleared under OMB Control Number

0648–0305, which dealt with all NOAA

gear-marking requirements, but those

requirements will now be submitted on

a regional basis.

II. Method of Collection

The physical marking of fishing buoys

is done by the affected public (fishers in

the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery)

according to regulation.

III. Data

OMB Number: New Number to be

Assigned.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular Submission.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit (fishers in the Pacific Coast

Groundfish Fishery).

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1,835.

Estimated Time Per Response: 15

minutes per marking (with an average of

11.20 buoy markings per vessel).

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 5,140.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to

Public: $5,140 for materials to make

markings (e.g. paint and paintbrush or

permanent ink applicator, possibly a

stencil; or a commercially available

plastic tag that is fastened to the trap/

pot).

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: May 12, 1998.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office

of Management and Organization.

[FR Doc. 98–12958 Filed 5–14–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

Northwest Region Vessel Identification

Requirements; Proposed Collection

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment

request.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Commerce, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub.

L. 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before July 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental

Forms Clearance Officer, Department of

Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington

DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection

instrument(s) and instructions should

be directed to William L. Robinson,

NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE,

Seattle, WA 98115, 206–526–6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

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 Fishery

Conservation and Management Act to

govern domestic and foreign fishing, the

Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, and the

South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988. A

vessel’s official number (or international

radio call sign—IRCS—if a foreign

vessel or if fishing in the South Pacific

Tuna Fisheries), under most regulations,

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.

Vessels that qualify for particular

fisheries are readily identified, gear

violations are more readily prosecuted,

and this allows for more cost-effective

enforcement. Cooperating fishermen

also use the number to report suspicious

activities that they observe. Regulationcompliant fishermen ultimately benefit

as unauthorized and illegal fishing is

deterred and more burdensome

regulations are avoided.

These requirements are currently

cleared under OMB Control Number

0648–0306, which dealt with all NOAA

vessel-marking requirements, but those

requirements will now be submitted on

a regional basis.

II. Method of Collection

Fishing vessel owners physically

mark vessel with identification numbers

in three locations per vessel.

III. Data

OMB Number: New Number to be

Assigned.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular Submission.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit (fishers in the Open Access and

Limited Entry Pacific Coast Groundfish

Fishery).

Estimated Number of Respondents:

2,026.

Estimated Time Per Response: 45

minutes (15 minutes per marking).

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 1,519 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to

Public: $60,780 ($30 per vessel).

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