6418 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 24 / Monday, February 7, 2005 / Notices 

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: January 28, 2005.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 05–2288 Filed 2–4–05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–JE–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 020105N]

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; Atlantic Highly 

Migratory Species Observer 

Notification Requirements

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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 

collection, as required by the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before April 8, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Diana Hynek, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 

14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument(s) and instructions should 

be directed to Chris Rilling, National 

Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Division, 1315 East-West Highway, 

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone 301–

713–2347).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I.Abstract

Under current regulations NMFS may 

select for observer coverage any fishing 

trip by a vessel that has a permit for 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species 

(HMS). NMFS notifies vessel owners, in 

writing, when their vessels have been 

selected. The owners of those vessels 

are then required to notify NMFS before 

commencing any fishing trip for 

Atlantic HMS. This notification allows 

NMFS to arrange for observer 

placements and assignments. The 

notification may be made by phone, fax, 

or in writing prior to each trip for which 

a vessel is selected. A form is provided 

by NMFS for written responses. It is 

estimated that it would require 

approximately two minutes to provide 

the response. The estimated number of 

responses exceeds the number of 

respondents due to multiple trips taken 

within a particular season.

The vessels are selected randomly 

from a list of active vessels that have 

reported landings of targeted species 

during the previous year. Observers are 

placed aboard vessels to collect, among 

other things, information on species 

caught, catch disposition, gear, effort, 

and bycatch. The information is used in 

stock assessments, to estimate rates of 

bycatch of non-targeted and protected 

species such as sea turtles, and to 

improve overall management of the 

fishery. A Biological Opinion (BiOp) 

issued on June 1, 2004, under the 

Endangered Species Act, requires a 

minimum of eight percent observer 

coverage in the pelagic longline fishery. 

The shark bottom longline observer 

program has set a target of five percent 

observer coverage in the shark bottom 

longline fishery. A BiOp issued in 

October 2003, requires NMFS to 

maintain or increase this level of 

observer coverage. Observer coverage for 

the shark gillnet fishery fluctuates from 

approximately 50 percent to 100 

percent, depending on the time of year. 

Vessels operating in other HMS fisheries 

are not observed currently but are 

subject to observer coverage under the 

regulations. Burden estimates include a 

ten percent adjustment upward from 

current levels to account for future 

expansion of other fisheries.

II. Method of Collection

Notification can be made by phone, 

fax, or letter.

III. Data

OMB Number: 0648–0374.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations (vessel owners).

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

471.

Estimated Time Per Response: 2 

minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 513.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $7,780.

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: January 28, 2005.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 05–2289 Filed 2–4–05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 020205A]

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; Deep Seabed 

Mining Regulations for Exploration 

Licenses

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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.