Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2008 / Notices 6483 

(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 29, 2008. 

Gwellnar Banks, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. E8–1883 Filed 2–1–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; Northwest Region 

Gear Identification Requirements 

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

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. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before April 4, 2008. 

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 and instructions should be 

directed to Jamie Goen, (206) 526–4646 

or jamie.goen@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

The success of fisheries management 

programs depends significantly on 

regulatory compliance. The 

requirements that fishing gear be 

marked are essential to facilitate 

enforcement. The ability to link fishing 

gear to the vessel owner or operator is 

crucial to the enforcement of regulations 

issued under the authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management 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 (e.g., location and color). 

Law enforcement 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 when the gear 

is marked, allowing for more cost 

effective enforcement. Cooperating 

fishermen also use the number to report 

placement or occurrence of gear in 

unauthorized areas. The regulationcompliant fishermen ultimately benefit 

from this requirement, because 

unauthorized and illegal fishing is 

deterred and more burdensome 

regulations are avoided. 

II. Method of Collection 

The physical marking of fishing buoys 

is done by the affected public 

(fishermen in the Pacific Coast 

Groundfish Fishery) according to 

regulation. No information is collected. 

III. Data 

OMB Number: 0648–0352. 

Form Number: None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

548. 

Estimated Time per Response: 3 hours 

(15 minutes per marking). 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 1,782. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $2,000. 

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 29, 2008. 

Gwellnar Banks, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. E8–1884 Filed 2–1–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; Large Pelagic 

Fishing Survey 

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

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. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before April 4, 2008. 

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 and instructions should be 

directed to Dr. Ronald J. Salz, (301) 713–

2328 or ron.salz@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 


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