30528 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 122 / Friday, June 26, 2009 / Notices 

stock. Initial reports were completed in 

1995. 

The MMPA requires NMFS and FWS 

to review the SARs at least annually for 

strategic stocks and stocks for which 

significant new information is available, 

and at least once every 3 years for nonstrategic stocks. NMFS and the FWS are 

required to revise a SAR if the status of 

the stock has changed or can be more 

accurately determined. NMFS, in 

conjunction with the Alaska, Atlantic, 

and Pacific Scientific Review Groups 

(SRGs), reviewed the status of marine 

mammal stocks as required and revised 

reports in the Alaska, Atlantic, and 

Pacific regions to incorporate new 

information. NMFS solicits public 

comments on the draft 2009 SARs. 

Alaska Reports 

Twenty-three reports (14 strategic 

stocks and 9 non-strategic stocks) were 

revised, and 13 reports were not revised. 

Most revisions included updates of 

abundance and/or mortality estimates; 

there were no changes in the status of 

the affected stocks. 

The most recent 5–year period of 

incidental mortality and serious injury 

estimates for Federal fisheries in Alaska 

is 2002–2006. Although observer data 

from these fisheries are available for 

more recent years, analysis of observer 

data from 2007 and 2008 has not been 

completed due to changes in staffing 

and in the structure of the database. The 

2007 and 2008 fishery mortality data are 

currently being analyzed, and these 

results will be incorporated in the 2010 

SARs. 

Results from a collaborative 

international study on humpback 

whales have been incorporated into the 

reports for the Central and Western 

North Pacific stocks. These results 

produced new abundance estimates for 

these stocks and allowed PBR for both 

stocks to be changed from undetermined 

to calculated values. Both stocks remain 

strategic stocks because they are 

populations of an endangered species. 

Atlantic Reports 

Fifty-two new or updated reports (16 

strategic and 36 non-strategic) are 

included among 2009 Atlantic regional 

SARs. Nineteen reports were not 

revised. New reports include four stockspecific reports for beaked whales and 

nine new reports of bay, sound, and 

estuary stocks of bottlenose dolphins 

along the Atlantic coast. The 39 revised 

reports included updates of abundance 

or mortality estimates, strandings, and 

status of these stocks was unchanged. 

However, Potential Biological Removal 

(PBR) estimates for three stocks of 

dolphins (bottlenose, Atlantic spotted, 

and rough-toothed) in the Gulf of 

Mexico were changed to 

‘‘undetermined’’ because the abundance 

data supporting these estimates are 

outdated (more than 8 years old). 

The beaked whale reports were 

previously published as a combined 

report (Mesoplodon sp.) because most 

beaked whale species cannot be 

distinguished from one another during 

abundance surveys. Each of the new 

reports and the report for Cuvier’s 

beaked whale contain the same numbers 

for abundance (3,513), minimum 

population estimate (2,154), and PBR 

(17) and were included in the 2008 SAR 

for Mesoplodon sp. Similarly, a single 

observed serious injury of an 

unidentified beaked whale incidental to 

a long-line fishery is included in all 

reports; three of the beaked whale 

species (Blainville’s, Sowerby’s, and 

True’s) have additional human-caused 

mortality based upon stranded animals 

that were identified to species. 

Bottlenose dolphins within bays, 

sounds, and estuaries along the Atlantic 

coast were not included in previous 

stock assessment reports. Although 

these stock identities have been 

proposed, there is sufficient mixing of 

individuals from coastal and bay stocks 

that abundance and mortality/serious 

injury estimates for all nine of the new 

bottlenose dolphin stocks are unknown. 

Pacific Reports 

In the Pacific region, 13 reports were 

updated in 2009, including 8 strategic 

stocks and 5 non-strategic stocks; 50 

SARs were not revised. Most changes 

were updates of abundance or mortality 

estimates and did not result in a change 

of status of any stock. 

A new SAR for humpback whales in 

American Samoa waters, which is 

strategic because all humpback whales 

are listed under the Endangered Species 

Act, is also included. The assessment 

for Northern Oregon/Washington Coast 

stock of harbor porpoise includes a 

name change (‘‘Oregon’’ is appended to 

‘‘Northern Oregon’’) to reflect recent 

stock boundary changes. Changes in 

abundance estimates for the two stocks 

of harbor porpoise that occur in Oregon 

waters are the result of these boundary 

changes and do not reflect biological 

changes in the populations. 

Dated: June 19, 2009. 

Helen M. Golde, 

Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–15200 Filed 6–25–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Patent and Trademark Office 

Invention Promoters/Promotion Firms 

Complaints 

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment 

request. 

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and 

Trademark Office (USPTO), 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 the continuing information 

collection, 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 August 25, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by any of the following methods: 

• E-mail: Susan.Fawcett@uspto.gov. 

Include ‘‘0651–0044 comment’’ in the 

subject line of the message. 

• Fax: 571–273–0112, marked to the 

attention of Susan K. Fawcett. 

• Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records 

Officer, Office of the Chief Information 

Officer, Administrative Management 

Group, United States Patent and 

Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 

Alexandria, VA 22313–1450. 

• Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information 

should be directed to Cathie Kirik, Mail 

Stop 24, Commissioner for Patents, 

United States Patent and Trademark 

Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 

22313–1450; by telephone at 571–272– 

8800; or by e-mail at Cathie.Kirik@

uspto.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

Under the Inventors’ Rights Act of 

1999, as found in 35 U.S.C. 297 and 

implemented by 37 CFR Part 4, the 

United States Patent and Trademark 

Office (USPTO) is required to provide a 

forum for the publication of complaints 

concerning invention promoters and 

responses from the invention promoters 

to these complaints. An individual may 

submit a complaint concerning an 

invention promoter to the USPTO, 

which will forward the complaint to the 

invention promoter for response. The 

complaints and responses will be 

published and made available to the 

public on the USPTO Web site. The 

USPTO does not investigate these 

complaints or participate in any legal 

proceedings against invention 

promoters or promotion firms. 

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 122 / Friday, June 26, 2009 / Notices 30529 

Complaints submitted to the USPTO 

must identify the name and address of 

the complainant and the invention 

promoter or promotion firm, explain the 

basis for the complaint, and include the 

signature of the complainant. The 

identifying information is necessary so 

that the USPTO can forward the 

complaint to the invention promoter or 

promotion firm and also notify the 

complainant that the complaint has 

been forwarded. Complainants should 

understand that the complaints will be 

forwarded to the invention promoter for 

response and that the complaint and 

response will be made available to the 

public as required by the Inventors’ 

Rights Act. If the USPTO does not 

receive a response from the invention 

promoter, the complaint will still be 

published without the response. The 

USPTO does not accept complaints 

under this program if the complainant 

requests confidentiality. 

This information collection includes 

one form, Complaint Regarding 

Invention Promoter (PTO/SB/2048), 

which is used by the public to submit 

a complaint under this program. This 

form is available for download from the 

USPTO Web site. Use of this form is not 

mandatory as long as the complaint 

includes the necessary information and 

is clearly marked as a complaint filed 

under the Inventors’ Rights Act. There 

is no associated form for submitting 

responses to the complaints. 

II. Method of Collection 

By mail, facsimile, or hand delivery to 

the USPTO. 

III. Data 

OMB Number: 0651–0044. 

Form Number(s): PTO/SB/2048. 

Type of Review: Revision of a 

currently approved collection. 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households; businesses or other forprofits; and not-for-profit institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

100 responses per year. 

Estimated Time per Response: The 

USPTO estimates that it will take the 

public approximately 15 minutes (0.25 

hours) to gather the necessary 

information, prepare the form, and 

submit a complaint to the USPTO and 

approximately 30 minutes (0.5 hours) 

for an invention promoter or promotion 

firm to prepare and submit a response 

to a complaint. 

Estimated Total Annual Respondent 

Burden Hours: 38 hours per year. 

Estimated Total Annual Respondent 

Cost Burden: $5,970 per year. The 

USPTO expects that complaints will be 

prepared by paraprofessionals or 

independent inventors. Using the 

average of the paraprofessional rate of 

$100 per hour and the estimated rate of 

$30 per hour for independent inventors, 

the USPTO estimates that the average 

rate for preparing the complaints will be 

approximately $65 per hour. The 

USPTO expects that the responses to the 

complaints will be prepared by 

attorneys or invention promoters. Using 

the average of the professional rate of 

$310 per hour for attorneys in private 

firms and the estimated rate of $100 per 

hour for invention promoters, the 

USPTO estimates that the average rate 

for preparing the responses to the 

complaints will be approximately $205 

per hour. Therefore, the respondent cost 

burden for this collection is estimated to 

be $5,970 per year. 

Item 

Estimated time 

for 

response 

(minutes) 

Estimated 

annual 

responses 

Estimated 

annual 

burden hours 

Complaint Regarding Invention Promoter (PTO/SB/2048) ......................................................... 15 50 13 

Responses to the Complaints ..................................................................................................... 30 50 25 

Totals ........................................................................................................................................... ........................ 100 38 

Estimated Total Annual Non-hour 

Respondent Cost Burden: $897. There 

are no capital start-up costs, 

maintenance costs, recordkeeping costs, 

or filing fees associated with this 

information collection. However, the 

public may incur postage costs when 

submitting a complaint or a response to 

a complaint by mail to the USPTO. The 

USPTO estimates that the first-class 

postage cost for a mailed complaint will 

be 44 cents. Promotion firms may 

choose to send responses to complaints 

using overnight mail service at an 

estimated cost of $17.50 per response. 

Therefore, the total annual (non-hour) 

respondent cost burden for this 

collection in the form of postage costs 

is estimated to be $897 per year. 

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, e.g., the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record. 

Susan K. Fawcett, 

Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer, Administrative 

Management Group. 

[FR Doc. E9–15170 Filed 6–25–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Hydrographic Services Review Panel 

Meeting 

AGENCY: National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), Department of 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of extension of 

membership solicitation for 

Hydrographic Services Review Panel. 

SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is 

soliciting nominations for membership 

on the Hydrographic Services Review 

Panel (the Panel), a Federal advisory 

committee. NOAA is extending the time 

period for submission of membership 

applications from Friday, June 26, 2009 

to Friday, July 24, 2009. This notice 

responds to the Hydrographic Services 

Improvement Act Amendments of 2002,