52040 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2017 / Notices 

comprehensive salmon and steelhead 

recovery strategy. As reported in the 

application, significant actions to 

address the decline of salmon and 

steelhead stocks in the Willamette River 

basin have been underway for several 

decades, and are progressing each year 

as a result of the implementation of ESA 

recovery plans throughout the 

Willamette River basin. These actions 

include harvest reductions, 

hydroelectric system mitigation, habitat 

restoration, predation management, and 

hatchery reforms. 

In their application, the state asserts 

that taking no action or continued use 

of only non-lethal methods will likely 

result in an expansion of the problem 

interaction by allowing CSLs to become 

recruited into the pool of nuisance 

animals. The expected benefit of 

permanent removal of the animals in 

question will be to reduce a significant 

source of mortality that has jeopardized 

state, Federal, and non-governmental 

efforts to recover ESA-listed salmon and 

steelhead stocks in the Willamette River 

basin. The state’s population viability 

analysis predicts that elimination of the 

problem interaction will reduce the 

probability of extinction of the three 

independent UWR steelhead 

populations from 20–64 percent to <5 

percent. 

In considering whether the 

application should be approved or 

denied, the MMPA requires that the 

Task Force and NMFS consider: (1) 

Population trends, feeding habits, the 

location of the pinniped interaction, 

how and when the interaction occurs, 

involved; (2) past efforts to deter such 

pinnipeds, and whether the applicant 

has demonstrated that no feasible and 

prudent alternatives exist and that the 

applicant has taken all reasonable 

nonlethal steps without success; (3) the 

extent to which such pinnipeds are 

causing undue injury impact to, or 

imbalance with, other species in the 

ecosystem, including fish populations; 

and (4) the extent to which such 

pinnipeds are exhibiting behavior that 

presents an ongoing threat to public 

safety. The NMFS West Coast Regional 

Administrator has considered the state’s 

application and determined that it 

provides sufficient evidence to warrant 

establishing a Task Force. The 

application describes the means of 

identifying individual pinnipeds, 

includes a detailed description of the 

problem interaction between pinnipeds 

and listed salmonids in the vicinity of 

Willamette Falls, and describes the 

expected benefits of potential taking of 

pinnipeds. The application also 

documents the state’s past non-lethal 

efforts to deter pinnipeds in the vicinity 

of Willamette Falls. 

Request for Comments and Other 

Information 

NMFS solicits public comments on 

the state’s application and any 

additional information that should be 

considered by the Task Force in making 

its recommendation, or by NMFS in 

making its determination whether to 

approve or deny the application. NMFS 

is interested in receiving additional 

information related to the factors that 

must be considered in determining 

whether to approve or deny the 

application (see Background), and on 

the impact of sea lion predation in the 

vicinity of Willamette Falls on the 

affected salmonid stocks. 

NMFS requests that comments be 

specific. In particular, we request 

information regarding: (1) Observations 

of pinnipeds (number, species and 

predation on salmonids) in the 

Willamette River; 

(2) Information on areas where 

numbers of pinnipeds are concentrated 

in the Willamette River, including 

resting/haul out sites and locations 

where pinnipeds have been repeatedly 

observed taking salmonids; and 

(3) Dates when pinnipeds have been 

observed in the Willamette River. 

NMFS also solicits the names and 

affiliations of experts from the academic 

and scientific community, tribes, 

Federal and state agencies, and the 

private sector for consideration as 

potential Task Force members. A Task 

Force, established under section 120(c) 

of the MMPA must, to the maximum 

extent practicable, consist of an 

equitable balance among representatives 

of resource users and non-users as 

outlined above. The state’s application 

included a list of suggested agencies and 

organizations for inclusion in the Task 

Force (see Electronic Access). 

Nominations for Task Force 

membership must include sufficient 

background information (e.g., 1–page 

resume) on the candidate to allow us to 

judge their expertise and should 

indicate the prospective candidate’s 

willingness to serve without 

compensation. 

Dated: November 3, 2017. 

Donna S. Wieting, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–24352 Filed 11–8–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; West Coast Region 

Groundfish Trawl Fishery Monitoring 

and Catch Accounting Program 

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 January 8, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 

14th and Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at pracomments@doc.gov). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument and instructions should be 

directed to the West Coast Regional 

Office—7600 Sand Point Way NE., 

Seattle, WA 98115, Keeley Kent, 

telephone number ((206) 526–4655), or 

keeley.kent@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

In January 2011, the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration’s 

(NOAA) National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS) implemented a trawl 

rationalization program, a catch share 

program, for the Pacific coast groundfish 

fishery’s trawl fleet. The program was 

developed through Amendment 20 to 

the Groundfish Fishery Management 

Plan (FMP), under the authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act (16 

U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and consists of an 

individual fishing quota (IFQ) program 

for the shorebased trawl fleet (including 

whiting and non-whiting fisheries); and 

cooperative (coop) programs for the atsea mothership (MS) and catcher/ 

processor (C/P) trawl fleets (whiting 

only). Fixed allocations to the limited 

entry trawl fleet were developed 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2017 / Notices 52041 

through a parallel process with 

Amendment 21 to the FMP. The 

regulations implementing the program 

were effective January 1, 2011; all of the 

necessary tracking systems to make the 

program operational became active on 

January 11, 2011, the date fishing began 

under the new program. Since that time, 

the Council and NMFS have been 

addressing implementation issues as 

they arise. To achieve individual 

accountability for catch and bycatch and 

track total catch, the shorebased IFQ 

Program is subject to 100 percent 

monitoring both at-sea and dockside. In 

addition to 100 percent monitoring atsea, motherships and catcher/processors 

are subject to flow scale requirements 

that include daily testing, reporting, and 

an annual inspection. 

II. Method of Collection 

This collection utilizes both 

electronic and paper forms, depending 

on the specific item. Methods of 

submittal include email of electronic 

forms, and mail and facsimile 

transmission of paper forms. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0619. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular (extension of 

a current information collection). 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

155. 

Estimated Time per Response: 10 

hours for a Provider permit, 2 hours for 

an annual renewal, 4 hours each for 

appeals and catch monitoring plans; 1 

hour each for a catch monitor 

qualification inseason testing of 

shorebased scales; 2 hours for an 

inspection; 10 minutes each for first 

receiver reports and electronic fish 

tickets ; 1 minute for Pacific whiting 

disposition recordkeeping; 30 minutes 

for daily at-sea scale testing reports, 10 

minutes for daily at-sea scale catch and 

cumulative weight reports, 1 minute 

each for at-sea scale audit trail, at-sea 

scale calibration log, and at-sea scale 

fault log, and 0 minutes for at-sea scale 

video monitoring. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 1,826. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $14,628 in recordkeeping/ 

reporting costs. 

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: November 6, 2017. 

Sarah Brabson, 

NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2017–24382 Filed 11–8–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act. 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Title: West Coast Region Highly 

Migratory Species Vessel Identification 

Requirements. 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0361. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Request: Regular (extension of 

a currently approved information 

collection). 

Number of Respondents: 1,700. 

Average Hours per Response: All but 

purse seine vessels, 45 minutes; purse 

seine vessels, 1 hour, 15 minutes. 

Burden Hours: 644. 

Needs and Uses: This request is for 

extension of a current information 

collection. Regulations at 50 CFR 

660.704 require that all commercial 

fishing vessels with permits issued 

under authority of the National Marine 

Fishery Service’s (NMFS) Fishery 

Management Plan for United States 

(U.S.) West Coast Highly Migratory 

Species Fisheries display the vessel’s 

official number (U.S. Coast Guard 

documentation number or state 

registration number). The numbers must 

be of a specific size and format and 

located at specified locations. The 

official number must be affixed to each 

vessel subject to this section in block 

Arabic numerals at least 10 inches 

(25.40 centimeters) in height for vessels 

more than 25 feet (7.62 meters) but 

equal to or less than 65 feet (19.81 

meters) in length; and 18 inches (45.72 

centimeters) in height for vessels longer 

than 65 feet (19.81 meters) in length. 

Markings must be legible and of a color 

that contrasts with the background. The 

display of the identifying number aids 

in fishery law enforcement. This 

requirement does not apply to 

recreational charter vessels. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; individuals or 

households. 

Frequency: Biennially. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Required to 

obtain or retain benefits. 

This information collection request 

may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow 

the instructions to view Department of 

Commerce collections currently under 

review by OMB. 

Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to OIRA_Submission@

omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806. 

Dated: November 6, 2017. 

Sarah Brabson, 

NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2017–24425 Filed 11–8–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army; Corps of 

Engineers 

Availability of Norfolk Harbor 

Navigation Improvements Draft 

General Reevaluation Report/ 

Environmental Assessment 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers (USACE) in association with 

the nonfederal sponsor, the Virginia 

Port Authority, an agent of the 

Commonwealth of Virginia, announces 

the availability of the Norfolk Harbor 

Navigation Improvements Draft General 

Reevaluation Report/Environmental 

Assessment (GRR/EA) for public review 

and comment. The purpose of this Draft 

GRR/EA is to identify whether the 

original authorized plan is still in the 

federal interest and to evaluate 

alternatives that have the potential to 

improve the current and future 

operational efficiency of commercial 

vessels currently using the Norfolk 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES