0212 ss rev 072506

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
NORTHEAST REGION LOGBOOK FAMILY OF FORMS
OMB CONTROL NO.: 0648-0212
INTRODUCTION
This submission requests Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of information
collection provisions for the reporting requirements proposed under Framework Adjustment
(Framework) 42 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This
information collection submission builds upon and revises the information collection submission
previously approved under OMB Control No. 0648-0212. OMB Control No. 0648-0212
includes information collection burden estimates for reporting provisions contained under
Amendment 13 and Framework 40A to the NE Multispecies FMP. The information collection
described in this supporting statement for Framework 42 would modify some of the provisions
included within the submission for OMB Control No. 0648-0212, as well as add new information
collection burdens for provisions proposed by Framework 42.
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is proposing management measures
under Framework 42 that reduce fishing mortality on several groundfish stocks to achieve
fishing mortality objectives of the rebuilding program established under Amendment 13 to the
FMP. The proposed measures under Framework 42 include three provisions requiring either
new or revised information collection requirements: (1) Revised catch reports for all special
management programs, (2) A universal trip identification number for all catch reports associated
with the same trip, and (3) A combined daily catch report from the Georges Bank (GB) Hook
Sector for vessels participating in the Closed Area (CA) I Hook Gear Haddock Special Access
Program (SAP). This data collection submission requests approval of new and revised
information collection requirements to implement the above provisions for Framework 42 to the
NE Multispecies FMP.
A.

JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
Act), the Secretary has responsibility for the conservation and management of marine fishery
resources off the coast of the United States. The majority of this responsibility has been delegated
to the Regional Fishery Management Councils and the NOAA Fisheries Service. The Council
develops management plans for fishery resources in New England. The NE Multispecies FMP
manages twelve regulated groundfish species.
In order to monitor fishing vessel effort and the resulting landings, Section 303(a)(5) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act allows the Secretary to collect specific types of information that would
identify the catch by species and other information regarding the time and location of fishing
effort. This information is most often collected in the form of vessel trip reports (VTRs). VTRs
identify the participants of a fishery and monitor their activity levels and landings. Recently,
however, the information collected through VTRs is also being collected electronically through
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). The use of VMS in addition to VTRs allows for real-time
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monitoring and enforcement of management provisions by collecting information on the time
and location of fishing operations and the catch and discard of particular species on a daily basis.
In general, information requirements for an effective monitoring and enforcement system
include:
•
•
•
•

Identification of the participating vessels, operators, and dealers;
Location of the fishing activity;
Activity levels; and
Catch and landings information.

This information is necessary to enforce the management measures and prevent overfishing.
One of the ways the NE Multispecies FMP controls fishing mortality is by limiting the number
of days that vessels can fish. Amendment 13 assigned each limited access permit holder a
number of days-at-sea (DAS) that can be used. These DAS are categorized as Category A DAS,
Category B DAS, or Category C DAS. The management measures in Amendment 13 (including
the allocation of Category A DAS) are designed so that the mortality objectives will be met for
all stocks. The number of allocated Category A DAS was chosen so that the appropriate amount
of effort would be available to achieve, but not exceed, the target total allowable catch (TAC)
amounts established for all regulated groundfish species consistent with the mortality objectives
of the FMP. Category A DAS could be used to target any regulated groundfish stock.
Amendment 13 further defined Category B DAS as either Category B (regular) or Category B
(reserve) DAS and placed limits on how each can be used.
Any Category B DAS that are used increased the amount of effort. In order to prevent these
additional DAS from threatening the mortality objectives of Amendment 13, Category B DAS
can only be used to target healthy groundfish stocks in an approved special management
program. To ensure that the catch of stocks of concern taken while using a Category B (regular
or reserve) DAS does not threaten the mortality objectives of Amendment 13, Framework 42
proposes to add two stocks to the list of stocks that need to be most carefully monitored, and
implements a standardized catch report to increase accuracy of reported catch data. To link all
databases related to trips into special management programs, Framework 42 also proposes a
universal trip identification number. Both of these measures are described in detail below.
Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies FMP included several programs to facilitate targeting of
healthy groundfish stocks under a Category A or B (regular and reserve) DAS, but only two of
these programs were approved by NOAA Fisheries Service. Subsequent to this amendment,
three additional frameworks (Framework 40A, Framework 40B, and Framework 41) were
adopted to refine the management programs and provide additional opportunities for fishermen
to target healthy stocks. Framework 42 amends these programs and modifies the information
reporting requirements to establish more uniform catch reporting requirements and improving
the consistency and accuracy of data reported.
The current regulations outlining the reporting requirements, including VTRs, for vessel owners
and operators are specified at 50 CFR 648.7(b). Framework 42 includes new provisions that
would modify the reporting requirements for those vessels electing to fish in all of the special
management programs within the NE Multispecies FMP. Collecting this information would be
necessary to monitor the activities of vessels participating in the special access programs (SAPs),
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the Category B (regular) DAS program, and U.S./Canada Resource Sharing Understanding Area;
assess the amount of fish harvested, including bycatch of groundfish stocks of concern; and to
enforce compliance with other provisions outlined in Framework 42. These data are crucial to
the monitoring of fishing effort and discards to ensure compliance with the mortality objectives
of Amendment 13 to the FMP, as further outlined below.
Universal Catch Report for Special Management Programs
As described above, after the implementation of Amendment 13, several special management
programs were developed to facilitate the targeting of healthy groundfish stocks. Reporting and
other requirements were developed separately for each program, resulting in a patchwork system
of different catch reporting requirements for each program. Minor differences in requirements
between the various programs complicate their administration and create confusion within the
industry as vessels attempt to comply with the requirements. In addition, experience with the
various programs suggested ways to streamline reporting and administrative requirements so that
monitoring the programs will be easier and less time will be needed to develop future programs.
For example, the need to report catch by statistical areas when making daily VMS reports, as
currently required for some programs, can be eliminated, since the VMS position information
can be used to assign the catch to the appropriate area. This simplifies a reporting requirement
for the vessel operators.
Framework 42 proposes to create a universal catch report for all of the special management
programs, including the Category B (regular) DAS Program, the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing
Understanding Area, and all of the approved SAPs. The requirements of the U.S./Canada
Management Area and its associated SAPs previously required that only the catch and discard of
GB cod, GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder be reported via VMS. However, the Category
B (regular) DAS Program implemented by Framework 40A required that vessels submit daily
catch and discard information for additional species including American plaice, white hake,
winter flounder, and witch flounder. The CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP catch reports only
contain catch and discard for cod and haddock. The universal catch report proposed by
Framework 42 would require that all vessels participating in these special management programs
report the catch of all groundfish stocks of concern (i.e., those previously only required for
participants in the Category B (regular) DAS Pilot Program) along with haddock. The standard
catch report will provide NOAA Fisheries Service with catch and discard estimates of cod,
yellowtail flounder, American plaice, white hake, winter flounder, witch flounder, and haddock
for all of the special management programs. This information is necessary to accurately monitor
the catch of all of the groundfish stocks caught in these special management programs, including
those groundfish stocks of concern managed by small incidental catch TACs.
A vessel is required to submit a daily catch report by 9:00 AM for any fish caught for the
previous day ending at midnight. However, due to the dynamic nature of vessel operations,
vessels participating in the special management programs have not always provided the required
daily VMS catch reports on the day they were due. For example, if a vessel begins a trip at 4:00
AM the first day and lands at 3:00 PM on the second day, two catch reports would be due: One
by 9:00 AM for the first day of fishing and one by 9:00 AM on the third day for the second day
of fishing. However, it is likely that the vessel would submit the second catch report when the
vessel lands at 3:00 PM on the second day of the trip, instead of waiting until after midnight on
the third day. This causes difficulties in attributing the catch to the appropriate day that it was
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caught. To simplify matters, FW 42 proposes to require that vessels submit the date of the catch
on each daily catch report. Thos would be a new burden for vessels beyond that previously
considered.
Because the use of VMS allows NOAA Fisheries Service to monitor time spent in particular
areas, there is no longer the need to submit area information on catch reports. Therefore,
Framework 42 removes the requirement that vessels fishing in the Category B (regular) DAS
Program and vessels fishing inside and outside of the Western U.S./Canada Management Area
report the statistical area to which the reported catch should be attributed, making these catch
reports consistent with those of other special management programs.
Universal Trip Identification Number for Catch Reports
Currently, there are several databases that track specific data from a particular trip: Observer
Program data, dealer reports, VTR, VMS, and DAS. There is currently no means of accurately
linking each of these databases for each individual trip. Although there are some common data
fields, it is nearly impossible to completely link all of the relevant data for one particular trip.
Therefore, Framework 42 proposes to require that a universal trip identification number be
included on each daily catch report submitted via VMS. This trip identification number will be
the same number as the first page of the VTR logbook for a given trip (i.e., the VTR serial
number). The identification number will allow data from VMS catch reports to be correctly
linked to dealer reports, Observer Program data, VTRs, VMS, and DAS data sources. The
universal trip identification number will allow NOAA Fisheries Service to more accurately link
catch data from several sources, which, in turn, will promote more efficient monitoring and
management of all of the special management programs.
CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP Sector Reporting
The CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP was implemented by Framework 40A to allow vessels to
target haddock without catching other groundfish stocks of concern. Framework 41 revised this
SAP to split the open season equally between the GB Cod Hook Sector and hook gear vessels
that do not participate in the sector. Framework 42 proposes to revise some of the reporting
requirements for the GB Cod Hook Sector while participating in this SAP.
The CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP allows vessels to fish for haddock within specified areas and
under certain conditions. Part of the management strategy for these SAPs is the use of TACs for
each of the species of concern and the target species. These TACs are used to limit the amount
of cod and haddock taken by vessels fishing in these SAPs so that mortality targets established
under Amendment 13 are not exceeded. As with the other special management programs, it is
critical to monitor catch and discard of groundfish stocks to monitor catch rates so that these
TACs are not exceeded during a particular fishing year, thereby insuring that activities within
these programs do not jeopardize rebuilding efforts for particular stocks.
Vessels not participating in the GB Cod Hook Sector (i.e., non-Sector vessels) and fishing in this
SAP are required to submit daily catch reports via VMS. This collection has been previously
approved under OMB Control No. 0648-0212 under Framework 40A. However, because vessels
participating in the GB Cod Hook Sector have different reporting requirements specific to the
Sector Operations Plan, those fishing in this SAP are not required to submit daily catch reports
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via VMS, but instead submit copies of VTRs for that trip to the Sector manager. The Sector
manager, in turn, assembles catch data from these VTRs and reports catch from Sector vessels to
NOAA Fisheries Service on a daily basis. Such reporting requirements are necessary to
effectively monitor catch from this SAP.
2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will be
used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support
information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection
complies with all applicable Information Quality Guidelines.
Landings reports specified under the special management program provisions of Framework 42
require the owner or operator of a vessel fishing under a NE Multispecies DAS to report the total
amount of haddock and groundfish species of concern, including discards, caught on a daily
basis when operating under these programs via VMS. These catch reports would also include a
universal trip identification number and the date of the catch. Vessels are still required to submit
VTRs for all trips, including those within the special management programs, in addition to the
daily electronic catch and discard reporting via VMS.
The information collected under this submission would be used by several offices of the NOAA
Fisheries Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Council, and state fishery enforcement agencies
under contract to the NOAA Fisheries Service to develop, implement, and monitor fishery
management strategies, particularly vessel operations and catch rates within the special
management programs. The primary purpose is to monitor catches so that the incidental catch
hard TACs associated with the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing Agreement and the incidental
TAC of each species of concern, are not exceeded. These types of data serve as input for a
variety of uses, including biological analyses and stock assessments, regulatory impact analyses,
quota allocation selections and monitoring, economic profitability profiles, trade and import
tariff decisions, allocation of grant funds among states, and analysis of ecological interactions
among species. The NOAA Fisheries Service would be unable to fulfill the majority of its
scientific research and fishery management missions without these data. Specifically, without
daily catch information for the incidental catch TACs for the species of concern, real-time
monitoring of the relatively small TACs would not be possible. Timely information is necessary
to ensure that these incidental TACs are not exceeded, thereby potentially threatening the
mortality objectives of Amendment 13. The submission of the universal trip identification
number would be used by NOAA Fisheries Service staff to link all available data associated with
that trip together to more accurately and reliably track vessel operations in these programs. The
date of catch information will be used by NOAA Fisheries Service staff to attribute catch to the
appropriate date and ensure that vessels are complying with the daily catch report requirement.
Daily catch reports submitted via VMS are currently being used by the NOAA Fisheries Service
to monitor the amount of particular groundfish stocks of concern caught in each special
management program. These data are used to track the rate of TAC harvest in these programs
and ensure that these TACs are not exceeded. Based on these catch reports, specific
management actions such as area closures and trip limit modifications are implemented
according to the current regulations.
It is anticipated that the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to
support publicly disseminated information. As explained in the preceding paragraphs, the
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information gathered has utility. The NOAA Fisheries Service will retain control over the
information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent
with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. See response #10
of this Supporting Statement for more information on confidentiality and privacy. The
information collection is designed to yield data that meet all applicable information quality
guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information will be subjected to quality control measures
and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of
information technology.
The new information collection provisions associated with Framework 42 involve the electronic
reporting of catch and discards of fish by vessels electing to fish in special management
programs, including the SAPs, the U.S./Canada Management Area, and the Category B (regular)
DAS Program. This information is required to be submitted via VMS. This incorporates the
most advanced means of reporting this information to date. This information would supplement
other catch and effort information submitted using paper VTRs for each trip. This information
would be more accurately linked with the data submitted in VTRs for each trip via the
implementation of the universal trip identification number. Future actions may implement
provisions that would replace VTRs with electronic catch reporting for all trips taken by vessels
within the Northeast Region.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
The NOAA Fisheries Service is aware of all related fishery management activities, and these
requirements do not duplicate any in existence. Electronic daily reporting of catch and discards
would only be required of NE Multispecies DAS participants in the special management
programs. In addition, these vessels would also be required to submit their current VTRs. The
NERO is investigating the feasibility of incorporating electronic reporting into all fisheries
currently requiring the submission of VTRs.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe
the methods used to minimize burden.
Only the minimum data to meet the requirements of the above data needs are requested from all
participants. Since all of the respondents are small businesses, separate requirements based on
the size of the business have not been developed.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is
not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
Daily catch and discard information allow the NOAA Fisheries Service to accurately monitor
fishing mortality and catch rates on these species as a result of fishing within these programs.
For these programs, groundfish species are managed by TACs. Without daily catch information,
these TACs may be exceeded, as the data from VTRs may take up to several weeks to process,
even if submitted in a timely manner. Exceeding the TACs for certain groundfish species could
result in closure of certain portions of the U.S./Canada Management Area for the remainder of
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that fishing year and a reduction of that species’ overall TAC for the following fishing year. In
addition, exceeding the incidental TACs for species of concern under the Category B (regular)
DAS Program or the TACs associated with SAPs could result in fishing mortality rates rising
above legal limits and reaching levels that may compromise the fishing mortality objectives
specified in Amendment 13. Therefore, daily catch and discard data would facilitate the
effective management of the groundfish fishery. This information will be more effectively used
when it can be accurately linked with other sources of fishery data, including observer data,
dealer reports, and VTR data through the universal trip identification number. Failure to collect
this information would prevent NOAA Fisheries Service from monitoring vessel effort and
fishing mortality, thereby compromising the potential to end overfishing and rebuild groundfish
stocks and maintain compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a
manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
The requirements specified in this submission are not consistent with OMB guidelines with
regard to the reporting frequency. While OMB does not allow that respondents be required to
report more often than quarterly, the provision requiring daily electronic catch and discard
reporting requested with this submission would necessitate more frequent reports.
This information collection would be required to be submitted on a daily basis for vessels fishing
in special management programs. Daily catch reporting is required in order to accurately
monitor the catch and discard of groundfish species in these programs. This information would
be used to determine if and when the TAC for each species has been caught. Without daily
monitoring, accurate assessments of catch rates of certain groundfish stocks from these
programs, and therefore, fishing mortality, may not be possible.
8. Provide a copy of the PRA Federal Register notice that solicited public comments on the
information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received
in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those
comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their
views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and
recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be
recorded, disclosed, or reported.
The Council held many Council and Groundfish Oversight Committee meetings to develop
Framework 42 during the period June 2005 through March 2006. Each meeting provided
opportunities for public discussion of proposed management measures. The Council approved
the measures contained in Framework 42, including those specified above, on February 1, 2006.
The information collection submitted here is included in a proposed rule, RIN 0648-AT24, to
implement management measures outlined in Framework 42 to the NE Multispecies FMP. This
rule will announce the provisions specified above and solicit public comment on these programs
and the information collection requirements necessary to implement these programs.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than
remuneration of contractors or grantees.
Neither payments nor gifts are given to the respondents.
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10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for
assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
All data will be handled in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100,
Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics, and will not be released for public use except in aggregate
statistical form (and without identifying the source of data, i.e., vessel name, owner, etc.). In
addition, any information submitted according to the provisions outlined in Amendment 13
would be considered confidential and would not be disclosed except as provided in Section
402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual
behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered
private.
There are no questions of sensitive nature.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
It is difficult to accurately estimate the burden associated under this action since the frequency of
participation in the special management programs will be determined entirely by the vessel
owner. Table 1 summarizes the number of respondents, and the total burden of the reporting
requirements for the vessel reporting provisions contained within Framework 42 to the NE
Multispecies FMP.
This submission is an estimate of the data collection burdens associated with universal daily
electronic catch reporting, including the reporting of the universal trip identification number, for
the special management programs, including the Category B (regular) DAS program, the
U.S./Canada Management Area, and approved SAPs. Vessels participating in these programs
and required to submit daily catch and discard information would still be required to submit
VTRs according to the regulations at § 648.7(b). As a result, this submission only includes the
additional burden associated with the daily electronic reporting of regulated groundfish catch and
discard information as well as the universal trip identification number via VMS. These burdens
would include additional species to be reported for some programs, along with the addition of the
universal trip identification number, and are considered to be a revision of those previously
considered and approved under OMB Control No. 0648-0212. Other previously approved
burden estimates, including those associated with vessel reporting via VTRs are not affected by
this submission. The new burden estimate documented by this submission is based upon the
number of participants that are likely to participate in the various programs along with the
number of days that may be fished.
Previous submissions of the collection burden associated with providing the statistical area
fished as well as the catch and discard of stocks of concern for each of the special management
programs estimated the burden hour for this report to be 15 minutes (0.25 hours). As this is a
very conservative estimate of the time necessary to report the required information, the burden
hours associated with the proposed changes in Framework 42 do not increase the burden hours
previously approved for vessels participating in the Category B (regular) DAS Program, the
U.S./Canada Management Area, the Eastern U.S./Canada Haddock SAP Pilot Program, or the
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burden hours for vessels in the CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP that do not participate in the GB
Cod Hook Sector.
Vessels participating in the GB Cod Hook Sector, a total of 58 vessels, are required to submit a
daily catch report of GB cod and GB haddock in the form of VTRs to the Sector Manager for the
45 days of the sector participation period. The Sector Manager would then, in turn, submit this
information to the NOAA Fisheries Service to monitor catch from Sector vessels. Since
previous estimates already considered the burden associated with the submission of VTRs, the
burden associated with submitting VTRs to the Sector Manager for vessels participating in the
CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP as a member of the GB Cod Hook Sector are not included with
this submission. The burden for the Sector Manager to submit this combined information to the
NOAA Fisheries Service is estimated to be 90 hours (2 hours/report x 1 report/day x 45 days)
and is considered an additional burden that was inadvertently not submitted in the previous
information collection submission associated with Framework 40A.
Because Framework 42 updates the burdens associated with special management programs to
incorporate additional reporting requirements, this information collection revises the total
annualized burden to the public by removing the burdens associated with special management
programs estimated by previous information collection submissions in OMB Control No. 06480212. Previous estimates of the daily catch report burdens did not include all seven of the
species, the date of catch, or the universal trip identification number now proposed under
Framework 42. While adding these supplementary requirements, the requirement that vessel
operators include the statistical area from which the catch came is eliminated for the programs
where it was required. However, overall, the annualized burden to the public is increased by
6,623 hours.
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in #12
above).
All participants in special management programs must currently use VMS. All vessels that do
not currently possess VMS must obtain one under this provision. The cost of purchasing and
installing VMS, along with the associated basic operational costs, have already been considered
in previous information collection submissions of the “Northeast Permit Family of Forms”
(OMB Control Number 0648-0202) and another information collection request submitted for
Framework 42 for the requirement that all NE multispecies vessels using DAS use VMS.
Accordingly, the costs associated with the purchase, installation, and operation of VMS units are
not included in this submission. Please refer to the supporting statement accompanying the
concurrent revision of the permit provisions included within OMB Control No. 0648-0489 for
the proposed measures under Framework 42.
Costs involved with this information collection submission include only those associated with
the additional submission of daily catch and discard reports for vessels operating within these
programs and the inclusion of a universal trip identification number on these catch reports and
the date of catch. The estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record-keepers
resulting from this collection are summarized in Table 1 below.

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Vessels fishing in any of the special management programs would be required to report daily
catch information for each stock of concern along with a universal trip identification number on
each of these daily catch reports. Framework 42 proposes a total of eight (8) stocks of concern.
These eight stocks of concern involve only six (6) species (both cod and yellowtail flounder are
listed for two stock areas each). In addition to the species of concern, catch of haddock is
required to be reported as a target species for the SAPs, and a species managed under the
U.S./Canada Resource Understanding. Therefore, the universal catch report would require catch
and discard information for cod, yellowtail flounder, winter flounder, witch flounder, white hake,
plaice, and haddock.
For the daily catch reports via VMS, each universal trip identification number submitted would
require the entry of up to ten (10) digits. The amount of each species kept and discarded would
require the submission of up to six (6) digits per field or 12 digits per species. Reports for the
special management programs would involve the submission of catch data for all seven (7)
species. The most expensive vendor charges a fee of $0.004 for each character in an electronic
message. Each submission of these daily catch reports would cost $0.50. Using a cost of $0.004
per character, the cost for reporting the daily catch and discard data is $0.82 [79 characters [((12
characters/species x 7 species) x $0.004/character) + $0.50/submission] for the special
management programs. The inclusion of the universal trip identification number would cost
$0.04 (10 characters x $0.004/character) per catch report. Finally, submission of the date of the
catch would cost $0.02 (6 characters x $0.004/character) per catch report. Therefore, the
submission of each complete catch report would cost $0.88, as proposed in Framework 42.
Framework 42 proposes a universal catch report for all of the special management programs,
therefore, the annualized cost to the public for individuals participating in each of programs are
equal for each catch report. The Category B (regular) DAS Program is allocated 3,500 DAS,
plus an additional 1,500 trips allowed by the flipping of 1,500 Category B (regular) DAS
Program trips. Therefore, the total annualized cost to the public for the Category B (regular)
DAS Program is $4,200 for the universal catch reports including the date of catch [($0.82/catch
report submission x 5,000 catch reports) + ($0.02 x 5,000 catch reports)] plus an additional $200
for the universal trip identification number ($0.04/addition of trip identification x 5,000 catch
reports).
It is estimated that 14,000 trips will be taken into the U.S./Canada Management Area. Of these
trips, approximately 2,000 trips are estimated to be taken into the Western U.S./Canada
Management Area. These trips are estimated separately because vessels fishing in the Western
U.S./Canada Area are permitted to fish inside and outside of the area on the same trip. A highly
conservative estimate assumes that each trip into the Western U.S./Canada Area would fish
inside and outside of the Western U.S./Canada Area, crossing the boundary of this area twice per
trip. Vessel operators that choose to exercise this option are required to submit a catch report
each time that they cross the boundary of the management area. Therefore, the total annualized
cost to the public for the universal catch reports, including the submission of the date of catch for
vessels operating in the U.S./Canada Management Area is $11,760 [(14,000 catch reports x
$0.82/catch report submission) + (14,000 catch reports x $0.02/catch report)] and $3,360 for
vessels operating in the Western U.S./Canada Area (4,000 catch reports x $0.82/catch report
submission) + (4,000 catch reports x $0.02/catch report)]. For the trip identification number, the
annualized costs are $560 for vessels fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area (14,000 catch
reports x $0.04/addition of trip identification number) and an additional $160 for vessels fishing
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in the Western U.S./Canada Area (4,000 catch reports x $0.04/addition of trip identification
number).
The total annualized cost to the public for vessels in CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP, not
participating in GB Cod Hook Sector, is $1,789 [($0.82 x 2,130 daily reports) + ($0.02 x 2,130
daily reports)]. For the trip identification number, the annualized cost is $85 ($0.04 x 2,130
reports). The total annualized cost to the public for vessels in the CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP
that are in the GB Hook Sector and report to NOAA Fisheries Service through the Sector
Manager is $0.00, assuming an electronic submission of the report via email, which adds no
additional cost burden to the Sector Manager.
Therefore, the total annualized cost to the public stemming from provisions included
within Framework 42 is $22,114 ($4,200 + $200 + $11,760 + $3,360 + $560 + $160 + $1,789
+ $85).
Because Framework 42 updates the cost burdens associated with special management programs
to incorporate additional reporting requirements, this information collection revises the total
annualized cost to the public by removing the costs associated with special management
programs estimated by previous information collection submissions in OMB Control No. 06480212. Previous estimates of the daily catch report burdens did not include all seven of the
species, the date of catch, or the universal trip identification number now proposed under
Framework 42. While adding these supplementary requirements, the requirement that vessel
operators report the statistical area the daily catch reports for specific programs is eliminated for
the programs where it was required. Therefore, the overall annualized cost to the public is
reduced by $1,082 from $38,718.00.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
The NMFS Northeast Region currently operates a VMS system for several fisheries, including
the NE multispecies fishery. The estimates of the annual administrative and enforcement costs
to the Federal Government from this program are summarized in Table 2. The ongoing
(recurring) costs amount to $352,293 a year and include staff costs, internet connection, training,
travel and the annual costs for equipment and the back-up system. These costs are not expected
to increase with the modifications to the VMS requirement for the submission of electronic catch
reporting for vessels participating in the programs authorized by Framework 42.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or
14 of the OMB 83-I.
A net burden increase of 6,623 hours results from: 1) program changes: the addition of the
universal data ID requirement (6,283) and 250 additional hours for the Category B DAS Program
(the hours for all other information requirements are equivalent to their current counterparts); 2)
adjustment: CA I hookgear haddock SAP sector manager daily reports erroneously not included
in the last submission: 90 hours
A net decrease in costs of $1,082 is due to added costs of $1,005 for transmission of the
universal data ID, and decreases in costs for the standard catch reporting requirements of $2,087
(as explained in #13 above, previous estimates of the daily catch report burdens did not include
11

all seven of the species or the date of catch, but did include the statistical area from which the
catch came. The net sizes of transmissions for all but the U.S./Canada Areas and CA II SAPs are
smaller.
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and
publication.
Results form this collection may be used in scientific, management, technical or general
informational publications such as Fisheries of the United States which follows prescribed
statistical tabulations and summary table formats. Data are available to the general public on
request in summary form only; data are available to NOAA Fisheries Service employees in
detailed form on a need-to-know basis only.
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the
information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.
This information submission would be carried out via electronic means. As a result, no
standardized data collection forms would be collected as part of this submission.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of the
OMB 83-I.
All instances of this submission comply with 5 CFR 1320.9.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
No statistical methods are employed in the information collection procedures; the requirements
are optional for all eligible participants in the NE multispecies fishery.

12

Table 1: Costs associated with the Logbook Family of Forms (OMB Control # 0648-0212) as modified by Framework 42 to the NE Multispecies FMP
Requirement

# of

Items Per

Total #

Response

Entities

Entity

of Items

Time (hours)

Total
Burden

Cost to:
Public

Govt.

Universal Data ID
U.S./Canada Areas and CA II SAPs

400

35

14000

0.25

3,500

$560

$0

Combined Trips into Western U.S./Canada Area
CAI Hookgear Haddock SAP (non-sector vessels)

400

10

4000

0.25

1,000

$160

$0

142

15

2130

0.25

533

$85

$0

Category B (regular) DAS Pilot Program

997

5

5000

0.25

1,250

$200

$0

Standard Catch Reporting Requirements
U.S./Canada Areas and CA II SAPs*

400

35

14,000

0.25

3,500

$11,760

$0

Previous Submission (A13) of U.S./Canada Area

-400

-35

-14,000

0.25

-3,500

-$8,960

$0

Combined Trips into the Western U.S./Canada Area*

400

10

4,000

0.25

1,000

$3,360

$0

Previous Submission (FW40-A) of Combined Trips into the Western U.S./Canada Area

-400

-10

-4,000

0.25

-1,000

-$5,280

$0

CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP (non-sector vessels)*

142

15

2,130

0.25

533

$1,789

$0

Previous Submission (FW40-A) for CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP (non-sector vessels)

-142

-15

-2,130

0.25

-533

-$2,556

$0

Category B (regular) DAS Program*

997

5

5,000

0.25

1,250

$4,200

$0

Previous Submission for Category B (regular) DAS Program
CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP (sector manager daily reports)

-997
1

-4
45

-4,000
45

0.25
2.00

-1,000
90

-$6,400
$0

$0
$0

Totals

997

6,623

-$1,082

$0

*Includes costs associated with standard catch reports and date of catch.

26,175

Table 2: Current Costs to the Government from VMS Monitoring.
Salary and Benefits1
Annual Costs
Internet Connection2
Equipment3
Back-up System4
Software Licensing
Supplies5
Training and Travel
Total Ongoing Costs
Software Adaptations
Start-up Costs
Annualized Start-up Costs (at 3-year amortization)
6
Total Annual Costs
1. Salary and benefits, three program support personnel
2. 24-hour maintenance of secure internet note at Gloucester, MA
3. Lease and maintenance contract on CPU and monitor
4. Lease and maintenance contract on CPU and monitor
5. Optical storage discs, repairs, and supplies associated with non-lease equipment
(modem, router, thermal paper, WORM drive)
6. Estimated by adding up the start-up costs to ongoing costs

$230,000
$7,500
$20,000
$38,960
$3,500
$11,000
$8,000
$318,960
$100,000
$33,000
$352,293