Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Secretary of Commerce (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 Councils and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationÂs National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service).
The general category scallop fishery in NOAA Fisheries ServiceÂs Northeast Region (NERO) is currently an open access fishery that allows any vessel to apply for, and be issued, a general category permit. The general category permit was created in 1994 under Amendment 4 to the FMP to allow vessels fishing in non-scallop fisheries to catch scallops as incidental catch, and for a small-scale scallop fishery to continue outside of the large scale limited access scallop fishery. Over time, participation in the general category fishery has increased. In 1994, there were 1,992 general category permits issued. By 2005 that number had increased to 2,950.
In January of 2006, the Council began the development of Amendment 11 to evaluate alternatives for a limited access program for the general category fishery to improve resource conservation, minimize the potential for excess harvesting capacity in the fishery, and provide a platform to promote long-term economic stability for harvesters, processors, and fishing communities. Amendment 11 was adopted by the Council on June 20, 2007. This amendment is designed to meet all the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as well as other applicable laws.
The requirements under Amendment 11 to the FMP includes collection information that is already accounted for under the Northeast Region Logbook Family of Forms (OMB Control No. 0648-0212) and the Atlantic Sea Scallop Amendment 10 Data Collection (OMB Control No. 0648-0491). Amendment 11 contains the following provisions that would increase the annual budget for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Amendment 10 Data Collection (OMB Control No. 0648-0491):
1. Three new limited access general category scallop permit categories: limited access general category (LAGC), incidental catch general category (ICGC), and Northern Gulf of Maine general category (NGOM);
2. Vessel monitoring system (VMS) reporting requirements for all general category vessels;
3. LAGC and NGOM VMS pre-landing notification requirements;
4. State waters exemption program VMS enrollment requirements;
5. A LAGC individual fishing quota (IFQ) temporary transfer and permanent transfer program;
6. A LAGC IFQ cost recovery program; and
7. A new general category sector program.
PL:
Pub.L. 109 - 479 104
Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reuthorization Act of 2006
Due to this emendment, burden and cost will be added for permit applications and renewal, VMS installation and reporting, cost recovery submission, quota transfer requests, sector proposals and operation plans and other related information collections. Responses would increase from 236,219 by approximately 42,154 to 278,373; hours, from 7,949 by 3,739 to 11,688, and cost, from $1,445,823 by $43,232 to $1,489,055.
$67,519
No
No
Uncollected
Uncollected
Uncollected
Uncollected
Ryan Silva 978 281-9326
Reginfo record details
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Quota Transfer Applications - Temporary and Permanent
0491 ss rev 121907.pdf
Atlantic Sea Scallops Amendment 10 Data Collection