0360 ss ren_rev 032108

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION VESSEL AND
GEAR IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
OMB CONTROL NO.: 0648-0360

A.

JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
The success of fisheries management programs depends significantly on regulatory compliance.
The vessel identification requirement is essential to facilitate enforcement. The ability to link
fishing or other activity to the vessel owner or operator is crucial to enforcement of the
regulations issued under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (MSA) as amended in 2006, to govern domestic and foreign fishing in the
western Pacific region and under authority of laws implementing international treaties. Similarly,
the regulations require that certain fishing gear in federally-regulated western Pacific pelagic
longline fisheries, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands crustacean fisheries (currently not active), and
western Pacific coral reef ecosystem fisheries be marked with the vessel’s official number. The
marking of gear is crucial to enforcement and valuable in actions concerning damage, loss, and
civil proceedings.
This collection renews Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No.: 0648-0360,
changes the title from “Southwest Region Gear Identification Requirements” to “Pacific Islands
Region Vessel and Gear Identification Requirements” and adds vessel ID requirements for
western Pacific fisheries and the South Pacific purse seine fishery from OMB Control No.: 06480361. Vessel ID requirements for fisheries off the U.S. west coast will continue to be covered
under OMB Control No.: 0648-0361.
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.
Vessel Identification
In the domestic western Pacific region fisheries regulated under 50 CFR Part 665, the vessel's
official number is required to be displayed on the port and starboard sides of the deckhouse or
hull, and on an appropriate weather deck. It identifies each vessel and should be visible at
distances at sea and in the air. The requirements affect western Pacific pelagic longline vessels,
pelagic troll and handline vessels, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands crustacean (lobster) vessels,
western Pacific bottomfishing vessels, and precious coral fishing vessels. Regulations in 50 CFR
Part 665.16 specify the requirements for the vessel identification.
In the South Pacific tuna purse seine fishery regulated under 50 CFR Part 300 Subpart D
(Sections 30-46), the international radio call sign (IRCS) number is used and must be painted on
the hull and on the deck. The IRCS number also must be painted on the side of any auxiliary
equipment such as skiffs and helicopters.
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The identification number provides law enforcement personnel with a means to monitor fishing,
at-sea processing, and other related activities, to ascertain whether the vessel's observed activities
are in accordance with those authorized for that vessel. The identifying number is used by the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and other marine
agencies in issuing citations, prosecutions, and other enforcement actions. Vessels that qualify
for particular fisheries are readily identified, and this allows for more cost-effective enforcement.
Cooperating fishermen also use the number to report suspicious activities that they observe.
Regulation-compliant fishermen ultimately benefit as unauthorized and illegal fishing is deterred
and more burdensome regulations are avoided.
Gear Identification
Under 50 CFR Part 665.24, the operator of each permitted pelagic longline vessel must ensure
that the official number of the vessel is affixed to every longline buoy and float, including each
buoy and float that is attached to a radar reflector, radio antenna, or flag marker, whether
attached to a deployed buoy or possessed on board the vessel. Under 50 CFR Part 665.27, the
operator of a commercial lobster fishing vessel registered to fish in Permit Area 1 (Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands) must ensure that the vessel’s official number is marked legibly on all traps and
floats maintained on board the vessel or in the water. Under 50 CFR Part 665.606, all fish and
crab traps on board the vessel or deployed must be marked with the vessel’s official number.
The regulations further specify how the gear is to be marked, e.g., the location and legibility of
the marking. Gear that is not properly marked is considered unclaimed or abandoned property
that may be confiscated. The identifying number on fishing gear is used by NMFS, the USCG
and other enforcement agencies in issuing gear violations, prosecutions, and that longline/traps
are not illegally placed. Marked gear allows NMFS and the U.S. Coast Guard to more readily
enforce gear violations, thus allowing for more cost-effective enforcement. Cooperating
fishermen also use the marking to report placement of gear in unauthorized areas. Regulationcompliant fishermen ultimately benefit as unauthorized and illegal fishing is deterred and more
burdensome regulations are avoided.
Although the information collected (vessel and gear identification numbers) is not
confidential it will not be disseminated to the public. The information is strictly for
enforcement purpose or use by NMFS internally in situations involving damage, loss, and
civil proceedings.
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 requirement that each vessel display an identification number on its deckhouse or hull,
and its weather deck, does not lend itself to collection of information technology.
Transponders and vessel monitoring system units are comparatively expensive and their
signals cannot be accessed directly by the U.S. Coast Guard in the air or by its vessels at
this time. Similarly, gear identification does not lend itself to collection of information
technology. No other technology appears to be less costly and still capable of providing
the necessary information to support enforcement.
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4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
There is no duplication with other collections. The U.S. Coast Guard requires that the name of
the vessel be marked on its hull, so this information collection meets both USCG and NMFS
requirements, and only NMFS requires the gear marking.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe
the methods used to minimize burden.
Most of the vessels are categorized as small businesses. The collection of information will not
have a significant impact on these small businesses, and no special modifications of the
requirements were considered necessary to accommodate the needs of these small businesses.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is
not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
The NMFS and U.S. Coast Guard could not enforce the fisheries management measures if the
collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a
manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
No special circumstances require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent
with the OMB guidelines.
8. Provide information on 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.
A notice soliciting comments was published in the Federal Register on November 8, 2007
(72 FR 63164). No comments were received.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than
remuneration of contractors or grantees.
No payments or gifts are provided.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for
assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
There is no assurance of confidentiality provided. This is public information.

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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 sensitive questions.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
The estimated total number of vessels requiring marking is 301 (236 western Pacific pelagic
longline vessels, 10 Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) pelagic troll and handline vessels, 8
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) bottomfishing vessels, 10 western Pacific bottomfishing
vessels, 10 western Pacific lobster vessels, 2 western Pacific precious coral fishing vessels, and
25 South Pacific purse seine fishing vessels). Although there are 15 NWHI lobster permits, none
have fished since 2000, and under the Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Monument
regulations at 50 CFR Part 404, none are allowed to fish within the monument. For all but the
purse seine vessels, the burden is estimated at 45 minutes each (15 minutes for each of three
locations on the vessel). For the purse seine vessels, the burden is estimated at 1 hour and 15
minutes (15 minutes for each of three locations on the vessel plus 15 minutes each for one skiff
and one helicopter).
Also, longline and Western Pacific coral reef vessels have gear required to be marked: Hawaii
Longline vessels have 120 gear markings on average, American Samoa and Western Pacific
Longline have 100, and Western Pacific coral reef vessels have 20. Each gear marking is
estimated to take 2 minutes. Note: no burden is included for the 10 coral reef vessels as permits
have been issued and none seems likely to be issued in the next few years.
The total estimated burden per the table below is: respondents and responses: 301 vessels plus
26,880 pieces of gear = 27, 181; hours: 238 plus 896 = 1,134. The previous totals, for gear
marking only, were 42, 600 responses and 1,420 hours.
Fishery

Hawaii Longline

VESSELS
and Vessel
Marking
Responses
164

Unit
Time
(min.)

Total
Time
(min.)
45

7380

Avg. #
Gear
per
Vessel
120

Total Gear
Responses

Unit
Time
(min.)

Total
Time
(min.)

19680

2

39360

Am. Samoa Longline

60

45

2700

100

6000

2

12000

WP General Longline

12

45

540

100

1200

2

2400

NWHI Bottomfish

8

45

360

0

2

0

NWHI Lobster

0

45

0

0

0

2

0

10

45

450

0

0

2

0

PRIA Troll & HL
WP Lobster

10

45

450

0

0

2

0

WP Bottomfish

10

45

450

0

0

2

0

WP Prec. Coral

2

45

90

0

0

2

0

WP Coral Reef*

0

0

0

20

0

0

0

25

75

1875

0

0

0

0

South Pacific Tuna
(Purse seine)

301
Hours

26,880
238.25
(14,295
min.)

27,181
896
(53,76
0 min.)

*Not currently counted as respondents

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Totals

1,134

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).
The only cost to respondents is the cost of the paint to apply the vessel’s official number and
gear markings. It is assumed the vessel has paint brushes. At an estimated $100 per vessel
annually, the cost would be $30,100.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
There is no cost to the Federal government.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or
14 of the OMB 83-I.
The adjusted burden and cost is due to: 1) transferring 238 hours of vessel marking requirements
for western Pacific and South Pacific tuna purse seine fisheries from OMB Control No.: 0361),
2) an increase of 28 hours in longline vessel gear marking due to updated estimates and 3) a
decrease of 552 hours for gear marking of the not currently active NWHI lobster vessels’ traps.
The final result: the increase due to 238 transferred hours, plus the net decrease in gear marking
of 524, is a decrease of 286 hours.
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and
publication.
No results are published.
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.
N/A.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of the
OMB 83-I.
There are no exceptions.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
This collection of information does not employ statistical methods.

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