0016 ss ren 021910_Part Arev

SUPPORT STATEMENT
SOUTHEAST REGION LOGBOOK FAMILY OF FORMS
OMB CONTROL NO. 00648-0016

INTRODUCTION
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has been delegated the authority and
responsibility for stewardship of the marine resources for the Nation. This authority was first
granted in the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MFCMA) of 1976. The
reauthorized MFCMA in 2006 continued and in some ways extended this authority. Under this
authority the Secretary of Commerce, and his designee, NMFS, has promulgated separate rules
that require specific types of record keeping and data submissions. These data collection/
submission regulations are intended to provide reliable and accurate information from the fishing
industry and communities that support scientifically viable management actions to achieve the
stewardship responsibilities.
Currently, there are nine separate logbook forms included in this family of forms and actively
being used by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to collect data from fishermen. It
should be noted that several of the forms are used for multiple fisheries regulations. For
example, the data required by the South Atlantic snapper grouper, the shark, the migratory
coastal pelagic and the Gulf reef fish management plans have been combined and are reported on
a single form. In addition to the nine forms, there are two forms that were included in this
family, but are currently inactive and no past reporting burden is associated with them. The two
inactive forms are: (1) the logbooks for charter boats, (2) the form used to report the harvest of
octocoral. A charter boat logbook is expected to become active in 2010.
The ten reporting forms in the logbook family of forms are:
1. Headboat survey trip report
2. Charter boat survey report
3. Gulf of Mexico reef fish, South Atlantic snapper-grouper, mackerel, shark, Atlantic
Dolphin/Wahoo Logbook (Coastal Logbook)
4. Annual fixed cost survey for vessels required to use the coastal logbook
5. Supplemental discard form for use with the coastal logbook
6. Wreckfish logbook form
7. Golden crab logbook form
8. Aquacultured live rock reporting form
9. Colombian Treaty Waters logbook form
10. South Atlantic Rock Shrimp and Peneid Shrimp and Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Vessel
Logbook (Shrimp Logbook)

1

A brief descriptions of the nine actively used reporting forms follows.
Headboat Survey Trip Report
Fishing from headboats is considered recreational fishing; however, because this type of fishing
represents a relatively small, but specialized, sector of recreational fishing, it has not been
included in the NMFS’ Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS), Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 0648-0052. To collect catch and effort data from
this fishery, a separate logbook program has been established in the Southeast Region. Total
catch and participation estimates for all headboat fishing activity are made from the headboat
survey. The need for good quality, representative catch per unit effort (CPUE) and species
composition data from this sector of the recreational fishery is the primary reason that this
program was implemented.
NMFS is a partner in two state-federal cooperative data collection programs. One program, the
Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP), covers the Atlantic coast and the
other program, the Fisheries Information Network (FIN), covers the fisheries in the Gulf of
Mexico. A goal of both programs is to standardize and improve collection of data in both
geographic areas.
In 2001, a pilot study was conducted in South Carolina, to compare two methodologies to collect
catch and fishing effort data from the for-hire sector. The pilot study indicated that the survey
methodology would provide accurate estimates of catch and fishing effort, and was less
burdensome to the industry than trip reports, but produced imprecise estimates of fishing effort
for the headboat fleet. Although the trip reports provided more precise estimates for the
headboat fishery, the FIN Committee and the ACCSP Coordinating Council decided to endorse
the survey methodology. The Committee and Council reasoned that the trip reports provided
precise estimates because the trip reports were mandatory in South Carolina. However, trip
reports were not mandatory in other states, and the process to obtain legislation requiring
mandatory reporting in all states could take years to implement.
Trip reports, now collected as part of the Headboat Survey, have been used to collect catch and
fishing effort data from the headboat portion of the for-hire sector for the past 32 years. These
trip report data have been extremely valuable in stock assessments of reef fishes and pelagic
species in the southeast region (North Carolina through Texas). However, the Headboat Survey
trip reporting form did not previously include information on arrival time, distance from shore,
pay type, number of anglers who fished, the numbers of fish released alive and the numbers of
fish released dead. These additional fields have been added to compare the reported catch and
fishing effort data from the Headboat Survey with estimates of catch and fishing effort produced
using the survey methodology.
Charter Boat Trip Report (Headboat Survey Trip Report form to be used until a new Charter
form is designed and submitted in a change request)
Current efforts to collect catch and effort information from recreational charter fishing vessels in
the Gulf of Mexico rely upon a complemented surveys approach that includes telephone surveys
of charter vessels (operators) to estimate total fishing effort (angler trips) and dockside surveys
of completed charter fishing trips to estimate catch per trip. These data are collected as part of
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the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (OMB Control No. 0648-0052). In 2006, the
National Research Council (NRC) conducted an independent review of recreational fisheries
survey methods (NRC 2006). The NRC review recognized that in regions such as the Gulf of
Mexico, the magnitude of the charter boat sector and the potential scale for fishery removals
warrants the use of mandatory logbooks as the source of catch and effort.
In 2009, a more detailed review of for-hire data collection methods in the United States
supported the NRC recommendation for logbook reporting. In addition, the reviewers provided
a list of best practice recommendations for collecting logbook data, including validation of selfreported information, weekly reporting, and the development of an online reporting option.
This data collection will include all charter vessels in the Gulf of Mexico region (Florida –
Texas) that possess Federal for-hire fishing permits. Each week, vessel operators will be asked
to submit, via mail, fax or electronic form, logbook reports for all recreational fishing trips that
occurred during the preceding week. For each trip, operators will be asked to provide the date,
departure and return times, fishing area, number of anglers, and the numbers of fish caught and
released by species.
Information collected through this data collection will be used to quantify the number of people
who fish on charter vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as total removals by species. This
information will be extremely valuable for the purposes of stock assessment and fisheries
management.
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish, South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, king and Spanish Mackerel, Shark,
Atlantic Dolphin / Wahoo logbook (coastal logbook)
The program to collect logbook data in the Gulf of Mexico was initiated in April 1990. The
purpose of the program is to provide critically needed data on individual fishing trips for species
in these important management units. The diversity of gear in this fishery (i.e., longline, hook
and line, traps, spears, and buoy) and the variety of species increases the need to have detailed
CPUE and species composition data. Furthermore, because many of the species in some of these
management units (including Gulf of Mexico reef fish and South Atlantic snapper-grouper) are
not migratory, it is important that detailed information on the CPUE and species composition are
collected by area, so that assessments can be made for major reef complexes to determine how
fishing effort is affecting these complexes over time.
This logbook program includes only fishermen who have been issued a Federal vessel permit and
are required to sell their catches to established (permitted) seafood dealers. Consequently, forhire recreational fishermen do not submit logbooks for the Gulf reef fish fishery (see the
description for the for-hire headboat catch reports above).
The logbook program for the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery was initiated in January
1992. The purpose of this program, as for the Gulf reef fish program, is to collect data on fishing
effort, CPUE and species composition. The snapper-grouper fishery is similar to the fishery for
reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico; consequently, the logbook forms used for the two fisheries are
the same.

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Although sharks are part of the Highly Migratory Species fishery management plan, and the
reporting burden for these species are covered by OMB Control No. 0648-0371, the fishing
operations for large and small coastal sharks are very similar to the fishing methods for Gulf reef
fish and South Atlantic snapper-grouper species. Thus, the coastal logbook form in OMB
Control No. 0648-0016 includes space for fishermen to report the catch, effort and area of catch
for large/small coastal sharks. The Pelagic shark fisherman will continue to report using the
Highly Migratory Species Logbook (OMB Control No.0648-0371).
As with the other fisheries in OMB Control No. 0648-0016, the purpose of the logbook program
for king and Spanish mackerel is to collect catch, effort and area for this fishery in both the Gulf
of Mexico and the South Atlantic. The assessments for king and Spanish mackerel will be
improved with the availability of this CPUE data. There are other species in this fishery
management plan; however, logbook reporting for these species is not required at this time.
Cost-earnings data section of coastal logbook (20% sample size)
The purpose of this data collection is to provide economic information about commercial
fishermen in Federal waters. The reporting form requests information about operating costs
associated with the individual fishing trips. The intent is to use the cost information associated
with the effort data for individual trips to better understand how the cost of fishing varies with
changes in fishing effort. With a better (quantitative) understanding, of these relationships, the
NMFS can provide better estimates of the potential impacts of management regulations on
fishing efforts.
Annual fixed cost survey for vessels required to use the coastal logbook
This survey is associated with the cost-earnings data collection. The purpose of this data
collection is to provide information on the annual fixed costs (i.e., expenditures that are made
infrequently throughout the year or only once per year) incurred by the commercial fishermen in
Federal waters. The survey instrument is sent to the same fishermen that are required to report
their cost data for each trip.
Supplemental discard reporting logbook for vessels required to use the coastal logbook (20%)
This form was developed and initiated in August 2001, as a supplemental form to the Gulf of
Mexico reef fish, South Atlantic snapper-grouper, shark and mackerel logbook form. The
purpose of this instrument is to have the fishermen record the species and numbers of discards
that they had for each trip. The form also asks the fishermen to report any interactions with
marine mammals, endangered species or sea birds that they incurred on each trip. The purpose
of this data collection is to collect data on the types and numbers of animals (species) that
fishermen in these coastal fisheries discard or in the case of endangered species and marine
mammals interact with. This data collection is conducted as a supplement to the regular logbook
reporting so that the catch, effort and area of fishing can be associated with the discards and/or
interactions.

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Wreckfish
The wreckfish fishery is part of the South Atlantic snapper-group management unit, but because
there were concerns about the status of the wreckfish stock, specific management measures were
implemented to collect data from vessels that harvest this species. Although separate logbooks
are used for this fishery, they require the same basic CPUE and fishing location data as the other
logbooks in the family.
Golden Crab
Fisheries for this species of deep water crabs occur in both the Gulf of Mexico and the South
Atlantic. Logbook reporting requirements have been implemented at the request of the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council under advice from their Advisory Panel. This logbook
program is designed to collect the quantity of golden crabs that are caught in designated areas.
The form is distinct from the other forms authorized by regulations (50 CFR Part 622) because
lines of traps are used to catch these species and the amount of catch needs to be reported by line
instead of for an entire trip.
Aquacultured Live Rock
The purpose of this data collection is to collect information on the types and quantities of live
rock that are harvested. Although these data are collected by some state fishery agencies
(notably Florida), it is important to collect this information from harvesters with a Federal permit
that are not from a state that requires regularly scheduled reporting.
Colombian Treaty Waters
This Federal reporting requirement is part of the negotiated treaty with Colombia that permits
United States (U.S.) vessels to fish in Colombian waters. Under that agreement, U.S. fishermen
are required to submit a logbook to NMFS for every trip that they make in Colombian waters.
NMFS forwards those forms to the Colombian Government for their use in monitoring the
fishing activity in their waters.
South Atlantic Rock Shrimp and Peneid Shrimp and Gulf of Mexico Shrimp vessel logbook form
(shrimp logbook)
This shrimp logbook form is used to monitor and assess bycatch in the South Atlantic rock
shrimp, panaeid shrimp and Gulf of Mexico shrimp fisheries. The purpose of the logbook form
is to collect data on the amount and location of fishing effort (length of time trawls were in the
water fishing) and to utilize those effort data in conjunction with data recorded by onboard
observers collecting data on the types and quantities of fish and shellfish that are discarded at
sea.

5

A. JUSTIFICATION
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
The catch, effort and landings statistics that will be collected by the vessel logbooks are
necessary to assure NMFS that sufficient data are collected to provide comprehensive and
accurate data to estimate fishing mortality. Without these data, a significant increase in the
uncertainty of stock assessment analyses is likely to occur and the error bounds around the stock
benchmarks, such as maximum sustainable yield, will be unacceptably large.
Another compelling reason for NMFS’ logbook program is to provide comprehensive, consistent
catch and effort data throughout the entire Southeast Region (i.e., North Carolina to the TexasMexican border). As will be discussed in the response to Question 4, landings statistics by
vessel and trip are collected by state trip ticket program. The logbook data are also collected at
the trip level; however, because only some of the states in the SE Region have fully operational
trip ticket programs, it is necessary for NMFS to institute a comprehensive program that assures
the collection of consistent CPUE data throughout the jurisdiction of the respective fishery
management plans.
Overall, the data collection for stock assessments is authorized as part of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as amended. Specifically, the reporting and record
keeping requirements for OMB Control No. 0648-0016 are authorized in 50 CFR 622.5,
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. The authority for South Atlantic
snapper-grouper, Gulf reef fish, king/Spanish mackerel, golden crab, and wreckfish reporting is
codified in section 622.5(a); for the charter and headboat catch reporting, section 622.5(b); for
the octocoral and live rock reporting, section 622.5(d); for the Colombian Waters Treaty
reporting, section 300.124(b).
All vessels with permits required in 50 CFR 622.4 are considered for selection, but reporting is
required only when the vessel is selected by NMFS’ Science and Research Director, Southeast
Fisheries Science Center. For most of the reporting forms, all permit holders are selected, while
for other forms: (1) the trip-level collection of cost and earnings data and annual fixed cost
survey data, (2) the collection of discard data as a supplement to the reef fish/snapper-grouper
logbook, statistical selections are made.
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.
The information requested in logbooks is used by various offices of NMFS, Regional Fishery
Management Council staff, the U.S. Coast Guard and state fishery agencies under contract to
NMFS to develop, implement and monitor fishery management strategies. Analyses and
summarizations of logbook data are used by NMFS, the Regional Councils, the Departments of
State and Commerce, OMB, the fishing industry, Congressional staff and the public to answer
questions about the nature of the Nation’s fishery resources. Information on endangered species
or marine mammals and their incidental take is requested in those fisheries where such
interactions are likely to occur. These data will help NMFS meet its requirements under the
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Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. If reports of such occurrences
are common, NMFS can proceed to minimize the harvest of such species through the
promulgation of regulations.
These data serve as input for a variety of uses, such as: biological analyses and stock
assessments; E.O. 12291 1 regulatory impact analyses; quota and allocation selections and
monitoring; economic profitability profiles; trade and import tariff decisions; allocations of grant
funds among states; identify ecological interactions among species. NMFS would be
significantly hindered in its ability to fulfill the majority of its scientific research and fishery
management missions without these data.
The logbook family of forms has evolved as a means of collecting data from specific user groups
within fisheries that are managed under federally implemented fishery management plans (FMP).
The Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) has the responsibility for both preparation of
stock assessments (estimation of maximum sustainable yield and/or other indexes of biomass)
and collection of the scientific data that are required to perform the assessments. A secondary
data collection responsibility is to provide information that is necessary to routinely monitor and
evaluate the conditions in the fisheries under Federal management.
Similar data elements are required for most of the logbooks in this family, although a few
variables may be specific to one fishery or type of management technique controlling harvest.
a) Information such as name and address of operator and owner is used to identify the
respondent and the legal entity controlling the fishing practices of the vessel. The legal entity
requirement is essential in monitoring the compliance of the reporting requirement, where
revocations of the operators permit or fines are involved. Because many vessels are owned by
corporations, identification of owner and operator on the logbook form allows NMFS to sanction
the company as well as the individual vessel operator as necessary or required by the regulations.
Information on the permit is obviously essential to monitoring reporting compliance.
b) Data on date of departure, date returned, days fished, duration of tows or sets, units of gear
and mesh size used are all designed to quantify actual fishing effort. Fishing effort is needed to
standardize differences in productivity among vessels or fishing grounds by establishing a rate
catch per unit time. These data allow comparisons over time, area and gear type of catches made
by a variety of harvesters. Comparisons of catch and CPUE over time are significant indicators
of the biological status of the fisheries. Declining CPUE, especially if data on fishing effort are
sufficiently detailed to adjust for changes in effort, can provide critical information on the status
of the stock, i.e., that the level of harvest is beyond the level that is sustainable by growth and
reproduction of the stock.
c) Area fished, loran bearing, depth of fishing, latitude and longitude are variables that are used
to establish fishing locations. This information can be related to other oceanographic and
biological information to predict species availability and likely future abundance. For example,
location of capture can be correlated to sea surface temperature measured by satellite to predict
possible migration patterns. In addition, area or zone fished is used to cross reference locations
where fishing is not permissible (such as closed spawning areas).
1

1981 Presidential requirement for cabinet-level Departments to conduct a benefit-cost analysis for major
changes in rules.

7

d) Species information such as landings, discards and sizes of fish is the basic measure of
fishing success, from which fishermen, biologists and economists infer conclusions about the
status of the fishery. Landings information is also needed because controlling the quantity of
fish harvested is often the means for ensuring that harvests can be replenished over time.
e) Name of buyer, dealer number and port of landing are data used to cross reference the
quantity of fish caught with the quantity that is handled (processed) by the market. The
important cross reference is between the total amount of catch, and the respective sizes of
individual fish. It would be impossible for fishermen to measure individual fish as they are
being caught and stored on board the vessels. However, many species of fish, especially the
large pelagic species, are individually weighted by the dealers and these weights are recorded as
part of the sales transactions. By knowing the dealer that purchased the fish, cross references can
be made between data submitted by the dealers and the data from the logbooks. Combining the
data in this manner provides greater precision on the CPUE estimates and more information on
the sizes of catches by location and time.
f). A separate form is required for many of the logbook reporting forms when a vessel does not
fish during an entire calendar month. These “no-fishing” forms are necessary to assure the
NMFS that the vessel did not fish instead of failing to report. The information on the no-fishing
form is minimal - i.e., only the vessel ID, vessel name, the month in which the vessel did not fish
and the permits that vessel has been issued (a check box is provided for ease of identifying the
permits). The no-fishing forms are located in the back of the logbook booklets and are to be
submitted via mail in the self-addressed, stamped envelopes provided by the NMFS. Because of
the nature of the reporting, no-fishing reports are not required for the headboat trip report, the
live rock report, the annual fixed cost survey, the cost-earnings form (this information is included
on the regular coastal logbook form) and the supplemental discard form.
As explained in the preceding paragraphs, the information gathered has utility. NMFS and the
respective state fishery agency retain control over the information and safeguard it from
improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic
information. See response to Question 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 measure and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of
the 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.
Currently no electronic reporting is being utilized to report the detailed, trip level data for
logbooks to the SEFSC. The SEFSC is investigating various methods of recording and reporting
CPUE data from vessels. However, the large number of vessels involved in the affected fisheries
and the cost per participant for the electronic and telecommunication equipment is too high to
warrant use by fishermen. These costs significantly limit the options available for electronic
8

reporting by vessels. The SEFSC will accept any data in an electronic format that can be easily
read and inputted into the existing data base management system employed by the SEFSC.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act's operational guidelines require each FMP to evaluate existing state
and federal laws that govern the fisheries in question, and the findings are made part of each
FMP. Each Fishery Management Council membership is comprised of state and federal officials
responsible for resource management in their area. This joint participation enables identification
of other collections that may be gathering the same or similar information. In addition, each FMP
undergoes extensive public comment periods where potential applicants review the proposed
permit application requirements. Therefore, NMFS is confident it would be aware of similar
collections if they existed.
Detailed information on catch per unit effort (CPUE), effort and species composition by gear and
area is not available from other sources. Some states, notably Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and
North Carolina, have programs to collect landings by species for individual fishing trips (i.e.,
operational trip ticket programs), but these programs do not include the detailed information on
effort, location and effort that are required in the reporting requirements for this OMB request.
Furthermore, these programs collect the data from seafood processors, and not fishermen,
whereas, logbooks are submitted directly by the fishermen.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe
the methods used to minimize burden.
Because all applicants are considered small businesses, separate requirements based on size of
business have not been developed. Only the minimum data to meet the analytical needs of the
SEFSC's assessment scientists are requested from all applicants.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is
not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
The consequence of not having detailed CPUE and species composition data is to increase the
uncertainty associated with the stock assessments that are the basis for sound management
decisions. As with any statistical analysis, the confidence limits (bands) for specific points will
be large if the variability in the data cannot be accounted for. With the availability of the
logbook data, the sample sizes for the various stratifications of gear and area are sufficiently
large to reduce the uncertainty in the data to acceptable levels.
The logbook data also provide critical information on the type and amount of effort. Without
these data, there is no way of knowing whether changes in total catch are due to changes in
fishing effort or changes in the abundance of the resource, or both.
If the economic data (cost, earnings, and fixed cost) were collected less frequently or not at all,
then economists would be less able to estimate the effects of regulations on financial
performance or fishermen’s expected reactions to additional regulations. Proposed regulations
for the snapper-grouper and mackerel fisheries would continue to be debated with limited
economic information. Another consequence of not having representative economic data could
9

be judicial remand of conservation regulations challenged on grounds of inadequate analysis of
economic impact to individual firms.
Not having discard data would also increase the uncertainty associated with the stock
assessments. Furthermore, there is a total lack of reasonably good data on discards and
consequently, it is difficult to determine whether discarding is a significant problem. Clearly, the
data from observers in other fisheries, notably the pelagic longline fishery, show that discards are
substantial and that their occurrence is variable. Consequently, NMFS feels that it is necessary
to increase the collection of discard data for coastal fisheries.
For the Colombian catch and effort programs, the United States cannot meet its international
commitments without the data from this program.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a
manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
The reporting regulations require fishermen to submit completed logbooks for all trips or sets
for several reasons. First, it is critical that these data be timely. For fisheries that are
significantly overfished, it is important to monitor changes in fishing mortality. Secondly, the
renewal of Federal vessel permits is predicated on compliance with the reporting requirements,
and timely data are needed to determine whether fishermen are complying on a regular basis.
Thirdly, quality control of the logbook data is better when the review and verification process is
closer to the actual time that fishing occurred.
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 Federal Register Notice published on November 10, 2009 (74 FR 57992) solicited public
comment on this collection. None was received.
Because these data collection programs are part of fishery management plans, all aspects of the
programs have been reviewed by both statistical and constituent advisory committees.
Furthermore, comments and suggestions from fishermen required to report are routinely
submitted and these are reviewed and considered. Experience with the various programs, some
of which have been operating since 1981, provides a continual feedback mechanism to NMFS on
issues and concerns to the applicants. There are no major problems that have not been resolved.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than
remuneration of contractors or grantees.
There are no payments or other remunerations to respondents.

10

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for
assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
As stated on the logbook forms, all data collected are treated in accord with NOAA
Administrative Order 216-100, Confidential Fisheries Statistics. Dealer reports are considered
confidential under the Trade Secrets Act. In addition, landings statistics are considered to be in
an entrepreneurial capacity and will be exempt from the Privacy Act concerns. It is the policy of
the NMFS that confidential data are not to be released to non-authorized users, other than in
aggregate form, as the Magnuson-Stevens Act protects (in perpetuity) the confidentiality of those
submitting data. Whenever data are requested, the NMFS ensures that information identifying
the pecuniary business activity of a particular vessel is not identified.
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.
No questions of a sensitive nature are asked.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
To comply with the reporting requirements, fishermen are required to submit either a fishing log,
where they report the catch, effort and area data, or a no-fishing log, where they state that they
did not fish during the specified calendar month. The number of respondents, the estimated
number of responses, the time per response and the total burden for fishing and no-fishing forms
for each of the nine fisheries for which logbook reporting is active and the three fisheries for
which logbook reporting is inactive are presented in the following table:

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Fishery

Headboat*

No. of
Respondents

Number of responses, hr/response, total time (hours)
Fishing
Responses

Time per
response

Total
Time
(Hours)

No-fishing
Responses

Time per
response

Total
Time

Total
Burden
(Hours)

156

12,093

18 min.

3,628

N/A

N/A

N/A

3,628

9

248

10 min.

41

49

2 min.

2

43

Reef fish –
mackerel**

3,090

35,915

10 min..

5,986

26,306

2 min.

877

6,863

Wreckfish**

6

26

10 min.

4

9

2 min

1

5

Colombian log*

11

9

18 min.

3

81

2 min.

3

6

Live rock*

40

65

15 min.

16

N/A

N/A

N/A

16

Economic
cost/trip**

385

3,653

10 min.

609

N/A

N/A

N/A

609

Annual fixed
cost**

300

300

30 min.

150

N/A

N/A

N/A

150

Discard**

347

6,806

15 min.

1,702

N/A

N/A

N/A

1,702

Shrimp*

1,731

10,645

10 min.

1,774

N/A

N/A

N/A

1,774

Charter boat***

3,250

101,400

10 min.

16,900

67,600

2 min.

2,254

19,154

Golden Crab**

Octocoral
Totals

0
9,325

0
171,160

30,813

94,045

3,137

33,950

* 5 year average
** 2007 data
*** Estimate

The number of respondents, responses and burden hours in the above table are based on the
actual reporting activity for these fisheries during 2003-2007. 2007 was chosen for Golden
Crab, Reef fish – Mackerel, wreckfish, Economic cost/trip, Discard logbooks, and the Annual
fixed cost survey because of the large size of the fisheries and because 2007 represents an
average year. The five year average was used for Headboat, Colombian water, live rock, and
Shrimp logbooks because of the smaller size of the fishery thus a five year average is a better
representation. Charter boat numbers are an estimate projection using the current number of
permit holders and based on 100% reporting.
There are 18,714 burden hours in the current OMB inventory for this family of forms
(0016) and the newly estimated burden is 33,950. Thus, there is a net increase of 15,236 hours
from the current inventory. There is an increase of 19,154 hours estimated for the charter fishing
logbook which is planned to begin in 2010, somewhat offset by adjustments to estimated
responses.

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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 Question
12 above).
There are no anticipated costs beyond the opportunity cost of completing the logbook forms.
The fishermen are provided with addressed, postage-paid envelopes that they use to return the
completed forms.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
The annual cost to the Federal government is calculated from estimates of the total cost per form
to process the logbook data. These estimates include printing costs, labor for sight review and
data entry, form development, and program management costs. Total cost to the Federal
government is estimated to be $400,000 per year.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.
The principal cause of the difference between the OMB inventory of 18,714 burden hours and
the estimated annual burden hours of 33,590 is the planned start-up of the charter boat logbook
program which will require an additional 19,154 potential burden hours from an estimated 3,250
potential respondents who held charter permits in 2009. However, the net increase in hours is
only 15,236, due to adjustments to numbers of current logbook respondents.
When fully implemented, the charter logbook program will require weekly reporting from the
3,250 vessels, with 169,000 responses estimated (3,250 x 52 = 169,000). Additionally, 18,962
burden hours are estimated: 16,900 hours from fishing forms and 2,254 hours from no-fishing
forms submitted by the approximately 40% expected to submit no-fish forms (16,900 + 2,254 =
19,154).
A decrease of 3,918 burden hours from previous estimates is being made to account for current
estimates for all but the live rock, Columbian Treaty Waters and headboat burden hours.
Hence, the difference of the current inventory of 18,714 and the new estimated burden hours of
33,950 is a net difference of 15,236 hours.
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and
publication.
The results from this collection are expected to be published, but will be used as empirical input
to stock assessments, economic analyses, and other analyses of proposed or existing fishery
management regulations prepared by the NMFS/SEFC.
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.
Not applicable.

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18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.
Not applicable.

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