Justification for Change

JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGE
ANNUAL ECONOMIC SURVEY OF FEDERAL GULF AND SOUTH ATLANTIC
SHRIMP PERMIT HOLDERS
OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0591

The annual economic survey of federal Gulf and South Atlantic shrimp permit holders intends to
collect annual financial data from individual shrimp vessels in order to generate an annual
overview of the financial and economic condition of the industry. In the summer of 2010, the
BP oil-spill in the Gulf of Mexico had a large effect on the federally-permitted Gulf shrimp
harvesting industry. Impacts included the closure of many fishing areas for substantial amounts
of time during the prime shrimping season. On the other hand, BP hired shrimp vessels to stand
by or actively participate in clean-up work (e.g., vessels of opportunity program). As a result,
we anticipate that oil-spill related payments to shrimpers will comprise a substantial portion of
total 2010 revenue/earnings for a large fraction of vessels in the northern Gulf.
In light of these developments, we would like to break the current questions concerning ‘nonfishing income activities’ into ‘oil-spill related’ and ‘non-oil-spill related’ elements. This should
both simplify completing the survey for respondents (clarifying our intent; more intuitive
categories) and provide us with important information to understand the 2010 financial and
economic condition of the Gulf shrimp fishery.
We will add one question, Number 17 (oil-spill related revenue) and one additional checkbox to
another question (oil-spill related activity checkbox), as well as revising one question (Number
18 is the previous Number 17 with new text highlighted). The information being collected is not
inherently new, but subdivides the current ‘non-fishing other’ activity/revenue questions into
‘oil-spill related’ and ‘non-oil-spill related’ activity/revenue parts.
The reporting burden and burden hours remain the same. The public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 45 minutes per response.
Suggested new questions/wording:
16. During 2009 this vessel was active in (check all that apply):
 Shrimp Fishery
 Other Commercial Fisheries
 BP Oil-spill related Activities
 Other Non-Fishing Income Activities

 Not Active

17. Total gross revenue from BP oil-spill related activities generated by
this vessel in 2009 (if none enter “0”):
$ _ _ , _ _ _ , _ _ _ .00
18. Total gross revenue generated by this vessel in 2009 (if none enter “0”) from
a) commercial fishing other than shrimp and
b) non-fishing income activities other than BP oil-spill related: $ _ _ , _ _ _ , _ _ _ .00

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Previous questions/wording:
16. During 2009 this vessel was active in (check all that apply):
 Shrimp Fishery

 Other Commercial Fisheries

 Non-Fishing Income Activities  Not Active

17. Total gross revenue from activities other than shrimp generated by
this vessel in 2009 (from other commercial fishing or non-fishing
income activities)
(if none enter “0”):
$ _ _ , _ _ _ , _ _ _ .00

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