Justification for Change

JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGE
SOUTHEAST REGION VESSEL AND GEAR CHARACTERIZATION SURVEY
OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0542
The Southeast Region Vessel and Gear Characterization Survey intends to collect data, in terms
of number of days spent at sea, from individual shrimp vessels in order to generate a quantitative
understanding of the major activities of the federally-permitted Gulf shrimp fleet, which –
in a usual year – consists of shrimping and fishing.
In 2010, the BP oil-spill in the Gulf of Mexico had large effects on the federally-permitted Gulf
shrimp harvesting fleet. Effects included the closure of many fishing areas in the northern Gulf
for substantial amount of time during the 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 activity (“days-at-sea”) will be an
important part of overall activity for a large fraction of federally-permitted vessels we survey.
In light of these developments, we are requesting permission to modify two questions in order to
account for the number of “oil-spill related” days-at-sea. The data collected from this question
will help us describe and understand the some of the effects of the oil spill on the Gulf shrimp
fishery in 2010.
The reporting burden and burden hours remain the same. The public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes per response.
Suggested new question/wording:
4. In 2010, what was the total number of days at sea (State inshore and offshore & Federal)
and the total number of trips (State inshore and offshore & Federal) for this vessel in the
Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery?
The days at sea for this question and questions #5a and b cannot exceed 365 days.
Days at sea: __________ Number of Trips: _________

5a. In 2010, how many days at sea did this vessel operate in commercial fisheries other than
shrimp?
The total days at sea for this question and questions #4 and #5b cannot exceed 365 days.
Days at sea: __________
5b. In 2010, how many days did this vessel actively participate in BP Oil Spill related activities
(clean-up, monitoring, etc.)?

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The total days at sea for this question and questions #4 and #5a should not exceed 365 days.
Days at sea: __________
Previous questions/wording:
4. In 2009, what was the total number of days at sea (both State inshore and offshore &
Federal) and the total number of trips (both State inshore and offshore & Federal) for this
vessel in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery?
The total days fished for this question and question # 5 should not exceed 365 days.
Days at sea: __________ Number of Trips: _________

5. In 2009, how many days at sea did this vessel operate in fisheries other than shrimp?
The total days fished for this question and question # 4 should not exceed 365 days.
Days at sea: __________

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