This information collection consists
of a mandatory vessel permit program for commercial tuna, swordfish
and shark fisheries, recreational highly migratory species (HMS)
fisheries and charter//headboat HMS fisheries, and mandatory dealer
permits for purchase of HMS from vessels and for international
trade of several HMS. These permits provide the basis for catch
monitoring and collection of catch and effort statistics in these
fisheries as required under the Atlantic Tuna Conventions Act and
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Such
information is essential for the United States to meet its
reporting obligations to the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tuna. The National Marine Fisheries
Service's (NMFS) HMS Management Division recently published a final
rule for Amendment 3 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). Under the final rule for this action,
effective at the beginning of the 2012 smoothhound fishing season,
NMFS requires owners of vessels that fish for, take, retain, or
possess smoothhounds (smooth dogfish and Florida smoothhounds) with
an intention to sell, to obtain a Federal commercial smoothhound
permit. The Federal commercial smoothhound permit will be a new
permit administered out of the Northeast Region (NERO), due to the
overlap with other similar fisheries, such as the spiny dogfish
fishery, which are also administered out of NERO. In addition to
this new permit, the incidental HMS squid trawl permit will also be
added to the NERO Federal Fisheries Initial Permit Application form
(for initial application, there will be a pre-printed one-time
application with a maximum burden time of 15 minutes.
US Code:
16
USC 971 Name of Law: Atlantic Tuna Conventions Act
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act as amended in 2006
During the initial issuance
phase, the total responses will increase to 44,673 (current 44,594
plus 79 new responses). The total burden hours, including the
burden hours associated with filling out the new form, will be
10,576 hours (current 10,556 plus 20 additional hours). After the
initial issuance, the number of responses and total burden hours
would return to previous estimates. The total annual cost to the
public for mailing in the form would be $35 (79 applications x
$0.44 = $35). The current total annual cost to the public from
0648-0327 is $1,233,928; therefore, the combined new total annual
costs would be $1,233,963 ($1,233,928 plus $35). Again, this is a
one time cost increase.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Margo Schulz-Haugen 301
713-0234
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.
Initial vessel permit application - Atlantic tunas, HMS charter/headboat