Justification for change

JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGE

MANDATORY SHRIMP VESSEL AND GEAR CHARACTERIZATION SURVEY

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0542

We have revised the shrimp vessel and gear characterization survey instrument, streamlining it by the removal of redundant and/or outdated questions. The revised form has been shortened by the removal of eight (8) questions, resulting in the reduction of one page of the original instrument.

High-Level summary of changes:

• One two-part question about non-shrimping activities was removed. This question applied only to 2010.

• Three questions about the characterization of the primary gear were removed.

• Four (4) questions about the turtle excluder device used were removed.

Detailed summary of changes:

1. Vessel Operator Question: added a bullet/choice, BOTH (owner and captain)

2. Shrimping Sea Days and # of Trips Question: clarification to reiterate “total number during the entire year”

3. Non-Shrimping Activity Question: removed non-shrimp fisheries sea days

4. BP Oil Spill Activity Question: removed days actively working for BP

5. Door Type Question: removed door types for trawl net

6. Mesh Type for Main Net Question: split question from asking (1) general net mesh type to (2) blanks, BODY and COD END

7. Mesh Size for Main Net Question: split question from asking (1) general net mesh size to (2) blanks, BODY and COD END

8. Net Type for Try Net Question: removed net types for try net

9. Headrope Length for Try Net Question: removed headrope question for try net

10. Mesh Type for Try Net Question: removed mesh type question for try net

11. Mesh Size for Try Net Question: removed mesh size question for try net

12. BRD (Bycatch Reduction Device) Type Question: Number of bullet/choices remains at 7, however, the bullet/choices changes were made: deleted Expanded Mesh and Composite Panel; added Composite Panel with Cone and Composite Panel with Square Mesh

13. Single Grid Hard TED Grid Size Question: number of questions remain at (2). However, removed bullet/choices 32”x32” and other. Clarified question to ask the grid size dimensions (height x width) with answer fields: ____ inches x ____ inches.

14. Single Grid Hard TED Flap Length Question: removed flap length question

15. Single Grid Hard TED Funnel Size Question: removed funnel size question

16. Hooped Hard TED Flap Length Question: removed flap length question

17. Hooped Grid Hard TED Funnel Size Question: removed funnel size question

We anticipate a possible decrease in average response time up to 23%, but will include any such change in the renewal of this collection in November, 2012.

Ideally, we would mail the survey out in February, 2012; for this reason we are requesting a speedy review and approval of this revised instrument.