NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Southwest Region Observer Program - currently unfunded but requesting burden approval	Form and Instruction	Modified	Available
Southwest Region Observer Program - Funded	Form and Instruction	Modified	Available
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish and Shrimp Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Southeast Pelagic Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified	Available
Pacific Islands Region Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified	Available
At-Sea Hake Observer Program (Northwest)	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Alaska Marine Mammal Observer program	Form and Instruction	Modified	Available
North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Northeast Fisheries Observer Program (forms all/mostly completed by fishermen at end)	Form	Modified	Repair queued
0593 SS 081512 Part A rev.doc	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2012-09-13	Available
0593 SS 081512 Part B.docx	Supporting Statement B	Uploaded 2012-08-15	Available
Referenced excerpts from Pacific Region Fishery Management Council Pacific Groundfish Fishery Management Plan.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2012-08-15	Available
Summary of Statistic Methods Used by Observer Programs.docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2012-08-15	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
199362	South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified
189859	Southwest Region Observer Program - currently unfunded but requesting burden approval	Form and Instruction	Modified
189855	Southwest Region Observer Program - Funded	Form and Instruction	Modified
189854	Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish and Shrimp Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified
189853	Southeast Pelagic Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified
189852	Southeast Shark Fishery Observer Program	Instruction	Modified
189851	Pacific Islands Region Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified
189850	WCGOP: West Coast Groundfish Observer Program	Instruction	Modified
189842	At-Sea Hake Observer Program (Northwest)	Form and Instruction	Modified
189838	Alaska Marine Mammal Observer program	Form and Instruction	Modified
189835	North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program	Form and Instruction	Modified
189834	Northeast Fisheries Observer Program (forms all/mostly completed by fishermen at end)	Form	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0648-0593	ICR Reference No: 201207-0648-012
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201109-0648-007
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NOAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 11/13/2012
	Date Received in OIRA: 09/17/2012
Terms of Clearance: This ICR is approved for three years, during which time NOAA will work with OMB to develop a Generic Information Collection for the National Marine Fisheries Service’s fisheries observer programs.

table that charts list comparision

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	11/30/2015	36 Months From Approved	11/30/2012
Responses	19,296	0	20,643
Time Burden (Hours)	26,782	0	26,172
Cost Burden (Dollars)	1,369	0	1,160

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Abstract: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) deploys fishery observers on United States fishing vessels and to fish processing plants in order to collect biological and economic data. NMFS has at least one observer program in each of its six regions. These observer programs provide the only reliable and/or most effective method for obtaining information that is critical for the conservation and management of living marine resources. Observer programs primarily collect data through direct observations by employees or agents of NMFS or through non-standardized oral communication in connection with such direct observations, however observer programs also collect information that can only be obtained by asking questions of the respondents thus requiring clearance under the PRA.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 31 Name of Law: Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972
   PL: Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
   US Code: 16 USC 1531-1544 Name of Law: Endangered Species Act of 1973
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	77 FR 17458	03/26/2012
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	77 FR 57071	09/17/2012
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 12

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Observer Program	NA	Reef fish selection letter, observer notification form, observer evaluation form and safety checklist
WCGOP: West Coast Groundfish Observer Program	NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA	Safety checklist ,   Fishermen's data request form ,   West Coast Groundfish Catch Shares Catch Form ,   West Coast Groundfish Catch Shares Species Composition Form ,   West Coast Groundfish Catch Shares Trip Form ,   Commercial sablefish specimen data form ,   Sablefish Tagged Fish Form
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish and Shrimp Observer Program	NA, NA	Reef fish: Selection letter, observer notification form, observer evaluation and safety checklist ,   Shrimp: selection letter, observer notificaiton, observer evaluiation and safety checklist
Pacific Islands Region Observer Program	NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA	Placement meeting questions and checklist ,   Placement checklist ,   Trip specifications log ,   Gear configuration log ,   Post-strip interview (observer evaluation) ,   Set haul log ,   Trip expenditure form (captain)
Southwest Region Observer Program - currently unfunded but requesting burden approval	NA, NA, NA	Safety checklist ,   Drift gillnet trip expense form ,   Pre-trip notification form
Southeast Shark Fishery Observer Program	NA, NA, NA, NA	Observer notification form ,   Safety checklist ,   Reimbursement form ,   Observer evaluation form
Alaska Marine Mammal Observer program	NA, NA	Data release form ,   Fishermen's comment card
Southeast Pelagic Observer Program	NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA	Observer Notification Form ,   Safety checklist with PRA statement ,   Observer evaluation form ,   Reimbursement for for assistance with bluefin tuna samplin ,   Reimbursement for equipment expenses ,   Reimbursement for insurance expenses
Southwest Region Observer Program - Funded	NA, NA, NA	Safety checklist ,   Drift gillnet trip expenditure form ,   Pre-trip notification form
Northeast Fisheries Observer Program (forms all/mostly completed by fishermen at end)	NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA	Twin trawl haul log ,   Beach Sein Gear/Beach Anchored Gillnet Gear Characteristics ,   Beach seine/beach anchored gillnet haul log ,   Carch composition log ,   Clam/quohog gear characteristics log ,   Clam/Quahog Haul Log ,   Clam/Quohog off-watch haul log ,   Crustacean Sample Log ,   Gillnet Characteristics Log ,   Gillnet haul log ,   Individual Animal Log ,   Length Frequency Log ,   Lobster, crab and fish pot gear characteristics ,   Lobster, crab and fish pot haul log ,   Longline gear characteristics log ,   Longline haul log ,   Marine mammal biological sample log ,   Marine mammal/sea turtle/sea bird incidental take log ,   Pair and single midwater gear characteristics log ,   Pair and single midwater haul log ,   Protected species sighting log ,   Purse seine gear characteristics log ,   Purse Seine Set Log ,   Scallop dredge gear characteristics log ,   Scallop dredge haul log ,   Scallop dredge off-watch haul log ,   Scallop trawl gear characteristics log ,   Scallop trawl haul log ,   Scallop trawl off-watch haul log ,   Sea turtle biological sample log ,   Trawl gear characteristics log ,   Trawl haul log ,   Data release form ,   Fishermen's Comment Card ,   Fishermen's Comment Log ,   NMFS Fishery Observer Program Discard log ,   Gillnet Gear Log Front Page ,   Gillnet Haul Log (front page) ,   Longline Gear Log (front page) ,   Longline Haul Log (front page) ,   Trawl Gear Log Front page ,   Trawl log front page ,   NEFOP captain interview form ,   Pre-Deployment Safety Checklist ,   Vessel and Trip Information Log ,   Vessel reimbursement form
North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program	NA, NA, NA, NA	Vessel/Plant Operator Comment Form ,   Vessel/Plant Operator Comment Card Follow-up Form ,   Safety checklist ,   Tagged Fish and Crab Form
At-Sea Hake Observer Program (Northwest)	NA, NA	Fishermen's Data Request Form ,   Safety checklist

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	19,296	20,643	0	0	-1,347	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	26,782	26,172	0	0	610	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	1,369	1,160	0	0	209	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Adjustments: Decrease in respondents, from 20,294 to 13,295, due to decrease in size of more than one fleet. Responses also decreased, from 20,643 to 19,296. However, hours have increased, from 26,172 to 26,783, due mainly to increased response rates in several programs, with a total compliance rate of 97%, as opposed to the previous 93%.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 09/17/2012

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