The Puget Sound Partnership, a
Washington State agency established to facilitate the conservation
and restoration of Puget Sound, has set a goal to reduce the risks
of shellfish growing area closures and adverse effects on human
health. In support of the Partnership's pursuit of this goal, the
Northwest Fisheries Science Center is undertaking an economics
research project to assess how individual shellfish harvesters are
likely to respond to the opening and closing of individual
shellfish beaches for human health reasons, and how these actions
affect the value of recreational shellfish harvesting. The Puget
Sound Recreational Shellfishing Survey will provide critical
economic data for this project. More specifically, the survey will
collect data needed to assess 1) the socioeconomic characteristics
of recreational shellfish harvesting participants; 2) the economic
value of access to Puget Sound beaches for recreational shellfish
harvesting through statistical estimation of models; and 3) the
potential changes in these values stemming from possible changes in
management policies related to human health that affect the status
of particular shellfish harvesting areas.
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.