IHBA SS 111512 Part A rev

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

INPUT FROM HAWAII’S BOAT-BASED ANGLERS

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-xxxx

A. JUSTIFICATION

This request is for a new information collection.

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.

Two circumstances make the collection necessary. First, the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) required the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to improve the collection of data from recreational fishing in federal waters through the Marine Recreational Information Program. Second, NOAA leadership required NOAA Fisheries to strengthen its relationship with the saltwater recreational fishing community.

Recreational anglers must register annually with the NMFS National Saltwater Angler Registry if they (1) engage in angling or spearfishing for fish in the United States (U.S.) Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); anadromous species in any tidal waters; or continental Shelf fishery resources beyond the EEZ, (2) operate a for-hire fishing vessel in the EEZ, (3) operate a for-hire fishing vessel that engages in angling or spearfishing for: anadromous species in any tidal waters; or continental shelf fishery resources beyond the EEZ, (4) possess equipment used for angling or spearfishing and also possesses fish in the EEZ; anadromous species in any tidal waters; or continental shelf fishery resources beyond the EEZ (http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/index.html). However, NMFS may exempt a state’s anglers from the registry if the state provides angler registry information to NMFS or establishes a qualifying regional survey that meets the Marine Recreational Information Program criteria.

To strengthen NMFS’s relationship with recreational saltwater fishermen, all regions were tasked to develop action agendas that address national priority goals for improving recreational data. The Pacific Islands Action Agenda, approved by NMFS in late 2011, resulted in updating a data exchange agreement with the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and improving their boat registration system. NMFS is following up by surveying Hawaii’s registered boaters to understand their use of boats for fishing in the EEZ. This survey project, which we will conduct in collaboration with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, responds to both circumstances described above. First, it will provide fishery managers in Hawaii with a statistically-derived estimate of the number of boat-based anglers who fish in federal waters and information about their catch, effort, attitudes, preferences, and expectations. Second, several questions contained in the survey will directly inform Hawaii’s efforts, in partnership with NMFS, to develop the private boat-based component of a qualifying regional survey that will exempt the State’s anglers from the national registry requirement. Specifically, Questions (paraphrased here):

9 – From which island do you begin your trips?

11 – When do you go fishing?

12 – What percentage of fishing trips are overnight trips?

15 – During a typical year, how often do you engage in (list of fishing activities).

16 – Typical fishing trip by season – do you try to catch any species of fish in particular (list).

19 – If you were surveyed again, which method would you prefer?

20 - How often would you prefer to be surveyed, if NMFS has such options?

Are either similar to existing questions asked by the State in random digit dialing of Hawaii households or are questions that query anglers’ preferences regarding the structure of a qualifying regional survey and will be used to develop an efficient fishing effort survey for the regional survey project. These and the remaining questions will also indirectly inform this effort; they will be used to develop a profile of Hawaii’s boat-based recreational fishermen (in line with NMFS’s previously-mentioned recreational engagement initiative), and understand how to best communicate with them (e.g., Question 21, How often do you use each of the following to get information about regulations and any other Hawaii fishing topics?

NMFS has recently collected information from some Hawaii boaters, but that study (http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/library/pubs/admin/PIFSC_Admin_Rep_11-01.pdf) did not use the State’s boater registry as a sampling frame and is conceptually unrelated to the proposed study.

2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will be used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection complies with all applicable Information Quality Guidelines.

Purposes: Federal and state fisheries managers will use the information to a) develop the private boat-based component of a Hawaii Qualifying Regional Survey of recreational catch and effort under 50 CFR 600.1417(a), and b) develop a profile of boat-based recreational fishermen that can be used to provide better service to them.

How: NMFS will collect the information via a brief, voluntary mail survey of a random sample of the boat registrants. The State of Hawaii has provided names and addresses. The survey will ask approximately 25 questions regarding attributes of their boat-based recreational fishing activities. The survey methodology will follow some best practices recommended by Dillman (1978; 2007).

Frequency. This is a one-time survey that we will implement in three mailings (an initial mailing, and two follow-up mailings to non-respondents – all three weeks apart).

Public Dissemination Considerations. We will make a study report publically available that aggregates responses upon completion of the project. Individual responses will be confidential and access to completed surveys, which will not contain a name or address, will be restricted by the principal investigator (PI).

NMFS will retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. See response to Question 10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on confidentiality and privacy. The information collection is designed to yield data that meet all applicable information quality guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information will be subjected to quality control measures and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information technology.

The use of information technology in this project is limited to Excel database use and manipulation for sample selection, response tracking, and data analysis.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

There is little concern about duplication in this project. The target audience has not been asked these questions previously and other, recent NMFS surveys have focused on Hawaii Commercial Marine License-holders or anglers registered nationally with NMFS rather than Hawaii’s general boating population. It is possible that some individuals will have recently (i.e., within the past two years) been surveyed by NMFS, but we anticipate that these cases will be few and note again that the information being sought here, and the purpose for which it is being sought, is not duplicative. NMFS is putting together a nation-wide mail survey of recreational fishermen, but will not be using the state boat registry for sampling purposes.

5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.

Because we will be using a state boat registry, some Hawaii charter fishing business owners and/or operators may receive a survey, as well as any individuals who have registered their boat in their business’ name. However, we will be randomly selecting approximately 3,000 cases from the registry database and we expect that less than 100 of these will be business entities. The survey is voluntary and relatively short. It should take less than 20 minutes to complete.

6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.

As previously stated, we must comply with Congress to enhance recreational fishery data, either by enforcing the federal requirement for anglers who fish in federal waters to register with NMFS or to work with the State of Hawaii to develop a qualifying regional survey. We are also required by our own agency to understand and work better with recreational fishermen who access federal waters. We have specified, and NMFS has funded, this survey as one component of these activities. Additionally, NMFS is now required by law to specify annual catch limits for all federally-managed species. There is considerable concern regarding the accuracy and reliability of current recreational catch and effort estimates in Hawaii, and such data are needed in order to set annual catch limits that are fair to both commercial and recreational fishermen. The survey we propose will help to develop the long-term Hawaii surveys that will capture that data.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

Not Applicable.

8. Provide information on the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

A Federal Register Notice published on September 6, 2012 (77 FR 173 (54902) solicited public comments. No comments pertaining to the information collection requirements were received.

During the development stage of the survey instrument, we convened an informal working group that included five boat-based anglers to provide input on question topics and to review several draft instruments. Following that, we requested and received input from Hawaii’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation and Division of Aquatic Resources, as well as the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center – Western Pacific Fisheries Information Network.

9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

Not Applicable.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

The survey instrument includes a text box stating that all data will be confidential and that only aggregated responses will be released to the public, per the NOAA policy:

The information you provide will remain strictly confidential as required by section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Steven Act and NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics, and will not be released for public use except in aggregate statistical form without identification as to its source. We will combine your responses with information provided by other participants, and report it in summary form so that responses for any individual cannot be identified.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

Not Applicable.

12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.

We estimate the burden hours to be 20 minutes per respondent x 1,500 respondents = 500 hours.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in Question 12 above).

There will be no cost to respondents other than the cost of their time to complete the survey.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.

The estimated cost is $14,500 for printing and mailing the survey.

All analysis and reporting will be done as part of regular duties: 120 hours total X $29.52 = $3,542.40.

Total cost to government is $18,042.40.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

This is a new information collection.

16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.

Data will tabulated in summary statistical form and we will present it according to percentages across response categories for each question. We will publish these data together in an internal report.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.

Not Applicable.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

Not Applicable.

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