Per Final Rule 0648-BC81 (Framework 24), all NE Region limited access general category (LAGC) vessels would be required to call in weekly with their expected trip usage, similar to current requirements for LAGC trips in access areas. The 259-vessel LAGC scallop fleet is allocated a certain number of trips in the scallop access areas each year. These access areas are closed to all scallop fishing except for these allocated trips. Currently, LAGC vessels are required to call observer program the Thursday proceeding the week (Sunday through Saturday) that they intend to start a scallop trip in an access area. This rule will change that requirement so that LAGC vessels must call the observer program the Thursday proceeding the week that they intend to start a scallop trip in any area.
However, burden is already assumed for one observer notification call per week, and no vessel is expected to call in more than once per week, so there is no burden or cost change expected.
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 303
Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act
The scallop observer program was established with the implementation of Amendment 13. At the time the program was implemented, the burden and costs were estimated based on how many observer providers were believed to apply, and how many vessels were operating in the scallop fishery at that time. Cost and time burden as a result of the information collection was estimated before the observer program was put into place. The most recent request regarding OMB Control No. 0648-0546 Â a revision in conjunction with RIN 0648-AV90 - was coordinated with Framework 19 and introduced new information collections to aid in the effectiveness of the scallop observer program. However, the original burdens and costs were not reviewed at that time.
For this renewal, the burden and costs of the scallop observer program were thoroughly reviewed in coordination with NEFOP staff, as the program has been operational since the 2007 implementation of Amendment 13. Therefore, any changes to the costs and burdens from the previous renewal are due to better understanding the actual burdens and costs of the program, as it is operating currently, and as it is expected to operate in the three years until the next renewal. There are no new information collections introduced during this renewal.
Adjustments to the number of providers:
As the time of this renewal there are 2 providers that support the scallop observer program. Conversations with NEFOP staff indicated that there is the potential for one more service provider to enter the scallop observer program within the three years before this information collection is renewed. Therefore, the majority of the information collections here were analyzed for either 628 vessels or 3 scallop observer program providers. The two exceptions are the 'applicant response to a denial' as it is unlikely the 2 scallop providers already operating will be denied as future providers. However, if a new provider applies to be approved, there is the potential for it to be denied. Therefore, for information collections #9 and #11, analysis was completed assuming only one observer provider would be subject to this information collection in the three years before this information collection is renewed.
Adjustments to the number of vessels:
The previous renewals estimated 805 vessels subject to reporting requirements as a part of this information collection: 337 limited access scallop vessels and approximately 50 percent of general category scallop vessels (425 vessels). Since the last renewal, a limited access program for general category scallop vessels has been implemented and the number of total vessels for this information collection has decreased to 628 permitted limited access and limited access general category scallop vessels.
Updates to this information collection resulted in the following adjustments:
Adjustments in Burden and Cost from 2008 to 2011
2008 Renewal 2011 Renewal Change in Burden
Number of Respondents 805 631 -177
Number of Responses 1740 35,841 + 34,101
Total annual hours 619 6,236 + 5,617
Total annual costs $6,000 $44,715 + $38,715
$626,242
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Travis Ford 978 281-9233
Reginfo record details
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.
0546 Justification 040413.doc
Observer deployment report