Justification for change

Justification for Change

0648-0327

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Permit Family of Forms

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) manages Atlantic highly migratory species under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and Atlantic Tunas Convention Act. NMFS issues Highly Migratory Species (HMS) International Trade Permits per 50 CFR 300 subpart m to applicants seeking authority to import, export, or re-export HMS such as swordfish, bluefin tuna, and shark fins. NMFS routinely provides public access to permit holder names and addresses since this information is considered non-confidential. Access to this information for several permits covered by this collection and managed by the Southeast Region (SER) of NMFS is available at: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/operations_management_information_services/constituency_services_branch/freedom_of_information_act/common_foia/index.html.

On each permit application form, NMFS provides assurances that all confidential data are protected and managed consistently with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100 (Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics). To ensure that permit applicants are aware of NMFS’ policy regarding release of permit holder name and address, NMFS includes the following statement on each SER permit application: “Name and address information will be released via a NOAA website.”

NMFS does not currently provide public access to HMS ITP permit holder information and the statement above has not been included in previous versions of the application. Under this change request, NMFS proposes to add the statement identified above to the HMS ITP permit application. In the near future, NMFS plans make name and address information for HMS ITP permit holders publicly available. There would not be any increase in respondents or reporting burden as a result of this change.