This request is for emergency revision
of this information collection, in conjunction with Final Rule
0648-BE75. In the proposed rule, there was discussion of requiring
a daily fishing report in place of the current trip-level report,
for haddock. Public comment supported such a change, and because
the catch quota is very low, we need to implement this change in
reporting requirements by May 1, in order to avoid exceeding the
quota.
We are seeking emergency
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) clearance of a measure in FInal Rule
0648-BA75, to require vessels that declare trips into the Gulf of
Maine Broad Stock Area and any other broad stock area (i.e.,
Georges Bank (GB) or Southern New England) on the same trip to
submit a daily catch report via vessel monitoring system (VMS).
Emergency clearance is requested to allow implementation of the
daily VMS reporting requirement on May 1, 2015, concurrent with the
effective date of Framework 53, and the implementation of a
substantial reduction to the Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod catch limit.
We have determined the daily reports are necessary to promote more
accurate trip declarations and catch reporting from vessels, which
will lead to a stronger likelihood that the GOM cod trip limit will
not be exceeded. The most recent stock assessment for GOM cod
indicated that this stock is at a historically low abundance level.
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is implementing a range of
measures in Framework 53 to reduce overfishing, protect
aggregations and spawning, and keep GOM cod on a rebuilding
trajectory. The proposed rule for Framework 53 published on March
9, 2015, and the comment period closed on March 24, 2015. The
proposed catch limit for GOM cod is very low (386 mt), and vessels
will be able to catch both GOM cod and GB cod, which has a much
higher proposed catch limit (1,886 mt) on the same trip. In the
proposed rule, we noted concern that the low GOM cod quota provides
a strong incentive to misreport (i.e., report GOM cod catch on
unobserved trips as GB cod), or underreport catch. We also received
public comments from state governments, environmental groups, and
industry groups raising the same concerns. While vessels fishing in
multiple broad stock areas are currently required to submit
trip-level VMS catch reports (approved under OMB Control No.
0648-0605), we determined that a daily report will help us better
ensure accurate apportionment of cod catch to the GOM and GB stock
areas, and help enforcement efforts. The daily reports will assist
NOAA Office of Law Enforcement officers and U.S. Coast Guard
officials in identifying misreporting during their compliance
checks. Ultimately, this will allow us to effectively track and
control mortality on the GOM cod stock. We also expect the daily
reports to promote more accurate trip declarations and catch
reporting from vessels, given that the daily VMS reporting
requirement can be avoided (meaning only the trip-level report
would be required) if vessels do not intend to fish in the GOM
Broad Stock area. Delaying implementation of the daily VMS trip
reporting requirement to receive approval of this information
collection under the normal timeframe limits our ability to enforce
the GOM cod catch limits during the first few months of the fishing
year. During the 2014 fishing year, GOM cod landings reached 65 mt
from May 1 to June 1. While this suggests that, if catch occurred
at a similar pace, less than a quarter of the 2015 GOM quota would
be landed during this period, there are additional circumstances,
namely higher quotas for co-occurring stocks, that suggest that
landings may occur more quickly over the same period this year.
Thus, expediting the approval of this reporting requirement is
essential to our efforts to minimize GOM cod mortality. Per the
Paperwork Reduction Act regulations, 5 C.F.R. Part 1320.13, we
believe that use of this emergency process is essential to the
mission of the agency, and the agency cannot reasonably comply with
the normal clearance procedures under this part because public harm
is reasonably likely to result if normal clearance procedures are
followed.
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
VMS Trip Catch Reports (Broad
Stock Requirements) increased from 105 vessels, 1,100 reports and
275 hours to 100 vessels, 3,050 reports and 763 hours and due to
the change, costs increased from $2,451 to $6,795. Net total
program changes: An increase of 1,950 responses, 488 hours and
$4,344. This is an annual increase of approximately 20 responses, 8
hours and $43 per affected vessel.
$1,763,826
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Aja Peters-Mason
9782819195
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.
Northwest Atlantic FIsheries Organization (NAFO_ reporting requirements transf from 0648-0202