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. NOAAâs 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
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.
Northwest Atlantic FIsheries Organization (NAFO_ reporting requirements transf from 0648-0202