This collection affects businesses that provide certified-observers and certified-catch monitors. The information collected from these businesses is necessary for scheduling candidates for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) trainings, briefings and debriefings and for monitoring the observer's wellbeing and safety while deployed. This data collection also affects vessels in the limited entry fixed gear and open access sectors in that it requires representatives for vessels (owner, operator or manager) to provide logistical information necessary to place observers on vessels when requested by NMFS.
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 303
Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
Adjustments:
On January 1, 2011, a trawl rationalization program was implemented. Under trawl catch shares, the requirements for catch monitors were added and observer providers became responsible for handling all observer logistics. The Observer Program and Catch Monitor Program must obtain information from multiple providers on whom they're hiring (so qualified candidates can be registered for training), where observers and catch monitors are deployed (so we know which vessels and first receivers are covered). The reporting requirements from the providers to NMFS ensure the wellbeing of observers and catch monitors as well as effective program management.
⢠Catch monitor provider submissions were added to the regulations on January 1, 2011 when the new monitoring program was implemented. However, the burden associated with the provider reporting requirements were inadvertently missed and therefore an adjustment is being made to add the existing reporting requirements to this collection, adding 530 responses and 100 hours.
⢠The number of observer briefings/physical exam notices/debriefings was adjusted from 200 to 150, with a decrease of 50 respondents and 5 hours. However, based on a comment on the proposed rule, the response time was adjusted from 7 minutes to 15 minutes, adding 38 hours.
⢠Provider insurance certificates, previously required but not included, was added (catch monitor requirements are included in the burden stated above, while 5 responses and 1 hour were added for observer providers).
⢠Observer safety checklist submission to NMFS was also not previously included; this added 900 responses and 75 hours.
⢠Projected observer assignments are now part of the weekly status reports information collection. This removes 250 separate responses and 21 hours.
⢠OMB Control No. 0648-0423, which included the burden for departure and cease fishing reports, was discontinued when collection 0648-0593 was created. However, the departure and cease fishing reports were not captured in the new collection. Therefore, the burden for departure and cease fishing reports has been reestablished in this collection. With the implementation of the trawlrationalization program and observer coverage required on every trip, departure and cease fishing reports are no longer required for the trawl fishery. Therefore the hours are reduced from what had been in OMB Control No. 0648-0423 as a result of the trawl vessel hours being removed. The current regulations at §660.216 and §660.316 continue to require vessels in the LEFG and OA fisheries to provide departure and cease fishing reports when requested by NMFS. A net of 1,315 responses and 220 hours was added.
Total for adjustments: Net increases of 2,450 responses and 391 hours.
Program Changes:
⢠Submission to NMFS upon request of informational materials provided to observers and catch monitors by the providers is a new requirement, adding 20 responses and 2 hours.
⢠Observer contact information/change in ownership has been removed; it is now part of the provider application process covered under OMB Control No. 0648-0619. This results in a decrease of 5 responses and 2 hours.
Total for program changes: Net increase of 15 responses and 0 hours (2 hours were added, and two subtracted).
A net total of 2,465 responses and 391 hours was added.
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.
Observer provider contact information/change in ownership
0500 revision_extension resubmission SS_060514 rev (1).doc
Observer provider contact information/change in ownership