This request is for a revision of a
currently approved information collection (resubmission with the
final rule). The United States’ participation in the Inter-American
Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) results in certain record keeping
requirements for U.S. vessel owners and operators who fish in the
IATTC’s area of management responsibility. Under Federal
regulations (50 CFR Part 300 Subpart C), these vessel owners and
operators must maintain a log of all operations conducted from the
fishing vessel, entering the date, noon position (latitude and
longitude or in relation to known physical features), and the
tonnage of fish aboard by species. This record keeping requirement
may be met by using the bridge log, which is furnished and
collected from vessel owners and operators by the IATTC. As a
practical matter, all U.S. vessel owners and operators use the
IATTC log rather than having to maintain two logbooks, and there is
no separate National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) form now in
use. In addition, vessel owners and operators would be required to
collect data specifically on fish aggregating devices (FADs) to
meet international obligations under IATTC Resolution C-16-01.
Owners and operators of a FAD would be required to record this
information on the standard form developed by the IATTC Secretariat
and provided to the owners and operators by NMFS Regional
Administrator. The record keeping requirements provide information
that is needed to assess the impacts of fishing on tuna stocks and
non-target species, to better understand the number and type of
FADs, and to evaluate the effectiveness of management measures. The
authority to implement Federal rules to meet U.S. responsibilities
to the IATTC is set forth in the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 951 et seq. .
US Code:
16
USC 951-962 Name of Law: Tuna Conventions Act of 1950
Adjustments: There is an
increase of responses by 1,950 and hours by 162 due to an increase
in the estimated number of large purse seine vessels participating
in the fishery that are required to send in logbooks (from 5
vessels to 15 vessels) The number of large purse seine vessels on
the IATTC Regional Vessel Register has increased from 5 in the past
two years due to ongoing negotiations for the South Pacific Tuna
Treaty and the interest expressed by vessel owners that typically
fish in the WCPO in relocating to the EPO. Program Change: In
addition, the FAD reporting has increased burden, with an
additional 10 minutes per report. This accounts for 488 of the
additional hours.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Rachael Wadsworth 562
980-4036
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.