The National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) manages the commercial shrimp fishery in federal waters of
the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) under the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan
(FMP). Regulations implementing the FMP require owners and
operators of federally permitted shrimp vessels, if selected by
NMFS, to carry an electronic logbook (ELB) on their vessel and
participate in the NMFS-sponsored electronic logbook reporting
program. ELBs provide a more precise means of estimating fishing
effort than paper logbooks. Using ELBs to estimate fishing effort
serves an important role to help estimate bycatch across the Gulf
shrimp fleet.
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
The number of respondents and
responses changes for this collection. As stated above, the Gulf
shrimp fishery requires a limited-access federal permit, and there
is a moratorium on new federal Gulf shrimp permits until October
26, 2026. As of September 12, 2019, the maximum number of vessels
that could be active and have an ELB unit on board at any one time
is 1,410. This is also the number of respondents and total annual
responses. This results in a corresponding decrease in the annual
burden hours and annual cost burden.
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.