Emergency Approval Request Memo

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Office of the Chief Information Officer
High Performance Computing and Communications
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

Dominic J. Mancini
Deputy Administrator
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Management and Budget
Washington DC
Subject: Adding Safety Questions related to COVID Pandemic and other Communicable
Diseases to Fisheries Observer Information Collection - Request for Emergency
Review and Clearance
OMB Control No. 0648-0593
Dear Dr. Mancini:
Pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures established at 5 CFR Part
1320, Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public, I request approval of the proposed
information collection revision to add safety questions related to the COVID pandemic and other
communicable diseases to the existing fisheries observer information collection. Given the
urgent need to address observer safety during ongoing deployments, I request that this revision
be processed as an Emergency Revision Request in accordance with section 1320.13, Emergency
Processing.
I have determined that the information must be collected prior to the expiration of time period
established under Part 1320, and that this information is essential to fulfill the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) mission to conserve and manage coastal and
marine ecosystems and resources. The Covid-19 pandemic is an unanticipated event that is
unprecedented in the sudden and dramatic manner in which it is impacting the health and
economic well-being of American citizens.
NOAA deploys fishery observers on United States (U.S.) fishing vessels and to fish processing
plants in order to collect biological and economic data. These observer programs provide the
only reliable and/or most effective method for obtaining information that is critical for the
conservation and management of living marine resources. All observers are employed by
contracting companies, referred to here as observer providers.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, NOAA published an emergency rule on March 27, 2020,
that provides NOAA the authority to waive requirements for fisheries observers on commercial
fishing boats. NOAA took this action to protect public health, economic security, food security,
and to safeguard the health and safety of fishermen, observers, and other persons involved with
such monitoring programs, while safeguarding the ability of fishermen to continue business
operations and produce seafood for the Nation.
In order to re-deploy and resume the integral role of observers on fishing boats, observer
providers have requested that NOAA obtain authorization to ask the communicable disease
related questions prior to deployment. Without that additional information, observer providers
may not allow deployment of their observers, which would jeopardize fulfillment of mandatory
observer monitoring requirements. The added safety questions are necessary to ensure that an
observer can be safely deployed on a specific fishing vessel or stationed at a specific processing
plant and work safely once assigned to a specific vessel or plant. The questions also provide the
observer with necessary information on protocols that will be followed were the observer or a
fishing crew member to become sick.
Given the unique conditions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, NOAA cannot reasonably
comply with the normal clearance process and requests emergency clearance. With your
emergency approval, NOAA is positioned to update observer questions to address safety
concerns, and re-deploy observers on commercial fishing boats, a vital part of sustainable marine
resource management. We commit to publishing a public notice about this information
collection in the Federal Register within 30 days of approval. We appreciate your understanding
of this urgent request and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
GOLDSTEIN.ZAC
HARY.G.1228698
985

Digitally signed by
GOLDSTEIN.ZACHARY.G.122
8698985
Date: 2020.06.04 14:20:48
-04'00'

Zachary G. Goldstein
Chief Information Officer and
Director, High Performance Computing
and Communications.