0648-0016 Supporting Statement A

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Southeast Logbook Family of Forms

OMB Control No. 0648-0016

Abstract

NMFS is seeking to revise and extend the information collections currently approved under OMB Control No. 0648-0016.

Regulatory Amendment 29 effective July 15, 2020, would require at least one descending device to be on board and ready for use on commercial, for-hire, and private recreational vessels while fishing for or possessing snapper-grouper species in the South Atlantic. Most recently the Descend Act was passed, which added a new section 321 to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This requires commercial and recreational fishermen to possess a venting tool or descending device that is rigged and ready for use when fishing for reef fish in the Gulf Exclusive Economic Zone. Descending devices increase survivability from barotrauma, which is injury caused by internal gas expansion when reeled up from depth. In addition to being asked to report the number of fish released respondents would be asked to report the method used to release fish as part of their current logbook submissions. The purpose of asking respondents to distinguish between fish releases without descending devices, fish released with gas bladders vented, and fish released with descending devices is to provide data needed by NMFS to accurately account for fishing mortality when performing stock assessments.

The proposed addition to collect information on the method used to release fish with descending devices would revise the currently approved information collections in OMB Control No. 0648-0016. NMFS seeks to revise this collection to add an additional question to the recreational Headboat part of the collection to make it more consistent with the data collected through the commercial discard logbook. The new column (#DESCENDED) will be added to the (#KEPT) and (#RELEASED) columns that are currently on the form. This will provide fishermen an opportunity to report which unwanted fish will be released to the bottom of the ocean, providing them a better chance at survival. NMFS has existing regulations that require specific types of recordkeeping and data reporting that are also approved under 0648-0016, and NMFS is requesting an extension of OMB approval. These data collections and regulations provide reliable and accurate information from the fishing industry and communities that support scientifically based management actions to achieve NMFS’ stewardship responsibilities.

Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that NMFS and regional fishery management councils prevent overfishing and achieve the optimum yield from federally managed fish stocks on a continuing basis. These mandates are intended to ensure that fishery resources are managed for the greatest overall benefit to the nation, particularly with respect to providing food production and recreational opportunities, and protecting marine ecosystems. To further this goal, the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the collection of reliable data essential to the effective conservation, management, and scientific understanding of the nation’s fishery resources. Specifically, Section 303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies data and analyses to be included in fishery management plans (FMPs), as well as pertinent data that must be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce under those FMPs. Additionally, the collection of recreational fisheries catch and effort data is necessary to comply with Executive Order 12962 on Recreational Fisheries.

NMFS has existing regulations in 50 CFR part 622 and approved information collections under 0648-0016 that require specific types of recordkeeping and reporting from the fishing industry and the communities to support scientifically based management actions to achieve NMFS’ stewardship responsibilities throughout the U.S. southeast region, which covers marine areas from Texas through North Carolina. The catch, effort and landings statistics that will be collected by the Southeast Logbook Family of Forms are necessary to provide NMFS with comprehensive and accurate data to estimate fishing mortality. Without these data, a significant increase in the uncertainty of stock assessment analyses is likely to occur and the error bounds around the stock benchmarks, such as maximum sustainable yield, will be unacceptably large. Although there were some minor industry disruptions during the initial phase of the pandemic, in general industry effort has been relatively normal and is expected to remain so. In locations where there were brief closures/ disruptions, these closures/disruptions were of similar impact to natural disasters (i.e., Hurricanes) and procedures are in place to account for strata with missing data.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

The information provided by the data collection activities in OMB Control No. 0648-0016 is used by several offices of NMFS, Fishery Management Council staffs, and state fishery agencies to develop, implement, and monitor fishery management regimes. NMFS, Fishery Management Councils, the fishing industry, congressional staff, and the public use summarizations and analyses of vessel data to answer questions about the nature of fisheries resources. Additionally these data serve as input for a variety of uses, such as biological analyses and fish stock assessments; Executive Order 12291 regulatory impact analyses; quota and allocation selections and monitoring; economic profitability profiles; trade and import tariff decisions; allocations of grant funds among states; identify ecological interactions among species. NMFS would be significantly hindered in its ability to fulfill the majority of its scientific research and fishery management missions without these data. The primary use of these data, however, is to support the management of the fisheries resources under Federal jurisdiction. The SEFSC routinely performs six to ten stock assessments per year using data collected under the Southeast Logbook Family of Forms (note, an assessment is not necessarily needed for each species every year; consequently, some assessments are performed every 3 to 5 years).

The Southeast Logbook Family of Forms has evolved as a means of collecting data from specific user groups within fisheries that are managed under federally implemented FMPs. NMFS’ SEFSC has the responsibility for both preparation of stock assessments (estimation of maximum sustainable yield or other indexes of biomass) and collection of the scientific data that are required to perform the assessments. A secondary data collection responsibility is to provide information that is necessary to routinely monitor and evaluate the conditions in the fisheries under federal management.

Similar data elements are required for most of the logbook forms or electronic reporting systems in this family of forms, although a few variables may be specific to one fishery or type of management technique regulating harvest.

a) Information such as name and address of a vessel operator and owner is used to identify the respondent and the legal entity controlling the fishing practices of the vessel. The legal entity requirement is essential in monitoring the compliance of the reporting requirement, where revocations of the operators permit or fines are involved. Because many vessels are owned by corporations, identification of an owner and operator on the logbook form allows NMFS to sanction the company as well as the individual vessel operator as necessary or required by the regulations. Information on the permit is obviously essential to monitoring reporting compliance.

b) Data on date of departure, date returned, days fished, duration of tows or sets, units of gear and mesh size used are all designed to quantify actual fishing effort. Fishing effort is needed to standardize differences in productivity among vessels or fishing grounds by establishing a rate of catch per unit time. These data allow comparisons over time, area and gear type of catches made by a variety of harvesters. Comparisons of catch and catch per unit effort (CPUE) over time are significant indicators of the biological status of the fisheries. Declining CPUE, especially if data on fishing effort are sufficiently detailed to adjust for changes in effort, can provide critical information on the status of the stock, i.e., that the level of harvest is beyond the level that is sustainable by growth and reproduction of the stock.

c) Area fished, depth of fishing, and latitude and longitude are variables that are used to establish fishing locations. This information can be related to other oceanographic and biological information to predict species availability and likely future abundance. For example, location of capture can be correlated to sea surface temperature measured by satellite to predict possible migration patterns. In addition, area or zone fished is used to cross reference locations where fishing is not permissible (such as closed spawning areas).

d) Species information such as landings information is needed because controlling the quantity of fish harvested is often the means for ensuring that harvests can be replenished over time. Sizes of fish is the basic measure of fishing success, from which fishermen, biologists and economists infer conclusions about the status of the fishery. The number of fish discarded and the method used to release fish with gas bladders vented, and fish released with descending devices or fish released without descending devices is used to accurately account for fishing mortality when performing stock assessments

e) The name of a buyer, dealer number, and port of landing are data used to cross reference the quantity of fish caught with the quantity that is handled (processed) by the market. The important cross reference is between the total amount of catch, and the respective sizes of individual fish. It would be impossible for fishermen to measure individual fish as they are being caught and stored on board the vessels. However, many species of fish, especially the large pelagic species, are individually weighted by the dealers and these weights are recorded as part of the sales transactions. By knowing the dealer that purchased the fish, cross references can be made between data submitted by the dealers and the data from the logbooks. Combining the data in this manner provides greater precision on the CPUE estimates and more information on the sizes of catches by location and time.

f) Trip cost information such as fuel, tackle, bait, ice, labor, and miscellaneous expenses associated with the effort data for individual trips is use for evaluating regulatory proposals and to better understand how the cost of fishing varies with changes in fishing effort. With a better quantitative understanding of these relationships, NMFS can provide better estimates of the potential impacts of management regulations on fishing effort.

g) A separate form or response is required for many of the logbook reporting forms in 0648-0016 when a vessel does not fish during an entire calendar month or another defined period. These no-fishing report forms are necessary to assure NMFS that the vessel did not fish instead of failing to report. The information on the no-fishing form is minimal, i.e., only the vessel ID, vessel name, the month or other period in which the vessel did not fish, and the federal permits that vessel has been issued (a check box is provided for ease of identifying the permits). Most no-fishing forms are located in the back of the logbook booklets and are to be submitted via mail in the self-addressed, stamped envelopes provided by NMFS. Because of the nature of the reporting, no-fishing reports are not required for the headboat trip report, the live rock report, the annual fixed cost survey, the cost-earnings form (this information is included on the regular coastal logbook form), and the supplemental discard form.

The following are brief descriptions of the 0648-0016 information collections.

SRHS. Fishing from a headboat is a type of recreational fishing and represents a relatively small, but specialized component and the data collection of information from this fishery component by SEFSC predates and is separate from the MRIP data collection (0648-0052). To collect trip-level catch and effort data from this fishery in the Gulf and South Atlantic, a separate logbook program collects these data on a weekly basis, which is more precise information than the MRIP survey. Total catch and participation estimates for all headboat fishing activity are made from the SRHS. The need for good quality, representative catch per unit effort (CPUE) and species composition data from this recreational fishery component is the primary reason that this program was implemented.

Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish, South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, King and Spanish Mackerel, Shark, Atlantic Dolphin and Wahoo logbook (coastal logbook). The program to collect logbook data in the Gulf of Mexico was initiated in April 1990. The purpose of the program is to provide critically needed data on individual fishing trips for species in this important management unit. The diversity of gear in this fishery (i.e., longline, hook and line, traps, spears, and buoy) and the variety of species increases the need to have detailed CPUE and species composition data. Furthermore, because species in this management unit are not migratory, it is important that detailed information on the CPUE and species composition are collected by area, so that assessments can be made for major reef complexes to determine how fishing effort is affecting these complexes over time.

This logbook program includes only fishermen who have been issued a federal vessel permit and are required to sell their catches to established (permitted) seafood dealers. Consequently, for-hire recreational fishermen do not submit logbooks for the Gulf reef fish fishery (see the description for the for-hire headboat catch reports above).

The logbook program for the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery was initiated in January 1992. The purpose of this program, as for the Gulf reef fish program, is to collect data on fishing effort, CPUE, and species composition. The snapper-grouper fishery is similar to the fishery for reef fish in the Gulf; consequently, the logbook forms used for the two fisheries are the same.

Although sharks are part of the Highly Migratory Species fishery management plan, and the reporting burden for these species are covered by OMB Control No. 0648-0371, the fishing operations for large and small coastal sharks are very similar to the fishing methods for Gulf reef fish and South Atlantic snapper-grouper species. Thus, the coastal logbook form (OMB Control No. 0648-0016) includes space for fishermen to report the catch, effort, and area of catch for coastal sharks. The pelagic shark fisherman will continue to report using the highly migratory species logbook (OMB Control No. 0648-0371).

As with the fisheries in OMB Control No. 0648-0016, the purpose of the logbook program for king and Spanish mackerel is to collect catch, effort and area for this fishery in both the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic. The assessments for king and Spanish mackerel were improved by the availability of this CPUE data. There are other species in this fishery management plan; however, logbook reporting for these species is not required via this logbook at this time.

Cost-earnings data section. The purpose of this data collection (20 percent sample) is to provide economic information about commercial fishermen in federal waters, which is necessary for the agency to address National Standard 8 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The reporting form requests information about operating costs associated with the individual fishing trips. The intent is to use the cost information associated with the effort data for individual trips to better understand how the cost of fishing varies with changes in fishing effort and the impacts of management measures on fishing communities. With a better (quantitative) understanding of these relationships, NMFS can provide better estimates of the potential impacts of management regulations on fishing effort.

Annual fixed cost survey for vessels required to use the coastal logbook. This survey is associated with the cost-earnings data collection. The purpose of this data collection is to provide information on the annual fixed costs (i.e., expenditures that are made infrequently throughout the year or only once per year) incurred by the commercial fishermen in federal waters. The survey instrument is sent to the same fishermen that are required to report their cost data for each trip.

Supplemental discard reporting logbook for vessels required to use the coastal logbook. This form was developed and initiated in August 2001, as a supplemental form to the Gulf of Mexico reef fish, South Atlantic snapper-grouper, shark and mackerel logbook form. The purpose of this instrument is to have the fishermen record the species and numbers of discards that they had for each trip. The form also asks the fishermen to report any interactions with marine mammals, endangered species or sea birds that they incurred on each trip. The purpose of this data collection is to collect information on the types and numbers of animals (species) that fishermen in these coastal fisheries discard or in the case of endangered species and marine mammals with which they interact, so the agency is able to address National Standard 9, which deals with bycatch. This data collection is conducted as a supplement to the regular logbook reporting so that the catch, effort and area of fishing can be associated with the discards or interactions.

Wreckfish logbook. The wreckfish fishery is part of the South Atlantic snapper-group management unit, but because there were concerns about the status of the wreckfish stock, specific management measures were implemented to collect data from vessels that harvest this species. Although separate logbooks are used for this fishery, they require the same basic CPUE and fishing location data as the other logbooks in the family, but the program also collects information on shares of the Individual Transferable Quota used during each trip.

Golden crab logbook. Fisheries for this species of deep water crabs occur in both the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic. This logbook program is designed to collect the quantity of golden crab that are caught in designated areas. The form is distinct from the other forms authorized by regulations (50 CFR Part 622) because lines of traps are used to catch these species and the amount of catch needs to be reported by trap line instead of for an entire trip.

South Atlantic for-hire electronic reporting. This information collection includes federally permitted charter vessels in Atlantic coastal migratory pelagic, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper fisheries, and does not include for-hire vessels in the SRHS. Permit holders must submit trip-level electronic fishing reports (logbooks) at weekly intervals, or at shorter intervals if notified by NMFS, through NMFS-approved hardware and software. Information collected includes fishing location and effort, fish harvested and discarded, as well as socio-economic and other data. The purpose of the final rule is to increase and improve fisheries information collected from federally permitted for-hire vessels in the Atlantic. The information is expected to improve recreational fisheries management of the for-hire component in the Atlantic.

Gulf of Mexico for-hire electronic reporting. This information collection includes federally permitted charter vessels in Gulf reef fish and Gulf CMP fisheries, and does not include for-hire vessels in the SRHS. Information collected includes fishing location and effort, fish harvested and discarded, as well as socio-economic and other data. The purpose of this program is to increase and improve fisheries information collected from federally permitted for-hire vessels in the Gulf, which in turn, is expected to improve recreational fisheries management of the for-hire component in the Gulf.

The trip declaration requires charter fishermen to notify NMFS prior to departing on any trip and declare whether they are departing on a for-hire trip, or on any other trip type. Permit holders must submit trip-level electronic fishing reports (logbooks) through NMFS-approved hardware and software after each trip and before offloading fish from the vessel.

Landing locations must be verified by NMFS before they can be used by fishermen, to ensure the sites exist, and so that port sampling agents and law enforcement can access the sites to meet a vessel at the end of a trip for biological sampling and landings validation. If a desired landing location is not already approved or verified by NMFS, fishermen must submit a Landing Location Request form to NMFS. This validation will improve the data being collected.

The Gulf For-hire Electronic Reporting Program requires a Gulf for-hire permittee to install a vessel monitoring system (VMS), and submit the VMS Installation & Activation Certification form, and use NMFS-approved hardware and software with GPS location capabilities that, at a minimum, archive vessel position data during a trip for subsequent transmission to NMFS. For the purpose of verifying whether a vessel is at the dock or is fishing, the final rule requires location monitoring by a cellular or satellite VMS unit that is permanently affixed to the vessel and has an uninterrupted power supply, unless NMFS grants a specific exemption to power-down the cellular or satellite VMS unit via the VMS Power-down Exemption Request form.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also, describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

Electronic reporting is being utilized to report the detailed, trip level data for three of the logbook programs - the SRHS, and the Gulf and South Atlantic For-hire Electronic Reporting Programs. A web-based electronic reporting program is being used to report months where fishing has not occurred in the coastal fisheries logbook. NMFS is investigating various methods of recording and reporting CPUE data from at sea vessels of the other fisheries including tablet and smart phone applications developed by third party companies. However, the large number of vessels involved in the affected fisheries and the cost per participant for the electronic and telecommunication equipment must be considered before mandating its use by fishermen. These costs significantly limit the options available for electronic reporting by vessel operators. NMFS will accept any data in an electronic format that can be easily read and inputted into the existing database management system currently utilized.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Question 2.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act's operational guidelines require each FMP to evaluate existing state and federal laws that govern the fisheries in question, and the findings are made part of each FMP. Each fishery management council membership is composed of state and federal officials responsible for resource management in their state or area. This joint participation enables identification of other collections that may be gathering the same or similar information. In addition, each FMP undergoes extensive public comment periods where potential applicants review the proposed permit application requirements. Therefore, NMFS is confident it would be aware of similar collections if they existed.

Detailed information on CPUE, effort and species composition by gear and area is not available from other sources. Some states, notably Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina, have programs to collect landings by species for individual fishing trips (i.e., operational trip ticket programs), but these programs do not include the detailed information on location and effort that are required in the reporting requirements for this OMB request. Furthermore, these programs collect the data from seafood processors, and not fishermen, whereas logbooks are submitted directly by the fishermen.

NMFS collaborates with state natural resource agencies and the regional interstate fisheries commission on the Gulf coast to ensure that recreational fisheries data collections are not duplicative. Every five years, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) of the U.S. Department of the Interior conducts the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (OMB Control No. 1018-0088). This survey collects minimal information about annual recreational saltwater fishing activity within the context of additional recreational activities.

The intercept survey does not overlap with SRHS also approved under OMB Control No. 0648-0016. SRHS has its own validation program; however, it is not possible to use the SRHS data validation program to validate data from Gulf for-hire vessels not in the SRHS. To ensure sampling and effort is not duplicated, the introductory questions of the intercept survey would screen out any participants in SRHS.

The Texas survey, LA Creel, and MRIP do survey trips from federal for-hire vessels, but the data from these surveys are not adequate to validate data from the Gulf For-hire Electronic Reporting Program. First, the Texas survey, LA Creel, and MRIP are designed to sample multiple modes of recreational fishing (charter, private, and shore). Therefore, these surveys could not intercept enough federally permitted for-hire vessels to provide statistically valid results. Second, the Texas survey, LA Creel, and MRIP interview the anglers of the trip, not the captain or deckhand for the entire catch on the vessel. Therefore, the Texas survey, LA Creel, and MRIP would not interview the individual that submitted the electronic logbook which could introduce bias into the results because the angler will not be the individual submitting the electronic logbook. Third, the anglers may not be noting the catch of the trip, or they may not be familiar with the species. Fourth, the anglers may not be familiar with the federal for-hire permit information and vessel identification data that is needed to match the electronic logbooks and the intercept survey results.

Finally, as described earlier, there are several separate logbook forms included in the Southeast Logbook Family of Forms and several of the forms are used for multiple fisheries. For example, the data reporting required by the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, CMP, and the Gulf Reef Fish FMPs and federal regulations have been combined and are reported on a single form. This approach is helpful for respondents because many fishermen hold multiple federal permits and participate in multiple fisheries.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

Because NMFS considers all respondents to be small businesses, there are not separate information collection requirements based on size of business. The estimated burden on the respondents is be minimized by collecting only the minimum data to meet the analytical needs of NMFS.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

If the intercept survey is not conducted, NMFS would not have for-hire fisheries catch and effort information to compare with and validate the Gulf For-hire Electronic Reporting Program to support fishery stock assessments and management. An ongoing intercept survey is required to monitor differences from the reported electronic logbooks and the intercept survey results to obtain the best scientific information available. The intercept survey is an integral part of the regulatory requirement for the Gulf for-hire logbook already approved under OMB Control Number 0648-0016. Without such validation, the usefulness of the Gulf for-hire logbook data would be limited for management advice and stock assessments due to the uncertainty of the results. Validation procedures are critical to assessing the accuracy and completeness of submitted logbook reports (Mion et al. 2015)¹. Validation of vessel activity or inactivity is critical to determining compliance with logbook reporting requirements. Information on whether or not a vessel is in or out of port on a particular day can be matched with logbook records to determine if vessel activity was accurately reported. Dockside validation would also serve the secondary and essential function of collecting biological samples from the Gulf for-hire fishery. These samples are necessary to characterize the landings for use in stock assessments and to monitor the health of the stocks.

For the other existing information collections under 0648-0016, the consequence of not having detailed catch and species composition data would increase the uncertainty associated with the stock assessments that are the basis for sound management decisions. As with any statistical analysis, the confidence limits (bounds) for specific points will be large if there is significant uncertainty in the data. With the availability of the logbook data, the sample sizes for the various stratifications of gear and area are sufficiently large to reduce the uncertainty in the data to acceptable levels.

The logbook data also provide critical information on the type and amount of effort. Without these data, there would be no way of knowing whether changes in total catch are due to changes in fishing effort or changes in the abundance of the resource, or both.

If the economic data (cost, earnings, and fixed cost) were collected less frequently or not at all, then economists would be less able to estimate the effects of regulations on financial performance or fishermen’s expected reactions to additional regulations. Future proposed fisheries regulations would continue to be debated with limited economic information. Another consequence of not having representative economic data could be judicial remand of conservation regulations challenged on grounds of inadequate analysis of economic impact to individual firms.

Not having discard data would also increase the uncertainty associated with the stock assessments. Furthermore, there is a lack of scientifically collected information on discards in many of these fisheries and consequently, it is difficult to determine whether discarding is a significant problem. Clearly, the data from observers in other fisheries, notably the pelagic longline fishery, show that discards are substantial and that their occurrence is variable. Consequently, NMFS has determined that it is necessary to collect discard data for coastal fisheries.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

The intercept survey would require respondents to report their fishing effort and catch data on a randomly selected basis after the end of their fishing trips. Due to the high level of federal for-hire fishing activity in the Gulf it is likely that some respondents would be interviewed more than four times each year.

Federal regulations require fishermen to submit completed logbooks for all trips or sets for several reasons. First, it is critical that these data be timely. For fisheries that are significantly overfished, it is important to monitor changes in fishing mortality. Secondly, the renewal of federal vessel permits is predicated on compliance with the reporting requirements, and timely data are needed to determine whether fishermen are complying on a regular basis. Thirdly, quality control of the logbook data is better when the review and verification process is closer to the actual time that fishing occurred.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publications in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register on October 12, 2021 (86 FR 56691) to solicit public comments on the extension and revision of the 0648-0016 information collection. NMFS did not receive any comments. Although NMFS did not receive public comments on the published notice, NMFS is part of a cooperative program to collect fishery statistics a compilation of research recommendations (http://sedarweb.org/research-recomendations. SEFSC personnel meet with state, territorial, and regional coordinators of fisheries statistics collection programs throughout the year to discuss, coordinate and improve data collections.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

This data collection will not include any incentives to prospective respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy. If the collection requires a systems of records notice (SORN) or privacy impact assessment (PIA), those should be cited and described here.

Should respondents have any questions related to the program, the port samplers would provide an intercept survey information sheet explaining the program details and that responses are kept confidential as required by section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens and NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics, and would not be released for public use except in aggregate statistical form without identification as to its source. Section 402(b) stipulates that data required to be submitted under an FMP to be confidential and would not be released by NMFS except to federal employees and Council staff responsible for FMP monitoring and development, or when required under court order. Additionally access to confidential data requires the user to have a current nondisclosure agreement be on file with NMFS.

As stated on the forms and the logbook cover, data collected via OMB Control No. 0648-0016 are treated in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Confidential Fisheries Statistics. Reports are considered confidential under the Trade Secrets Act. In addition, landings statistics are considered to be in an entrepreneurial capacity and will be exempt from the Privacy Act concerns. It is the policy of the NMFS that confidential data are not to be released to non-authorized users, other than in aggregate form, as the Magnuson-Stevens Act protects (in perpetuity) the confidentiality of those submitting data. Whenever data are requested, the NMFS ensures that information identifying the pecuniary business activity of a particular vessel is not identified.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

No sensitive questions are asked.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

Information Collection	Type of Respondent (e.g., Occupational Title)	# of Respondents (a)	Annual # of Responses / Respondent (b)	Total # of Annual Responses (c) = (a) x (b)	Burden Hrs / Response (d)	Total Annual Burden Hrs (e) = (c) x (d)	Hourly Wage Rate (for Type of Respondent) (f)	Total Annual Wage Burden Costs (g) = (e) x (f)
Headboat Logbook	Vessel Captain	139	183.6	25,527		3,984	26.16	104,246.53
Headboat Logbook		139		23,452	10m	3,916	26.16	102,455.22
Headboat Logbook - No fishing report		139		2,075	2m	68	26.16	1,791.31
Annual Cost Survey for Snapper-Grouper, Reef Fish, Mackerel, and Dolphin-Wahoo Permit Holders	Vessel Captain	693	1	712	45m	534	26.16	13,969.44
Economic Trip Cost Logbook for SE Coastal Fisheries	Vessel Captain	693	21	14,952	10m	2,497	26.16	65,321.10
Coastal Logbook - Vessel Trip Report	Vessel Captain	3,441	19.4	66,751		7,052	26.16	184,500.70
Coastal Logbook - Vessel Trip Report		3,441		36,194	10m	6,044	26.16	158,121.45
Coastal Logbook - No fishing report		3,441		30,557	2m	1,008	26.16	26,379.25
Discard report for Snapper-Grouper, Reef Fish, Mackerel and Dolphin-Wahoo Permit Holders	Vessel Captain	474	9	12,296	15m	3,074	26.16	80,415.84
Golden Crab Log Report	Vessel Captain	11	17.18	189		22	26.16	573.30
Golden Crab Logbook		11		117	10m	20	26.16	511.14
Golden Crab Logbook - No fishing report		11		72	2m	2	26.16	62.16
Wreckfish Trip Report Logbook	Vessel Captain	7	11.43	80		9	26.16	244.34
Wreckfish Trip Report Logbook		7		50	10m	8	26.16	218.44
Wreckfish Logbook - No fishing report		7		30	2m	1	26.16	25.9
South Atlantic For-hire Elec Reporting Prgm)	Vessel Captain	2,119	78.8	166,986		25,625	26.16	670,350.00
Fishing report (charter vessels)		2,119		150,438	10m	25,073	26.16	655,909.68
No-fishing report (charter vessels)		2,119		16,548	2m	552	26.16	14,440.32
Gulf For-hire Electronic Reporting Program	Fishermen	325	0.34	109	5 hours	542	26.16	14,178.72
Intercept Survey (to validate Gulf For-hire Pgrm)	Fishermen	1,150	1	1,150	15m	288	26.16	7,534.08
Landing location request	Fishermen	1,368	0.29	400	5m	33	26.16	863.28
Trip declaration	Fishermen	1,368	94.08	128,700	2m	4,290	26.16	112,226.40
Fishing report (per trip)	Fishermen	1,368	94.08	128,700	10m	21,450	26.16	561,132.00
Power-down exemption request	Fishermen	1,368	0.25	342	5m	29	26.16	758.64
Totals				546,894		69,429		1,816,314.37

Hourly wage rate source: March 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for “first-line supervisors/managers of farming, fishing, and forestry workers (45-1011)” at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#45-0000.

The numbers of respondents, responses and burden hours in the above table are based on the actual reporting activity for these fisheries for the five year average during 2015-2019. For data collection programs that have not established a 5 year history the current estimates were used. There are 6,971 unique respondents in the current OMB inventory, the newly estimated number of unique respondents is 6,867. Thus, there is a decrease of 104 unique respondents from the current inventory. There are 545,535 estimated responses in the current OMB inventory, the newly estimated number of responses is 547,910. Thus, there is an increase of 2,375 responses from the current inventory. There are 69,165 burden hours in the current OMB inventory, the newly estimated burden is 69,429 hours. Thus, there is an increase of 266 hours from the current inventory. The increase can be attributed to seasonal fishing differences.

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden already reflected on the burden worksheet).

For the current approved information collections, NMFS provides respondents with addressed, postage-paid envelopes that they use to return the completed forms. The table below summarizes the estimated costs for the information collections under 0648-0016.

Information Collection	# of Respondents (a)	Annual # of Responses / Respondent (b)	Total # of Annual Responses (c)=(a) x (b)	Cost Burden per Response ($) (h)	Total Annual Cost Burden (i) = (c) x (h)
South Atlantic For-hire Elec Reporting Prgm Operations and maintenance costs	212	1	212	600	$127,200
Computer and Internet start-up costs 2021	212	1	212	100	$63,600; $21,200 annualized
Gulf For-hire Electronic Reporting Program Purchase of monitoring unit	325	1	325	1,000	$325,000; $108,000 annualized
Installation of monitoring unit	325	1	325	500	$162,500; $54,167 annualized
Landing location request	n/a	n/a	132	0.60	$79 annualized
Reporting requirements total	1,368	≈ 94	128,700	≈ 10.84	$1,395,360
Trip declaration	included	included	included	included
Fishing report per trip	included	included	included	included
Location reporting	included	included	included	included
Power-down exemption request	342	1	342	0.60	$205
TOTALS (annualized estimates)			130,248		$1,706,211

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

Cost Descriptions	Grade or Step	Loaded Salary or Cost	Percent of Effort	Fringe (if Applicable)	Total Cost to Government
Intercept Survey Compliance Coordinator	GS- 11	$110,000	100		$110,000
Supplies (annual)		$1,000			$1,000
Travel (annual)		$10,000			$10,000
Port Agents (10)		$65,000	100		$650,000
Administrative		$70,000	100		$70,000
Equipment (one-time)		$2,500			$25,000
Vehicle Purchase (10, one-time)		$25,000			$250,000
Vehicle Maintenance (10, annual)		$2,500			$25,000
Sampling Costs (1,150 interviews)		≈$189			$217,600
Sub-total, annualized					$1,213,533.34
Logbook Programs, remaining
Federal employees (10)		150,000	50		750,000
Contractors (5, annual)		100,000	70		350,000
IT support (4, annual)		137,500	100		550,000
Printing and postage (annual)					100,000
Sub-total					1,750,000
Cost Descriptions	Grade or Step	Loaded Salary or Cost	Percent of Effort	Fringe (if Applicable)	Total Cost to Government
Gulf For-hire Reporting Pgrm Federal Program Manager	GS-13	150,000	100		150,000
VMS Technician (4)	GS-11	100,000	100		400,000
QA/QC Technician (5)	GS-11	100,000	100		500,000
Compliance Agent (4)	GS-11	100,000	100		400,000
Customer Service Rep (2)	Contractor	60,000	100		120,000
Port Agents (10)	Contractor	75,000	100		750,000
Travel (annual)		20,000			20,000
Sampling Design (one-time)		10,000			10,000; annualized 3,333
Sampling Equipment (annual)		10,000			10,000
Vehicles (10, one-time))		35,000			350,000; annualized 116,667
Fuel (annual)		17,000			17,000
Vehicle Maintenance (10, annual)		1,000			10,000
Sampling Equipment (annual)		10,000			10,000
Computers (25, one-time)		1,500			37,500; annualized 12,500
Phone Line (annual)		1,000			1,000
Subtotal					2,520,500
TOTAL					$5,484,033.34

The intercept survey start-up year cost to the federal government is $1,357,800 with an estimated annual cost thereafter of $1,107,800. The annualized cost over the first three-year period would be $1,213,533.

The majority of annual costs to the Federal Government for the information collections under OMB Control No. 0648-0016 is estimated to be $1,816,314 per year. Many of these logbook programs share resources such as program staff and computer support. Therefore, these calculations were made for all the programs combined, and include a) printing costs which includes the cost of the postage-paid envelopes of approximately $100,000 annually, b) program staff and sight review and data entry of approximately $1,100,000 annually that includes 10 full-time employees and 5 part time contractors, c) form development, and program management costs of approximately $550,000 annually that includes 2 full time employees and approximately 2 contracts for computer related support.

NMFS expects the South Atlantic For-hire Electronic Reporting Program will increase annual costs to the Federal Government, because there will be an increased administrative burden, as all federally permitted charter vessels will be required to submit electronic reports to NMFS. This is a large increase in the number of vessels reporting electronically. However, no SEFSC application is configured to accept this information, so a software platform and database will also have to be developed or existing programs modified. NMFS is planning to minimize these costs by working through an existing program, by having data submitted through Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program, also known as ACCSP. However, the details of the data collection program required to implement the final rule, as well as the estimated costs, are still to be determined.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in ROCIS.

Information Collection	Respondents		Responses		Burden Hours		Reason for change or adjustment
	Current Renewal / Revision	Previous Renewal / Revision	Current Renewal / Revision	Previous Renewal / Revision	Current Renewal / Revision	Previous Renewal / Revision
Headboat Logbook	139	142	25,527	23,720	3,984	3,632	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg). Number of respondents decreased but burden time increased due to an increase in number of fishing trips and a decrease in # of months where no fishing trips were made by active vessels
Headboat Logbook	139		23,452	21,312	3,916	3,552
Headboat Logbook - No fishing report	139		2,075	2,408	68	80
Annual Cost Survey for Snapper-Grouper, Reef Fish, Mackerel, and Dolphin-Wahoo Permit Holders	693	693	712	693	534	520	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg)
Economic Trip Cost Logbook for SE Coastal Fisheries	693	693	14,952	14,224	2,497	2,371	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg)
Coastal Logbook - Vessel Trip Report	3,441	3,466	66,751	67,275	7,052	7,114	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg)
Coastal Logbook - Vessel Trip Report	3,441		36,194	36,535	6,044	6,089
Coastal Logbook - No fishing report	3,441		30,557	30,740	1,008	1,025
Discard report for Snapper-Grouper, Reef Fish, Mackerel and Dolphin-Wahoo Permit Holders	474	474	12,296	12,933	3,074	3,233	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg)
Golden Crab Log Report	11	12	189	231	22	29	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg)
Golden Crab Logbook	11		117	164	20	27
Golden Crab Logbook - No fishing report	11		72	67	2	2
Wreckfish Trip Report Logbook	7	6	80	72	9	9	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg). Number of respondents increased, but total burden time increase <1hr accordingly
Wreckfish Trip Report Logbook	7		50	48	8	8
Wreckfish Logbook - No fishing report	7		30	24	1	1	Adjustment for seasonal fishing differences (2015-2019 avg)
Charter Vessel Logbook (change to - South Atlantic For-hire Elec Reporting Prgm)	2,119	2,119	166,986	166,986	25,625	25,625	current estimate. IC title change to improve clarity.
Fishing report (charter vessels)	2,119		150,438	150,438	25,073	25,073
No-fishing report (charter vessels)	2,119		16,548	16,548	552	552
Purchase and Installation of VMS or GPS (Change to - Gulf For-hire Electronic Reporting Program)	325	325	109	109	542	542	current estimate. IC title change to improve clarity.
Intercept Survey (to validate Gulf For-hire Pgrm)	1,150	1,150	1,150	1,150	288	288	current estimate
Landing location request	1,368	1,368	400	400	33	33	current estimate
Trip declaration	1,368	1,368	128,700	128,700	4,290	4,290	current estimate
Fishing report (per trip)	1,368	1,368	128,700	128,700	21,450	21,450	current estimate
Power-down exemption request	1,368	1,368	342	342	29	29	current estimate
Total for Collection	6867*	6971*	546,894	545,535	69,429	69,165
Difference	-104		1,359		264

Information Collection	Labor Costs		Miscellaneous Costs		Reason for change or adjustment
	Current	Previous	Current	Previous
Headboat Logbook	$ 104,246.53	$ 91,708.00			Updates wage estimates
Headboat Logbook	$ 102,455.22	$ 89,688.00
Headboat Logbook - No fishing report	$ 1,791.31	$ 2,020.00
Annual Cost Survey for Snapper-Grouper, Reef Fish, Mackerel, and Dolphin-Wahoo Permit Holders	$ 13,969.44	$ 13,130.00
Economic Trip Cost Logbook for SE Coastal Fisheries	$ 65,321.10	$ 59,867.75
Coastal Logbook - Vessel Trip Report	$ 184,500.70	$ 179,628.50
Coastal Logbook - Vessel Trip Report	$ 158,121.45	$ 153,747.25
Coastal Logbook - No fishing report	$ 26,379.25	$ 25,881.25
Discard report for Snapper-Grouper, Reef Fish, Mackerel and Dolphin-Wahoo Permit Holders	$ 80,415.84	$ 81,633.25
Golden Crab Log Report	$ 573.30	$ 732.25
Golden Crab Logbook	$ 511.14	$ 681.75
Golden Crab Logbook - No fishing report	$ 62.16	$ 50.50
Wreckfish Trip Report Logbook	$ 244.34	$ 227.25
Wreckfish Trip Report Logbook	$ 218.44	$ 202.00
Wreckfish Logbook - No fishing report	$ 25.90	$ 25.25
Charter Vessel Logbook (change to - South Atlantic For-hire Elec Reporting Prgm)	$ 670,350.00	$ 646,491.25	$ 148,400	$ 148,400
Fishing report (charter vessels)	$ 655,909.68	$ 633,093.25
No-fishing report (charter vessels)	$ 14,440.32	$ 13,398.00
Purachase and Installation of VMS or GPS (Change to - Gulf For-hire Electronic Reporting Program)	$ 14,178.72	$ 13,685.50	$ 162,167	$ 162,167
Intercept Survey (to validate Gulf For-hire Pgrm)	$ 7,534.08	$ 7,272.00
Landing location request	$ 863.28	$ 833.25	$ 79	$ 79
Trip declaration	$ 112,226.40	$ 108,322.50	$ 1,395,360	$1,395,360
Fishing report (per trip)	$ 561,132.00	$ 541,612.50
Power-down exemption request	$ 758.64	$ 732.25	$ 205	$ 205
Total for Collection	$1,816,314.37	$1,745,876.25	$ 1,706,211	$1,706,211
Difference	70,438.12		No change

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

The results from this collection are not expected to be published but will be used as empirical input to stock assessments, economic analyses, and other analyses of proposed or existing fishery management regulations prepared by NMFS.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

The agency plans to display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection on all instruments.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.”

The agency certifies compliance with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

1 Mion, M., Piras,C., Fortibuoni, T., Celić, I., Franceschini, G., Giovanardi, O., Belardinelli, A., Martinelli, M., and S.Raicevich. 2015. Collection and validation of self-sampled e-logbook data in a Mediterranean demersal trawl fishery. Regional Studies in Marine Science. 2, 76-86.

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