U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Greater Atlantic Region Logbook Family of Forms
OMB Control No. 0648-0212
Abstract
This request is for extension of a current information collection.
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.
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) has responsibility for the conservation and management of marine fishery resources off the coast of the United States. The majority of this responsibility has been delegated to the Regional Fishery Management Councils (Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, New England Fishery Management Council) and the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The Councils develop management plans for fishery resources in New England.
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires that conservation and management measures must prevent over fishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield from each fishery. These measures must be based on the best scientific information available. The use of a web form based collection system (FishOnline) and vessel trip reports (VTR, or logbooks) are essential tools in the management of fishery resources. Section 303(a)(5) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifically identifies the kinds of data to be collected for fishery management plans (FMPs), and the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) obtains much of this data through FishOnline, VTR, and vessel monitoring system (VMS) (which is approved under the 0648-0202 information collection) data.
International, federal, state, and local fishery management authorities recognize the value of FishOnline and VTR data and use the data as a part of their management systems. Collected data is used by economists, biologists, and managers to develop, monitor, and enforce controls on fishery harvests.
Mandatory VTR reporting requirements are applied to all vessels permitted under the Atlantic mackerel, Atlantic chub mackerel, longfin squid, Illex squid, and butterfish fisheries (Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP); Atlantic salmon (Atlantic Salmon FMP); the Atlantic sea scallop fishery (Scallop FMP); the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries (Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog FMP); the NE multispecies and monkfish fisheries ((NE Multispecies FMP) and (Monkfish FMP)); the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries (Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP); the Atlantic bluefish fishery (Atlantic Bluefish FMP); the Atlantic herring fishery (Atlantic Herring FMP); the spiny dogfish fishery (Spiny Dogfish FMP); the Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery (Deep-Sea Red Crab FMP); the golden and blueline tilefish fisheries (Tilefish FMP); and the NE skate complex fisheries (Skate FMP). If a vessel is permitted in more than one of these fisheries, only one report needs to be submitted to fulfill reporting requirements for all species.
Currently, vessels with a tilefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Permit and open access herring permits are required to submit reports detailing their catch. A vessel fishing under a tilefish IFQ Allocation Permit must submit a tilefish catch report by using the FishOnline system within 48 hours after returning to port and offloading. Vessels with an open access herring permit must submit catch reports, on a weekly basis, for weeks in which herring were landed. This reporting is necessary to monitor catch levels in a timely manner, so that effort controls can be implemented before catch limits are attained.
Any Northeast fishery permit holder fishing under an exempted fishing permit (EFP) is required to report catch through the FishOnline system. An EFP is a permit issued by NMFS that exempts a vessel from specific regulations to conduct research. For quota monitoring purposes, catch under an EFP is treated as commercial landings and, therefore, EFP catch is accounted for under the normal commercial fishery. However, because EFPs exempt vessels from the regulations, these landings need to be tracked separately. This allows NMFS to conduct additional project monitoring and enforcement oversight, ensuring that research is being conducted as proposed and exemptions from regulations aren’t being abused.
Similarly, Northeast permit holders participating in a research set-aside (RSA) program are required to report RSA catch through the FishOnline system. Typically, a portion of the overall fishery-wide quota is set aside for RSA fishing. Researchers apply to obtain RSA quota through a grant process with NMFS. To monitor RSA catch and to ensure RSA quota grants are not exceeded, catch information is recorded and monitored through the FishOnline system. The general information collected under this requirement includes: state of landing; pounds landed and discarded by species; vessel permit number; and exempted fishing code. In addition, some RSA programs may have different reporting requirements based on management measures specific to that fishery.
Two other regulations require reporting through the FishOnline system; declaration of days out of the gillnet fishery for NE multispecies and monkfish vessels, and Departure/Landing call-in for monkfish and occasional scallop vessels. The first requirement, declaring out of the gillnet fishery (aka spawning blocks), stipulates that NE multispecies vessels declare their required 20-day spawning season block of time out of the NE multispecies fishery. NE multispecies vessels who are day gillnetters must declare their blocks of time out of the non-exempt gillnet fishery.
Monkfish permit holders who are not required to have a VMS system along with occasional scallop vessels that have elected not to fish under VMS notification requirements (at §648.10(b)) and are not participating in the Sea Scallop Access Area program (listed at §648.60), must use the FishOnline system to declare the start and end of their trips. Both of these fisheries are managed under a days-at-sea (DAS) system whereby a specific number of DAS per year is allocated to monkfish\occasional scallop permit holders.
Vessel monitoring system requirements often supersede and take the place of FishOnline reporting requirements. Therefore, any monkfish or scallop permit holder that holds another permit (commonly Northeast multispecies) requiring the use of a VMS, would report this information via VMS rather than through FishOnline. The VMS collection of information requirements is covered in OMB Control No. 0648-0202, Greater Atlantic Region Permit Family of Forms.
The current regulations outlining the reporting requirements for vessel owners and operators are specified at 50 CFR 648.7(b).
The information collected using FishOnline and VTRs is used by several offices of the NOAA Fisheries Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Councils, and state fishery enforcement agencies under contract to the NOAA Fisheries Service in order to develop, implement, and monitor fishery management strategies.
VTR data serve as inputs for a variety of uses, including biological analyses and stock assessments, regulatory impact analyses, quota allocation selections and monitoring, economic profitability profiles, trade and import tariff decisions, allocation of grant funds among states, and analysis of ecological interactions among species. NMFS would be unable to fulfill the majority of its scientific research and fishery management missions without these data.
VTR data and FishOnline landings reports are collected to quantify fishing effort. The landings data that the VTRs provide are critical to accurately monitor fishing mortality targets. Fishing effort information is needed to standardize differences in productivity among vessels or fishing grounds by establishing a rate of catch per unit time. This information allows comparisons over time and space 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 fishery.
The FishOnline system is the only way we currently collect landing information under the Mid-Atlantic RSA program and for EFPs. The FishOnline reported data allows the NOAA Fisheries Service to quantify landings under these two programs that aren’t tracked elsewhere. This information is critical to ensuring landings don’t exceed the allocation and research landings don’t count against other non-research quotas.
Regardless of whether FishOnline is being used by vessels to notify NMFS that they are fulfilling their requirement to take a specified amount of time out of the multispecies or the non-exempt gillnet fisheries, or providing start and end trip times in a DAS fishery, the same basic process is used. The permit holder logs into the FishOnline system using credentials provided by NMFS. They then follow prompts to select spawning blocks or the monkfish\occasional scallop DAS fishery. Additional prompts collect the start and end date\times. This information is then used to calculate the length of time of their spawning block or DAS charge as appropriate.
Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) (NOAA Form 88-30)
Vessel name and permit number/documentation number. The vessel permit number is a unique number assigned to each vessel issued a Northeast federal permit. This information is needed to accurately identify each fishing vessel for which a VTR report has been submitted. Requiring both the vessel name and permit number allows NMFS staff to cross-check both pieces of information to confirm the correct identity. Permit numbers are especially important for monitoring compliance with the reporting regulations and for matching the VTR data submitted by the vessels with the reports of fish purchases provided by dealers.
Trip type, number of crew, and number of anglers. Trip type is used to differentiate between commercial, party, charter, and recreational trips. The number of crew and number of anglers is needed to assign economic values to both the commercial and recreational segments of the fishing industry. The collection of number of crew also allows for enforcement of crew size limits in particular fisheries. This data is also used in evaluating Catch per Unit Effort.
Date sailed/landed, number of hauls, duration of tows or sets, gear type, units and size of gear, and mesh size. This information is used 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. This information allows comparisons over time and space of catches made by a variety of harvesters. Comparisons of catch and CPUE over time are significant indicators of the biological status of the fisheries. Declining CPUEs can indicate over-fishing beyond the level of harvest that is sustainable through natural growth and reproduction of the stock.
Chart area fished, depth, latitude/longitude. These elements establish locations of fish capture, which can then be related to other biological and oceanographic information to predict species availability and likely future abundance. In addition, area fished is used to cross-reference locations where fishing is not permissible and monitor fish catch in particular areas.
Landings and discards, by species. Such species information is the basic measure of fishing success from which fishermen, biologists, and economists draw conclusions about the status of a fishery. Landings information is also needed because controlling the quantity of fish harvested is often the means for ensuring continued harvests of renewable resources over time.
Name of buyer, dealer number, date sold, and port of landings. These data are used in enforcing fishery regulations to cross-reference the quantity of fish appearing in the market. Enforcement officers conduct inspections at fish off-loading sites to ensure regulations are being met. These data elements are especially useful when monitoring quotas or when other constraints on harvest are used. It allows NMFS to track the resulting quantity of transactions on land between buyers and sellers.
Name of operator/owner. This information is used to identify the respondent and legal entity controlling the fishing practices of the vessel. Violations of quota regulations may be uncovered during an at-sea boarding and inspection, resulting in a fine, permit suspension, or catch seizure. As vessels may be owned by corporations, the identification of owner and operator on the VTR form allows NMFS to sanction the corporation as well as the operator as necessary. Information on the vessel and permit number is also used for further identification.
Signature of Operator and date. This is required so that the vessel trip report is official. It is important to know when the report was sent in so that we use all of the fields as mentioned above appropriately.
Shellfish VTR (88-140)
Vessel name and permit number. The vessel permit number is a unique number assigned to each vessel holding a Federal Permit. This information is needed to accurately identify each fishing vessel for which a VTR report has been submitted. Requiring both the vessel name and permit number allows NMFS staff to cross-check both pieces of information to confirm the correct identity. Permit numbers are especially important for monitoring compliance with the reporting regulations and for matching the VTR data submitted by the vessels with the reports of fish purchases provided by dealers.
Date, area fished, time at sea and fishing. This information is all used 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. This information allows comparisons over time and space of catches made by a variety of harvesters. Comparisons of catch and CPUE over time are significant indicators of the biological status of the fisheries. Declining CPUEs can indicate over-fishing beyond the level of harvest that is sustainable through natural growth and reproduction of the stock.
Catch and discards. Such species information is the basic measure of fishing success from which fishermen, biologists, and economists draw conclusions about the status of a fishery.
Port landed, buyer, date of sale. These data are used in enforcing fishery regulations to cross-reference the quantity of fish appearing on the market. Enforcement officers conduct inspection at fish off-loading sites to ensure regulations are being met. These data elements are especially useful to monitor quotas or when other constraints on harvest are used.
Ex-vessel prices. Prices and values are used in estimating the earnings and profitability of each fishing trip by the vessel operator and in regulatory impact reviews and economic input-output models requiring such data to estimate the economic effects of changes induced by the biology or management of the fishery. Special economic studies are conducted to obtain detailed information on specific issues or fisheries when resources are available.
Allocation number and tag numbers. The allocation number is used on the shellfish log to track quota that has been harvested against the amount allocated to that vessel. The allocation number also provides a way to cross-check the information reported by a vessel with the information reported by the dealer purchasing the product. Each vessel is assigned a range of tag numbers within their allocation number. Tag numbers are used to accurately determine the number of bushels that have been harvested by a given vessel, and provide additional confirmation of accurate reporting.
Signature of Captain/Operator and date. This is required so that the vessel trip report is official. It is important to know when the report was sent in so that we use all of the fields as mentioned above appropriately.
Vessel FishOnline
Species Code. In order to differentiate between species, vessels will be required to report a species code.
Vessel Permit Number. Fishery management plans (FMPs) have varying annual quotas. In order to monitor each quota, it is necessary to collect vessel catch data on a per trip basis. In order to ensure that vessels are meeting their reporting requirements, it is necessary to collect the Federal permit numbers from vessels. This also allows staff to match FishOnline reported catch information with catch information reported on VTRs and to minimize reporting errors.
VTR Serial Number. To match FishOnline data with VTR data, tilefish IFQ Permit holders must input their unique VTR serial number for each trip. This allows for more accurate matching of data, thus allowing reports to be produced in a more timely fashion.
Federal Dealer Number. To match FishOnline data with Federal dealer data, tilefish IFQ Permit holders must the Federal dealer number for the dealer who purchased the tilefish. This allows for more accurate matching of data, thus allowing reports to be produced in a more timely fashion.
Project Code. To associate research (RSA and EFP) catch with a vessel permit number vessels participating in research projects must enter a project code. This allows for research projects to be monitored at the project level and ensures research landings are appropriately attributed to research projects.
Total Landings, Trip, Date, and State. Landings data collected by trip, week and by state are necessary in order to monitor catch levels in a timely manner. Landings data is used in order to close a particular fishery or reduce possession limits if landings have reached the specified quota.
Fishing Area. Information on the area fish were caught is critical for accurately attributing landings or catch to the correct management unit or area. For those fisheries that are managed by area, it is imperative to know in which area the fish were caught.
Total Discards, Date. Discard information is necessary for open access Atlantic herring permits, as NMFS is required to monitor total herring catch, which includes both landings and discards of Atlantic herring. The data on total catch is used in order to reduce possession limits in the herring fishery if herring catch reaches the specified quota threshold.
Trip Start/End. Trip start and end time and day are necessary for calculating DAS usage for monkfish and NE multispecies vessels.
State Code. The state code is necessary for the scallop state exemption program.
Gear type, Spawning Area, Sector or Common Pool vessel selection. Vessels are required to enter the gear type, spawning area, and whether they are in the sector or common pool program as a part of the DAS program for monkfish and NE multispecies vessels.
It is anticipated that the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support publicly disseminated information. The NOAA Fisheries Service will retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. See response #10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on confidentiality and privacy. The information collection is designed to yield data that meet all applicable information quality guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information will be subjected to quality control measures and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.
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.
The FishOnline system is an automated, web based, system used to monitor fish catch from individual vessels, track DAS use, and collect supplemental trip information. The FishOnline system mitigates the paperwork burden on both the fisherman and NMFS, as it makes it easier to collate the catch reports and monitor landings. Within the trip-reporting arena, as of November 10, 2021, fishing vessel trip reports (Form 88-30) are 100% submitted electronically. Shellfish VTRs (Form 88-140) continue to be reported on paper with a projected conversion to electronic submission taking place prior to the end of 2022. Every effort will continue to be made in the future to utilize computer technology to reduce the public burden as the opportunity and technology allow.
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
Some of the information provided in the FishOnline reports by vessel owners or operators is duplicated in VTRs. This duplication is unavoidable and is purposely required so that data from FishOnline reports can be matched with VTRs to ensure there are no reporting errors. FishOnline and VTR reports can be matched by date and vessel permit number.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.
The majority of fishermen that are required to submit information as a part of this collection are considered small businesses. In order to minimize burden, only the minimum data to meet the FishOnline and VTR objectives are requested from respondents. While respondents are asked to fill out the entire VTR, they are not required to do so. The VTR instructions note which fields are mandatory and which are voluntary. In addition, the VTR format has been developed in cooperation with the respondents to ensure ease of use and to obtain feedback on the variables to be maintained. The result is that some fishermen use the VTR as their personal business record, which increases business efficiency and reduces overall burden related to reporting requirements. Our recent move to 100% fishing vessel electronic reporting described in question 3, has already delivered significant burden reduction.
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.
Without the fundamental data collected from vessel operators through VTRs and FishOnline, NMFS would be unable to meet its statutory requirements under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
FishOnline reporting captures catch and discard information for golden tilefish and Atlantic herring, allowing the NOAA Fisheries Service to accurately monitor fishing mortality and catch rates on these species. Without catch information, these quotas may be exceeded, which could result in closure of certain fishery management areas for the remainder of that fishing year and a reduction of that species’ quota for the following fishing year. In addition, exceeding the fishery quota could result in fishing mortality rates rising above legal limits and reaching levels that may compromise the objectives of the fisheries management plan. The FishOnline system is the only method in which research landings are reported to NMFS. Without the FishOnline system for research landings, NMFS would be unable to monitor research landings and deduct them from the overall quota for a particular species. Therefore, the research landings would count against the overall quota, and may cause a particular fishery to shutdown unnecessarily due to research landings.
Fishing vessel VTRs are required to be submitted within 48 hours of offloading (commercial), 48 hours of entering port (party/charter), or within 24 hours of entering port (recreational). These timeframes allow for the close monitoring of quotas thereby avoiding quota overage and possibly compromising the health of the fish species population. VTRs provide confirmation of other catch reports including dealer data, FishOnline reports, and reports submitted electronically through the vessel monitoring system (VMS) and provide additional information on catch locations, gear type, discards, etc., necessary to manage the fisheries. The frequency of reports has been kept to the minimum required for effective management. However, less frequent collection would jeopardize the value of the VTRs as a crosscheck on the information provided by seafood dealers and would render other Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) data collection programs useless. Without this frequency of response, NMFS would be unable to accomplish in-season management of fisheries. If the collection were not conducted, more conservative management alternatives protect the stock would have to be chosen, which would adversely affect fishermen’s income and employment.
7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
The data collection is fully consistent with OMB guidelines.
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.
A Federal Register Notice (Vol 87, No. 32, Page 8801) concerning this collection was published on February 16, 2022, soliciting public comment. No comments were received.
Additionally, NMFS reached out to several permit holders in an effort to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. No responses were received.
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
Neither payments nor gifts are given to the 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.
As stated on the forms and in the FishOnline system instructions, all data will be kept confidential as required by NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics, and will not be released for public use except in aggregate statistical form (and without identifying the source of data, i.e., vessel name, owner, etc.). Confidentiality is also required by Section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. VTRs are also considered confidential under the Trade Secrets Act.
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.
There are no questions of a sensitive nature.
Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information
|
Type of Respondent (e.g., Occupational Title) |
#
of Respondents |
Annual
# of Responses / Respondent |
Total
# of Annual Responses |
Burden
Hrs / Response |
Total
Annual Burden Hrs |
Hourly
Wage Rate (for Type of Respondent) |
Total
Annual Wage Burden Costs |
Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (NOAA Form 88-30) |
Vessel Captain |
2036 |
49.6667 |
101,001 |
0.083 |
8383.083 |
$40.15 |
$336,580.78 |
Shellfish Log (NOAA Form 88-140) |
Vessel Captain |
54 |
52.54 |
2,837 |
0.21 |
595.77 |
$40.15 |
$23,920.17 |
Spawning Blocks |
Vessel Captain |
6 |
1.8333 |
11 |
0.05 |
.55 |
$40.15 |
$22.08 |
Monkfish Days at Sea (DAS) |
Vessel Captain |
54 |
51.0556 |
2,757 |
0.05 |
137.85 |
$40.15 |
$5,534.68 |
Occasional Scallop DAS |
Vessel Captain |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.05 |
0 |
$40.15 |
$0.00 |
EFP |
Vessel Captain |
1 |
24 |
24 |
0.05 |
1.2 |
$40.15 |
$48.18 |
Herring |
Vessel Captain |
9 |
4.3333 |
39 |
0.05 |
1.95 |
$40.15 |
$78.29 |
RSA |
Vessel Captain |
7 |
56.6667 |
396.6667 |
0.05 |
19.8333 |
$40.15 |
$796.31 |
Tilefish |
Vessel Captain |
2 |
10.5 |
21 |
0.05 |
1.05 |
$40.15 |
$42.16 |
Totals |
|
|
|
107,087 |
|
9,142 |
|
$367,023 |
The estimated response time for the reporting burden for VTRs is 5 minutes.
The estimated response time for the Shellfish Log is 12.5 minutes.
Due to the similarities in the web forms, a standardized response time of three minutes is used for the seven forms (Spawning Blocks, Monkfish DAS, Occasional Scallop DAS, EFP, Herring, RSA, and Tilefish).
The public labor cost has been revised to use the median salary for a fishing vessel captain vice the salary for a deckhand formerly used. This change ensures the burden cost aligns with the person actually submitting the data to NMFS. The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t have a category equivalent to fishing vessel captain so I used information from:
https://www.comparably.com/salaries/salaries-for-fishing-vessel-captain
to determine the wage burden.
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).
Information Collection |
#
of Respondents |
Annual
# of Responses / Respondent |
Total
# of Annual Responses |
Cost
Burden / Respondent |
Total
Annual Cost Burden |
Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (NOAA Form 88-30) |
2056 |
49.6667 |
101,001 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Shellfish Log (NOAA Form 88-140) |
54 |
52.54 |
2,837.16 |
$0.55 |
$1,560.44 |
Spawning Blocks |
6 |
1.8333 |
11 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Monkfish Days at Sea (DAS) |
54 |
51.0556 |
2757 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Occasional Scallop DAS |
0 |
0 |
0 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
EFP |
1 |
24 |
24 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Herring |
9 |
4.3333 |
39 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
RSA |
7 |
56.6667 |
396.6666 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Tilefish |
2 |
10.5 |
21 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
TOTALS |
2,196 |
251 |
108,197 |
|
-$1,560 |
The FishOnline system requires an internet capable device (smartphone, tablet, or PC) to submit the required reports. The estimated cost of such a device is $200.
The only additional cost associated with the Clam Logbook collection, exclusive of that shown in table 12 above, is postage. Respondent costs are based on the first class postal stamp cost of $0.55 per submission.
Respondents are required to retain copies of the VTR reports for a period of three years after the date of the last entry on the report for purposes of enforcement investigations, and to serve as the official records for establishing individual vessel allocations. Enforcement investigations may take up to three years before agents interview the respondents. Retention of a copy of the records submitted removes the possible excuse for non-reporting that the original was mailed to but not received by NMFS. Records may also be used to determine historical participants, in the case of limited-entry fisheries. Business records are normally retained for 3 years and some fishermen use these forms for that purpose. Thus, there is minimal impact on public burden by this requirement.
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/Step |
Loaded Salary /Cost |
% of Effort |
Fringe (if Applicable) |
Total Cost to Government |
Federal Oversight |
|
|
|
|
|
Data Entry for Form 88-140 |
ZA-1101-2 |
$79,581 |
4.56 |
|
$3642.52 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractor Cost |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Travel |
|
|
|
|
|
Other Costs: |
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
$3,643 |
The forms submitted via the web, shown in tables 12 and 13 above, are all processed by a common web server that is maintained at the regional office.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in ROCIS.
As of November 11, 2021, federally permitted fishing vessels within the Greater Atlantic Region are required to submit fishing trip reports using their choice of several available eVTR applications.
The “Number of Respondents” and “Total Number of Annual Responses” is derived by calculating their respective average based upon submissions over the past three calendar years. (2019 – 2021).
The wage and labor rate for computing public burden is adjusted from $25.18 per hour to $41.75.
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 |
||
Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (NOAA Form 88-30) |
2036 |
2,126 |
101,001 |
113,357 |
8383 |
9,409 |
Changes to respondents and responses due to calculated averages over the past three calendar years
|
Shellfish Log (NOAA Form 88-140) |
54 |
54 |
2,837 |
3,947 |
596 |
829 |
|
Spawning Blocks |
6 |
9 |
11 |
20 |
1 |
1 |
|
DAS |
54 |
81 |
2,757 |
4,137 |
138 |
207 |
|
Monkfish Days at Sea (DAS) |
54 |
81 |
2,757 |
4,137 |
138 |
207 |
|
Occasional Scallop DAS |
0 |
81 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
EFP |
1 |
5 |
24 |
178 |
1 |
9 |
|
Herring |
9 |
8 |
39 |
65 |
2 |
3 |
|
RSA |
7 |
12 |
397 |
522 |
20 |
26 |
|
Tilefish |
2 |
4 |
21 |
55 |
1 |
3 |
|
Total for Collection |
2,036 |
2,126 |
107,087 |
122,281 |
9,142 |
10,487 |
|
Difference |
-90 |
-15,194 |
|
||||
Information Collection |
Labor Costs |
Miscellaneous Costs |
Reason for change or adjustment |
||
Current |
Previous |
Current |
Previous |
||
Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (NOAA Form 88-30) |
$336,580.78 |
$236,909 |
0 |
62,346 |
Form now submitted 100% electronically |
Shellfish Log (NOAA Form 88-140) |
$23,920.17 |
$20,871 |
$1,560.44 |
2,171 |
Wage/labor rate increased
|
Spawning Blocks |
$22.08 |
$24 |
0 |
0 |
|
DAS |
$5,534.68 |
$5,208 |
0 |
0 |
|
Monkfish Days at Sea (DAS) |
$5,534.68 |
$5,208 |
0 |
0 |
|
Occasional Scallop DAS |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
EFP |
$48.18 |
$224 |
0 |
0 |
|
Herring |
$78.29 |
$82 |
0 |
0 |
|
RSA |
$796.31 |
$657 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tilefish |
$42.16 |
$69 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total for Collection |
$367,023 |
$250,006 |
$1,560 |
64,517 |
|
Difference |
117,017 |
-62,957 |
|
||
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.
Results from this collection may be used in scientific, management, technical or general informational publications such as the annual Fisheries of the United States reports, which follows prescribed statistical tabulations and summary table formats. Data are available to the general public on request in summary form only; data are available to NMFS employees in detailed form on a need-to-know basis only.
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.
Because part of this collection involves a web based system (FishOnline ) and not a written form, there is no form on which to display an expiration date. However, an expiration date will be displayed in the instructions and/or cover letter that will be mailed to each permit holder who is required to report purchases through the FishOnline system. All VTR forms will display the OMB Control number and expiration date along with information relevant to the PRA.
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).
B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
This collection does not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT |
| Author | Jim StCyr |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2022-04-28 |