Justification - SAFMC Public Information Tool Saltwater Conversations

Project Title: SAFMC Public Information Tool Saltwater Conversations

Program Office Sponsoring or Conducting this CSC Project: NMFS/South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC)

Authority for this CSC Project: MSA and CCSA

Purpose of this CSC Project: The SAFMC develops fishery management plans and recommends management measures designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the resources it manages. This project gathers information from SAFMC stakeholders’ experiences and observations on the water and in the marketplace. This information will help ensure the SAFMC achieves its mission of promoting sustainable and ethical fisheries management.

Type(s) of Information Collected and From Whom It Is Collected: Information is collected from federal fishery stakeholders. The information collected includes name, email, association with the fishery, and observations related to catch levels, social and economic influences, environmental conditions, and management measures for South Atlantic Council managed species.

Use of the Information: Summarized results are provided to the Scientific and Statistical Committee and the Socio-Economic Panel to complement the variety of material being used in assessments and informing SAFMC management discussions.

Method(s) of Information Collection: Electronically

Affected Public: Individuals, business or other for-profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations/institutions, state and federal government.

Estimated Average Annual Number of Participants: 800

Estimated Average Annual Number of Responses per Participant: 4

Estimated Average Minutes per Response: 3.5

Estimated Average Annual Burden Hours: 187

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Participants in this CSC Project: $0

Estimated Average Annual Costs to the Federal Government: $8,624

Estimated Average Annual Number of Federal Government Employees (FTEs): 0.06

Recruitment and Retention Methods for Voluntary Participants (SSA item 1): The SAFMC’s public information tool, Saltwater Conversations, will be advertised via traditional Council platforms including the website, e-newsletters, social media, and face-to-face interactions with stakeholders, when possible. To ensure a sufficient number of voluntary participants and to encourage continued participation, all communications will note the important role stakeholder information plays in the management process.

Gifts or Payments (SSA Item 9): We do not plan to provide a gift or payment to the voluntary participants.

Annual and Multi-Year Schedules (SSA Item 16): Data collection through Saltwater Conversations will occur in association with regularly scheduled Council advisory panel meetings. The tool will be available online for submissions on a given species for two months during the same quarter the species advisory panel is completing a Fishery Performance Report. Results will then be compiled and presented during the following Council meeting. A report will be made available in the briefing book associated with the Council meeting. Saltwater Conversations will be available for submission approximately twice per year.

Display OMB Control No. and Expiration Date (SSA Item 17): This information will be provided when individuals sign up to participate in this CSC project.

Statistical Methods: This CSC project will not employ statistical methods.

Approval for Pretesting: This CSC project will not require additional pretesting with more than nine members of the public.

Supplemental Documents: The one supplemental document for this CSC project is its survey instrument.

CERTIFICATION: I certify the following are true.

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The collection will not include highly influential scientific information, ,which is information NOAA or OMB determines: (i) could have a potential impact of more than $500 million in any year, or (ii) is novel, controversial, or precedent setting or has significant interagency interest.

5. The collection complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

6. The collection will provide qualitative and quantitative data that help inform scientific research and monitoring, validate models or tools, support STEM learning, and enhance the quantity and quality of data collected to support NOAA’s mission.

Name: Christina Wiegand