NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Southeast Reef Fish Program Form and Instruction	Removed
WCROP: West Coast Region Observer Program - some forms shared with PIRO Form	Modified
SEFOP: Southeast Fishery Observer Program Form	Modified
Southeast Shark Fishery Observer Program Form and Instruction	Removed
PIRO: Pacific Islands Region Observer Program Form	Modified
WCGOP Catch & Non-Catch Shares Form	Modified
AMMOP: Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program Form	Modified
NPOP: North Pacific Groundfish & Halibut Observer Program plus Processing Plants Form	Modified
NEFOP: Northeast Fisheries Observer Program Form	Modified
0648-0593 30-day 88 FR 87753 2023-1219.pdf Supplementary Document	2023-12-19
Vessel Selection - NWFSC 2024.docx Supplementary Document	2023-12-14
Vessel Selection - NEFSC 2024 .docx Supplementary Document	2023-12-14
SEFSC_Panama City Observer Manual.pdf Supplementary Document	2023-12-14
SEFSC_Galveston Observer Manual.pdf Supplementary Document	2023-12-14
SEFSC Pelagic Sampling Methodolgy.pdf Supplementary Document	2023-12-14
NEFSC_2023_Sampling Design.pdf Supplementary Document	2023-12-14
0648-0593 Supporting Statement Part A.docx Supporting Statement A	2023-12-13
Sampling Methodology - Pacific Islands Region.docx Supplementary Document	2023-12-13
NPOP - Final_2024_Alaska Sampling Design.pdf Supplementary Document	2023-12-13
0648-0593 List of forms.xlsx Supplementary Document	2023-12-13
0648-0593 60-day 88 FR 60184 2023-0831.pdf Supplementary Document	2023-12-12
0648-0593 Supporting Statement Part B.docx Supporting Statement B	2023-12-12
PRA statement - Observer Logbook.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-11-13

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
244347	Southeast Reef Fish Program Form and Instruction	Removed
189855	WCROP: West Coast Region Observer Program - some forms shared with PIRO Form	Modified
189854	GOM: Gulf of Mexico Observer Program Other-correspondence	Removed
189853	SEFOP: Southeast Fishery Observer Program Form	Modified
189852	Southeast Shark Fishery Observer Program Form and Instruction	Removed
189851	PIRO: Pacific Islands Region Observer Program Form	Modified
189850	WCGOP Catch & Non-Catch Shares Form	Modified
189838	AMMOP: Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program Form	Modified
189835	NPOP: North Pacific Groundfish & Halibut Observer Program plus Processing Plants Form	Modified
189834	NEFOP: Northeast Fisheries Observer Program Form	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0648-0593	ICR Reference No: 202312-0648-006
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202011-0648-001
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NOAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 12/19/2023

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	01/31/2024
Responses	12,888	13,935
Time Burden (Hours)	15,728	18,436
Cost Burden (Dollars)	1,050	1,050

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Abstract: This request is for an extension and revision to an existing information collection (OMB Control No. 0648-0593): Observer Programs’ Information That Can Be Gathered Only through Questions. This collection will be revised as follows. First is the expansion of observers to include an additional fishery. The Southeast region will begin sending observers out on Southeast reef fish fishery trips and thus needs to add this fishery to this collection. Second, NOAA is combining the Southeast observer efforts into one program. The third change is the West Coast Groundfish Observer Program (WCGOP) would like to start collecting the names of crew members within their observer logbooks. The data will be recorded on paper, scanned in, and stored according to vessel name. This information will only be accessed if there is an enforcement issue. The final change is also within the West Coast Groundfish Observer Program. They have introduced a new phone app that captains are using to declare upcoming fishing trips and NMFS is using to let them know if they have been selected for observer coverage. Other observer programs are also working on converting to smart phone applications, but they have not yet been implemented. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) deploys fishery observers on United States (U.S.) fishing vessels and to fish processing plants in order to collect biological and economic data and to monitor industry regulatory compliance. Under an OMB approved information collection observers collect information from fishing vessel captains/crew or fish processing plant managers/staff prior to deployment. This information is used to assess whether the vessel or plan satisfies applicable safety requirements.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 1531-1544 Name of Law: Endangered Species Act of 1973
   PL: Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
   US Code: 16 USC 31 Name of Law: Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 60184	08/31/2023
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 87753	12/19/2023
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 7

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
AMMOP: Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program	N/A	AMMOP Forms - All
GOM: Gulf of Mexico Observer Program	NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA	Reef Fish selection letter ,   Observer evaluation ,   Pre-trip safety checklist ,   RF Observer Notification ,   Shrimp Observer Notification ,   Panama City Vessel PreCheck ,   Vessel reimbursement form
NEFOP: Northeast Fisheries Observer Program	N/A	NEFSC Forms - All
NPOP: North Pacific Groundfish & Halibut Observer Program plus Processing Plants	N/A	NPOP Forms - All
PIRO: Pacific Islands Region Observer Program	N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A	American Samoa Forms - All ,   eReporting Forms - All ,   Hawaii Forms - All ,   Shared Hawaii & American Samoa Forms - All
SEFOP: Southeast Fishery Observer Program	N/A	SEFSC Forms - All
Southeast Reef Fish Program	NA, NA, NA	Safety Checklist ,   Vessel Reimbursement ,   Fisherman Feedback
Southeast Shark Fishery Observer Program	NA, NA, NA	Safety Checklist ,   Vessel Reimbursement ,   Fisherman Feedback
WCGOP Catch & Non-Catch Shares	N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A	A-SHOP Forms - All ,   WCGOP Vessel Logbook Forms - All ,   OPTECS Screenshots ,   Observer Trip Selection Screenshots ,   WCGOP Paper Forms - All
WCROP: West Coast Region Observer Program - some forms shared with PIRO	N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A	Deep Set Buoy Gear Paper Data Forms ,   Large Mesh Drift Gillnet Paper Data Forms ,   Longline Paper Data Forms - All ,   Orca 1 Deep Set Buoy Gear Screenshots ,   Orca 2 Longline Screenshots

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	12,888	13,935	0	0	-1,047	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	15,728	18,436	0	0	-2,708	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	1,050	1,050	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Number of observed vessels and expected number of observed trips have been updated based on 2023 data. In most programs, it is expected to see a reduction in burden hours as the ability to streamline the collected data improves. On another note, the SEFSC combined their 4 distinct programs into one.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $53,100,000

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 12/19/2023

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