Reporting Requirements for Commercial Fisheries Authorization under Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

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PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT

AUTHORITY: The collection of this information is mandated under Section 118(e) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1387) and implemented through regulations at 50 CFR 229.6. 
PURPOSE: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) collects reports of incidental marine mammal mortalities and injuries occurring during commercial fishing operations. This information is required by NMFS to evaluate the impacts of U.S. commercial fisheries on marine mammal populations and to establish or reexamine fishery classifications (Category I, II, or III) on the MMPA List of Fisheries. Submitted data includes vessel identification numbers, owner/operator contact details, fishery descriptions, and specific event data (species, date, time, and geographic location of the incident). 
ROUTINE USES: Proprietary information collected under this part is treated as confidential in accordance with 50 CFR 229.11(a). Information provided will be maintained and safeguarded in accordance with Privacy Act System of Records Notice (SORN) COMMERCE/NOAA-12, Marine Mammals, Endangered and Threatened Species, Permits and Authorizations, Applicants. While non-identifiable, aggregated data may be used in scientific, technical, or management publications to assess fishery impacts, personal identifying information (PII) is protected against unauthorized disclosure that could be prejudicial or harmful to an individual fisher. 
DISCLOSURE: Mandatory. Pursuant to Section 118(e) of the MMPA, the owner or operator of a commercial fishing vessel is required to report all incidental mortality and injury of marine mammals in the course of commercial fishing operations within 48 hours of returning from a fishing trip. Failure to report incidental injuries or mortalities within the statutory 48-hour timeframe constitutes a violation of MMPA Section 118 requirements.