Southeast Pelagic Observer Program

Southeast Fisheries Center
Miami Laboratory
75 Virginia Beach Drive
Miami, FL 33149
{Date mailed}
F/V {Name of vessel}
Dear Permit Holder:

In accordance with the federal Atlantic Highly Migratory Species
regulations, 50 CFR 635.7, your vessel {Documentation number of vessel}
has been selected for observer coverage. The regulation requires that
you contact the Southeast Fisheries Science Center's Miami Laboratory,
in writing, at least five business days in advance of each trip your
vessel makes within the period {Date range of selection}.
Failure to call the Observer Program in advance of each departure could
result in enforcement action. Based on past logbook reports the
Observer Program expects a minimum coverage of {number of sets} set(s)
while the observer is assigned to your vessel. The observer will remain
in the area to complete the required sets at the discretion of the
Program Coordinators. You must report the following:
(1) Departure information (port, dock, date, and time); and
(2) Expected landing information (port, dock, and date).
Please provide this information to:
Larry Beerkircher
Observer Program Coordinator
75 Virginia Beach Drive
Miami, FL 33149
FAX (305) 361-4282
PHONE 1-800-858-0624
You may report this information by facsimile (FAX). For any
notification received outside federal business hours (8:00 am - 4:30 PM
Monday through Friday), the five-day notification period will not start
until 8:00 am of the next federal working day.
Once a NMFS certified observer is placed on board your vessel, you no
longer need to provide the above information unless you receive a
subsequent notice of vessel selection for a period different than
specified above.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT:
Information collected through the
observer program will be used to: (1) monitor catch and bycatch; (2)
understand the population status and trends of fish stocks and
protected species, as well as the interactions between them; (3)
determine the quantity and distribution of net benefits derived from
living marine resources; (4) predict the biological, ecological, and
economic impacts of existing management actions and proposed management
options; and (5) ensure that the observer programs can safely and
efficiently collect the information required for the previous four
uses. In particular, the observer program provides information that is
used in analyses that support the conservation and management of living
marine resources and that are required under the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the Endangered Species
Act (ESA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA),
Executive Order 12866 (EO 12866), and other applicable law.
Most of
the information collected by observers is obtained through “direct
observation by an employee or agent of the sponsoring agency or through
non-standardized oral communication in connection with such direct
observations". Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) regulations at
5 C.F.R. 1320.3(h)(3), facts or opinions obtained through such
observations and communications are not considered to be "information"
subject to the PRA. The public reporting burden for responding to the
questions that observers ask and that are subject to the PRA is
estimated to average 50 minutes per trip, including the time for
hearing and understanding the questions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this
burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: National Marine
Fisheries Service, F/SF1, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910.
Providing the requested information is mandatory under
regulations at 50 C.F.R. 600.746 for the safety questions and at 50
C.F.R. Part 622.8, 50 C.F.R. 229.7, and 50 C.F.R. 222.401 for the other
questions.
All information collected by observers will be kept
confidential as required under Section 402(b) of the MSA (18 U.S.C.
1881a(b)) and regulations at 50 C.F.R. Part 600, Subpart E.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required
to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure
to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements
of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.
OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expires xx/xx/2012