In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is withholding approval at this time. Prior to
publication of the final rule, the agency must submit to OMB a
summary of all comments related to the information collection
contained in the proposed rule and the agency response. The agency
should clearly indicate any changes made to the information
collection as a result of these comments.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
08/31/2015
36 Months From Approved
08/31/2015
122,848
0
122,848
10,235
0
10,235
6,755
0
6,755
Gear-marking requirements assist
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in obtaining detailed
information about which fisheries or specific parts of fishing gear
are responsible for the incidental mortality and serious injury of
right, humpback, and fin whales. Generally, only a portion of gear
is recovered from an entangled whale and it is almost impossible to
link that portion of gear to a particular fishery. Therefore,
requiring fishermen to mark surface buoys and the buoy line
provides NMFS with an additional source of information, which could
then be used to determine the gear responsible for and the location
of the entanglement event. The following fisheries are affected by
this information collection: Northeast and Mid-Atlantic lobster
trap/pot fisheries; Atlantic blue crab trap/pot fisheries; Atlantic
mixed species trap/pot fisheries targeting crab (red, Jonah, and
rock), hagfish, finfish (black sea bass, scup, tautog, cod,
haddock, pollock, redfish, and white hake), conch/whelk, and
shrimp; Northeast anchored gillnet; Northeast drift gillnet;
Mid-Atlantic gillnet; Southeast Atlantic gillnet; and Southeastern
United States Atlantic shark gillnet. A proposed rule will affect
the number and size of markings.
US Code:
16 USC
31 Name of Law: Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972
The current gear marking
strategy (implemented in 1997) is inadequate and should be
improved. From 1997-2008 there were 364 large whale entanglement
events. Gear was retrieved in 129 of these cases; of the cases
where gear was retrieved, gear marking led to 36 cases where
fishery, location, and date were known. A stronger gear marking
strategy would help answer questions such as when and where
entanglements occur. Current regulations require one 4" colored
mark midway along the buoy line and surface buoys to identify the
vessel or fishery. Colors correspond to specific ALWTRP management
areas. The proposed gear marking scheme would maintain the current
color combinations but increase the size and frequency of the mark.
The new mark must equal 12" in length and buoy lines must be marked
three times (top, middle, bottom). Affected vessels would increase
by 1,873. The annual responses and burden for the preferred
alternative, including proposed closures and exemptions, would
increase by 1,103,283, the hours by 91,943 and the annual cost by
$60,682.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Kristy Long 301 713-2322
kristy.long@noaa.gov
No
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:
(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;
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.
0364 BC90 supporting statement 042413 rev.doc
Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan