The Nationals Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) requires vessel monitoring systems (VMS) and declaration
reports to participate in the commercial sectors of the Pacific
Coast groundfish fishery. These requirements allow NMFS to monitor
vessel compliance with closed areas. The declaration reports also
allow NMFS to determine which fishery a vessel is participating in
to determine which regulations apply during a specific fishing
trip.
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnson-Stevens Fishery
Management and Conservation Act
Adjustments: • This extension
also revises the number of respondents. After several years of VMS
monitoring, NMFS is better able to estimate the number of
participants in a given year. o In the limited entry fishery the
number of overall permits has been reduced from 399 to 350. Much of
the reduction is the result of catch share programs in the fixed
gear and trawl fisheries. o The open access fishery respondents are
being reduced from 1,156 to 650. In the open access fishery,
vessels are not required to have groundfish permits which results
in variability in the number of participants between years. • The
number of declaration report per vessel is reduced from 20 to 10
per respondent. The number of declaration reports varies
considerably between vessels. The revised estimate is based on
reporting in recent years. • The cost of VMS units type-approved
for the fishery has increased from $1,200-$3,800 ($2,500 on
average) per unit to $3,100-$3,600 ($3,350 on average) per unit. •
The cost of annual VMS maintenance was not previously included
($300). Net reductions are: 500 respondents, 20,125 responses,
1,343 hours and $647,875 in costs.
$470,000
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Becky Renko 206
526-6140
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.