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

ICR 202011-0648-001

OMB: 0648-0593

Federal Form Document

Forms and Documents
Document
Name
Status
Form and Instruction
New
Form
Removed
Form
Modified
Form and Instruction
Modified
Form
Modified
Form and Instruction
Modified
Form
Modified
Form and Instruction
Modified
Form and Instruction
Modified
Form
Modified
Form and Instruction
Modified
Supplementary Document
2020-12-10
Supplementary Document
2020-12-01
Supplementary Document
2020-12-01
Supplementary Document
2020-12-01
Supplementary Document
2020-12-01
Supplementary Document
2020-11-13
Supplementary Document
2020-11-10
Supplementary Document
2020-11-10
Supplementary Document
2020-11-10
Supplementary Document
2020-11-10
Supplementary Document
2020-11-10
Supporting Statement A
2020-11-10
Supporting Statement B
2020-11-09
Supplementary Document
2020-11-02
ICR Details
0648-0593 202011-0648-001
Received in OIRA 202006-0648-003
DOC/NOAA
NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions
Revision of a currently approved collection   No
Regular 12/10/2020
  Requested Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved 01/31/2021
13,935 19,606
18,436 28,419
1,050 1,152

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. 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. In June 2020, NMFS received emergency approval from OMB to add six questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic to the above mentioned information collection. The added safety questions are necessary to ensure that an observer can be safely deployed on a specific fishing vessel or stationed at a specific processing plant and work safely once assigned to a specific vessel or plant. With this renewal request NMFS would like to update the six questions to also include other communicable diseases, and make four other minor changes to this collection. This will allow observer programs flexibility when other communicable diseases arise in the United States. Additional revisions include: 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. A combination of two programs previously listed as separate; the Gulf of Mexico reef fish and shrimp program and grouper snapper program. 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. 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. Finally, some forms have been removed from this control number as they are completed based upon direct observation by an employee or agent of the sponsoring agency and are therefore exempt from the PRA requirements. A list of all forms, included and removed, is uploaded as a Supplemental Document.

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
  
None

Not associated with rulemaking

  85 FR 46071 07/31/2020
85 FR 79473 12/10/2020
Yes

10
IC Title Form No. Form Name
PIROP: Pacific Islands Region Observer Program NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA Trip specifications log - American Samoa ,   Set and haul information - American Samoa ,   gear configuration log - American Samoa ,   American Samoa Trip expenditure form (captain) ,   Hawaii Observer performance evaluation for captains ,   Hawaii Trip expenditure form (captain)-English, Korean, Vietnamese ,   Hawaii Trip specifications ,   General vessel and trip information for all vessel types-English ,   Hawaii Set and haul information ,   Hawaii Gear configuration form
Southeast Shark Fishery Observer Program NA, NA, NA Safety Checklist ,   Vessel Reimbursement ,   Fisherman Feedback
AMMOP: Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program NA Vessel/Plant Operator Comment Form
SEPOP: Southeast Pelagic Observer Program NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA Vessel safety checklist ,   Observer Evaluation ,   Reimbursement Invoice for Contract Observers - Liability Insurance ,   Reimbursement Invoice for Contract Observers - Meal reimbursement ,   Sea Turtle Release Equipment Checklist ,   Highly Migratory Species Observer Notification Form
WCROP: West Coast Region Observer Program - some forms shared with PIRO NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA DN Gear and Set ,   SN Gear and Set ,   Purse Seine Gear and Set ,   Deep Set Buoy Gear Trip Specifications ,   Longline Trip Expense Form ,   Trip Specification Form (LL) ,   Set Haul Information ,   Gear Configuration ,   Safety checklist
NEFOP: Northeast Fisheries Observer Program NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA Pre-Trip Vessel Safefy Checklist ,   Vessel and Trip Information Log ,   Gillnet Characteristics Log ,   Gillnet Haul Log ,   Trawl gear characteristics log ,   Trawl haul log ,   Pair and single midwater gear characteristics log ,   Pair and single midwater haul log ,   Twin trawl gear log ,   Twin trawl haul log ,   Scallop trawl gear characteristics log ,   Scallop trawl haul log ,   Scallop trawl off-watch haul log ,   Scallop dredge gear characeristics log ,   Scallop dredge haul log ,   Scallop dredge off-watch haul log ,   Lobster, Crab, and Fish Pot Gear Characteristics Log ,   Lobster, Crab, and Fish Pot Haul Log ,   Purse seine gear characteristics log ,   Purse seine Set Log ,   Beach Seine Gear/Beach Anchored Gillnet Gear Characteristics ,   Beach Seine/Beach Anchored Gillnet Haul Log ,   Longline Gear Characteristics Log ,   Longline Haul Log ,   Clam/Quahog Dredge Gear Characteristics Log ,   Clam/Quahog Dregde Haul Log ,   Clam/Quahog Dredge Off-Watch Haul Log ,   Catch Composition Log ,   NMFS Fishery Observer Program Discard Log ,   Fishermen's Comment Card ,   Captain Interview Questions ,   Trip Data Release Form
North Pacific Groundfish & Halibut Observer Program plus Processing Plants NA, NA, NA, NA, NA Fishing effort summary fixed gear ,   Fishing effort summary trawl gear ,   Vessel/Plant Operator Comment Form ,   Safety checklist ,   Tagged Fish and Crab Form
WCGOP: West Coast Groundfish Observer Programs & At Sea Hake Observer Program (A-SHOP) NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA Safety Checklist ,   Vessel Diagram ,   Trip Information Form ,   Trawl Deck Form ,   Fixed Gear Deck Form ,   Trawl Bycatch Reduction Device Characterization Form ,   Hook and Line Fleet Chracterization Form ,   IFQ Priority Species Tracking Form ,   Retained Sablefish Collection Form ,   Tagged Fish Form ,   Hook & Line EFP Sampling Form ,   OTS App (Observer Trip Selection) ,   Vessel Safety checklist ,   A-SHOP Logbook ,   Bird Interaction Activity and Species Form ,   Marine Mammal Interaction & Specimen Form ,   A-SHOP Deck Form ,   A-SHOP Observer Haul Form ,   Bird Specimen and Tag Form ,   A-SHOP Vessel Haul Form ,   Marine Mammal Sighting Form ,   Marine Mammal, Seabird and Sea Turtle Interaction and Sighting Form ,   A-SHOP Trip Form
GOM: Gulf of Mexico Observer Program NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA Observer evaluation ,   Pre-trip safety checklist ,   Reef Fish selection letter ,   RF Observer Notification ,   Shrimp Observer Notification ,   Panama City Vessel PreCheck ,   Vessel reimbursement form
Gulf of Mexico Snapper-Grouper Observer Program NA, NA, NA, NA, NA Fisherman feedback form ,   Observer evaluation ,   Observer notification form ,   Pre-trip safety checklist ,   Vessel reimbursement form
Southeast Reef Fish Program NA, NA, NA Safety Checklist ,   Vessel Reimbursement ,   Fisherman Feedback

  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 13,935 19,606 0 0 -5,671 0
Annual Time Burden (Hours) 18,436 28,419 0 0 -9,983 0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars) 1,050 1,152 0 0 -102 0
No
No
Number of observed vessels and expected number of observed trips have been updated based on 2019 data. In addition, 5 minutes was added to the response time for each planned observer trip, with the exception of Alaskan trips for which only 1 minute was added. Alaska has their own COVID-19 requirements specific for fishing boats that answers most of the questions the observers are planning to ask, reducing the response time for those observed trips. A new collection (Southeast Reef Fish Programs) was added to the collection.

$55,911,949
Yes Part B of Supporting Statement
    Yes
    Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Wendy Morrison 301 427-8564 wendy.morrison@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.
12/10/2020


© 2024 OMB.report | Privacy Policy