60-day FRN

0648-0292 60day 87 FR 43003_20220719.pdf

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

60-day FRN

OMB: 0648-0292

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43003

Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 137 / Tuesday, July 19, 2022 / Notices
TABLE 1—TAKE ANALYSIS—Continued
Authorized
take

Species
Short-finned pilot whale ...................................................................................

Scaled take 1

480

141.7

Abundance 2
1,981

Percent
abundance
7.2

1 Scalar

ratios were applied to ‘‘Authorized Take’’ values as described at 86 FR 5322, 5404 (January 19, 2021) to derive scaled take numbers
shown here.
2 Best abundance estimate. For most taxa, the best abundance estimate for purposes of comparison with take estimates is considered here to
be the model-predicted abundance (Roberts et al., 2016). For those taxa where a density surface model predicting abundance by month was
produced, the maximum mean seasonal abundance was used. For those taxa where abundance is not predicted by month, only mean annual
abundance is available. For Rice’s whale and killer whale, the larger estimated SAR abundance estimate is used.
3 Includes 24 takes by Level A harassment and 424 takes by Level B harassment. Scalar ratio is applied to takes by Level B harassment only;
small numbers determination made on basis of scaled Level B harassment take plus authorized Level A harassment take.

Based on the analysis contained
herein of CGG’s proposed survey
activity described in its LOA
application and the anticipated take of
marine mammals, NMFS finds that
small numbers of marine mammals will
be taken relative to the affected species
or stock sizes and therefore is of no
more than small numbers.
Authorization
NMFS has determined that the level
of taking for this LOA request is
consistent with the findings made for
the total taking allowable under the
incidental take regulations and that the
amount of take authorized under the
LOA is of no more than small numbers.
Accordingly, we have issued an LOA to
CGG authorizing the take of marine
mammals incidental to its geophysical
survey activity, as described above.
Dated: July 13, 2022.
Catherine G. Marzin,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–15310 Filed 7–18–22; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Reporting Requirements for
Commercial Fisheries Authorization
Under Section 118 of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection,
request for comment.

jspears on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES

AGENCY:

The Department of
Commerce, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), invites the general public and
other Federal agencies to comment on

SUMMARY:

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proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the
impact of our information collection
requirements and minimize the public’s
reporting burden. The purpose of this
notice is to allow for 60 days of public
comment preceding submission of the
collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration,
comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received
on or before September 19, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer,
at Adrienne.thomas@noaa.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648–
0292 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection
activities should be directed to Jaclyn
Taylor, NOAA National Marine
Fisheries Service, Office of Protected
Resources, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910; (301) 427–
8402; or Jaclyn.Taylor@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for an extension of a
currently approved information
collection and is sponsored by National
Marine Fisheries Service Office of
Protected Resources.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; MMPA or the
Act) mandates the protection and
conservation of marine mammals and
makes the taking of marine mammals,
except under limited exceptions, a
violation of the Act. MMPA section 118
provides an exception to that
prohibition for taking of marine
mammals incidental to commercial
fishing operations subject to
requirements listed in that section. The
owner of any fishing vessel engaged in
any fishery identified by the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as
having either frequent (Category I) or

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occasional (Category II) takes of a
marine mammal is to register with the
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) in
order to obtain an authorization for the
purpose of lawfully, incidentally taking
marine mammals. Fishers operating in
fisheries identified by NMFS as having
only a remote chance (Category III) of
taking marine mammals need not
register for such an authorization.
The owner or operator of a
commercial fishing vessel, regardless of
the classification of the fishery, is
required under the Act to report all
incidental mortality and injury of
marine mammals in the course of
commercial fishing operations.
Supplying the information within 48hours after the end of a fishing trip is
mandated under Section 118(e) of the
MMPA and is needed by NMFS to
determine the correct category
placement for fisheries. MMPA section
118(c) requires NMFS to reexamine the
classification of fisheries based on
information gathered under the MMPA,
including these injury and mortality
reports from fishermen.
Minor revisions are being made to the
form to clarify the instructions for
completing the ‘‘Description of the
mortality/injury incident’’
(DESCRIPTION OF UNKNOWN
SPECIES OR CIRCUMSTANCES OF
MORTALITY/INJURY INCIDENT field)
and the ‘‘Coast Guard document
number’’ (COAST GUARD DOCUMENT
NO. or VESSEL’S STATE
REGISTRATION NO field).
II. Method of Collection
Respondents have a choice of either
electronic or paper forms. Methods of
submittal include online forms, email of
electronic or scanned forms, mail and
facsimile transmission of paper forms.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0292.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of currently approved
collection).
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; Individuals or

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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 137 / Tuesday, July 19, 2022 / Notices

households; State, local, or tribal
government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
200.
Estimated Time per Response: 15
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 50.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $0.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1387 Sec.
118.
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to
permit the Department/Bureau to: (a)
evaluate whether the proposed
information collection is necessary for
the proper functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) evaluate the
accuracy of our estimate of the time and
cost burden for this proposed collection,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
evaluate ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) minimize the
reporting burden on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments that you submit in
response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or
summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this Information
Collection Request. Before including
your address, phone number, email
address, or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you may ask us in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Commerce
Department.
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[FR Doc. 2022–15350 Filed 7–18–22; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Green Sturgeon 4(d) Rule
Take Exceptions and Exemptions
National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection,
request for comment.
AGENCY:

The Department of
Commerce, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), invites the general public and
other Federal agencies to comment on
proposed and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the
impact of our information collection
requirements and minimize the public’s
reporting burden. The purpose of this
notice is to allow for 60 days of public
comment preceding submission of the
collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration,
comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received
on or before September 19, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer,
at NOAA.PRA@noaa.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648–
0613 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection
activities should be directed to Susan
Wang, Fishery Biologist, NMFS West
Coast Region, 501 West Ocean
Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA
90802, Susan.Wang@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:

I. Abstract
This request is for an extension,
without change, of a currently approved
information collection.
Section 4(d) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA) authorizes
the Secretary of Commerce to adopt
regulations determined to be necessary
and advisable for the conservation of
species listed as threatened. Such
regulations may include any or all of the
prohibitions described in section 9(a)(1)
of the ESA. As the agency with
jurisdiction over the Southern Distinct
Population Segment of North American

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green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris;
hereafter, ‘‘Southern DPS’’), the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s (NOAA’s) National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
determined that protective regulations
(a ‘‘4(d) rule’’) are necessary and
advisable for the conservation of the
Southern DPS after it was listed as a
threatened species in April 2006.
Protective regulations under section 4(d)
of the ESA were promulgated for the
species on June 2, 2010 (75 FR 30714)
(the final ESA 4(d) Rule) and codified at
50 CFR 223.210. To comply with the
ESA and the protective regulations,
entities must obtain take authorization
prior to engaging in activities involving
take of Southern DPS fish unless the
activity is covered by an exception or
exemption. ‘‘Take’’ is defined as to
harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot,
wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or
to attempt to engage in any such
conduct. Certain activities described in
the ‘‘exceptions’’ provision of 50 CFR
223.210(b) are not subject to the take
prohibitions if they adhere to specific
criteria and reporting requirements.
Under the ‘‘exemption’’ provision of 50
CFR 223.210(c), the take prohibitions do
not apply to scientific research,
scientific monitoring, and fisheries
activities conducted under an approved
4(d) program or plan; similarly, take
prohibitions do not apply to tribal
resource management activities
conducted under a Tribal Plan for
which the requisite determinations
described in 50 CFR 223.210(c)(3) have
been made.
To ensure that activities qualify under
exceptions to or exemptions from the
take prohibitions, local, state, and
federal agencies, non-governmental
organizations, academic researchers,
and private organizations are asked to
voluntarily submit detailed information
regarding their activity on a schedule to
be determined by National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) staff. This
information is used by NMFS to (1)
track the number of Southern DPS fish
taken as a result of each action; (2)
understand and evaluate the cumulative
effects of each action on the Southern
DPS; and (3) determine whether
additional protections are needed for
the species, or whether additional
exceptions may be warranted. NMFS
designed the criteria to ensure that
plans meeting the criteria would
adequately limit effects on threatened
Southern DPS fish, such that additional
protections in the form of a federal take
prohibition would not be necessary and
advisable.

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