Justification - Sturgeon Vessel Strike Team

Project Title: Sturgeon Vessel Strike Team

Program Office Sponsoring or Conducting this CSC Project: NMFS/SWFSC

Authority for this CSC Project: CCSA and ESA

Purpose of this CSC Project: SWFSC has been involved in SDP Green sturgeon population monitoring for the past decade. This project provides information that assists ongoing efforts to monitor and protect that population.

Type(s) of Information Collected and From Whom It Is Collected: The public reports sturgeon carcasses in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to casturgeonresearch@gmail.com (or casturgeon.research@noaa.gov). Their reports include photos, location, species, date, and contact information.

Use of the Information: Permitted scientists use that information to collect samples from the carcasses and attempt to determine species (green or white sturgeon) and cause of death (e.g., natural, seal attack, or ship strike). In addition, NMFS uses the information to protect sturgeon under the ESA by identifying areas of high sturgeon mortality.

Method(s) of Information Collection: email

Affected Public: Individuals

Estimated Average Annual Number of Participants: 72

Estimated Average Annual Number of Responses per Participant: 1.3

Estimated Average Minutes per Response: 5

Estimated Average Annual Burden Hours: 8

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Participants in this CSC Project: $0

Estimated Average Annual Costs to the Federal Government: $500

Estimated Average Annual Number of Federal Government Employees (FTEs): 0.00

Recruitment and Retention Methods for Voluntary Participants (SSA item 1): Fliers, posters and various other outreach efforts to diverse user groups in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary (SFBDE) has resulted in strong public support and participation in this project. We will continue with these efforts as necessary and update them accordingly to get the word out about the project to ensure there will be a sufficient number of voluntary participants.

Gifts or Payments (SSA Item 9): We do not plan to provide a gift or payment to the voluntary participants.

Annual and Multi-Year Schedules (SSA Item 16): There is no planned end date to the collection of information as it has already proven a very effective model for reporting and monitoring sturgeon mortality in the SFBDE. It is expected that we will produce a publication using this data no later than the end of 2023 if various funding sources that we have applied for are successful.

Display OMB Control No. and Expiration Date (SSA Item 17): This information will be provided when individuals sign up to participate in this CSC project.

Statistical Methods: This CSC project will not employ statistical methods.

Approval for Pretesting: This CSC project will not require additional pretesting with more than nine members of the public.

Supplemental Documents: The two supplemental documents for this CSC project are educational and recruitment fliers, which explain what information is needed and how to submit it.

CERTIFICATION: I certify the following are true.

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The collection will not include highly influential scientific information, ,which is information NOAA or OMB determines: (i) could have a potential impact of more than $500 million in any year, or (ii) is novel, controversial, or precedent setting or has significant interagency interest.

5. The collection complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

6. The collection will provide qualitative and quantitative data that help inform scientific research and monitoring, validate models or tools, support STEM learning, and enhance the quantity and quality of data collected to support NOAA’s mission.

Name: Nicholas J. Demetras Nicholas J. Demetras 10/27/2022