PRA Statement - Observer Logbook

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
The PRA requires federal agencies to obtain clearance
in order to ask ques ons of members of the public. All
ques ons asked by west coast groundfish observers
have been approved under OMB Control No. 0648-0593
through 12/31/2021. Under the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conserva on and Management Act (MSA) and
implemen ng regula ons, vessels are required to answer
any ques on related to observer and vessel safety.
However, vessels are not required to answer any other
ques on asked by the observer. Vessel’s willingness to
answer all ques ons asked by observers is voluntary and
this willingness is appreciated as it will ensure observer
data collected on the vessel can be used in future analyzes.
The observer program can be contacted toll free at:
(866) 780-8064 or by the program's email address at
NWFSC.observerprogram@noaa.gov if anyone has any
ques ons.
A “Paperwork Reduc on Act Informa on” sheet is mailed
to all selected vessels for observer coverage and is
included with their selec on le er.

Paperwork Reduction Act Information
Informa on collected through the observer program is
used to: (1) monitor catch and bycatch; (2) understand the
popula on status and trends of fish stocks and protected
species, as well as the interac ons between them; (3)
determine the quan ty and distribu on of net benefits
derived from living marine resources; (4) predict the
biological, ecological, and economic impacts of exis ng
management ac ons and proposed management op ons;
and (5) ensure that the observer programs can safely and
efficiently collect the informa on required for the previous
four uses. In par cular, these biological and economic
data collec on programs contribute to legally mandated
analyses required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conserva on and Management Act (MSA), the Endangered
Species Act (ESA), the Marine Mammal Protec on Act
(MMPA), the Na onal Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), Execu ve Order 12866 (EO
12866), and other applicable law.

4

Most of the informa on collected by observers is obtained
through "direct observa on by an employee or agent
of the sponsoring agency or through non-standardized
oral communica on in connec on with such direct
observa ons". Under the Paperwork Reduc on Act (PRA)
regula ons at 5 C.F.R. 1320.3(h)(3), facts or opinions
obtained through such observa ons and communica ons
are not considered to be "informa on" subject to the PRA.
The public repor ng burden for responding to the ques
ons that observers ask and that are subject to the PRA is
es mated to average: 117 minutes, Northeast Fisheries
Observer Program and At-Sea Monitors; 56 minutes,
North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program
and Processing Plants; 15 minutes, Alaska Marine
Mammal Observer Program; 58 minutes, West Coast
Groundfish Observer Program; 86 minutes, Pacific Islands
Region Observer Program; 75 minutes, Southeast Shark
Fishery Observer Program; 85 minutes, Southeast Pelagic
Observer Program; 110 minutes, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish
and Shrimp Observer Program; 62 minutes, West Coast
Region Observer Program; 75 minutes, Southeast Reef
Fish Program per trip, including the me for hearing and
understanding the ques ons, searching exis ng data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
comple ng and reviewing the collec on of informa on.
Send comments regarding this burden es mateorany
other aspect of this collec on of informa on , including
sugges ons for reducing this burden, to: West Coast
Groundfish Observer Program, 2725 Montlake Blvd. East,
Sea le,WA 98112.
Providing informa on related to observer and vessel
safety is mandatory under regula ons at 50 C.F.R.
600.746. However, all other requested informa on is
voluntary. Although you are under no legal obliga on to
answer non-safety related observer ques ons,wewould
appreciate your support as it ensures observer data can
be used for its intended purpose. The informa on
collected will be kept confide n al as required under Sec
on 402(b) of the MSA (18 U.S.C. 1881a(b)) and regula ons
at 50 C.F.R. Part 600, Subpart E. Notwithstanding any
other provision of the law, no person is required to
respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with a collec on of informa on
subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduc on
Act, unless that collec on of informa on displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number.