This information collection consists of a mandatory vessel permit program for commercial tuna, swordfish and shark fisheries, recreational highly migratory species (HMS) fisheries and charter//headboat HMS fisheries, and mandatory dealer permits for purchase of HMS from vessels and for international trade of several HMS. These permits provide the basis for catch monitoring and collection of catch and effort statistics in these fisheries as required under the Atlantic Tuna Conventions Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Such information is essential for the United States to meet its reporting obligations to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna.
The National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) HMS Management Division recently published a final rule for Amendment 3 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Under the final rule for this action, effective at the beginning of the 2012 smoothhound fishing season, NMFS requires owners of vessels that fish for, take, retain, or possess smoothhounds (smooth dogfish and Florida smoothhounds) with an intention to sell, to obtain a Federal commercial smoothhound permit. The Federal commercial smoothhound permit will be a new permit administered out of the Northeast Region (NERO), due to the overlap with other similar fisheries, such as the spiny dogfish fishery, which are also administered out of NERO.
In addition to this new permit, the incidental HMS squid trawl permit will also be added to the NERO Federal Fisheries Initial Permit Application form (for initial application, there will be a pre-printed one-time application with a maximum burden time of 15 minutes.
US Code:
16 USC 971
Name of Law: Atlantic Tuna Conventions Act
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 303
Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act as amended in 2006
During the initial issuance phase, the total responses will increase to 44,673 (current 44,594 plus 79 new responses). The total burden hours, including the burden hours associated with filling out the new form, will be 10,576 hours (current 10,556 plus 20 additional hours). After the initial issuance, the number of responses and total burden hours would return to previous estimates.
The total annual cost to the public for mailing in the form would be $35 (79 applications x $0.44 = $35). The current total annual cost to the public from 0648-0327 is $1,233,928; therefore, the combined new total annual costs would be $1,233,963 ($1,233,928 plus $35). Again, this is a one time cost increase.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Margo Schulz-Haugen 301 713-0234
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.
Initial vessel permit application - Atlantic tunas, HMS charter/headboat