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[Federal Register: January 12, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 9)]
[Notices]               
[Page 2887]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ja01-59]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 010801E]

 
South Pacific Tuna Act

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Proposed collection; Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 13, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
6086, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 20230 (or via 
Internet at <A HREF="mailto:MClayton@doc.gov">MClayton@doc.gov</A>).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Raymond P. Clarke, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814-4704, 
(808-973-2935 ext. 205), on the Internet at <A HREF="mailto:ray.clarke@noaa.gov">ray.clarke@noaa.gov</A>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Treaty on Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific 
Island States and the Government of the United States, signed in Port 
Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in 1987, and its annexes, schedules and 
implementing agreements, as amended (Treaty), authorize U.S. tuna 
vessels to fish within fishing zones of a large region of the Pacific 
Ocean. The South Pacific Tuna Act (16 U.S.C. 973g and 973f) and U.S. 
implementing regulations (50 CFR 282.3 and 282.5) authorize the 
collection of information from participants in the Treaty fishery.
    Vessel operators who wish to participate in the Treaty fishery must 
submit annual license and registration applications and periodic 
written reports of catch and unloading of fish from a licensed vessel. 
The information collected is submitted to the Forum Fisheries Agency 
(FFA) through the U.S. government (National Marine Fisheries Service). 
License and registration application information is used by FFA to 
determine the operational capability and financial responsibility of a 
vessel operator interested in participating in the Treaty fishery. 
Information obtained from vessel catch and unloading reports is used by 
FFA to assess fishing effort and fishery resources in the region and to 
track the amount of fish caught within each Pacific island state's 
exclusive economic zone for fair disbursement of Treaty monies. If the 
information is not collected, the U.S. government will not meet its 
obligations under the Treaty, and the lack of fishing information will 
result in poor management of the fishery resources.

II. Method of Collection

    The information is collected using forms required under the Treaty.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0218.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business and other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 32.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes for a license application 
or a registration application, 1 hour for a catch report, and 30 
minutes for an unloading log sheet.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 248.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $576.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 4, 2001.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-1060 Filed 1-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

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