0648-0605 SUPPORTING STATEMENT Part A 2025-0703

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Northeast Multispecies Reporting Requirements

OMB Control No. 0648-0605

SUPPORTING STATEMENT PART A

Abstract

This is a request for a rule-related (0648-BN23) revision and extension of the OMB Control No. 0648-0605. This revision request makes the following changes:

• Removal of weekly annual catch entitlement (ACE) reporting requirements for sectors (50 CFR 648.87(b)(1)(v)(B));

• Removal of the option to increase the frequency of ACE reporting requirements for sectors when the balance of remaining ACE is low, as specified in the sector operations plan and approved by NMFS (50 CFR 648.87(b)(1)(v)(B));

• Removal of the requirement for sectors to include in their operations plan a list of all Federal and state permits held by persons participating in the sector, including an indication for each permit whether it is enrolled and will actively fish in a sector, or will be subject to the provisions of the common pool (50 CFR 648.87(b) (2) (ii)).

These collections are necessary to carry out the requirements of the groundfish fishery as specified by the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Removal of the above requirements is intended to reduce the administrative burden on sectors, without negatively affecting the availability of information for analyzing the impacts of sectors, monitoring against the objectives of the FMP, or evaluating current management programs and future management proposals.

Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Secretary of Commerce has the responsibility for the conservation and management of marine fishery resources. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the Regional Fishery Management Councils are delegated the majority of this responsibility. The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) develops management plans for fishery resources in the Northeast region.

In 2010, a new suite of regulations for the NE multispecies fishery was implemented through Amendment 16 to the NE Multispecies FMP (50 CFR Part 648 Subpart F). This action updated status determination criteria for all regulated NE multispecies or ocean pout stocks; adopted rebuilding programs for NE multispecies (groundfish) stocks newly classified as being overfished and subject to overfishing; revised management measures, including significant revisions to the sector management measures (established under Amendment 13) necessary to end overfishing, rebuild overfished regulated NE multispecies and ocean pout stocks, and mitigate the adverse economic impacts of increased effort controls. It also implemented new requirements under Amendment 16 for establishing acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits (ACLs), and accountability measures for each stock managed under the FMP, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Sectors are a management tool in the groundfish fishery. The FMP allows permitted vessels to make an annual election either to fish under the effort-control rules (the common pool) or under the voluntary catch share system (sectors). A sector consists of three or more limited access NE multispecies vessel permits, with distinct ownership, who voluntarily enter into a contract to manage their fishing operations and to share liability. A sector is granted an annual allocation of most stocks of fish managed by the NE Multispecies FMP. In return for increased operational flexibility, such as exemptions from certain effort controls and the ability to pool and trade quota, sectors have additional reporting and monitoring requirements. Amendment 16 required sectors to develop and fund an independent third-party at-sea monitoring (ASM) program. Amendment 16 allowed sectors to use electronic monitoring (EM) instead of human monitors to meet ASM requirements, provided that the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator deemed it sufficient. Using the authority and process granted to the agency in Amendment 16, NMFS announced its determination that sectors may use EM to meet monitoring requirements (86 FR 16686; March 31, 2021). The sector reporting and monitoring requirements, as established by Amendment 16 and revised by subsequent framework adjustments to the NE Multispecies FMP, are contained within this information collection.

Since the implementation of Amendment 16, a number of actions have modified the NE multispecies management provisions included in the original form family, and those changes have been incorporated in subsequent information collections. The sector reporting and monitoring requirements, as established by Amendment 16 and revised by subsequent framework adjustments are contained within this information collection. Amendment 23 to the FMP granted the authority to the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator to revise sector reporting requirements to streamline reporting for the industry (87 FR 75852, December 9, 2022).

The items outlined in this information collection include:

• Sector operations plan and annual membership list updates;

• Monitoring and reporting service providers applications and response to denials

• Monitoring system (database) for discards, sector manager weekly catch reports and annual reports;

• Notification of ejection from a sector;

• Transfer of annual catch entitlement (ACE) between sectors;

• Area and days-at-sea (DAS) declaration - groundfish vessels fishing under any NE multispecies DAS;

• Vessel monitoring system (VMS) daily catch reports for trips averaging 1 day or less;

• VMS daily catch reports for trips averaging 5 days;

• Catch reporting requirements: US/Canada Area and Closed Area II Special Access Programs (SAP) and Regular B Program;

• At-sea monitoring and reporting requirements - notifications and database requirements and monitoring costs;

• NE fishery observer notification;

• Trip start and end hails;

• DAS transfer program;

• Submission of proposed SAP;

• Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) reporting requirements;

• DAS leasing request form;

• DAS downgrade request; and

• Electronic monitoring program requirements; and

The regulatory citation associated with each form, and hyperlink to the appropriate location in the CFR, is included in the attached Forms document.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

The information in this collection is collected from monitoring providers (11-1021: general and operations managers), sector managers (11-9013: farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers), and fishers (53-5021: captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels). Forms and reports are collected electronically or by electronic mail. Reports in this collection vary in frequency, occurring on a daily, weekly, annual, or situational basis.

The information collected in this collection has been and will be used by several offices of NMFS, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), as well as state fishery management agencies, academic institutions, and other fishery research and management organizations to evaluate current management programs and future management proposals. The information described in this collection is necessary to monitor catch in the fishery against annual catch limits, consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements. It is also used to ensure vessel compliance with fishery regulations and requirements.

The NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) or U.S. Coast Guard to monitor compliance with the provisions of the FMP may also use geographic position information from vessel monitoring units, trip declarations, and other reports.

NMFS would retain control over all information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. The information collection is designed to yield data that meet all applicable information quality guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information would be subjected to quality control measures and pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.

This collection was originally established in 2010, and was renewed in 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also, describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

Currently, operations plans, appeals, and notification of ejections from a sector are sent via electronic means (email or a secure electronic mail platform). NMFS has designed a secure web portal where sector managers may securely download vessel trip reports (VTR); VMS, Northeast fishery observer program (NEFOP), ASM, EM, and annual report data, and upload their required weekly reports (https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/apps/login/login). ACE transfers requests between sectors may also be executed via this web portal. Annual reports may be submitted via U.S. mail or by electronic means (email). Electronic VTR (eVTR), which had previously been approved for use as an approved reporting method, are now mandatory for all commercially permitted vessels (85 FR 71575; November 10, 2020).

ASM and EM provider applications are submitted electronically via a secure electronic mail platform. EM data is collected and submitted to NMFS electronically via a secure web portal. The majority of ASM data is also collected and submitted electronically using a tablet, and we expect ASM data to be fully paperless in the near future.

Automated reporting is available via VMS for fishing vessels required to have the system for participation in a sector. Additionally, automated declarations, once-hourly polling and catch reporting are all available through electronic means (VMS).

No other improved information collection technology has been identified to further reduce the burden associated with this family of forms. Every effort will be made in the future to use computer technology to reduce the public burden.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Question 2

The information to be collected through this information collection is not duplicated elsewhere. The Magnuson-Stevens Act’s operational guidelines require each FMP to evaluate existing state and Federal laws that govern the fisheries in question, and the findings are made part of each FMP. Council membership includes state and Federal officials responsible for resource management in their area. Therefore, NMFS is confident that it is aware of similar collections if they exist.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

Only the minimum data needed to meet the permit objectives are requested from all respondents. Since most of the respondents are small businesses, separate requirements based on the size of business have not been developed.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

Not conducting the collection of information described in Questions 1 and 2 would undermine NMFS’s ability to effectively implement ACLs, AMs, and sector provisions. This collection of information is necessary for a variety of reasons, including monitoring fishing effort and catch, enforcing area specific measures, and increasing efficiency of sector operations by facilitating sector activities, such as sector ACE monitoring and ACE transfers. Furthermore, reducing the frequency of collection would also compromise NMFS’ ability to monitor vessel activities, in turn affecting the enforcement of management measures.

To the extent practicable, frequency of information collection under this new collection has been minimized. To reduce the frequency any further would compromise the intent of each collection of information requirements. For example, less frequent monitoring of vessels fishing under the NE multispecies program (participating in either a sector or the common pool) would reduce the effectiveness of the system in helping prevent violations of DAS controls and ACE allocations, which, in turn, could reduce the effectiveness of measures to control fishing mortality and rebuild overfished stocks.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

Some of the requirements may not be consistent with OMB guidelines with regard to the reporting frequency. While OMB guidelines suggest that respondents not be required to report more often than quarterly, requirements for VMS and eVTR for NE multispecies permit holders, sector weekly reports, ASM and EM trip reports, and dealer requirements will require more frequent reporting.

Vessels that intend to fish in the NE multispecies fishery must declare via VMS that they will be on such a trip prior to leaving and upon returning to port, and must submit an eVTR documenting the area fished, gear used, and catch kept and discarded for every trip. These reporting requirements are needed to keep an accurate accounting of DAS usage and fishing location necessary to attribute catch to stock areas and effectively monitor ACLs. Similarly, the sector weekly reports are needed to ensure that each sector is adequately monitoring their members for sector enforcement issues. The trip-level reports submitted by ASM and EM providers following each monitored trip are also used to monitor catch against the ACLs. Dealers will be required to provide monitors with a copy of weigh-out slips/receipts to ensure consistency.

The daily VMS trip report requirement for vessels that declare trips into the Gulf of Maine (GOM) Broad Stock Area and any other broad stock area is necessary to promote more accurate trip declarations and catch reporting from vessels, which will lead to a stronger likelihood that the GOM ACL will not be exceeded. Similarly, the daily VMS trip report requirement for vessels using certain sector exemptions is necessary to allow sectors and the agency to track catch under these exemptions.

In some instances, respondents may be required to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt. Sectors are given two weeks to submit their annual reports following receipt of their final catch data. This timeline is intended to expedite the year-end catch accounting process so that NMFS may determine how much, if any, ACE is left unused at the end of the fishing year. Sectors are allowed to carry over some unused ACE into the new fishing year, but not until the year-end catch accounting process is complete. Therefore, it is in the sectors’ best interests to submit their annual reports quickly (i.e., in fewer than 30 days).

All other aspects of this collection will be conducted in a manner consistent with OMB guidelines.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publications in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8 (d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

A proposed rule (0648-BN23) is being published concurrent with this submission. Any comments received that relate to this information collection will be addressed in the subsequent supporting statement. In addition, the revisions to this collection were discussed publicly at the New England Fishery Management Council meetings on September 25, and December 4, 2024. During these meetings, public comments were solicited. However, no comments were received regarding this PRA data collection.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No payment or gift has been or will be made to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy. If the collection requires a systems of records notice (SORN) or privacy impact assessment (PIA), those should be cited and described here.

All data will be handled in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics, and will not be released for public use except in aggregate statistical form (and without identifying the source of data, i.e., vessel name, owner, etc.). In addition, any information collected would be considered confidential and would not be disclosed except as provided in Section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Act as amended in 2006 (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.).

This information is covered by the Privacy Act System of Records COMMERCE/NOAA-6, Fishermen’s Statistical Data. The information collected is captured in PIA NOAA4100.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature involved in this collection of information.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

Information Collection	Type of Respondent (e.g., Occupational Title)	# of Respondents / Year	Annual # of Responses / Respondent	Total # of Annual Responses	Burden Hrs / Response	Total Annual Burden Hrs	Hourly Wage Rate (for Type of Respondent)	Total Annual Wage Burden Costs
		(a)	(b)	(c) = (a) x (b)	(d)	(e) = (c) x (d)	(f)	(g) = (e) x (f)
Sector Operations Plan & Annual Membership List Updates	11-9013: Famers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers – sector managers	201	2	40	77	3,080	$ 46.75	$ 143,990.00
Monitoring & Reporting Service Providers Application & Response to Denial	11-1021: General and Operations Managers – monitoring service providers	142	1.714	24	10	240	$ 64.00	$ 15,360.00
Monitoring System (database) for Discards, Sector Manager Weekly Reports & Annual Reports3	11-9013: Famers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers – sector managers	20	1,053	21,060	0.1	2,106	$ 46.75	$ 98,455.50
Notification of Ejection from Sector	11-9013: Famers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers – sector managers	10	1	10	0.5	5	$ 46.75	$ 233.75
Transfer of Annual Catch Entitlement Between Sectors4	11-9013: Famers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers – sector managers	1,200	2	2,400	0.08	200	$ 46.75	$ 9,350.00
Area & DAS Declaration - Groundfish Vessels Fishing under any NE Multispecies DAS5	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – vessels	1,309	11.46	15,000	0.08	1,250	$ 46.95	$ 58,640.55
VMS Daily Catch Reports - Average 5-day Length Trips6	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – vessels	85	35	2,975	0.25	744	$ 46.95	$ 34,930.80
Catch Reporting Requirements: US/Canada Area, CA II SAPs, Close Area I SAP, and Regular B Program7	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – vessels	100	10.3	1,030	0.25	258	$ 46.95	$ 12,113.10
At-Sea Monitoring & Reporting Requirements - Notifications & Database Requirements & Monitoring Costs8	11-1021: General and Operations Managers – monitoring service providers	14	10215.357	143,015	0.3759	53,762	$ 64.00	$ 3,440,768.00
At-Sea Monitoring		236	0	0	0	0	0
Electronic Monitoring		1073	0	0	0	0	0
Dockside Monitoring		0	0	0	0	0	0
NE Fishery Observer Notification9	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – vessels	1,309	11.46	15,000	0.08	1,250	$ 46.95	$ 58,640.55
Trip Start/End Hails10	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – vessels	1,309	24.828	32,500	0.08	2,708	$ 46.95	$ 127,140.60
DAS Transfer Program11	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – permit holders	1,309	1	1,309	0.08	109	$ 46.95	$ 5,117.55
Submission of Proposed Special Access Program (SAP)12	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – permit holders	1	1	1	20	20	$ 46.95	$ 939.00
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Reporting Requirements13	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – vessels	5	770	3,850	22.75	87,588	$ 46.95	$ 4,112,256.60
DAS Leasing Request Form14	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – permit holders	200	2	400	0.08	32	$ 46.95	$ 1,502.40
DAS Downgrade Request	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – permit holders	2	1	2	0.08	0	$ 46.95	$ 7.98
VMS Trip Catch Reports - 1 Day or Less Trips15	53-5021: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – vessels	15	5	75	0.25	19	$ 46.95	$ 892.05
Electronic Monitoring Program Requirements16	11-1021: General and Operations Managers – monitoring service providers	10	1,231.9	12,319	0.50173	6,181	$ 64.00	$ 395,584.00
EM equipment installation	11-1021: General and Operations Managers – monitoring service providers	3	1	3	6	18	$ 64.00	$ 1,152.00
purchase and installation reimbursement form	11-1021: General and Operations Managers – monitoring service providers	3	1	3	0.5	1.5	$ 64.00	$ 96.00
VMP development and submission	11-1021: General and Operations Managers – monitoring service providers	3	1	3	2	6	$ 64.00	$ 384.00
Generation and distribution of feedback letters	11-1021: General and Operations Managers – monitoring service providers	10	1231	12310	0.5	6155	$ 64.00	$ 393,920.00
Totals				251,010		159,549*		8,515,922.43

* Difference in ROCIS due to rounding.

The current wage rate data was pulled from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2024, which is the most recent information. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#top

NAFO Reporting Requirements
PER TRIP
1 VESSEL	Reports/day	Reports/trip	Total Reports/Trip	Minutes/ Response	Total Burden Response Time
Trip Declaration	0	1	1	5	0.0833
Pre-Trip Notification	0	1	1	5	0.0833
Haul-by-Haul Logbook Info	1	30	30	25	12.5
Daily Catch Report	1	30	30	5	2.5
Production Logbook	1	30	30	5	2.5
Stowage Plan Updated Info	1	30	30	5	2.5
Pre-Landing Notification	0	1	1	5	0.0833
Observer Reports	1	30	30	5	2.5000
Request for NAFO Observer	0	1	1	1	0.016
			154		22.77	per trip
			5	trips/yr	5	trips/yr
		VMS Reports	770	Reports/yr	113.83	Time/yr

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden already reflected on the burden worksheet).

Information Collection	# of Respondents / Year	Annual # of Responses / Respondent	Total # of Annual Responses	Cost Burden / Respondent	Total Annual Cost Burden
	(a)	(b)	(c) = (a) x (b)	(h)	(i) = (c) x (h)
Sector Operations Plan & Annual Membership List Updates17	20	2	40	$10.00	$400
Monitoring & Reporting Service Providers Application & Response to Denial18	14	1.714	24	$10.00	$240
Monitoring System (database) for Discards, Sector Manager Weekly Catch Reports & Annual Reports19	20	1,053	21,060	$ -	$ -
Notification of Ejection from Sector20	10	1	10	$ -	$ -
Transfer of Annual Catch Entitlement Between Sectors21	1,200	2	2,400	$ -	$ -
Area & DAS Declaration - Groundfish Vessels Fishing under any NE Multispecies DAS22	1,309	11.459	15,000	$0.98	$14,700
VMS Daily Catch Reports - Average 5-day Length Trips23	85	35	2,975	$2.10	$6,248
Catch Reporting Requirements: US/Canada Area, CA II SAPs, Close Area I SAP, and Regular B Program24	100	10.3	1,030	$2.10	$2,163
At-Sea Monitoring & Reporting Requirements - Notifications & Database Requirements & Monitoring Costs25	14	10215.357	143,015	$55.00	8,566,294
Reporting	10	9381.5	93815	$0.66	61,918
At-Sea Monitoring	236	9	2124*	750	1,593,000
Electronic Monitoring	1073	9	9660*	425	4,105,500
Dockside Monitoring	4	12300	49200	57.03	2,805,876
NE Fishery Observer Notification	1,309	11.459	15,000	$ -	$ -
Trip Start/End Hails26	1,309	24.828	32500	$0.98	$31,850
DAS Transfer Program27	1,309	1	1,309	$ -	$ -
Submission of Proposed Special Access Program (SAP)28	1	1	1	$2.46	$2
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Reporting Requirements29	5	770	3,850	$101.7234	391,635
DAS Leasing Request30	200	2	400	$ -	$ -
DAS Downgrade Request31	2	1	2	$ -	$ -
VMS Trip Catch Reports - 1 Day or Less Trips32	15	5	75	$2.10	$158
Electronic Monitoring Program Requirements33	10	1,234	12,319	$4.48	$55,217
Electronic Monitoring Equipment Purchase34	3	1	3	15000	45,000
Purchase & Installation Reimbursement Form	3	1	3	0	0
VMP Development & Submission	3	1	3	0	0
Generation & Distribution of Feedback Letters	10	1231	12310	0.83	10,217
TOTALS			251,010		$9,068,906

NAFO Reporting Requirements Annual Cost
1 VESSEL					Annual Cost / Respondent
VMS Monthly Operating Costs	$150 / Month	12 mos			$ 1,800
Observer Cost	$500 / day	30 days/trip	5 trips/yr		$ 75,000
Vessel Capacity Plan	$ 1,000				$ 1,000
Reports: Daily Catch, Pre-Trip, Pre-Landing	$105.40 / trip	5 trips/yr			$ 527
					$ 78,327
Per character (a)	0.004
Characters/Report (b)	300				$ 78,327
total (c) = (a) * (b)	$ 1.20			divided by	770	reports
Submission Cost/Report (d)	$ 0.50				$ 101.7234
Total Cost/Report (e) = (c) + (d)	$ 1.70
VMS Reports/Trip (f)	62
TOTAL Cost/Trip (g) = (e) * (f)	$ 105.40

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

Cost Descriptions	Grade/Step	Loaded Salary /Cost	% of Effort	Fringe (if Applicable)	Total Cost to Government
Federal Position	ZP-III/3 35	169,571 (x4)	80% (x4)		$542,627
Other Federal Positions	ZP-II/336	128,766 (x1)	80% (x1)		$103,013
	ZP-IV/337	238,290 (x1)	25% (x1)		$59,573
Contractor Cost	N/A38	75,000 (x45)	75% (x45)		$2,531,250
Travel
Other Costs:
TOTAL					$3,236,463

The costs for federal employees was determined using the Commerce Alternative Personnel System pay tables located at https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/CAPS_rpStandard_2024.pdf. The Rest of U.S. locality rate was used since NOAA staff are geographically dispersed. The upper bound salary for each pay grade was used to determine the base salary. A multiplier of 1.5 was used to calculate the loaded salary.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in ROCIS.

This information collection contains revised cost estimates for some items. These changes are reflective of changes in the Northeast multispecies fishery. This information collection does not contain any new requirements.

• Changes to Existing Requirements

  • Sector Operations Plan & Annual Membership List Updates: Removal of the requirement for sectors to include in their operations plan a list of all Federal and state permits held by persons participating in the sector

  • Monitoring System (database) for Discards, Sector Manager Weekly Reports & Annual Reports: Removal of weekly annual catch entitlement (ACE) reporting requirements for sectors, and removal of the option to increase the frequency of ACE reporting requirements for sectors when the balance of remaining ACE is low

This renewal request adjusts costs for reports that are now submitted via electronic mail, rather than U.S. mail. It also adjusts costs for those information collections that are still submitted via mail to account for the increase in the price of stamps since the last renewal. In addition, Framework Adjustment 69 to the FMP removes regulations requiring certain components of Sector Operations Plans and Sector weekly reports. This revision and extension request revised the burden hours for Sector Operations Plan & Annual Membership List Updates and the Monitoring System (database) for Discards, Sector Manager Weekly Reports & Annual Reports information collections to reflect the components of these reports, which were removed. The changes to these information collections reduces the total burden hours for these collections.

Information Collection	Respondents		Responses		Burden Hours		Reason for change or adjustment
	Current	Previous Renewal / Revision	Current	Previous Renewal / Revision	Current	Previous Renewal / Revision
Sector Operations Plan & Annual Membership List Updates	20	20	40	40	3080	4400	Program Change: Removed the regulatory requirement for sectors to include in their operations plan a list of all Federal and state permits held by persons participating in the sector, which is expected to reduce the burden hours by 30%.
Monitoring & Reporting Service Providers Application & Response to Denial	14	14	24	24	240	240	N/A
Monitoring System (database) for Discards, Sector Manager Weekly Reports & Annual Reports	20	20	21060	21060	2106	6318	Program change: Removed the regulatory requirement for weekly ACE reporting requirements for sectors, but retained the enforcement component of weekly reporting. This is expected to reduce the burden hours by 90% for weekly reporting. The burden hours for annual reporting and monitoring the system for discards remain the same.
Notification of Ejection from Sector	10	10	10	10	5	5	N/A
Transfer of Annual Catch Entitlement Between Sectors	1200	1200	2400	2400	200	200	N/A
Area & DAS Declaration - Groundfish Vessels Fishing under any NE Multispecies DAS	1309	1309	15000	15000	1250	1250	N/A
VMS Daily Catch Reports - Average 5-day Length Trips	85	85	2975	2975	744	744	N/A
Catch Reporting Requirements: US/Canada Area, CA II SAPs, Close Area I SAP, and Regular B Program	100	100	1030	1030	258	258	N/A
At-Sea Monitoring & Reporting Requirements - Notifications & Database Requirements & Monitoring Costs	14	14	143015	143015	53762	53762	N/A
NE Fishery Observer Notification	1309	1309	15000	15000	1250	1250	N/A
Trip Start/End Hails	1309	1309	32500	32500	2708	2708	N/A
DAS Transfer Program	1309	1309	1309	1309	109	109	N/A
Submission of Proposed Special Access Program (SAP)	1	1	1	1	20	20	N/A
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Reporting Requirements	5	5	3850	25	87,588	569	Adjustment: The # of responses per respondent was previously indicated as 5 responses per year, but that did not account for all the reporting requirements.
DAS Leasing Request Form	200	200	400	400	32	32	N/A
DAS Downgrade Request	2	2	2	2	0	0	N/A
VMS Trip Catch Reports - 1 Day or Less Trips	15	15	75	75	19	19	N/A
Electronic Monitoring Program Requirements	10	10	12319	12319	6181	6181	N/A
NAFO - Daily Observer Catch Report Information	0	5	0	750	0	75	Adjustment: This IC was removed as this burden is captured in the NAFO Reporting Requirements.
Total for Collection	6,932	6,937	251,010	247,935	159,550	78,137
Difference	-5 (adjustment)		3,075 (adjustment)		81,413 -5,532 prgm chg 86,944 adj

Information Collection	Miscellaneous Costs		Reason for change or adjustment
	Current	Previous
Sector Operations Plan & Annual Membership List Updates	$ 400	$ 2,000	Program Change: -1,280 Adjustment: Sector operations plans are now submitted via secure electronic mail, eliminating the cost of printing copies and mailing. -320
Monitoring & Reporting Service Providers Application & Response to Denial	$ 240	$ 212	Adjustment: increase in estimated respondent costs.
Monitoring System (database) for Discards, Sector Manager Weekly Catch Reports & Annual Reports	$ -	$ -	N/A
Notification of Ejection from Sector	$ -	$ 7	Adjustment: Documents are submitted electronically
Transfer of Annual Catch Entitlement Between Sectors	$ -	$ 3,264	Adjustment: ACE Transfers are submitted via a secure web portal. Sector Managers retain the option to mail them, but this does not occur in practice.
Area & DAS Declaration - Groundfish Vessels Fishing under any NE Multispecies DAS	$ 14,700	$ 15,000	Adjustment: Adjusted to reflect current VMS declaration rates
VMS Daily Catch Reports - Average 5-day Length Trips	$ 6,248	$ 6,634	Adjustment: Adjusted to reflect current VMS catch report rates
Catch Reporting Requirements: US/Canada Area, CA II SAPs, Close Area I SAP, and Regular B Program	$ 2,163	$ 2,297	Adjustment: Adjusted to reflect current VMS catch report rates
At-Sea Monitoring & Reporting Requirements - Notifications & Database Requirements & Monitoring Costs	$ 8,566,294	$ 7,565,699	Adjusted to reflect current VMS rates
NE Fishery Observer Notification	$ -	$ -
Trip Start/End Hails	$ 31,850	$ 30,550	Adjustment: Adjusted to reflect current VMS rates
DAS Transfer Program	$ -	$ 1,780	Adjustment: Documents are submitted electronically. Stakeholders retain the option to mail them, but this does not occur in practice.
Submission of Proposed Special Access Program (SAP)	$ 2	$ 2	N/A
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Reporting Requirements	391,635	$ 3,138	Adjustment: The burden for this IC was miscalculated in the previous revision package.
DAS Leasing Request Form	$ -	$ 272	Adjustment: Documents are submitted electronically. Stakeholders retain the option to mail them, but this does not occur in practice.
DAS Downgrade Request	$ -	$ 4	Adjustment: Documents are submitted electronically. Stakeholders retain the option to mail them, but this does not occur in practice.
VMS Trip Catch Reports - 1 Day or Less Trips	$ 158	$ 165	Adjustment: Adjusted to reflect current VMS catch report rates
Electronic Monitoring Program Requirements	$ 55,217	$ 53,375	Adjustment: VMP and purchase and installation reimbursement documents are submitted electronically. The price of stamps has increased for the Generation and distribution of Feedback Letters
NAFO - Daily Observer Catch Report Information	0	$ 1,673	Adjustment: This IC was removed as this burden is captured in the NAFO Reporting Requirements.
Total for Collection	$ 9,068,907	$ 7,686,072
Difference	$ 1,382,835 -1,280 program change 1,384,115 adjustment

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

Results from this collection could be used in scientific, management, technical, or general informational publications such as Fisheries of the United States, which follows prescribed statistical tabulations and summary table formats. Data are available to the general public on request in summary form only. Data are available to NMFS employees, and Council staff and state employees with confidential data agreements, in detailed form on a need-to-know basis only.

NOAA Fisheries will retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. See response to Question 10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on confidentiality and privacy. The information collection is designed to yield data that meet all applicable information quality guidelines. Although the information collected is not expected to be disseminated directly to the public, results may be used in scientific, management, technical or general informational publications. Should NOAA Fisheries decide to disseminate the information, it will be subject to the quality control measures and pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

Some information collection associated with this action is through non-standardized reports, web-based forms, and telephone calls, which would be inappropriate to display the expiration date for the OMB approval. For all other information in this collection, the agency plans to display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection on all instruments.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions."

The agency certifies compliance with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

1 Estimated number of sectors is 20.

2 Estimates 14 monitoring and reporting service providers.

3 Estimates 1000 VTR entries, 52 weekly reports plus 1 annual report. Removing the requirement for weekly and daily catch reports reduces the time estimate to 0.4 hours for weekly reports

4 Estimates 2,400 responses (2 responses/trade) and 5 minutes per response for a total of 200 hours.

5 Estimates 15,000 gf trips across 1309 permit holders at 5 min/declaration for a total 1,250 hours.

6 Estimates 100 vessels will take multi-area trips; 15 will take trips averaging 1 day and 85 will take trips averaging 5 days. The 15 vessels taking 1-day trips will take roughly 5 trips total, while the 85 vessels taking 5-day trips will take 7 trips per year (7 trips x 5 days = 35 daily catch reports).

7 These are reasonable estimates of the annual number of trips into the U.S./Canada Area and SAPs in the coming fishing years, and the number of entities this requirement would apply to, based on effort in the past three years. The burden to vessels participating in the U.S. Canada Management Area and associated SAPs is estimated to be 250 hours (15 minutes x 1,000 reports). The total time burden to vessels participating in the Regular B Program is expected to be 8 hours (15 minutes x 30 reports).

8 Includes the following sub-components: PTNS selection, vessel notification of selection for coverage, vendor database and data entry, report monitor deployment, relay catch/discard data to NMFS, reports of harassment, discrimination, safety concerns, injury, etc., copy of each signed contract, copy of additional provider materials, OLE debrief of monitoring staff. Estimates PTNS, vessel notification of selection, vendor database requirements, monitor developments and relays discard to NMFS at 15,000 each. Additional reports (e.g., harassment) are estimated at 7,500, OLE debrief at 11250, contracts at 45 and additional documentation at 20 responses.

9 Estimates 15000 groundfish trips taken by 1,309 permit holders.

10 Estimates 1,309 permit holders will take 15,000 groundfish trips. Estimates that a TSH and TEH will be submitted for each trip (15,000 x 2) and 2,500 additional hails will be sent as corrections. Each hail will take 5 min.

11 1,309 permit holders have the option to transfer DAS. The application takes 5 min to complete.

12 Estimate receipt of 1 application annually, which would take ~20 hours to review.

13 We are conservatively estimating that up to five vessels could participate in the future. NMFS estimates that the recording of all of the above listed information would average 22.75 hours each trip based on the following assumptions: Trip declaration: 5 minutes/trip; Pre-trip notification: 5 minutes/trip; Haul-by-haul logbook information: 12.5 hours/trip (5 minutes each haul x 5 hauls/day x 30 day/trip); Daily catch report information: 2.5 hours/trip (5 minutes/day x 30 day/trip); Production logbook information: 2.5 hours/trip (5 minutes/day x 30 day/trip); Stowage plan updated information: 2.5 hours/trip (5 minutes/day x 30 days); Pre-landing notification: 5 minutes/trip. Therefore, if each vessel completes 5 trips, averaging 30 days each, the annual burden would be 569 hours (22.75 hours/trip x 5 trips/year x 5 vessels).

14 Estimates 400 ACE leases over fishing year at 5 min/lease.

15 Estimates 100 vessels will take multi-area trips; 15 will take trips averaging 1 day and 85 will take trips averaging 5 days. The 15 vessels taking 1-day trips will take roughly 5 trips total, while the 85 vessels taking 5-day trips will take 7 trips per year (7 trips x 5 days = 35 daily catch reports).

16 Includes one-time burdens: EM equipment installation (4-16 hours, depending on the size of the vessel, for an average of 6 hours), completion of purchase and installation reimbursement form (30 min), VMP development and submission (2 hours), and annual burden: generation and distribution of feedback letters (30 min).

17 Documents are submitted electronically. In their operations plans, sectors must prove that they are made up of at least 3 permits, none of which share common interest/ownership. Some permits are owned by corporations instead of individuals, and when that is the case, the sector must produce corporate documentation specifying the ownership/board of the corporation. Sometimes this documentation is behind a paywall, and we have estimated that acquiring these documents (although submitted electronically) may cost a sector up to $10. 

18 Documents are submitted electronically. Providers have to submit emergency action plans, which can be bulky documents in which they may be scanning in or copying documents to create a full PDF that they would be submitting to us electronically. Even though submitted electronically, NOAA is including these costs to ensure we are not underestimating the cost of putting together their approval package.

19 Computer required, but it is assumed a computer is necessary for manager to complete job and it is not an additional expense.

20 Documents are submitted electronically.

21 Submitted via a secure web portal. Computer required, but it is assumed a computer is necessary for manager to complete job and it is not an additional expense.

22 Estimates $0.98 per VMS declaration.

23 Each VMS catch report is estimated to cost $2.10.

24 Each VMS catch report is estimated to cost $2.10.

25 Estimates cost at $0.66/report. This math assumes that 18% of permit holders will opt into ASM and 82% of permit holders will opt into EM. 2124 and 9660 represent 18% and 82% of 11,939 seadays. $750 is the most recent estimated per day cost of ASM and $425 is the most recent estimated per day cost of EM. The ASM coverage level for 2024 was estimated to be 100 percent of trips.

26 Each VMS hail estimated at $0.98.

27 Documents are submitted electronically

28 A rough estimate of approximately 10 pages was used for this submission. Copying costs are estimated at $0.10/page. Mailing a document of this size would likely require at least two stamps at $0.73 each.

29 The costs associated with these requirements include the operational costs for VMS message costs associated with daily catch reports for vessel and observer, pre-trip and pre-landing reports, the cost of the vessel capacity plan (one-time fee), and observer costs. VMS monthly operating costs are $150, and therefore $9,000 per year for all five vessels. Daily catch and pre-trip and pre-landing reports are estimated to average 300 characters. At $0.004 per character and $0.5/submission, required reports are estimated to cost $105.40 per trip (($1.70 per report x 62 reports/trip)), or $2,635 per year ($ 105.40 per trip x 5 trips/year x 5 vessels). The one-time cost for a vessel capacity plan is estimated at $1,000 ($5,000 for five vessels). Observers cost $375,000/year for five NAFO vessels ($500/day x 30 days/trip x 5 trips per year x 5 vessels). Combined, the estimated annualized cost of NAFO operations is $391,635. Respondents submit a total of 624 reports per year, totaling 3,120 reports from all respondents.

30 Documents are submitted electronically

31 Documents are submitted electronically

32 Each VMS catch report is estimated to cost $2.10.

33 $0.10/copy and $0.73/stamp for the generation and distribution of feedback letters.

34 Estimated $5,000 per EM system. EM equipment estimates range from $10,000-15,000 per system. This estimate uses $15,000 as a conservative estimate but amortizes the cost over a 3-year period, which is consistent with its expected life cycle. Total cost divided annualized as vessels only expected to need an EM system installed every 3 years.

35 Two NMFS Sustainable Fisheries Division (SFD) staffers and two NMFS Fisheries Research and Monitoring Division staffers

36 One SFD staffer

37 One supervisory SFD staffer

38 Observer program debriefer team

4