View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

Please note that the OMB number and expiration date may not have been determined when this Information Collection Request and associated Information Collection forms were submitted to OMB. The approved OMB number and expiration date may be found by clicking on the Notice of Action link below.

View ICR - OIRA Conclusion

OMB Control No: 0648-0593	ICR Reference No: 202006-0648-003
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202005-0648-012
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NOAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 06/12/2020
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 06/12/2020
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 06/08/2020
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	12/31/2020	6 Months From Approved	12/31/2021
Responses	19,606	0	19,606
Time Burden (Hours)	28,419	0	27,179
Cost Burden (Dollars)	1,152	0	1,152

Abstract: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) deploys fishery observers on United States (U.S.) fishing vessels and to fish processing plants in order to collect biological and economic data and to monitor industry regulatory compliance. Under an OMB approved information collection observers collect information from fishing vessel captains/crew or fish processing plant managers/staff prior to deployment. This information is used to assess whether the vessel or plan satisfies applicable safety requirements. NOAA is submitting this emergency request to revise this approved collection program to include additional observer pre-deployment questions that concern communicable diseases (such as COVID-19), availability of safety equipment, and the existence of vessel or plant communicable disease safety plans.

Emergency Justfication: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) deploys fishery observers on United States (U.S.) fishing vessels and to fish processing plants (plants) in order to collect biological and economic data and to monitor industry regulatory compliance. Under an OMB approved information collection, observers collect information from fishing vessel captains/crew or fish processing plant managers/staff prior to deployment. This information is used to assess whether the vessel or plant satisfies applicable safety requirements. NOAA is submitting this emergency request to revise this approved collection to include additional observer pre-deployment safety questions that concern communicable diseases (such as COVID-19), availability of safety equipment, and the existence of vessel or plant communicable disease safety plans.

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	19,606	19,606	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	28,419	27,179	1,240
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	1,152	1,152	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: 5 minutes was added to the response time for each planned observer trip, with the exception of Alaskan trips for which only 1 minute was added. Alaska has their own Covid requirements specific for fishing boats that answers most of the questions the observers are planning to ask, reducing the response time for those observed trips. The resulting burden response time is an additional 1,240 hours annually.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $64,606,873

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Yes

Agency Contact: Elizabeth Chilton 301 427-8201