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OMB Control No: 0648-0498	ICR Reference No: 202404-0648-015
Status: Historical Inactive	Previous ICR Reference No: 202303-0648-011
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NOAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: West Coast Region Vessel Monitoring System and Pre-Trip Reporting System Requirements
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Comment filed on proposed rule and continue	Conclusion Date: 06/12/2024
	Date Received in OIRA: 04/25/2024
Terms of Clearance: Terms of the previous clearance remain in effect. In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is filing comment and withholding approval at this time. The agency shall examine public comment in response to the proposed rulemaking and include in the supporting statement of the next ICR--to be submitted to OMB at the final rule stage--a description of how the agency has responded to any public comments on the ICR, including comments on maximizing the practical utility of the collection and minimizing the burden.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	05/31/2026	36 Months From Approved	05/31/2026
Responses	712	0	712
Time Burden (Hours)	190	0	190
Cost Burden (Dollars)	105,808	0	105,808

Abstract: This request is for extension and revision of a currently approved information collection. At its 101st meeting in August 2023, the IATTC adopted Resolution C-23-11 which specifies a manual reporting requirement in the event of a malfunctioning vessel monitoring system (VMS) unit. The intent is to ensure that vessel locations and identification numbers remain available to relevant authorities at a consistent interval, even in the event of a technical failure. The proposed rule (0648-BM67) would apply to U.S. vessels larger than 24 meters operating in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) and harvesting tuna or tuna-like species. These vessels are already required to have an operational VMS unit, and to notify NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and follow its instructions in the event of a failure. The proposed rule adds a requirement to manually report a vessel’s ID, location, and time every six hours in the event of a VMS unit malfunction at sea. This collection applies to owners and operators of vessels that fish out of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Convention Area in the eastern Pacific Ocean for highly migratory species (HMS) as defined by the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for HMS, as well as a broader group of tuna and tuna-like species covered by the IATTC. Vessel owners and operators using gear types such as longline, purse seine, drift gillnet or deep-set buoy gear, or using vessels 24 meters or more in length, are required to submit information in regard to their intended and actual fishing activities. This information allows NMFS to monitor the fisheries under international and domestic regulations. These include pre-trip reporting requirements for deep-set buoy gear, longline, and drift gillnet vessels, and VMS reporting. Pre-trip reporting requirements are essential for assigning available observer coverage to selected HMS vessels. VMS units facilitate enforcement of management measures associated with HMS fisheries, provide timely information on associated fleet activities and enable confirmation of reported vessel fishing activity locations, which help validate logbook record accuracy.

Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
0648-BM67	Proposed rulemaking	89 FR 31708	04/25/2024

Federal Register Notices & Comments
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Program Change: This proposed rule would add the requirement of manual reporting in the event of a malfunctioning VMS unit. Adjustment is a reduction in the burden hours due to administrative error of calculations.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $17,062

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. No

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. No

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? No

Agency Contact: Karen Palmigiano 206 526-4491

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