Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Fishermen's Contingency Fund

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION:

Notice.

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.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before August 30, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Paul Marx, Chief, Financial Services Division (301) 427-8725 or paul.marx@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

United States (U.S.) commercial fishermen may file claims for compensation for losses of or damage to fishing gear or vessels, plus 50 percent of resulting economic losses, attributable to oil and gas activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. To obtain compensation, applicants must comply with requirements set forth in 50 CFR part 296. The requirements include a report within 15 days of the date the vessel first returns to port after the incident, to gain a presumption of eligible causation, and an application form.

The report form (NOAA Form 88-166) requests identifying information such as the claimant's name, address, phone number, and social security number. It also requests information pertaining to the casualty, such as the location of the obstruction, the date and time of the casualty, identification of the vessel involved, and the date the vessel first returned to port after the casualty.

The application (NOAA Form 88-164) consists of a property loss section and a section for economic loss. The property loss section requests the same identifying information contained in the initial report. It also requests information such as the amount and type of damage claimed, description of the casualty and likely causes, efforts to recover gear, description of proofs of ownership, estimates of repair or replacement costs, and identification of witnesses. The economic loss section requests information pertaining to economic loss and consequential damages resulting from the casualty. This includes the length of trips and income from those trips prior to the casualty, number of gear units lost, date replacement gear was ordered and received or the date repairs were commenced and completed. This section also requests information regarding consequential damages such as extra fuel consumption or claim preparation fees. The application also includes inventory schedules which lists the amounts of gear involved in the casualty, its purchase date, purchase cost, and repair or replacement cost. The application includes an affidavit by which the claimant attests to the truthfulness of the claim.

II. Method of Collection

Paper forms are used for applications, and reports are made by telephone.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0082.

Form Number: NOAA Forms 88-164, 88-166.

Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved information collection).

Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.

Estimated Time per Response: 10 hours for an application, and 5 minutes for a report.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,008.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $500.00.

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.