Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for Office

of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of a new information collection.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Act), the

Department of the Interior has submitted the new collection of

information discussed below to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) for approval. The Act provides that an agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of

information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and suggestions directly to the Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for

the Department of the Interior (1010-NEW), 725 17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503. Send a copy of your comments to the Minerals

Management Service, Attention: Rules Processing Team, Mail Stop 4024,

381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Engineering and

Operations Division, Minerals Management Service, telephone (703) 787-

1600. You may obtain copies of the supporting statement and collection

of information by contacting MMS's Information Collection Clearance

Officer at (202) 208-7744.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Survey--Recreational Usage of Oil and Gas Rigs by Fishermen

and Divers.

Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (at U.S.C.

1346, Environmental Studies), instructs the Secretary of the Interior,

subsequent to the leasing and developing of any area or region, to

conduct additional studies to establish environmental information as he

deems necessary and to monitor the human, marine, and coastal

environments of such area or region in a manner designed to provide

time-series and data trend information which can be used for comparison

with previously collected data for the purpose of identifying any

significant changes in the quality and productivity of such

environments, for establishing trends in the areas studied and

monitored, and for designing experiments to identify the causes of such

changes.

Biological studies have shown that there are between 20 and 50

times more fish found under and near oil platforms than in nearby soft

bottom areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Therefore, in order to make

decisions regarding the conversion of existing rigs to artificial

reefs, MMS needs statistically accurate information on the extent to

which oil and gas structures are used by recreational fishers and

divers and the economic impact of the continued availability of these

structures on local communities.

A data collection survey is being proposed to obtain statistically

reliable estimates of the level of fishing and diving activity at oil

and gas structures in the Gulf of Mexico from Alabama through Texas and

to determine the levels of economic activity associated with this

fishing and diving.

Frequency: This is a one time survey. Data collection will occur

over a one year period (January 1, 1999--December 31, 1999).

Estimated number and description of respondents and reporting and

recordkeeping ``hour'' burden: The estimated reporting hour burden is

shown in parenthesis for each type of respondent in the following list.

There is no recordkeeping burden.

Dockside field interviews with 6,513 private boat fishermen

(individuals who are fishing either from a boat that they own or rent)

from Alabama through Texas (10 mins.).

Dockside field interviews with 1,331 charter boat fishermen from

Alabama through Texas, including fishermen who ``lease'' an entire boat

for usually a \1/2\-day or a full-day fishing trip. The charter boat is

normally licensed to carry 6 or less people (10 minutes).

Dockside field interviews with 400 party boat fishermen from

Alabama through Texas. Party boats usually take out more than six

people for a fee and the group consists of individual fishermen buying

a single spot, not leasing the entire boat (10 minutes).

Dockside field interviews with 200 divers from Alabama through

Texas, including snorkelers as well as individuals wearing self

contained breathing apparatus who may be spear fishing or swimming (10

minutes).

Telephone follow-up interviews with 3,255 private boat anglers

(20.6 minutes), 920 charter boat anglers and 280 party boat anglers

(12.3 minutes), and 200 divers (20.2 minutes).

Telephone survey of 200 charter boat operators from Alabama through

Texas.

[[Page 40310]]

Boat operators are the individuals captaining the vessel (6.2 minutes).

Telephone interviews with 50 party boat operators from Alabama

through Texas (6.2 minutes).

Telephone interviews with 50 dive shop or diving guide service

providers from Alabama through Texas (2 minutes).

Estimated reporting and recordkeeping ``cost'' burden: This is a

one time survey with no cost burden on the respondents to provide this

collection of information.

Comments: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act

requires each agency ``* * * to provide notice * * * and otherwise

consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning

each proposed collection of information * * *.'' Agencies must

specifically solicit comments to: (a) evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its

duties, including whether the information is useful, (b) evaluate the

accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information, (c) enhance the quality, usefulness, and

clarity of the information to be collected, and (d) minimize the burden

on the respondents, including the use of automated collection

techniques or other forms of information technology.

Send your comments directly to the offices listed under the

addresses section of this notice. The OMB has up to 60 days to approve

or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days.

Therefore, to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public

comments by August 27, 1998.

MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,

(202) 208-7744.

Dated: June 17, 1998.

E. P. Danenberger,

Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.

[FR Doc. 98-20048 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]

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