FR 2025-04596

The document in question is a notice from the Department of Commerce, specifically the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), inviting public comments on the proposed renewal of an annual economic survey. This survey targets federal permit-holding shrimp fishers in the Gulf and South Atlantic regions. The purpose is to collect economic data such as revenues, costs, and investments to support management and policy decisions under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The survey aims to understand how shrimp fishers are affected by and respond to federal regulations.

General Summary

This document highlights the intention to renew an existing information collection effort requiring shrimp permit holders to participate in an annual mail-based survey. The collected data are instrumental for conducting economic analyses that inform fishery management strategies. Public comments are sought to evaluate the necessity and efficiency of the information collection process, with the deadline for feedback set for May 19, 2025.

Significant Issues and Concerns

Several issues arise from reading the document:

• Participant Benefit: The notice does not clearly articulate how the collected data will directly benefit the permit holders, which might lead to a perception that participants do not receive a tangible return for their cooperation.

• Survey Methodology: The exclusive use of mail for data collection may limit engagement and response rates. The absence of alternative survey methods, like online submissions, is noticeable and could represent a missed opportunity to increase participation while reducing respondent burden.

• Confidentiality: There is no information on measures to protect the confidentiality of the respondents' data, which may deter participation due to privacy concerns.

• Burden Estimation: The document estimates a total annual burden of 488 hours based on 650 respondents, assuming each response takes about 45 minutes. Without a detailed explanation, this might appear disproportionate or unclear.

• Impact on Policy: The document lacks a clear linkage between survey results and real-time policy impacts or improvements in fishery management, potentially undermining the survey's perceived value.

Public Impact

The broader public may see this as a standard regulatory compliance effort aiming to support fisheries management through data-driven insights. However, the lack of clarity on direct benefits to stakeholders might impact public perception negatively, especially among the affected commercial fishing community.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

For shrimp permit holders, this survey represents an essential part of regulatory compliance to retain their permits. However, without clear communication about how these efforts improve their industry or operations, participants might view it as an obligatory task with little personal gain. Improved communication regarding the protection of data confidentiality and the eventual impact on policy could enhance stakeholder perception.

In summary, while the document serves an important regulatory function, it would benefit from greater transparency and detail regarding participant benefits, the confidentiality of data, and the real-world implications of the survey outcomes on fishery management. Addressing these areas could foster increased trust and cooperation from stakeholders.

The document presents details on the NOAA's information collection activities related to the Gulf and South Atlantic shrimp fisheries, specifically focusing on a request for public comments about the economic survey of federal shrimp permit holders. In reviewing the financial references within this document, several observations can be made.

Cost of Participation

The document highlights that the "Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public" is $0 in terms of record keeping and reporting costs. This suggests that participating permit holders will not incur any direct financial expenses from completing the survey. While this indicates a lack of financial burden in monetary terms for the respondents, it does not account for the potential indirect costs associated with the time and effort participants must invest in completing the survey.

Time Burden and Cost Implications

Although there is no direct financial cost, the document notes that each respondent is expected to spend approximately 45 minutes completing the survey, leading to a total estimated annual burden of 488 hours across all participants. This time commitment may be seen as significant, especially for busy commercial fishermen, even if there is no monetary cost involved. The estimated total annual burden raises concerns about the efficiency of data collection, especially considering the likelihood that more efficient methods (e.g., online surveys) might reduce this time burden and encourage higher participation rates.

Relating Financial References to Identified Issues

The absence of any direct financial incentives or compensations for completing the survey connects to the issue of limited information regarding how fishermen will benefit from participating. While there are no financial outputs for simply participating, the survey's importance is emphasized through its potential impact on fishery management and policy under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Understanding how the results may lead to improvements in fishery regulations could offer an indirect benefit to permit holders, potentially justifying the time investment despite zero direct compensation.

In summary, while there are no monetary costs incurred by public participation in this survey, the time investment required could be perceived as a significant commitment for respondents, especially given the lack of direct financial incentives or compensation. How these non-monetary costs and impacts will be outweighed by potential policy benefits remains unclear from the document.