The Department of Commerce, under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, is inviting public and federal agency comments on the collection of information regarding access to tissue samples from the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank (NMMTB). The information helps assess the utility and efficiency of these collections and aims to reduce reporting burdens. Comments are being accepted until March 15, 2021, and suggestions should evaluate the necessity, accuracy, and potential improvements in the information collection process. Changes to the current protocol include additional checkbox options for data collection but maintain the mandatory submission of specimen information.
Simple Explanation
The Department of Commerce wants people to share their thoughts on how scientists can borrow tissue samples from marine mammals like whales for research. They want to make sure their process is easy and fair for everyone and want help to find ways to improve it.