NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region Gear Identification Requirements

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requests the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of an extension of the existing collection of information under OMB Control Number 0648-0351 for Greater Atlantic Region Gear Identification. Regulations at 50 CFR 648.84(a),(b), and (d), 648.125(b)(3), 648.144(b)(1), 648.264(a)(5), and 697.21(a) and (b) require Federal fishery permit holders using certain types of fishing gear to mark the gear with information necessary to identify the vessel and gear (e.g., hull identification number, Federal fishing vessel permit number). The regulations also specify gear marking requirements for visibility (e.g., buoys, radar reflectors). These regulations are critical for successful fisheries management. State and Federal enforcement personnel rely on gear markings to identify owners of gear in an unapproved configuration or used in restricted areas or times. Gear markings also help determine ownership of gear that is lost, damaged, or involved in gear conflict and increase gear visibility to aid in navigation and safety at sea. Overall, there was a reduction in the costs and burden hours associated with this collection due to the general trend of industry downsizing and an updated analysis based on the number of relevant permit holders that reported landings with the specified gear, rather than all permit holders within the fisheries. There were no changes to the regulations or gear marking requirements since the last collection renewal, so all changes in the burden are a result of changes in the number of participating entities and the approach to analysis.

The latest form for NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region Gear Identification Requirements expires 2027-09-30 and can be found here.

Lobster Gear Identification Requirements

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Natural Resources - Conservation, Marine and Land Management