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.
This request is for a new information collection.
Written comments must be submitted on or before July 8, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet
at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Karma Norman, (206) 302-2418 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for a new information collection.
In order to address Executive Order 13547 requirements to promote
human wellbeing through implementation of ecosystem-based management
(EBM), NOAA Fisheries social scientists must collect a broad range of
social, cultural, and economic information that is currently
unavailable. This research is designed to improve social science data
related to the human dimensions of ecosystem-based management and
marine spatial planning related to marine and coastal management needs
by: (1) Investigating how marine and coastal conditions and management
affect human wellbeing; (2) developing and testing theories and methods
for defining and measuring human wellbeing within an EBM model; and (3)
identifying indicators of wellbeing for use in such a model. This study
will focus on marine- and coast-related communities of the US West
Coast in order to inform the California Current Integrated Ecosystem
Assessment (IEA) ``Resilient and Economically Viable Coastal
Communities'' section. It will assist managers with evaluating how
different management strategies may affect the wellbeing of marine-
dependent and coastal communities beyond commercial harvests and
economic conditions, such as in terms of health, cultural values, and
social cohesion. Combined with a literature review, interviews and
focus groups will assist with identifying salient stakeholder groups
and locally meaningful indicators in the study area. A survey will
enable researchers to test the validity of the resulting selected suite
of indicators with broader samples of each stakeholder group.
II. Method of Collection
Interview and focus group responses will be collected through
audio-recordings, handwritten and typed notes, and simple
questionnaires. Survey responses will be collected through paper and/or
electronic forms.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: None.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (request for a new information
collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; not-
for-profit institutions; federal government; state, local, or tribal
government; individuals or households; farms.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000.
Estimated Time per Response: Interviews, 1 hour; focus groups, 2
hours; surveys, 30 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,000.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.
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.