NASS Aquaculture Survey
FEDERAL AQUACULTURE BRIEFS
USDA-CSREES
No.99-15
June 22, 1999

[Federal Register: June 8, 1999
(Volume 64, Number 109)]
[Notices]
[Page 30473-30474]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Notice of Intent To Extend and Revise a Currently Approved Information Collection
AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection, the Aquaculture Survey.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 12, 1999 to be assured of consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:
Contact Rich Allen, Associate Administrator
National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Room 4117 South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250-2000
(202) 720-4333
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Aquaculture Survey.    OMB Number: 0535-0150.
Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2000.
Type of Request: Intent to extend and revise a currently approved information collection.
Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural Statistics Service is to prepare and issue state and national estimates of crop and livestock production. The Aquaculture Survey collects information on trout sales, catfish processed, inventory, acreage, and sales. The Aquaculture Survey is being revised to obtain 99 percent coverage of sales and decrease overall frequency of data collection.

Eighteen states are currently in the trout program representing approximately 90 percent of sales. Eight states are being added to the program to increase sales coverage to approximately 99 percent. The trout questionnaire is being revised to collect distributed fish as a separate item. The trout inventory and sales data will be published on a calendar basis instead of a fiscal year basis.

The catfish program is also being revised to represent 99 percent of sales. Currently, the four major catfish producing states are surveyed quarterly and 11 are surveyed annually. Under the revised program the four major states will be surveyed semiannually and 12 states will be surveyed annually. Data collection in the four major states will be discontinued for April and October.

Survey results are used by government agencies in planning farm programs. These data will be collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). Individually identifiable data collected under this authority are governed by Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to afford strict confidentiality to non- aggregated data provided by respondents.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response.
Respondents: Farms.    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,125.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 825 hours.
Copies of this information collection and related instructions can be obtained without charge from Larry Gambrell, the Agency OMB Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-5778.

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 will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (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 those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to: Larry Gambrell, Agency OMB Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4162 South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250-2000. All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.

Signed at Washington, DC, May 19, 1999.Rich Allen, Associate Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
[FR Doc. 99-14409 Filed 6-7-99; 8:45 am]BILLING CODE 3410-20-P