The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on May 4, 2026, during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.

Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

Title: Green Sturgeon 4(d) Rule Take Exceptions and Exemptions.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0613.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved collection).

Number of Respondents: 63.

Average Hours Per Response: Emergency fish rescue reports, 20 hours; Written notification describing research, monitoring, or habitat restoration ( printed page 45261) activities, 40 hours; Development of state 4(d) research programs, 40 hours; Reports, 5 hours; Development of Fisheries Management and Evaluation Plans (FMEPs), 160 hours; FMEP biannual reports, 20 hours; Development of Tribal Resource Management Plan, 160 hours.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,915.

Needs and Uses: This is a request for renewal of an approved information collection. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), West Coast Region, is the sponsor of this information collection which is authorized under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to evaluate activities involving threatened green sturgeon ( Acipenser medirostris).

On April 7, 2006, NMFS listed the Southern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of North American green sturgeon as threatened under the ESA (71 FR 17757). On June 2, 2010, NMFS established protective regulations for the Southern DPS under section 4(d) of the ESA (ESA 4(d) rule) (75 FR 30714; 50 CFR 223.210). To comply with the ESA and the protective regulations, entities must obtain take authorization prior to engaging in activities involving take of Southern DPS fish unless the activity is covered by an exception or exemption. The ESA defines “take” as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. Certain activities described in the “exceptions” provision of 50 CFR 223.210(b) are not subject to the take prohibitions if they adhere to specific criteria and reporting requirements. Under the “exemption” provision of 50 CFR 223.210(c), the take prohibitions do not apply to scientific research, scientific monitoring, and fisheries activities conducted under an approved 4(d) program or plan. Similarly, take prohibitions do not apply to tribal resource management activities conducted under a Tribal Plan for which the requisite determinations described in 50 CFR 223.210(c)(3) have been made.

To ensure that activities qualify under exceptions to or exemptions from the take prohibitions, local, state, and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic researchers, and private organizations are asked to submit detailed information regarding their activity on a schedule to be determined by NMFS staff. This information is used by NMFS to (1) track the number of Southern DPS fish taken as a result of each action; (2) understand and evaluate the cumulative effects of each action on the Southern DPS; and (3) determine whether additional protections are needed for the species, or whether additional exceptions may be warranted. NMFS designed the criteria to ensure that actions meeting the criteria would adequately limit effects on threatened Southern DPS fish, such that additional protections in the form of a federal take prohibition would not be necessary and advisable.

Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; State, local, or Tribal government; Federal government; business or other for-profit organizations.

Frequency: Emergency fish rescue reports, on occasion; Written notification describing research, monitoring, or habitat restoration activities, once; State 4(d) research programs, annually; FMEPs and Tribal Resource Management Plan, once; FMEP reports, biannually; All other reports, annually

Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.

Legal Authority: Endangered Species Act.

This information collection request may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 0648-0613.