in accomplishing the definition of terms in a research paper

Confusion to Clarity: Definition of Terms in a Research Paper

Explore the definition of terms in research paper to enhance your understanding of crucial scientific terminology and grow your knowledge.

Have you ever come across a research paper and found yourself scratching your head over complex synonyms and unfamiliar terms? It’s a hassle as you have to fetch a dictionary and then ruffle through it to find the meaning of the terms.

To avoid that, an exclusive section called ‘ Definition of Terms in a Research Paper ’ is introduced which contains the definitions of terms used in the paper. Let us learn more about it in this article.

What Is The “Definition Of Terms” In A Research Paper?

The definition of terms section in a research paper provides a clear and concise explanation of key concepts, variables, and terminology used throughout the study.

In the definition of terms section, researchers typically provide precise definitions for specific technical terms, acronyms, jargon, and any other domain-specific vocabulary used in their work. This section enhances the overall quality and rigor of the research by establishing a solid foundation for communication and understanding.

Purpose Of Definition Of Terms In A Research Paper

This section aims to ensure that readers have a common understanding of the terminology employed in the research, eliminating confusion and promoting clarity. The definitions provided serve as a reference point for readers, enabling them to comprehend the context and scope of the study. It serves several important purposes:

Enhancing clarity
Establishing a shared language
Providing a reference point
Setting the scope and context
Ensuring consistency

Benefits Of Having A Definition Of Terms In A Research Paper

Having a definition of terms section in a research paper offers several benefits that contribute to the overall quality and effectiveness of the study. These benefits include:

Clarity And Comprehension

Clear definitions enable readers to understand the specific meanings of key terms, concepts, and variables used in the research. This promotes clarity and enhances comprehension, ensuring that readers can follow the study’s arguments, methods, and findings more easily.

Consistency And Precision

Definitions provide a consistent framework for the use of terminology throughout the research paper. By clearly defining terms, researchers establish a standard vocabulary, reducing ambiguity and potential misunderstandings. This precision enhances the accuracy and reliability of the study’s findings.

Common Understanding

The definition of terms section helps establish a shared understanding among readers, including those from different disciplines or with varying levels of familiarity with the subject matter. It ensures that readers approach the research with a common knowledge base, facilitating effective communication and interpretation of the results.

Avoiding Misinterpretation

Without clear definitions, readers may interpret terms and concepts differently, leading to misinterpretation of the research findings. By providing explicit definitions, researchers minimize the risk of misunderstandings and ensure that readers grasp the intended meaning of the terminology used in the study.

Accessibility For Diverse Audiences

Research papers are often read by a wide range of individuals, including researchers, students, policymakers, and professionals. Having a definition of terms in a research paper helps the diverse audience understand the concepts better and make appropriate decisions.

Types Of Definitions

There are several types of definitions that researchers can employ in a research paper, depending on the context and nature of the study. Here are some common types of definitions:

Lexical Definitions

Lexical definitions provide the dictionary or commonly accepted meaning of a term. They offer a concise and widely recognized explanation of a word or concept. Lexical definitions are useful for establishing a baseline understanding of a term, especially when dealing with everyday language or non-technical terms.

Operational Definitions

Operational definitions define a term or concept about how it is measured or observed in the study. These definitions specify the procedures, instruments, or criteria used to operationalize an abstract or theoretical concept. Operational definitions help ensure clarity and consistency in data collection and measurement.

Conceptual Definitions

Conceptual definitions provide an abstract or theoretical understanding of a term or concept within a specific research context. They often involve a more detailed and nuanced explanation, exploring the underlying principles, theories, or models that inform the concept. Conceptual definitions are useful for establishing a theoretical framework and promoting deeper understanding.

Descriptive Definitions

Descriptive definitions describe a term or concept by providing characteristics, features, or attributes associated with it. These definitions focus on outlining the essential qualities or elements that define the term. Descriptive definitions help readers grasp the nature and scope of a concept by painting a detailed picture.

Theoretical Definitions

Theoretical definitions explain a term or concept based on established theories or conceptual frameworks. They situate the concept within a broader theoretical context, connecting it to relevant literature and existing knowledge. Theoretical definitions help researchers establish the theoretical underpinnings of their study and provide a foundation for further analysis.

Also read: Understanding What is Theoretical Framework

Types Of Terms

In research papers, various types of terms can be identified based on their nature and usage. Here are some common types of terms:

A key term is a term that holds significant importance or plays a crucial role within the context of a research paper. It is a term that encapsulates a core concept, idea, or variable that is central to the study. Key terms are often essential for understanding the research objectives, methodology, findings, and conclusions.

Technical Term

Technical terms refer to specialized vocabulary or terminology used within a specific field of study. These terms are often precise and have specific meanings within their respective disciplines. Examples include “allele,” “hypothesis testing,” or “algorithm.”

Legal Terms

Legal terms are specific vocabulary used within the legal field to describe concepts, principles, and regulations. These terms have particular meanings within the legal context. Examples include “defendant,” “plaintiff,” “due process,” or “jurisdiction.”

Definitional Term

A definitional term refers to a word or phrase that requires an explicit definition to ensure clarity and understanding within a particular context. These terms may be technical, abstract, or have multiple interpretations.

Career Privacy Term

Career privacy term refers to a concept or idea related to the privacy of individuals in the context of their professional or occupational activities. It encompasses the protection of personal information, and confidential data, and the right to control the disclosure of sensitive career-related details.

A broad term is a term that encompasses a wide range of related concepts, ideas, or objects. It has a broader scope and may encompass multiple subcategories or specific examples.

Also read: Keywords In A Research Paper: The Importance Of The Right Choice

Steps To Writing Definitions Of Terms

When writing the definition of terms section for a research paper, you can follow these steps to ensure clarity and accuracy:

Step 1: Identify Key Terms

Review your research paper and identify the key terms that require definition. These terms are typically central to your study, specific to your field or topic, or may have different interpretations.

Step 2: Conduct Research

Conduct thorough research on each key term to understand its commonly accepted definition, usage, and any variations or nuances within your specific research context. Consult authoritative sources such as academic journals, books, or reputable online resources.

Step 3: Craft Concise Definitions

Based on your research, craft concise definitions for each key term. Aim for clarity, precision, and relevance. Define the term in a manner that reflects its significance within your research and ensures reader comprehension.

Step 4: Use Your Own Words

Paraphrase the definitions in your own words to avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity. While you can draw inspiration from existing definitions, rephrase them to reflect your understanding and writing style. Avoid directly copying from sources.

Step 5: Provide Examples Or Explanations

Consider providing examples, explanations, or context for the defined terms to enhance reader understanding. This can help illustrate how the term is applied within your research or clarify its practical implications.

Step 6: Order And Format

Decide on the order in which you present the definitions. You can follow alphabetical order or arrange them based on their importance or relevance to your research. Use consistent formatting, such as bold or italics, to distinguish the defined terms from the rest of the text.

Step 7: Revise And Refine

Review the definitions for clarity, coherence, and accuracy. Ensure that they align with your research objectives and are tailored to your specific study. Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or experts in your field to further refine and improve the definitions.

Step 8: Include Proper Citations

If you have drawn ideas or information from external sources, remember to provide proper citations for those sources. This demonstrates academic integrity and acknowledges the original authors.

Step 9: Incorporate The Section Into Your Paper

Integrate the definition of terms section into your research paper, typically as an early section following the introduction. Make sure it flows smoothly with the rest of the paper and provides a solid foundation for understanding the subsequent content.

By following these steps, you can create a well-crafted and informative definition of terms section that enhances the clarity and comprehension of your research paper.

In conclusion, the definition of terms in a research paper plays a critical role by providing clarity, establishing a common understanding, and enhancing communication among readers. The definition of terms section is an essential component that contributes to the overall quality, rigor, and effectiveness of a research paper.

Also read: Beyond The Main Text: The Value Of A Research Paper Appendix

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2.2 conceptual and operational definitions.

Research studies usually include terms that must be carefully and precisely defined, so that others know exactly what has been done and there are no ambiguities. Two types of definitions can be given: conceptual definitions and operational definitions .

Loosely speaking, a conceptual definition explains what to measure or observe (what a word or a term means for your study), and an operational definitions defines exactly how to measure or observe it.

For example, in a study of stress in students during a university semester. A conceptual definition would describe what is meant by ‘stress.’ An operational definition would describe how the ‘stress’ would be measured.

Sometimes the definitions themselves aren’t important, provided a clear definition is given. Sometimes, commonly-accepted definitions exist, so should be used unless there is a good reason to use a different definition (for example, in criminal law, an ‘adult’ in Australia is someone aged 18 or over ).

Sometimes, a commonly-accepted definition does not exist, so the definition being used should be clearly articulated.

Example 2.2 (Operational and conceptual definitions) Players and fans have become more aware of concussions and head injuries in sport. A Conference on concussion in sport developed this conceptual definition ( McCrory et al. 2013 ) :

Concussion is a brain injury and is defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by biomechanical forces. Several common features that incorporate clinical, pathologic and biomechanical injury constructs that may be utilised in defining the nature of a concussive head injury include: Concussion may be caused either by a direct blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere on the body with an “impulsive” force transmitted to the head. Concussion typically results in the rapid onset of short-lived impairment of neurological function that resolves spontaneously. However, in some cases, symptoms and signs may evolve over a number of minutes to hours. Concussion may result in neuropathological changes, but the acute clinical symptoms largely reflect a functional disturbance rather than a structural injury and, as such, no abnormality is seen on standard structural neuroimaging studies. Concussion results in a graded set of clinical symptoms that may or may not involve loss of consciousness. Resolution of the clinical and cognitive symptoms typically follows a sequential course. However, it is important to note that in some cases symptoms may be prolonged.

While this is all helpful… it does not explain how to identify a player with concussion during a game.

Rugby decided on this operational definition ( Raftery et al. 2016 ) :

… a concussion applies with any of the following: The presence, pitch side, of any Criteria Set 1 signs or symptoms (table 1)… [ Note : This table includes symptoms such as ‘convulsion,’ ‘clearly dazed,’ etc.]; An abnormal post game, same day assessment…; An abnormal 36–48 h assessment…; The presence of clinical suspicion by the treating doctor at any time…

Example 2.3 (Operational and conceptual definitions) Consider a study requiring water temperature to be measured.

An operational definition would explain how the temperature is measured: the thermometer type, how the thermometer was positioned, how long was it left in the water, and so on.

in accomplishing the definition of terms in a research paper

Example 2.4 (Operational definitions) Consider a study measuring stress in first-year university students.

Stress cannot be measured directly, but could be assessed using a survey (like the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) ( Cohen et al. 1983 ) ).

The operational definition of stress is the score on the ten-question PSS. Other means of measuring stress are also possible (such as heart rate or blood pressure).

Meline ( 2006 ) discusses five studies about stuttering, each using a different operational definition:

Study 1: As diagnosed by speech-language pathologist.
Study 2: Within-word disfluences greater than 5 per 150 words.
Study 3: Unnatural hesitation, interjections, restarted or incomplete phrases, etc.
Study 4: More than 3 stuttered words per minute.
Study 5: State guidelines for fluency disorders.

A study of snacking in Australia ( Fayet-Moore et al. 2017 ) used this operational definition of ‘snacking’:

…an eating occasion that occurred between meals based on time of day. — Fayet-Moore et al. ( 2017 ) (p. 3)

A study examined the possible relationship between the ‘pace of life’ and the incidence of heart disease ( Levine 1990 ) in 36 US cities. The researchers used four different operational definitions for ‘pace of life’ (remember the article was published in 1990!):

The walking speed of randomly chosen pedestrians.
The speed with which bank clerks gave ‘change for two $20 bills or [gave] two $20 bills for change.’
The talking speed of postal clerks.
The proportion of men and women wearing a wristwatch.

None of these perfectly measure ‘pace of life,’ of course. Nonetheless, the researchers found that, compared to people on the West Coast,

… people in the Northeast walk faster, make change faster, talk faster and are more likely to wear a watch… — Levine ( 1990 ) (p. 455)

Lesson 21: Definition of Terms

A word or phrase used to describe a thing or to express concept, especially In a particular kind of language or branch of study.

Guidelines in defining terms:

1. Definition of terms works like a glossary but have a different twist. It is placed on the beginning of the research paper to tell the meaning of the terms used in the said paper.

2. Only terms, words, or phrases which have special or unique meanings in the study are defined.

3. There are two types of definition of terms. Conceptual and Operational Terms.

Theoretical Definition are based be taken from encyclopedias, books, magazines and newspaper article, dictionaries, and other publications but the researcher must acknowledge his/her sources.

Conceptual Definition are based on how the researcher may develop his own definition from the characteristics of the term define.

4. The term should be arranged alphabetically .

5. When the definition are taken from encyclopedias, books, magazine and newspaper articles, dictionaries and other publications, the researcher must acknowledge his sources .

Definition of terms

Theoretical Definition

Knowledge - the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association.

Conceptual Definition

Knowledge - it is a condition of being aware to a certain problem-cyberbullying.

Definition of Terms

First Online: 19 August 2022

Cite this chapter

Mohammad Sadegh Montazeri 2

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The term has categories such as ambiguous or unambiguous, clear or unclear, vague or exact.

If we can give a precise definition, many ambiguities in the client’s mind remove. Then, clients can think more clearly. For example, terms such as failure, success, and happiness are vague in the client’s thoughts.

I will introduce methods for defining terms in this chapter. We try definition to be coextensive. In Socratic dialogue, we can use violation examples to delineate terms. Using violation examples helps to have a neither limited nor extended definition.

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We apply the word mode in schema therapy.

In this case, if I analyze the client logically, I will corrupt the rapport. However, since we had many dialogues about modes and the client was aware of her schema modes, my interpretation helped empathize with the client. She found out that I had realized her mental status.

I do not validate aggressive behavior, but I verify the feelings of the client.

Microbes have some subclasses, such as bacteria and viruses. However, it is not required to explain this classification to the client.

Hurley, P. J., & Watson, L. (2016). A concise introduction to logic (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.

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Kreeft, P. (2010). Socratic logic: A logic text using Socratic method, Platonic questions & Aristotelian principles . St Augustine’s Press.

Overholser, J. C. (2018). The Socratic method of psychotherapy . Columbia University Press.

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Plato. (380 BC). Laches or courage . Retrieved from https://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/plato/laches.htm

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Montazeri, M.S. (2022). Definition of Terms. In: Psychotherapist's Guide to Socratic Dialogue. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07972-6_4

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In Need of Definition: How to Select Terms to Define in your Dissertation

One section that is often required in a dissertation is the “Definitions of Terms.” This gives your readers an understanding of the concepts or factors that will be discussed throughout your study, as well as contextual information as to how you will be using those concepts in your study. The “Definitions of Terms” ensures that your readers will understand the components of your study in the way that you will be presenting them, because often your readers may have their own understanding of the terms, or not be familiar with them at all. In this section, you provide a list of terms that will be used throughout the dissertation and definitions of each of them. Seems simple enough, right? But how do you know which terms to define and which ones to leave out?

The rule of thumb is to include and define terms that are important to your study or are used frequently throughout the dissertation but are not common knowledge. You also want to include terms that have a unique meaning within the scope of your study. You do not need to include terms that most, if not all, of your readers will understand without having definitions provided. For example, something like leadership probably does not need to be included in your “Definitions of Terms,” but laissez-faire leadership would be a good choice to include. However, if your study is about leadership, then it may be beneficial to the understanding of your readers to define leadership based on how you are using it within your study. Things like success or achievement may need definition as well, if you are using them within your study, as the readers will need to know what measures or markers of success or achievement that you will focus on within your study.

For more information on “Definitions of Terms,” including what information to include within the definitions, check out our other blog: How to Write Your Definitions.

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Research Variables: Types, Uses and Definition of Terms

The purpose of research is to describe and explain variance in the world, that is, variance that occurs naturally in the world or change that we create due to manipulation. Variables are therefore the names that are given to the variance we wish to explain and it is very critical to the research because the way the researcher uses or handles them in the research process could determine the nature and direction of the research (Nwankwo and Emunemu, 2014). Closely related to the understanding of what a variable is, is the idea of definition of terms. This chapter explores the use of variables in research, types of variables and the definition of terms, so as to help some of the students who have a problem identifying and clarifying the variables they are working on in their project work.

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This paper discusses the importance of variable conceptualisation and measurement in environmental research. The paper explains how wrong application of concepts can mislead the researcher when conducting research, and the resultant effects on each stage of the environmental research process. The paper is motivated by the problems behind many research students pursuing their masters or doctoral degree programmes face, especially with change in dissertations or theses titles and methods to match the contents of their reports. In this paper, the authors demystify the challenges encountered by unskilful researchers and students when trying to make their readers have a clear understanding of their research reports (dissertations or theses). Therefore, the paper may serve as a guide in planning and conducting environmental research by university degree students and early career researchers.

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It is common to use Bloom's taxonomy to write research objectives; however, it is often forgotten that this Bloomian classification corresponds to the teaching-learning process. Likewise, is not usual to include the levels or scope of research since so many classifications have been proposed, suggesting that science can be fragmented and that qualitative studies have nothing to do with quantitative studies and vice versa. Regardless of the coincidences and discrepancies that may exist, researchers require a guideline that is based on the principles of science to be able to organize and structure their studies and that allows for growth and development, removing biases and partialities from analysis. It is necessary to remember that a taxonomy is valid if it adheres to the criteria that scientific knowledge itself indicates. This research is an exploratory and observational study whose purpose is to identify its objectives according to its levels with their respective study variables.

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Where should I put the "Definition of concepts" section in a Research Paper

I'm writing a research paper and there are some concepts which I think would help a reader to understand the study better. However, I'm not sure where to put this section. Should I put it right after the Introduction? Or before Literature Review?

writing-style

I decided to put it below the introduction since in this way it helps reader to understand the experiment better. – Majid Hassanpour Commented Jul 9, 2015 at 7:10

4 Answers 4

I would put the section in question before the first section, where the concepts you want to define are mentioned. However, note that, generally, you have two options , in my opinion. The first is to collect definitions (potentially, with brief explanations) under a separate section , which is usually called "Definitions of Terms". The second option is not to have a separate section, but to present the concepts' definitions and explanations as your paper's story line unfolds. While the benefit of having a separate section is clarity and ease of use for less advanced readers, the advantage of embedding concepts' definitions and explanations into the paper's main text is an opportunity to provide much more detailed explanations as well as smooth integration with the rest of material.

@MajidHassanpour: You're welcome. – Aleksandr Blekh Commented Jul 9, 2015 at 19:05
I agree with this answer, If you do choose to include a "glossary" or "Definitions of Terms", it should go at the beginning of your paper. – Ihab Shoully Commented Jan 31, 2023 at 13:50

Conventions like this vary between fields. Look at other papers in your field or subfield, and do what they do.

Definitions of key concepts are important to the understanding of your paper. Hence, it is preferable to have them as a separate section under the title "Definition of terms." This section should be be placed towards the beginning of the paper, before you start with the major content. I would place it in the introduction, immediately after the statement of the problem at hand and the purpose of the study.

Right in the introduction / Background. That's where you introduce everything, including concepts the reader needs to know.

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Writing Help

Where to find a research paper definition of terms sample.

When writing your research paper, you want to ensure that attention is given to the minutest of details. A definition of terms may not be deemed necessary for some students, especially those who prefer taking the easier route. However, incorporating a definition of terms can greatly enhance your research paper.

Benefits of a Definition of Terms

This is a useful place to include technical terms in your topic or your research question.
You can clarify the definition of a term especially if it has different meanings. Include the definition according to how it will be used throughout your research.
Makes it easy for someone to consult to revisit the definition of a term instead of searching through the paper to try and locate it.
Remember your paper is written not only for your professor but also for a general audience. You want to ensure that the general public is able to read your research paper and understand technical terminology and jargons.

This being said, if you have never seen a research paper with a definition of terms, you can find here. Otherwise to find samples of definition of terms, you can consider doing the following:

Use several different research samples that your professor can provide you. From these samples, pick out the ones that contain a definition of terms.
Use the internet and plug the terms into your favorite search engines. If you do choose the option of using the Internet, find here useful samples.
Make use of a handbook for research papers which normally have samples there that you can copy and utilize as a guide.

A Guide For Your Definition of Terms

When you go through the definition of terms samples that you can find here, take note that this is not a place for you to add just any terms. This is a place where you define those terms of a technical nature to the research, a term that you would not want your audience to misinterpret. If this will not add any value to your research paper, then you do not have to include a definition of terms which is optional.

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Getting Started: Library Research Strategy

Choosing Your Topic
Gathering Background Information
Defining Key Terms
Crafting a Research Question
Gathering Relevant Information
Evaluating Sources This link opens in a new window
Formulating a Thesis Statement
Avoiding Plagiarism This link opens in a new window
Citation Styles This link opens in a new window

If you have chosen a topic, you may break the topic down into a few main concepts and then list and/or define key terms related to that concept. If you have performed some background searching, you can include some of the words that were used to describe your topic.

For example, if your topic deals with the relationship between teenage smoking and advertising in the United States, the following key terms may apply:

smoking -- tobacco -- nicotine -- cigarettes

teenage -- adolescents -- children -- teens -- youth

advertising -- marketing -- media -- commercials -- TV -- billboards

When listing the key terms or concepts of your topic, be sure to consider synonyms for these terms as well. Since research is an iterative process, you will also find additional key terms to utilize through the resources you encounter throughout your research process.

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

Glossary of research terms.

Purpose of Guide
Design Flaws to Avoid
Independent and Dependent Variables
Reading Research Effectively
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
Academic Writing Style
Applying Critical Thinking
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
Research Process Video Series
Executive Summary
The C.A.R.S. Model
Background Information
The Research Problem/Question
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Content Alert Services
Evaluating Sources
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tiertiary Sources
Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Insiderness
Using Non-Textual Elements
Limitations of the Study
Common Grammar Mistakes
Writing Concisely
Avoiding Plagiarism
Footnotes or Endnotes?
Further Readings
Generative AI and Writing
USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
Bibliography

This glossary is intended to assist you in understanding commonly used terms and concepts when reading, interpreting, and evaluating scholarly research. Also included are common words and phrases defined within the context of how they apply to research in the social and behavioral sciences.

Acculturation -- refers to the process of adapting to another culture, particularly in reference to blending in with the majority population [e.g., an immigrant adopting American customs]. However, acculturation also implies that both cultures add something to one another, but still remain distinct groups unto themselves.
Accuracy -- a term used in survey research to refer to the match between the target population and the sample.
Affective Measures -- procedures or devices used to obtain quantified descriptions of an individual's feelings, emotional states, or dispositions.
Aggregate -- a total created from smaller units. For instance, the population of a county is an aggregate of the populations of the cities, rural areas, etc. that comprise the county. As a verb, it refers to total data from smaller units into a large unit.
Anonymity -- a research condition in which no one, including the researcher, knows the identities of research participants.
Baseline -- a control measurement carried out before an experimental treatment.
Behaviorism -- school of psychological thought concerned with the observable, tangible, objective facts of behavior, rather than with subjective phenomena such as thoughts, emotions, or impulses. Contemporary behaviorism also emphasizes the study of mental states such as feelings and fantasies to the extent that they can be directly observed and measured.
Beliefs -- ideas, doctrines, tenets, etc. that are accepted as true on grounds which are not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof.
Benchmarking -- systematically measuring and comparing the operations and outcomes of organizations, systems, processes, etc., against agreed upon "best-in-class" frames of reference.
Bias -- a loss of balance and accuracy in the use of research methods. It can appear in research via the sampling frame, random sampling, or non-response. It can also occur at other stages in research, such as while interviewing, in the design of questions, or in the way data are analyzed and presented. Bias means that the research findings will not be representative of, or generalizable to, a wider population.
Case Study -- the collection and presentation of detailed information about a particular participant or small group, frequently including data derived from the subjects themselves.
Causal Hypothesis -- a statement hypothesizing that the independent variable affects the dependent variable in some way.
Causal Relationship -- the relationship established that shows that an independent variable, and nothing else, causes a change in a dependent variable. It also establishes how much of a change is shown in the dependent variable.
Causality -- the relation between cause and effect.
Central Tendency -- any way of describing or characterizing typical, average, or common values in some distribution.
Chi-square Analysis -- a common non-parametric statistical test which compares an expected proportion or ratio to an actual proportion or ratio.
Claim -- a statement, similar to a hypothesis, which is made in response to the research question and that is affirmed with evidence based on research.
Classification -- ordering of related phenomena into categories, groups, or systems according to characteristics or attributes.
Cluster Analysis -- a method of statistical analysis where data that share a common trait are grouped together. The data is collected in a way that allows the data collector to group data according to certain characteristics.
Cohort Analysis -- group by group analytic treatment of individuals having a statistical factor in common to each group. Group members share a particular characteristic [e.g., born in a given year] or a common experience [e.g., entering a college at a given time].
Confidentiality -- a research condition in which no one except the researcher(s) knows the identities of the participants in a study. It refers to the treatment of information that a participant has disclosed to the researcher in a relationship of trust and with the expectation that it will not be revealed to others in ways that violate the original consent agreement, unless permission is granted by the participant.
Confirmability Objectivity -- the findings of the study could be confirmed by another person conducting the same study.
Construct -- refers to any of the following: something that exists theoretically but is not directly observable; a concept developed [constructed] for describing relations among phenomena or for other research purposes; or, a theoretical definition in which concepts are defined in terms of other concepts. For example, intelligence cannot be directly observed or measured; it is a construct.
Construct Validity -- seeks an agreement between a theoretical concept and a specific measuring device, such as observation.
Constructivism -- the idea that reality is socially constructed. It is the view that reality cannot be understood outside of the way humans interact and that the idea that knowledge is constructed, not discovered. Constructivists believe that learning is more active and self-directed than either behaviorism or cognitive theory would postulate.
Content Analysis -- the systematic, objective, and quantitative description of the manifest or latent content of print or nonprint communications.
Context Sensitivity -- awareness by a qualitative researcher of factors such as values and beliefs that influence cultural behaviors.
Control Group -- the group in an experimental design that receives either no treatment or a different treatment from the experimental group. This group can thus be compared to the experimental group.
Controlled Experiment -- an experimental design with two or more randomly selected groups [an experimental group and control group] in which the researcher controls or introduces the independent variable and measures the dependent variable at least two times [pre- and post-test measurements].
Correlation -- a common statistical analysis, usually abbreviated as r, that measures the degree of relationship between pairs of interval variables in a sample. The range of correlation is from -1.00 to zero to +1.00. Also, a non-cause and effect relationship between two variables.
Covariate -- a product of the correlation of two related variables times their standard deviations. Used in true experiments to measure the difference of treatment between them.
Credibility -- a researcher's ability to demonstrate that the object of a study is accurately identified and described based on the way in which the study was conducted.
Critical Theory -- an evaluative approach to social science research, associated with Germany's neo-Marxist “Frankfurt School,” that aims to criticize as well as analyze society, opposing the political orthodoxy of modern communism. Its goal is to promote human emancipatory forces and to expose ideas and systems that impede them.
Data -- factual information [as measurements or statistics] used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation.
Data Mining -- the process of analyzing data from different perspectives and summarizing it into useful information, often to discover patterns and/or systematic relationships among variables.
Data Quality -- this is the degree to which the collected data [results of measurement or observation] meet the standards of quality to be considered valid [trustworthy] and reliable [dependable].
Deductive -- a form of reasoning in which conclusions are formulated about particulars from general or universal premises.
Dependability -- being able to account for changes in the design of the study and the changing conditions surrounding what was studied.
Dependent Variable -- a variable that varies due, at least in part, to the impact of the independent variable. In other words, its value “depends” on the value of the independent variable. For example, in the variables “gender” and “academic major,” academic major is the dependent variable, meaning that your major cannot determine whether you are male or female, but your gender might indirectly lead you to favor one major over another.
Deviation -- the distance between the mean and a particular data point in a given distribution.
Discourse Community -- a community of scholars and researchers in a given field who respond to and communicate to each other through published articles in the community's journals and presentations at conventions. All members of the discourse community adhere to certain conventions for the presentation of their theories and research.
Discrete Variable -- a variable that is measured solely in whole units, such as, gender and number of siblings.
Distribution -- the range of values of a particular variable.
Effect Size -- the amount of change in a dependent variable that can be attributed to manipulations of the independent variable. A large effect size exists when the value of the dependent variable is strongly influenced by the independent variable. It is the mean difference on a variable between experimental and control groups divided by the standard deviation on that variable of the pooled groups or of the control group alone.
Emancipatory Research -- research is conducted on and with people from marginalized groups or communities. It is led by a researcher or research team who is either an indigenous or external insider; is interpreted within intellectual frameworks of that group; and, is conducted largely for the purpose of empowering members of that community and improving services for them. It also engages members of the community as co-constructors or validators of knowledge.
Empirical Research -- the process of developing systematized knowledge gained from observations that are formulated to support insights and generalizations about the phenomena being researched.
Epistemology -- concerns knowledge construction; asks what constitutes knowledge and how knowledge is validated.
Ethnography -- method to study groups and/or cultures over a period of time. The goal of this type of research is to comprehend the particular group/culture through immersion into the culture or group. Research is completed through various methods but, since the researcher is immersed within the group for an extended period of time, more detailed information is usually collected during the research.
Expectancy Effect -- any unconscious or conscious cues that convey to the participant in a study how the researcher wants them to respond. Expecting someone to behave in a particular way has been shown to promote the expected behavior. Expectancy effects can be minimized by using standardized interactions with subjects, automated data-gathering methods, and double blind protocols.
External Validity -- the extent to which the results of a study are generalizable or transferable.
Factor Analysis -- a statistical test that explores relationships among data. The test explores which variables in a data set are most related to each other. In a carefully constructed survey, for example, factor analysis can yield information on patterns of responses, not simply data on a single response. Larger tendencies may then be interpreted, indicating behavior trends rather than simply responses to specific questions.
Field Studies -- academic or other investigative studies undertaken in a natural setting, rather than in laboratories, classrooms, or other structured environments.
Focus Groups -- small, roundtable discussion groups charged with examining specific topics or problems, including possible options or solutions. Focus groups usually consist of 4-12 participants, guided by moderators to keep the discussion flowing and to collect and report the results.
Framework -- the structure and support that may be used as both the launching point and the on-going guidelines for investigating a research problem.
Generalizability -- the extent to which research findings and conclusions conducted on a specific study to groups or situations can be applied to the population at large.
Grey Literature -- research produced by organizations outside of commercial and academic publishing that publish materials, such as, working papers, research reports, and briefing papers.
Grounded Theory -- practice of developing other theories that emerge from observing a group. Theories are grounded in the group's observable experiences, but researchers add their own insight into why those experiences exist.
Group Behavior -- behaviors of a group as a whole, as well as the behavior of an individual as influenced by his or her membership in a group.
Hypothesis -- a tentative explanation based on theory to predict a causal relationship between variables.
Independent Variable -- the conditions of an experiment that are systematically manipulated by the researcher. A variable that is not impacted by the dependent variable, and that itself impacts the dependent variable. In the earlier example of "gender" and "academic major," (see Dependent Variable) gender is the independent variable.
Individualism -- a theory or policy having primary regard for the liberty, rights, or independent actions of individuals.
Inductive -- a form of reasoning in which a generalized conclusion is formulated from particular instances.
Inductive Analysis -- a form of analysis based on inductive reasoning; a researcher using inductive analysis starts with answers, but formulates questions throughout the research process.
Insiderness -- a concept in qualitative research that refers to the degree to which a researcher has access to and an understanding of persons, places, or things within a group or community based on being a member of that group or community.
Internal Consistency -- the extent to which all questions or items assess the same characteristic, skill, or quality.
Internal Validity -- the rigor with which the study was conducted [e.g., the study's design, the care taken to conduct measurements, and decisions concerning what was and was not measured]. It is also the extent to which the designers of a study have taken into account alternative explanations for any causal relationships they explore. In studies that do not explore causal relationships, only the first of these definitions should be considered when assessing internal validity.
Life History -- a record of an event/events in a respondent's life told [written down, but increasingly audio or video recorded] by the respondent from his/her own perspective in his/her own words. A life history is different from a "research story" in that it covers a longer time span, perhaps a complete life, or a significant period in a life.
Margin of Error -- the permittable or acceptable deviation from the target or a specific value. The allowance for slight error or miscalculation or changing circumstances in a study.
Measurement -- process of obtaining a numerical description of the extent to which persons, organizations, or things possess specified characteristics.
Meta-Analysis -- an analysis combining the results of several studies that address a set of related hypotheses.
Methodology -- a theory or analysis of how research does and should proceed.
Methods -- systematic approaches to the conduct of an operation or process. It includes steps of procedure, application of techniques, systems of reasoning or analysis, and the modes of inquiry employed by a discipline.
Mixed-Methods -- a research approach that uses two or more methods from both the quantitative and qualitative research categories. It is also referred to as blended methods, combined methods, or methodological triangulation.
Modeling -- the creation of a physical or computer analogy to understand a particular phenomenon. Modeling helps in estimating the relative magnitude of various factors involved in a phenomenon. A successful model can be shown to account for unexpected behavior that has been observed, to predict certain behaviors, which can then be tested experimentally, and to demonstrate that a given theory cannot account for certain phenomenon.
Models -- representations of objects, principles, processes, or ideas often used for imitation or emulation.
Naturalistic Observation -- observation of behaviors and events in natural settings without experimental manipulation or other forms of interference.
Norm -- the norm in statistics is the average or usual performance. For example, students usually complete their high school graduation requirements when they are 18 years old. Even though some students graduate when they are younger or older, the norm is that any given student will graduate when he or she is 18 years old.
Null Hypothesis -- the proposition, to be tested statistically, that the experimental intervention has "no effect," meaning that the treatment and control groups will not differ as a result of the intervention. Investigators usually hope that the data will demonstrate some effect from the intervention, thus allowing the investigator to reject the null hypothesis.
Ontology -- a discipline of philosophy that explores the science of what is, the kinds and structures of objects, properties, events, processes, and relations in every area of reality.
Panel Study -- a longitudinal study in which a group of individuals is interviewed at intervals over a period of time.
Participant -- individuals whose physiological and/or behavioral characteristics and responses are the object of study in a research project.
Peer-Review -- the process in which the author of a book, article, or other type of publication submits his or her work to experts in the field for critical evaluation, usually prior to publication. This is standard procedure in publishing scholarly research.
Phenomenology -- a qualitative research approach concerned with understanding certain group behaviors from that group's point of view.
Philosophy -- critical examination of the grounds for fundamental beliefs and analysis of the basic concepts, doctrines, or practices that express such beliefs.
Phonology -- the study of the ways in which speech sounds form systems and patterns in language.
Policy -- governing principles that serve as guidelines or rules for decision making and action in a given area.
Policy Analysis -- systematic study of the nature, rationale, cost, impact, effectiveness, implications, etc., of existing or alternative policies, using the theories and methodologies of relevant social science disciplines.
Population -- the target group under investigation. The population is the entire set under consideration. Samples are drawn from populations.
Position Papers -- statements of official or organizational viewpoints, often recommending a particular course of action or response to a situation.
Positivism -- a doctrine in the philosophy of science, positivism argues that science can only deal with observable entities known directly to experience. The positivist aims to construct general laws, or theories, which express relationships between phenomena. Observation and experiment is used to show whether the phenomena fit the theory.
Predictive Measurement -- use of tests, inventories, or other measures to determine or estimate future events, conditions, outcomes, or trends.
Principal Investigator -- the scientist or scholar with primary responsibility for the design and conduct of a research project.
Probability -- the chance that a phenomenon will occur randomly. As a statistical measure, it is shown as p [the "p" factor].
Questionnaire -- structured sets of questions on specified subjects that are used to gather information, attitudes, or opinions.
Random Sampling -- a process used in research to draw a sample of a population strictly by chance, yielding no discernible pattern beyond chance. Random sampling can be accomplished by first numbering the population, then selecting the sample according to a table of random numbers or using a random-number computer generator. The sample is said to be random because there is no regular or discernible pattern or order. Random sample selection is used under the assumption that sufficiently large samples assigned randomly will exhibit a distribution comparable to that of the population from which the sample is drawn. The random assignment of participants increases the probability that differences observed between participant groups are the result of the experimental intervention.
Reliability -- the degree to which a measure yields consistent results. If the measuring instrument [e.g., survey] is reliable, then administering it to similar groups would yield similar results. Reliability is a prerequisite for validity. An unreliable indicator cannot produce trustworthy results.
Representative Sample -- sample in which the participants closely match the characteristics of the population, and thus, all segments of the population are represented in the sample. A representative sample allows results to be generalized from the sample to the population.
Rigor -- degree to which research methods are scrupulously and meticulously carried out in order to recognize important influences occurring in an experimental study.
Sample -- the population researched in a particular study. Usually, attempts are made to select a "sample population" that is considered representative of groups of people to whom results will be generalized or transferred. In studies that use inferential statistics to analyze results or which are designed to be generalizable, sample size is critical, generally the larger the number in the sample, the higher the likelihood of a representative distribution of the population.
Sampling Error -- the degree to which the results from the sample deviate from those that would be obtained from the entire population, because of random error in the selection of respondent and the corresponding reduction in reliability.
Saturation -- a situation in which data analysis begins to reveal repetition and redundancy and when new data tend to confirm existing findings rather than expand upon them.
Semantics -- the relationship between symbols and meaning in a linguistic system. Also, the cuing system that connects what is written in the text to what is stored in the reader's prior knowledge.
Social Theories -- theories about the structure, organization, and functioning of human societies.
Sociolinguistics -- the study of language in society and, more specifically, the study of language varieties, their functions, and their speakers.
Standard Deviation -- a measure of variation that indicates the typical distance between the scores of a distribution and the mean; it is determined by taking the square root of the average of the squared deviations in a given distribution. It can be used to indicate the proportion of data within certain ranges of scale values when the distribution conforms closely to the normal curve.
Statistical Analysis -- application of statistical processes and theory to the compilation, presentation, discussion, and interpretation of numerical data.
Statistical Bias -- characteristics of an experimental or sampling design, or the mathematical treatment of data, that systematically affects the results of a study so as to produce incorrect, unjustified, or inappropriate inferences or conclusions.
Statistical Significance -- the probability that the difference between the outcomes of the control and experimental group are great enough that it is unlikely due solely to chance. The probability that the null hypothesis can be rejected at a predetermined significance level [0.05 or 0.01].
Statistical Tests -- researchers use statistical tests to make quantitative decisions about whether a study's data indicate a significant effect from the intervention and allow the researcher to reject the null hypothesis. That is, statistical tests show whether the differences between the outcomes of the control and experimental groups are great enough to be statistically significant. If differences are found to be statistically significant, it means that the probability [likelihood] that these differences occurred solely due to chance is relatively low. Most researchers agree that a significance value of .05 or less [i.e., there is a 95% probability that the differences are real] sufficiently determines significance.
Subcultures -- ethnic, regional, economic, or social groups exhibiting characteristic patterns of behavior sufficient to distinguish them from the larger society to which they belong.
Testing -- the act of gathering and processing information about individuals' ability, skill, understanding, or knowledge under controlled conditions.
Theory -- a general explanation about a specific behavior or set of events that is based on known principles and serves to organize related events in a meaningful way. A theory is not as specific as a hypothesis.
Treatment -- the stimulus given to a dependent variable.
Trend Samples -- method of sampling different groups of people at different points in time from the same population.
Triangulation -- a multi-method or pluralistic approach, using different methods in order to focus on the research topic from different viewpoints and to produce a multi-faceted set of data. Also used to check the validity of findings from any one method.
Unit of Analysis -- the basic observable entity or phenomenon being analyzed by a study and for which data are collected in the form of variables.
Validity -- the degree to which a study accurately reflects or assesses the specific concept that the researcher is attempting to measure. A method can be reliable, consistently measuring the same thing, but not valid.
Variable -- any characteristic or trait that can vary from one person to another [race, gender, academic major] or for one person over time [age, political beliefs].
Weighted Scores -- scores in which the components are modified by different multipliers to reflect their relative importance.
White Paper -- an authoritative report that often states the position or philosophy about a social, political, or other subject, or a general explanation of an architecture, framework, or product technology written by a group of researchers. A white paper seeks to contain unbiased information and analysis regarding a business or policy problem that the researchers may be facing.

Elliot, Mark, Fairweather, Ian, Olsen, Wendy Kay, and Pampaka, Maria. A Dictionary of Social Research Methods. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2016; Free Social Science Dictionary. Socialsciencedictionary.com [2008]. Glossary. Institutional Review Board. Colorado College; Glossary of Key Terms. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Glossary A-Z. Education.com; Glossary of Research Terms. Research Mindedness Virtual Learning Resource. Centre for Human Servive Technology. University of Southampton; Miller, Robert L. and Brewer, John D. The A-Z of Social Research: A Dictionary of Key Social Science Research Concepts London: SAGE, 2003; Jupp, Victor. The SAGE Dictionary of Social and Cultural Research Methods . London: Sage, 2006.

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Last Updated: Jul 3, 2024 10:07 AM
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Research paper

How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide

A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research.

Research papers are similar to academic essays , but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research. Writing a research paper requires you to demonstrate a strong knowledge of your topic, engage with a variety of sources, and make an original contribution to the debate.

This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire writing process, from understanding your assignment to proofreading your final draft.

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Understand the assignment, choose a research paper topic, conduct preliminary research, develop a thesis statement, create a research paper outline, write a first draft of the research paper, write the introduction, write a compelling body of text, write the conclusion, the second draft, the revision process, research paper checklist, free lecture slides.

Completing a research paper successfully means accomplishing the specific tasks set out for you. Before you start, make sure you thoroughly understanding the assignment task sheet:

Read it carefully, looking for anything confusing you might need to clarify with your professor.
Identify the assignment goal, deadline, length specifications, formatting, and submission method.
Make a bulleted list of the key points, then go back and cross completed items off as you’re writing.

Carefully consider your timeframe and word limit: be realistic, and plan enough time to research, write, and edit.

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There are many ways to generate an idea for a research paper, from brainstorming with pen and paper to talking it through with a fellow student or professor.

You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting.

You can also gain inspiration from other research. The discussion or recommendations sections of research papers often include ideas for other specific topics that require further examination.

Once you have a broad subject area, narrow it down to choose a topic that interests you, m eets the criteria of your assignment, and i s possible to research. Aim for ideas that are both original and specific:

A paper following the chronology of World War II would not be original or specific enough.
A paper on the experience of Danish citizens living close to the German border during World War II would be specific and could be original enough.

Note any discussions that seem important to the topic, and try to find an issue that you can focus your paper around. Use a variety of sources , including journals, books, and reliable websites, to ensure you do not miss anything glaring.

Do not only verify the ideas you have in mind, but look for sources that contradict your point of view.

Is there anything people seem to overlook in the sources you research?
Are there any heated debates you can address?
Do you have a unique take on your topic?
Have there been some recent developments that build on the extant research?

In this stage, you might find it helpful to formulate some research questions to help guide you. To write research questions, try to finish the following sentence: “I want to know how/what/why…”

A thesis statement is a statement of your central argument — it establishes the purpose and position of your paper. If you started with a research question, the thesis statement should answer it. It should also show what evidence and reasoning you’ll use to support that answer.

The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly summarize your argument in a sentence or two, make a claim that requires further evidence or analysis, and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.

You will probably revise and refine the thesis statement as you do more research, but it can serve as a guide throughout the writing process. Every paragraph should aim to support and develop this central claim.

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A research paper outline is essentially a list of the key topics, arguments, and evidence you want to include, divided into sections with headings so that you know roughly what the paper will look like before you start writing.

A structure outline can help make the writing process much more efficient, so it’s worth dedicating some time to create one.

Your first draft won’t be perfect — you can polish later on. Your priorities at this stage are as follows:

Maintaining forward momentum — write now, perfect later.
Paying attention to clear organization and logical ordering of paragraphs and sentences, which will help when you come to the second draft.
Expressing your ideas as clearly as possible, so you know what you were trying to say when you come back to the text.

You do not need to start by writing the introduction. Begin where it feels most natural for you — some prefer to finish the most difficult sections first, while others choose to start with the easiest part. If you created an outline, use it as a map while you work.

Do not delete large sections of text. If you begin to dislike something you have written or find it doesn’t quite fit, move it to a different document, but don’t lose it completely — you never know if it might come in useful later.

Paragraph structure

Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of research papers. Each one should focus on a single claim or idea that helps to establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.

Example paragraph

George Orwell’s 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” has had an enduring impact on thought about the relationship between politics and language. This impact is particularly obvious in light of the various critical review articles that have recently referenced the essay. For example, consider Mark Falcoff’s 2009 article in The National Review Online, “The Perversion of Language; or, Orwell Revisited,” in which he analyzes several common words (“activist,” “civil-rights leader,” “diversity,” and more). Falcoff’s close analysis of the ambiguity built into political language intentionally mirrors Orwell’s own point-by-point analysis of the political language of his day. Even 63 years after its publication, Orwell’s essay is emulated by contemporary thinkers.

Citing sources

It’s also important to keep track of citations at this stage to avoid accidental plagiarism . Each time you use a source, make sure to take note of where the information came from.

You can use our free citation generators to automatically create citations and save your reference list as you go.

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The research paper introduction should address three questions: What, why, and how? After finishing the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about, why it is worth reading, and how you’ll build your arguments.

What? Be specific about the topic of the paper, introduce the background, and define key terms or concepts.

Why? This is the most important, but also the most difficult, part of the introduction. Try to provide brief answers to the following questions: What new material or insight are you offering? What important issues does your essay help define or answer?

How? To let the reader know what to expect from the rest of the paper, the introduction should include a “map” of what will be discussed, briefly presenting the key elements of the paper in chronological order.

The major struggle faced by most writers is how to organize the information presented in the paper, which is one reason an outline is so useful. However, remember that the outline is only a guide and, when writing, you can be flexible with the order in which the information and arguments are presented.

One way to stay on track is to use your thesis statement and topic sentences . Check:

topic sentences against the thesis statement;
topic sentences against each other, for similarities and logical ordering;
and each sentence against the topic sentence of that paragraph.

Be aware of paragraphs that seem to cover the same things. If two paragraphs discuss something similar, they must approach that topic in different ways. Aim to create smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and sections.

The research paper conclusion is designed to help your reader out of the paper’s argument, giving them a sense of finality.

Trace the course of the paper, emphasizing how it all comes together to prove your thesis statement. Give the paper a sense of finality by making sure the reader understands how you’ve settled the issues raised in the introduction.

You might also discuss the more general consequences of the argument, outline what the paper offers to future students of the topic, and suggest any questions the paper’s argument raises but cannot or does not try to answer.

You should not :

Offer new arguments or essential information
Take up any more space than necessary
Begin with stock phrases that signal you are ending the paper (e.g. “In conclusion”)

There are four main considerations when it comes to the second draft.

Check how your vision of the paper lines up with the first draft and, more importantly, that your paper still answers the assignment.
Identify any assumptions that might require (more substantial) justification, keeping your reader’s perspective foremost in mind. Remove these points if you cannot substantiate them further.
Be open to rearranging your ideas. Check whether any sections feel out of place and whether your ideas could be better organized.
If you find that old ideas do not fit as well as you anticipated, you should cut them out or condense them. You might also find that new and well-suited ideas occurred to you during the writing of the first draft — now is the time to make them part of the paper.

The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible. You can speed up the proofreading process by using the AI proofreader .

Global concerns

Confirm that your paper completes every task specified in your assignment sheet.
Check for logical organization and flow of paragraphs.
Check paragraphs against the introduction and thesis statement.

Fine-grained details

Check the content of each paragraph, making sure that:

each sentence helps support the topic sentence.
no unnecessary or irrelevant information is present.
all technical terms your audience might not know are identified.

Next, think about sentence structure , grammatical errors, and formatting . Check that you have correctly used transition words and phrases to show the connections between your ideas. Look for typos, cut unnecessary words, and check for consistency in aspects such as heading formatting and spellings .

Finally, you need to make sure your paper is correctly formatted according to the rules of the citation style you are using. For example, you might need to include an MLA heading or create an APA title page .

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Checklist: Research paper

I have followed all instructions in the assignment sheet.

My introduction presents my topic in an engaging way and provides necessary background information.

My introduction presents a clear, focused research problem and/or thesis statement .

My paper is logically organized using paragraphs and (if relevant) section headings .

Each paragraph is clearly focused on one central idea, expressed in a clear topic sentence .

Each paragraph is relevant to my research problem or thesis statement.

I have used appropriate transitions to clarify the connections between sections, paragraphs, and sentences.

My conclusion provides a concise answer to the research question or emphasizes how the thesis has been supported.

My conclusion shows how my research has contributed to knowledge or understanding of my topic.

My conclusion does not present any new points or information essential to my argument.

I have provided an in-text citation every time I refer to ideas or information from a source.

I have included a reference list at the end of my paper, consistently formatted according to a specific citation style .

I have thoroughly revised my paper and addressed any feedback from my professor or supervisor.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (page numbers, headers, spacing, etc.).

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Definition of Terms

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Any untoward occurrence in a research participant. The occurrence need not have a clear causal relationship with the individual’s participation in the research; an AE can be any unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom, event, or occurrence affecting a participant’s physical, mental, social, financial, legal, or psychological well-being. An unanticipated AE should be reported to the committee as soon as possible after it is identified.

Agreement by an individual not competent to give legally valid informed consent (e.g., a child or cognitively impaired person) to participate in research. An assent is typically paired with permission from a parent or guardian, and together they comprise the informed consent to participate.

An officer of an institution with the authority to speak for and legally commit the institution to adherence to the requirements of the federal regulations regarding the involvement of human subjects in biomedical and behavioral research.

A statement of basic ethical principles governing research involving human subjects issued by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects in 1979. View a summary of the Belmont Report . The Belmont Report principles permeate human subjects research to this day.

An ethical principle discussed in the Belmont Report that entails an obligation to protect persons from harm. The principle of beneficence can be expressed in two general rules: 1) do not harm; and 2) protect from harm by maximizing possible benefits and minimizing possible risks of harm.

A valued or desired outcome associated with a research project. Anticipated benefits may express the probability that subjects and society may benefit from the research procedures. Research may benefit the individual or society as a whole. If research will not benefit individuals, it is required to provide a reasonable likelihood of resulting in benefits to society. UNLV’s human research application requests information about the direct benefits accruing to the research participants and to society. Compensation and incentives given to participants are not considered benefit.

This is a certificate issued by the National Institutes of Health that protects identifiable research information of a sensitive nature from forced disclosure. It is typically requested when the researcher believes his/her research objectives could not be met without this form of protection.

Persons who have not attained the legal age for consent to treatment or procedures involved in the research, as determined under the applicable law of the jurisdiction in which the research will be conducted [45 CFR 46 46.401(a)]. In Nevada, individuals younger than 18 years of age are considered children for most research situations, and informed consent then consists of the child’s assent and the parent’s permission.(See “Assent.”)

The act of forcing or compelling one to take action against one’s will. Coercion can be overt or perceived, and it can occur when the researcher is in a position of authority or power over the subject (for example, teachers over students or physicians over patients). It can also occur when incentives become so great that the participant will only participate to attain the incentive.

Having either a psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychosis, neurosis, personality or behavior disorders, or dementia) or a developmental disorder (e.g., mental retardation) that affects cognitive or emotional functions to the extent that capacity for judgment and reasoning is significantly diminished. Others, including persons under the influence of or dependent on drugs or alcohol, those suffering from degenerative diseases affecting the brain, terminally ill patients, and persons with severely disabling physical handicaps, may also be compromised in their ability to make decisions in their best interests.

Human subjects research projects conducted by more than one institution. Each institution is responsible for safeguarding the rights and welfare of human subjects. Arrangements for joint review, relying upon one qualified IRB, or similar arrangements are acceptable. (Please contact the ORI-HS staff if this situation occurs; they can assist with the arrangements.)

Payment for participation in research. Compensation should be appropriate for the amount of effort involved, and not excessive and thereby coercive. Compensation is NOT considered a benefit.

Technically, a legal term, used to denote capacity to act on one’s own behalf; the ability to understand information presented, to appreciate the consequences of acting (or not acting) on that information, and to make a choice. (See also: Incompetence, Incapacity)

Pertains to the treatment of information that an individual has disclosed in a relationship of trust and with the expectation that it will not be divulged to others without permission in ways that are inconsistent with the understanding of the original disclosure.

Defined as a set of conditions in which an investigator’s judgment concerning a primary interest (e.g., subject welfare, integrity of research) could be biased by a secondary interest (e.g., personal or financial gain). See information regarding UNLV’s Conflict of Interest/Compensated Outside Services Policy .

See “Informed Consent.”

Subject(s) used for comparison who are not given the treatment under study or who do not have a given condition, background, or risk factor that is the object of study. Control conditions may be concurrent (occurring more or less simultaneously with the condition under study) or historical (preceding the condition under study). When the present condition of subjects is compared with their own condition on a prior regimen or treatment, the study is considered historically controlled.

The other primary scholar or researcher involved in conducting the research. Co-PIs must also meet the UNLV PI eligibility requirements.

Giving subjects previously undisclosed information about the research project following completion of their participation in research.

A code of ethics for clinical research approved by the World Medical Association in 1964 and widely adopted by medical associations in various countries. It was revised most recently in 2008.

Any study that is not truly experimental (e.g., quasi-experimental studies, correlational studies, record reviews, case histories, and observational studies).

A legal status conferred upon persons who have not yet attained the age of legal competency as defined by state law (for such purposes as consenting to medical care), but who are entitled to treatment as if they had by virtue of assuming adult responsibilities such as marriage, procreation, or being self-supporting and not living at home. (See also “Mature Minor.”)

Fair or just; used in the context of selection of subjects to indicate that the benefits and burdens of research are fairly distributed.

The code of federal regulations (45 CFR 46.101(b)) identifies several categories of minimal risk research as exempt from the Federal Policy for the Protection of Research Subjects. This determination must not be made by the PI, but by the IRB or someone appointed by the IRB. For more information, see the U.S. Health and Human Services website, “ Exempt Research and Research That May Undergo Expedited Review .”

The code of federal regulations (45 CFR 46.110 and 21 CFR 56.110) identifies several categories of minimal risk research that may be reviewed through an expedited review process. For more information, see the U.S. Health and Human Services website on “ Guidance on Expedited Review Procedures .”

This act defines the rights of students and parents concerning reviewing, amending, and disclosing educational records and requires written permission to disclose personally identifiable information from a student’s education record, except under certain circumstances such as an order of subpoena. 1

The federal policy that provides regulations for the involvement of human subjects in research. The policy applies to all research involving human subjects conducted, supported, or otherwise subject to regulation by any federal department or agency that takes appropriate administrative action to make the policy applicable to such research. Currently, 16 federal agencies have adopted this policy, commonly referred to as “The Federal Policy,” but also known as the “Common Rule.”

A formal written, binding commitment that is submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) in which an institution agrees to comply with applicable regulations governing research with human subjects and stipulates the procedures through which compliance will be achieved. UNLV’s assurance number is FWA00002305.

Review of proposed research at a convened meeting at which a majority of the membership of the IRB are present, including at least one member whose primary concerns are in nonscientific areas. For the research to be approved, it must receive the approval of a majority of those members present at the meeting. Generally, studies that undergo full board review are studies involving greater than minimal risk, risky, or novel procedures or vulnerable populations.

An individual who is authorized under applicable state or local law to give permission on behalf of a child for general medical care. In Nevada, under NRS 159.0805, guardians may not give permission for a child to enter into a research study unless a court order has been obtained.

The rule which protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information. The privacy rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients specific rights with respect to that information.

Individuals whose physiological or behavioral characteristics and responses are the object of study in a research project. Under the federal regulations, human subjects are defined as living individual(s) about whom an investigator conducting research obtains: (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual; or (2) identifiable private information.

Federal regulations define identifiable to mean that the identity of the individual subject is or may readily be ascertained by the investigator or may be associated with the information.

This refers to a person’s mental status and means inability to understand information presented, to appreciate the consequences of acting (or not acting) on that information, and to make a choice. The term is often used as a synonym for incompetence.

A legal term meaning inability to manage one’s own affairs, and often used as a synonym for incapacity.

A person’s voluntary agreement, based upon adequate knowledge and understanding of relevant information, to participate in research or to undergo a diagnostic, therapeutic, or preventive procedure. In giving informed consent, subjects may not waive or appear to waive any of their legal rights, or release or appear to release the investigator, the sponsor, the institution, or agents thereof from liability for negligence.

Institutional research (also called internal research) is the gathering of data from or about UNLV students, faculty, and staff by university offices or organizations, with the sole intent of using the data for internal informational purposes or for required data-collection purposes. This data would not be made generalizable. Examples include surveys to improve university services or procedures; ascertain the opinions, experiences, or preferences of the university community; or to provide necessary information to characterize the university community. This kind of data gathering does not require IRB review unless respondents are queried about sensitive aspects of their own behavior. For debatable projects, investigators should submit an exclusion review form to the ORI-HS.

A specially constituted, federally mandated review body established or designated by an entity to protect the welfare of human subjects recruited to participate in biomedical or behavioral research. UNLV has two IRBs – Social/Behavioral and Biomedical.

The federal regulations define interaction as “communication or interpersonal contact between investigator and subject.”

The federal regulations define intervention as both physical procedures by which data are gathered (for example, venipuncture) and manipulations of the subject or the subject’s environment that are performed for research purposes.

This refers to a researcher conducting the project. Investigators can be principal investigators or co-principal investigators. Students are always listed as student investigators.

A formal agreement between UNLV and another FWA-holding institution that allows the one IRB to serve as the “IRB of Record” for protocols involving collaborative research between UNLV and the other institution.

A term utilized when an institution assumes the IRB responsibilities for a human subject research protocol conducted at another institution. An IRB authorization agreement signed by institutional officials at both institutions is required.

An ethical principle discussed in the Belmont Report requiring fairness in distribution of burdens and benefits; those that bear the burdens of research should also receive the benefits. There must be fair and equitable selection of subjects.

A person authorized either by statute or by court appointment to make decisions on behalf of another person. In human subjects research, an individual or judicial or other body authorized under applicable law to consent on behalf of a prospective subject to the subject’s participation in the procedure(s) involved in the research.

Someone who has not reached adulthood (as defined by state law) but who may be treated as an adult for certain purposes (e.g., consenting to medical care). Note that a mature minor is not necessarily an emancipated minor. (See also “Emancipated Minor.”)

A risk is minimal when the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the proposed research are not greater, in and of themselves, than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests. For example, the risk of drawing a small amount of blood from a healthy individual for research purposes is no greater than the risk of doing so as part of routine physical examination. Note: The definition of minimal risk for research involving prisoners differs somewhat from that given for non-institutionalized adults.

Any change to an IRB-approved study protocol, regardless of the level of review it receives initially.

A federally mandated member of an Institutional Review Board who has no ties to the parent institution, its staff, or faculty. This individual is usually from the local community (e.g., business person, attorney, or teacher).

A code of research ethics developed during the trials of Nazi war criminals following World War II and widely adopted as a standard during the 1950s and 1960s for protecting human subjects.

The office within the Department of Health and Human Services that is responsible for implementing DHHS regulations (45CFR46) governing research involving human subjects.

The UNLV office, formerly known as the Office for the Protection of Research Subjects (OPRS), that serves as an administrative hub for the UNLV IRB’s oversight of human subjects research.

The agreement of parent(s) to the participation of their child in research.

The scientist or scholar with primary responsibility for the design and conduct of a research project. See UNLV’s PI Eligibility Policy for those who are eligible for automatic PI status and how to apply for PI status.

An individual involuntarily confined in a penal institution, including persons: 1) sentenced under a criminal or civil statue; 2) detained pending arraignment, trial, or sentencing; and 3) detained in other facilities (e.g., for drug detoxification or treatment of alcoholism) under statutes or commitment procedures providing such alternatives to criminal prosecution or incarceration in a penal institution. Note that this includes adjudicated youth.

Control over the extent, timing, and circumstances of disclosing personal information (physical, behavioral, or intellectual) with others.

Defined by the federal regulations to include information about behavior that occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place. It also includes information that has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public (e.g., a medical record). Private information must be individually identifiable (i.e., the identity of the subject is or may readily be ascertained by the investigator or associated with the information) in order for the acquisition of the information to constitute research involving human subjects.

Studies designed to observe outcomes or events that occur subsequent to the identification of the group of subjects to be studied. Prospective studies need not involve manipulation or intervention but may be purely observational or involve only the collection of data.

Applies to survey research conducted in schools and states that parents have the right to inspect surveys and questionnaires distributed within schools. This amendment also specifies that parental permission must be obtained to have minors participate in surveys that disclose certain types of sensitive information. 1

The formal design or plan of an experiment or research study; specifically, the plan submitted to an IRB for review and to an agency for research support. The protocol includes a description of the research design or methodology to be employed, the eligibility requirements for prospective subjects and controls, the treatment regimen(s), and the proposed methods of analysis that will be performed on the collected data.

A systematic investigation (i.e., the gathering and analysis of information) designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.

An ethical principle discussed in the Belmont Report requiring that individual autonomy be respected and persons with diminished autonomy be protected.

Research conducted by reviewing records from the past (e.g., birth and death certificates, medical records, school records, or employment records) or by obtaining information about past events elicited through interviews or surveys. Case control studies are an example of this type of research. This requires IRB review, as long as it involves private information about humans.

The probability of harm or injury (physical, psychological, social, or economic) occurring as a result of participation in a research study. Both the probability and magnitude of possible harm may vary from minimal to significant. Risks include immediate risks of study participation as well as risks of long-term effects.

This involves two types of data: 1) data collected by someone other than the principal investigator for a research or non-research purpose, or 2) data that was collected by the principal investigator, but when collected was not intended to be used for human subjects research. For data to be considered secondary data, the data must exist prior to the initiation of the current research study or be “on the shelf” at the time of study initiation. Principal investigators must submit and receive approval for use of secondary human subjects data prior to initiation of the project.

A visit by agency officials, representatives, or consultants to the location of a research activity to assess the adequacy of IRB protection of human subjects or the capability of personnel to conduct the research.

“Participant” is the preferred term since it more correctly portrays the participatory aspects of research. Sometimes “subject” more accurately describes the role.

Free of coercion, duress, or undue inducement or influence. Used in the research context to refer to a subject’s decision to participate (or to continue to participate) in a research activity.

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_________1. Definitions guide readers to understand the thought and idea presented in any material.

_________2. Technical definitions are created to create clarity and avoid confusion on the part of the readers.

____________Operational definitions contain reliable and specific meaning of a word or phrase based on general references.

__________ Mental health is a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being. The sample definition is technical.

______________A tantrum could include any time a child falls to the floor, cries, kicks, and screams in response to his or her denied request from his or her mother at the theme park. The sample definition is operational.

________________Operational definitions are essential in writing a research. This ensures that the readers as well as other researchers would clearly understand the variables used in the study.

____________In accomplishing the definition of terms in a research paper, the researcher is required to define the term technically and constitutively.

____________________Definition is the basis and key component in establishing clarity and accuracy of content in any material across different fields and disciplines.

___________An operational definition is usually theoretical and conceptual.

_____________A technical definition is given by an expert in the field which can be cited as a source.

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6 Commonly Confused Research Terms

While writing your research paper, you would come across elements that are the building blocks of a research paper. However, these often technical and confusing terms in research papers may trip up early career researchers. They may find some terms or elements overlapping and may struggle to differentiate between them. Through this article, we aim to clear the deck for successful research writing by helping you understand commonly confused research terms.

1. Citations and references

One set of confusing terms in research is citations and references You All sources used in a paper must always be mentioned within or at the end of the research paper. Text taken verbatim from any source must have all the details of the source within the paper and alongside the text. In research paper terms, this is a citation. References, on the other hand, are the listed versions of all the sources – books, articles, documents, videos, interviews – that were consumed as a part of research and used for writing the research paper.

2. Aim and objectives

These research paper terms might have similar meanings but when these terms are used in research, they should be considered separate. You may think of aims as the ultimate destination and objectives as the route you take to reach your destination. Here’s something to help understand these confusing terms in research. Aims refer to the outcome of the study – anything that you found out, could prove, or could conclude through your research. On the other hand, objectives are the ways in which you’re going to attain your research aims. Aims are broad in nature, while objectives are very specific and focused. Some types of manuscripts only require you to state an aim, others only objectives, and some require both.

3. Research methods and research methodology

Yes, these research paper terms are not interchangeable. Research methodology refers to the principles that guide you to pick the suitable methods for your research paper. For example, it helps you decide what kind of data analysis would help you achieve your aim – qualitative or quantitative. Research methods are the actual methods used to perform the experiments required to successfully complete your research paper. Depending on your research methodology, the research methods may vary including, but not limited to, observation, surveys, interviews, and laboratory experiments. So, be very careful when working with these two confusing terms in research and writing these sections.

4. Background of a study and introduction

It’s essential to understand these research paper terms to impress your readers – journal editors, fellow researchers, and your target audience. The background of a study is the missing piece of the existing literature’s puzzle. Its purpose is to state the significance of your study and the position of your research paper within the existing literature. It is not lengthy and helps the reader understand your topic of research with a wider perspective. Meanwhile, the introduction of a research paper is the opening section of your paper. It’s meant to set the context for the rest of the paper, establish the purpose of the study, and state the research question. So be sure not to mix up these confusing terms in research.

5. Implications and limitations

Another set of research paper terms that researchers often get confused about is implications and limitations. The ways in which your research findings can be helpful and may be applied are called implications, whereas the shortcomings or the way in which your research findings cannot be applied in real life are the limitations. Stating these two distinct research terms gives a holistic view of the applicability and scope of your research findings, and thus, having clarity on the meaning of these confusing terms in research is crucial.

6. Footnotes and endnotes

The last pair of research paper terms is footnotes and endnotes. Despite their self-explanatory names, this pair of confusing terms in research is a common source of error. Footnotes and endnotes are a way of providing additional information in your research paper. At times, authors may want to elaborate something they have written, but since adding an explanation within the main text may obstruct the flow, this information is added either at the bottom of the page or at the end of the research paper. Depending on the positioning, these additional notes are categorized as footnotes or endnotes when talking about research paper terms. As the names suggest, footnotes are mentioned at the bottom of the page, while endnotes are mentioned at the end of the research paper. Since both have the same function, it’s only a matter of choice which one you prefer to use. While footnotes make it convenient for the reader, having endnotes makes your paper clutter-free.

I hope reading this article helped you distinguish between these confusing terms in research. Moreover, as you gain experience by reading more research papers and writing more papers, you will get better at understanding these research paper terms and other nuances.

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aims and objectives – what’s the difference?

You’re ready, you’re aimed, and now you have to fire off the objectives. But you’re a bit confused. What”s the difference between the two?

An aims-objectives confusion might arise when you are writing thesis proposal and the introductory thesis chapter. It’s always an issue in research bids. The what’s-the-difference question can have you going around in ever smaller unproductive circles if you can’t figure out a way to differentiate between the two things. And the difference is something I’ve recently been asked about, so I’ve decided to post something of an answer.

Dictionaries are only vaguely helpful when thinking about aims and objectives. My desk dictionary says that an aim is to do with giving direction. An aim is “something intended or desired to be obtained by one’s efforts”. On the other hand an objective is to do with achieving an object, it’s about actions, “pertaining to that whose delineation is known”. Now who actually speaks like this? The fact that these definitions are offered in this very formal language doesn’t help clarify matters. But, once past the antiquated expression, you might discern that the difference between the two is somehow related to a hope or ambition (aim) versus a material action (objective). Or we might say – and it is what is commonly said about aims and objectives – the aim is the what of the research, and the objective is the how .

So taking this what-how as a kind of loose and sloppy differentiation between the two, the rough rule of thumb with aims and objectives is generally that:

(1) The aim is about what you hope to do, your overall intention in the project. It signals what and/or where you aspire to be by the end. It’s what you want to know. It is the point of doing the research. An aim is therefore generally broad. It is ambitious, but not beyond possibility.

The convention is that an aim is usually written using an infinitive verb – that is, it’s a to + action . So aims often start something like.. My aim in this project is … to map, to develop, to design, to track, to generate, to theorise, to build … Sometimes in the humanities and social sciences we have aims which attempt to acknowledge the inevitable partiality of what we do, so we aim ‘to investigate, to understand, and to explore… ‘ But lots of project reviewers and supervisors prefer to see something less tentative than this – they want something much less ambivalent, something more like to synthesise, to catalogue, to challenge, to critically interrogate ….

(2) The objectives , and there are usually more than one, are the specific steps you will take to achieve your aim. This is where you make the project tangible by saying how you are going to go about it.

Objectives are often expressed through active sentences. So, objectives often start something like In order to achieve this aim, I will … collect, construct, produce, test, trial, measure, document, pilot, deconstruct, analyse … Objectives are often presented as a (1) (2) (3) formatted list – this makes visible the sequence of big steps in the project. The list of objectives spells out what you actually and really will do to get to the point of it all.

You have to make the objectives relatively precise . Having a bunch of vague statements isn’t very helpful – so ‘I will investigate’ or ‘I will explore’ for example aren’t particularly useful ways to think about the research objectives. How will you know when an investigation has ended? How will you draw boundaries around an exploration? In thinking about the answer to these questions, you are likely to come up with the actual objectives.

Objectives have to be practical, do-able and achievable . Research reviewers generally look to see if the time and money available for the research will genuinely allow the researcher to achieve their objectives. They also look to see if the objectives are possible, actually research-able.

Because the objectives also act as project milestones , it’s helpful to express them as things that are able to be completed – so for example scoping an archive of materials will have an end point which may then lead on to a next stage/objective. Even if objectives are to occur simultaneously, rather than one after the other, it is important to be clear about what the end point of each step/objective will be, and how it will help achieve the aim.

What not to do

It’s really helpful to think about what can go wrong with aims and objectives. There are some predictable problems that you want to avoid when writing them. These are some common aims-objectives issues:

• There are too many aims. One or two is usually enough. (I might stretch to three for other people’s projects if pushed, but I usually have only one for my own projects.)

• Aims and objectives waffle around, they don’t get to the point and the reader doesn’t have a clue what is actually intended and will be done – aims and objectives need to be concise and economically expressed.

• Aims and objectives don’t connect – the steps that are to be taken don’t match up with the overall intention.

• The aims and the objectives are not differentiated, they are basically the same things but said in different words.

• The objectives are a detailed laundry list rather than a set of stages in the research.

• The objectives don’t stack up with the research methods – in other words they are either not do-able, or what is to be done won’t achieve the desired results.

The final thing to say is that aims and objectives can’t be rushed. Because they generate the research questions and underpin the research design, sorting the aims and objectives are a crucial early stage in planning a research project. Aims and objectives are a foundation on which the entire project is constructed, so they need to be sturdy and durable.

About pat thomson

100 responses to aims and objectives – what’s the difference.

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I agree with you about the nature of the difference between aims and objectives and also about the fact that dictionaries are frustratingly vague about it.

I also agree that it is very helpful if you can match aims and objectives.

In research-grant writing I suggest that the matching can be done by stating the aims as things that we need to know. Then the objectives can be stated as the phases of the research project that will tell us the things we need to know. I recommend that aims and objectives are matched, that there are about four of each and that the y are presented in the same order.

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This is the best explanation so far that I have seen on the net

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I agree with Ruzivo. Excellent explanation. God Bless you Pat for clearing all our doubts. Its like having my glass window polished and is sparkling.

appreciated reading this too.

Hi Pat, Is there much of a difference between aims and hypothesis? Is it just a difference in phrasing and presenting the intention of the thesis?? Thanks.

Yes a lot of difference. A hypothesis can signal a particulate stance on knowledge, and/ or a particular research design. With a hypothesis you set out to test, answer yes/no or prove something. Most often used in RCTs or lab based research or other experimental work.

I’m looking for literature (books or scientific papers) where we can discuss how to properly construct the aim and objective, perhaps his epistemology. Thus, having better foundation, not just different opinions.

I would greatly appreciate your guidance.

Pat, Thanks very much for your blog. It contains a lot of very helpful information.

I am just starting out on my PhD and was interested to read your definitions of Aims and Objectives.

I was actually quite surprised to read that the objectives seem to present a high level plan rather than a set of goals as is the common usage.

You have said “This is where you make the project tangible by saying how you are going to go about it” whereas a common usage might be more like “something that one’s efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish” ( http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/objective ).

This info will help me write my thesis…. even if it is non-intuitive!

Like Andrew, I work with people who are writing grant applications. Two pet peeves that I would add to your “What not to do” list are:

1. There is no aim at all. This can take two forms. The most common is to have aims, but fail to express them clearly and succinctly up front. They are buried on page two, page five, page 23 and page 41. The less common problem is where there is no aim at all. That is, the whole project description is so vague, or so dense, that there doesn’t seem to be any point at all. This generally occurs in first drafts, or where there have been many, many drafts, with different ideas introduced in each iteration.

2. There are additional ‘bonus’ aims as little ‘easter eggs’ for the reader to find on their journey through your project description. I see this a lot. Three or four aims are expressed, clearly and succinctly, at the start of the project description. Then, on page five, I find “…with the aim of…”. On page eight, there is “Our overall aim is to…”. These bonus aims often don’t match at all with the PR aims on the front page. Once they have been dug out and dusted off, they often provide a much clearer picture of what the investigators are trying to do.

I share your peeves. I think (pure supposition on the basis of no data!) that both these faults are a result of the “start writing and hope that a useful document will emerge from the forest of words” approach to writing. I used to encourage academics to take this approach simply because it’s so hard to get them to start writing a grant application. Now I think that it has the drawback that it produces a kind of ‘learned helplessness’ in which the writer surrenders the responsibility for producing a good document to a reviewer.

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I am currently going through the ‘get them started at all costs’ stage. https://theresearchwhisperer.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/grant-camp/ Sometimes I feel like I am a helplessness teacher.

Excellent post. Very helpful and one I will certainly pass on to my students.

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the article was pretty informative, could you please shed some light over the difference between research objectives and research questions. thank you.

Thanks for this article! It was very clear and helpful 🙂

Your article makes the all too common mistake of confusing objectives with activities.

Objectives should be expressed as noun clauses, for example, a design, a breadboard prototype, a literature review, a performance improvement. These can be concrete or abstract nouns. Either was they must be SMART, specific and measurable, so it is possible to evaluate if, and to what extent, the objective has been achieved.

Having analysed a project and identified the objectives one can then consider the activities required to realise these objective, activities expressed as verb clauses. Activities take time and can be scheduled using critical path analysis.

We’ll have to agree to disagree on that. Research projects don’t always produce breadboards and objectives are usually expressed as “To” do something ie to produce a breadboard. I think you’ve conflated an objective and an outcome or product.

A few questions:

1. Could you clarify if this applies equally to writing a thesis? Or is this advice primarily for grant writing?

2. How do the ‘Aims and Objectives’ differ from the ‘Research Questions’ in a thesis? How to avoid “basically the same things but said in different words.” if including both sections in your thesis?

3. How to accommodate for significant shifts over the life of PhD? What if the initial Aims and Objectives are not what the thesis is about at all the moment? Should they re-written as though the original Aims and Objectives never existed? Or should this section discuss the shift in aims and objectives?

By my experience with undergraduates whose English is not native, I have worked out an easy way of understanding and formulating the aim (I give same meaning to the “General Objective”) and Objectives( or Specific Objectives) of any project. Rewrite the topic of the research with “to + verb in infinitive” and you have got the Aim (or General Objective). Example: If the topic is “An Assessment of Capabilities of Rural Dwellers for Adaptation to Climate Change” then the Aim (or General Objective – singular-) is “The Aim of This study is to assess capabilities of rural dwellers for adaptation to climate change”. It is only one!!! once you have an aim you can make it colorful by adding various specification to it like ” in Asia” Accordingly, The aim of this study is to assess the potential capacity of rural dwellers in the dry zone of Sri Lanka to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Specific objectives (or Objectives). Yes, they are several. Again It is simple;

The Specific objectives of this study are to : You can list numbering…… of course not ten and not one. I advice undergraduates to have 3 or 4 as optimal.

The things you do to achieve above aim list like

Specific objectives Achieving the above aim it is need to reach following specific objectives: 1.To study rural individuals, in the selected region for their social, economic, psychological and technological capacities for adaptation to climate change with emphasis on their indigenous technologies, cultural practices and lifestyles supported to survive through centuries with different climatic conditions; 2.To recommend required policy alternatives and strategies with high level of applicability in adaptation to climate change.

Am I OK? Was it useful?

I appreciate your guidance. My main language is not English. I am doing my final year project report and want to be clear about every single section heading so that I can put the right content inside them. Your description is concise and helpful Thank you!

would i be right to look at the objectives as the parts and the AIM as the whole?

Not really. The aim is longer term, bigger, and might encompass more than this one project… the objectives are immediate and tangible and tied to the research question in hand.

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Aim: a verb

Objective: a noun.

Obviously objectives are the WHAT and aims are the HOW.

I can show you an objective… I can’t show you how I “objective”.

I can show you how to aim… I can’t show you an aim (nope, that’s a “sight”).

Basic grammar. QED.

In a research proposal the writer is basically asked to complete the sentences, My aim is to .. My objectives are therefore to… These are both about doing something. This is the GENRE. It is about writing not grammar. It’s important not to confuse grammar with sense making. Once you can get past the verb or noun category mistake (and of course an aim can be either a noun or a verb) the process of writing aims and objectives can indeed be understood as a what and a how, but this doesn’t capture the broader and narrower focusing that also has to go on.

You see, I agree with Jimmy there…it irks me that I have to tell students to do the opposite to what the words are actually saying. In fact yesterday, I did in fact swap them around when advising a student on their thesis. I’m going to have to get him to change it around now so it’s more conventional, even though it makes no sense.

Hi, I have been reading this blog post a few times and in general I find it very useful and this approach is what I have been using myself – there should be one overall aim for a thesis or a research paper. But in line with some of the previour commentors I’d really fove to know how to research questions come in? Is it sth like the aim taken into smaller and manageable pieces?

Reblogged this on Anthropology Musings of an anthro-tragic and commented: A clear and concise explanation – it’s certainly helped me overcome hurdles in my proposal.

This is more than enough i found it useful in my mini-proposal

hello, can two or three hypothesis investigate one research question?

I heistate to answer this and I hope someone else can. I don’t use hypotheses at all. My hunch is that the answer is usually no, you have a single hypothesis.

From my point of view hypothesis should apear in any research work; sometimes people don’t uses because they don’t know much about what he/she wants to study. That is, the researcher write a hypothesis that don’t need to be tested, because everybody knows the answer. A well designed hypothesis can truly guide not only the researcher but also the reader.

Is there any word count or proportion of the aim and the objective parts ? Coz I’m now writing a dissertation that about 12000 words long. So are there any suggestion?

Thanks a lot! Cherry

Most theses are between 80-100 k and each chapter between 8-10 k. So your aims and objectives will form part of one of the beginning chapters, possibly the first. You’ll also have other stuff to put in the same chapter like the rationale.

Hi Pat, you said “The final thing to say is that aims and objectives can’t be rushed. Because they generate the research questions…” Now I used to think that it’s the reverse, that RQs generate A&Os.

Hey Its really cool I am starting PhD now . I have my presentation also. What have I understood regarding aim and objective that what and why actually I want to do this project explaining by small abstract followed through in objective how I am going to achieve this with bullet points esp.. materials and methods. Is it right . Can you please suggest..

Hi Pat, Thanks for your informative post. Much appreciated. Just starting my MBA dissertation proposal, so thanks for the clarity. Regards Catherine

Nice concept

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Thank you very much Pat. This was really helpful, until I read this I always thought they were the same. I guess now I can do my assignment with more facts. Thank you very much.

I’m also writing my research proposal and I need to have the finitions clear.

research praposal is my assiment topic.. and there is no knowledge and words which i wrote it in my assiment……..

Thanks for the credible explanation you’v given above.

This is a very helpful peace of information

Dear Pat, Thank you for your outstanding explanation of the aim and the objectives of a research project and the difference between them. I kindly would like you to elaborate on how to write “Research Problem Statement” and its relationship with the aim and the objectives. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your knowledge! Mok

Thank you for this article, which has been very helpful. I have written my aims and objectives accordingly and have cited this page in my master thesis as reference. However I wanted to add that someone told me to be careful not to mix up objectives with research objectives as both are different. Research objectives being used interchangeably with the term research questions. I find this all very confusing to be honest but have decided to stick to your explanation for now on. Thank you

Explanation is clear and helpful

Thank you. It is very helpful so I can start doing the reports for projects. 🙂

Thanks a lot for the differentiation.

Thank you for a good understanding of the two.

Great tips! I work with university research faculty on grant writing and development – I love using this as a reference when I’m editing! Thanks!

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Really useful definition! Thanks very much for your time-generosity in sharing it. Helped no end with an art-commission proposal I was writing.

Best wishes Annabel Tilley Co-Author – What they didn’t teach you in art school (Octopus Books, 2016)

thank you. very helpful

Thank you. Immensely helpful and clear.

It has been extremely helpful for my work. Thank you!

Thank you for feeding me with clear understanding of this two words. I was critically comfused about the them, but now I am distinctly satisfied with the meanings. I am truly gratified to your perfect articulation God bless you.

I am SHS student in my final year,my name is call Raymond, my understanding is that,aim is what you are willing to do in a near by future whiles objective is the measures you won’t to lay down to guide you to achieve your aim.

Well articulated.

Fantastic and detailed enough. Thank you, Pat.

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Fantastic explanation, thanks for that!

Could you also recommend a reliable article/post on methodologies for data collection? That would be much appreciated. Thank you.

The difference between aim and objective explanation, succinct and very helpful. Thanks.

Nice one. I am very grateful. Thanks

Thank you for your outstanding explanation of the aim and the objectives, very informative and up to the point of query

Hi, Patt. Thank you so much for the post. It is really helpful. I have a question. Many professors use the word “purpose”. Is it “purpose” the same thing as “aim”? Thanks a lot Joao Paulo

That’s probably what they mean, but it might be a bit more philosophical. What’s the research for?

Psychoacoustics. In my report I used “Aim” and “Purpose” and they did not complying about. I think sometimes people use “Goal” instead “Aim”. Probably is the same.

Thank you so much for the detail description of Aim and Objective differentiating these two terms had really been so tough. From the defition given now it is quite clear only with the two key words : What=Aim. How=Objective Thanks and regards

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Incredibly helpful…… thank you.

This is wonderful. Giving more insight into aim and objectives.

Thanks a lot – hope I will finally complete my thesis proposal…

Thank you. Your explanation was very helpful!

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This has been very helpful as I sit and complete an adventurer’s expedition grant. Thankyou!

Really helpful and easy to understand. Thanks a lot.

Thank you Pat Really you release my confusion

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Hi Pat Thanks. It’s quite useful in relation to my situation. I was confused and struggled to write the aim and objectives in my PhD research proposal. So is the general objective of a project is similar to the aim?

Best wishes!

The objectives is specific, what you will do. The aim is broader.

Reblogged this on The Academic Triangle and commented: An old post but still very relevant. A lot of students I work with still struggle with the difference!

1. If the objectives are the steps one should do to achieve the aim then what are the tasks? To my knowledge tasks are the steps to achieve the objectives. 2. If mapping is to be done between objectives and the aim then all objectives will be mapped to one same aim. While tasks can be mapped to several objectives. 3. Can we use main objective and specific objectives instead of aim and objectives? 4. Can we have a concrete example showing aim, objectives and tasks.

This post and the other one about chapter introductions and conclusions proved very helpful to me, as a master student about to write my research proposal. I had serious difficulties in moving from aim to objectives in my research proposal. Having read these posts, I hope to write a convincing proposal and a coherent dissertation. Thank you!!!!!

I am thankful for so an amazing post. It has shed light to the dark area of my understanding about accademic writings..

Can i ask about the objectives for social media arising privacy

A research statement or question is also the aim of the research project. The objectives of the research develop from the aim of the research project. It is the order wherein it contains the steps on how to accomplish the aim of the research. The objective is commonly written in short phrases either in numbering or bullet points.

Hi Pat, The way you have explained the two different aspects of research is so simple and easily understandable! Just to say like many others I am also benefited from your blog. I am confused, can you please explain little about does there any difference between objectives and research question

Excellent clarification! Infact am excited

Thank so much with this helpful article

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Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Amendment 126 to the Fishery Management Plans for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 114 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska To Expand Electronic Monitoring to the Pollock Fisheries

A Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 07/29/2024

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Supplementary information:, north pacific observer program, integrating electronic monitoring into the observer program, trawl em category, annual request for placement in the trawl em category and compliance, trawl em coverage, full coverage trawl em category, partial coverage trawl em category, tender vessels, shoreside processors and stationary floating processors, em service providers, em hardware service provider permit, em review service providers, em equipment and vmps, catcher vessel and tender vessel owner and operator responsibilities, em system malfunctions, improved retention of catch, removing requirements for regulatory discards, psc retention, trawl em incentive plan agreements (tem ipa) for partial coverage catcher vessels, observer providers, observer program fees, other regulatory changes, comments and responses, indigenous peoples, trawl em rule process, annual request, catcher vessels, shoreside processors, improved retention, removing requirements for discards, unrelated to this rule, changes from proposed to final rule, classification, regulatory impact review, certification under the regulatory flexibility act, paperwork reduction act, omb control number 0648-0819, omb control number 0648-0318, nmfs revises and extends for three years the existing requirements for omb control number 0648-0318, which is associated with the north pacific observer program. additionally, omb control number 0648-0815 is being merged into 0648-0318 and will be discontinued upon issuance of this final rule. omb control number 0648-0815 was established as a temporary collection ( 88 fr 77228 , november 9, 2023) because 0648-0318 was being revised by a concurrent action and was intended to be merged into 0648-0318 following the completion of that action. omb control number 0648-0318 will be revised to include the following due to this final rule., omb control number 0648-0330, omb control number 0648-0515, omb control number 0648-0711, public comment, list of subjects, 15 cfr part 902, 50 cfr part 679, part 902—noaa information collection requirements under the paperwork reduction act: omb control numbers, part 679—fisheries of the exclusive economic zone off alaska, enhanced content - submit public comment.

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National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

Final rule.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement amendment 126 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) and amendment 114 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Amendments 126/114 implement an electronic monitoring (EM) program for pelagic trawl pollock catcher vessels and tender vessels delivering to shoreside processors and stationary floating processors in the Bering Sea (BS), Aleutian Islands (AI), and GOA. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), amendments 126/114, the BSAI FMP, the GOA FMP, and other applicable laws.

Effective August 28, 2024.

Electronic copies of amendment 126 to the BSAI FMP and amendment 114 to the GOA FMP (collectively, the FMPs) and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review prepared for this action (the analysis), and the Finding of No Significant Impact prepared for this action may be obtained from https://www.regulations.gov and the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska .

Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this final rule may be submitted to NMFS Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Gretchen Harrington; and to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain . Find the particular information collection by using the search function.

Joel Kraski, 907-586-7228, [email protected] .

This final rule implements amendments 126/114 to the FMPs. NMFS published a Notice of Availability for amendments 126/114 in the Federal Register on January 22, 2024 ( 89 FR 3902 ), with public comments invited through March 22, 2024. NMFS published a proposed rule to implement amendments 126/114 in the Federal Register on February 5, 2024 ( 89 FR 7660 ), with public comments invited through April 5, 2024. The Secretary of Commerce approved amendments 126/114 on April 15, 2024, after considering information from the public and determining that amendments 126/114 are consistent with the BSAI and GOA FMPs, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable laws.

Per section 313 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS conducted public hearings to accept oral and written comments on the proposed rule in-person for Alaska and virtually for Oregon and Washington. The first public hearing was held on February 28, 2024, in Kodiak, Alaska. The second virtual public hearing took place on March 12, 2024.

NMFS received 17 comment letters on the proposed rule. NMFS considered 25 unique relevant written and oral comments received by the end of the applicable comment period and at a public hearing, whether specifically directed to the FMP amendments or the proposed rule. NMFS considered the 25 unique comments in reaching the approval decision for amendments 126/114. A summary of the comments and NMFS' responses are provided under the heading Comments and Responses section below. NMFS received one comment that was outside the scope of this action.

The Observer Program, part of the Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis Division of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, implements a suite of requirements for observation and reporting of fishing activities that plays an integral role in the management of North Pacific fisheries. The Observer Program was created with the implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act in the mid-1970s and has evolved from primarily observing foreign fleets to observing domestic fleets. The Observer Program provides the regulatory framework for NMFS-certified observers (observers) and EM systems to be deployed on board vessels to obtain information necessary for the conservation and management of the groundfish and halibut fisheries.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and NMFS developed this final action based on input received from the Council's Trawl EM Committee, 3 years of data gathered through the exempted fishing permit (EFP) process, and public input through the Council process and the hearings and comment periods associated with this final rule. The rule provides an option for participants in the partial and full coverage observer categories using pelagic trawl gear to directed fish for pollock, as well as tender vessels delivering pollock to shoreside processors or stationary floating processors, to choose to be in a new category: the trawl EM category.

This final rule makes EM an option for catcher vessels directed fishing for pollock with pelagic trawl gear in the BS, AI, or GOA fisheries (hereinafter “catcher vessels”) and associated tender Start Printed Page 60797 vessels delivering pollock to shoreside processors or stationary floating processors in the BS, AI, and GOA. The preamble to the proposed rule to implement amendments 126/114 ( 89 FR 7660 , February 5, 2024) contains a detailed description of the background for this action, which is not repeated here.

Under this final rule, EM systems installed aboard the catcher vessels and tenders will collect at-sea data that NMFS will use to monitor vessels' compliance with Federal regulations and catch handling requirements. The implementation of EM has the potential to reduce economic and operational costs associated with deploying observers on catcher vessels. EM will improve salmon accounting for all associated species, reduce monitoring costs, and improve the quality of monitoring data.

In consultation with the Council, NMFS has flexibility to provide observer coverage to respond to the scientific and management needs of the fisheries. By integrating EM on catcher vessels directed fishing for pollock with pelagic trawl gear, the Council and NMFS seek to preserve and increase this flexibility by implementing adaptable monitoring plans. With this final rule, NMFS, in consultation with the Council, is able to deploy EM tools tailored to the needs of different fishery sectors, just as it does with observers, through the Annual Deployment Plan (ADP).

This final rule establishes the process to allow owners or operators of catcher vessels and tender vessels in the pelagic pollock fisheries to choose to be in the trawl EM category and, therein, to use an EM system in place of an observer in most cases. Participation in the trawl EM category is voluntary, and a vessel owner or operator could choose on an annual basis to request a vessel's placement in the trawl EM category.

This final rule also establishes the requirements for use of an EM system to monitor whether discards at sea occur. Furthermore, review of EM video footage will be used to verify vessel discard estimates submitted by those catcher vessels using pelagic trawl gear and tender vessels that choose to be in the trawl EM category. For vessels in the trawl EM category, the data collection previously conducted by at-sea observers will be completed by observers stationed at the processor receiving the catch.

In the event NMFS identifies additional data that cannot be collected at the processor when this program is implemented, NMFS retains the authority to deploy at-sea observers on catcher vessels in the trawl EM category. Additionally, some level of in-person at-sea data collection in the pollock fisheries will continue to be necessary to collect certain spatial and biological data. NMFS will make these observer coverage decisions through the ADP process.

In addition to observers stationed at shoreside processors and stationary floating processors, Catch Monitoring Control Plans (CMCPs) and Vessel Monitoring Plans (VMPs) will be used to determine and achieve the sampling objectives NMFS outlines in the ADP. The onboard EM systems will ensure that vessels meet compliance monitoring objectives while also establishing a chain of custody for prohibited species catch (PSC). Observers at shoreside processors or stationary floating processors will then collect species composition, PSC, and biological samples as determined by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis Division. The flexibility offered by the ADP allows NMFS to achieve transparency, accountability, and efficiency from the Observer Program to meet its various objectives. The ADP process ensures that the best available information is used to evaluate deployment, including scientific review and Council input, to annually determine deployment methods.

For all fishing trips in the trawl EM category, all vessels will be required to improve retention ( i.e., minimize discards to the greatest extent practicable) and record all catch handling. All EM data will be submitted as required to NMFS for review to ensure the trawl EM category elements are followed. Failure to meet the program objectives, as outlined in the ADP and VMP, may result in disapproval of further participation in the trawl EM category and enforcement action.

This final rule implements requirements applicable to the following: (1) catcher vessels in the trawl EM category; (2) tender vessels, shoreside processors, and stationary floating processors receiving deliveries from catcher vessels in the trawl EM category; (3) observer providers; and (4) EM service providers for vessels in the trawl EM category.

Under this final rule, a catcher vessel remains subject to observer coverage, described at § 679.51(a)(1) or § 679.51(a)(2), unless NMFS approves a request for placement of the catcher vessel in the trawl EM category. This final rule establishes monitoring requirements for tender vessels that receive deliveries from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category. Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors are subject to observer coverage requirements at § 679.51(b)(1) or § 679.51(b)(2). This final rule establishes additional observer sampling station and monitoring requirements at § 679.28(g)(7) through (10) for shoreside processors and stationary floating processors. These observer sampling station and monitoring requirements previously existed for shoreside processors and stationary floating processors receiving American Fisheries Act (AFA) deliveries. Under this final rule, those requirements are expanded to any plant receiving trawl EM deliveries to support shoreside observers and include additional requirements, such as updating spatial requirements to allow for new data collections. Additionally, under this final rule, entities intending to provide EM hardware to vessels in the trawl EM category are required to obtain an EM hardware service provider permit as specified at § 679.52(d) and (e).

Under this final rule, eligible vessel owners or operators of catcher and tender vessels may voluntarily request to participate in the trawl EM category annually through the Observer Declare and Deploy System (ODDS) by November 1 and, if approved, will be subject to coverage requirements as specified by NMFS. Specifically, any owner or operator of a catcher vessel with a pollock pelagic trawl endorsement on their Federal Fisheries Permit (FFP) or a tender vessel receiving deliveries from these catcher vessels may request to be in the trawl EM category.

This final rule establishes responsibilities for the owner or operator of a catcher vessel or tender vessel in the trawl EM category to install and maintain an EM system. Vessels in the trawl EM category are to comply with all provisions of the trawl EM category, including those specified in regulations, the ADP, and in their individual VMPs. This final rule also adds regulations at § 679.51(g) to specify the EM system requirements for vessels using pelagic trawl gear.

A vessel will remain in the trawl EM category for all directed fishing for pollock with pelagic trawl gear for the entirety of the fishing year for which they request to participate in the trawl EM category. This requirement is needed to maintain the sampling design outlined in the ADP. A tender vessel Start Printed Page 60798 will remain in the trawl EM category at all times when receiving catch from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category during the fishing year. A catcher vessel in the trawl EM category must deliver catch only to a tender vessel, shoreside processor, or stationary floating processor that is also approved to participate in the trawl EM category.

This final rule establishes two coverage categories within the trawl EM category: (1) full coverage; and (2) partial coverage. Unless otherwise specified, the trawl EM category encompasses both the full coverage and partial coverage trawl EM categories.

The final rule at § 679.51(g)(1)(i)(A)( 2 ) defines the full coverage trawl EM category for catcher vessels operating in the BS or Community Development Quota (CDQ) fisheries. These vessels are currently in the Observer Program's full coverage category. For the fishing year, if a catcher vessel is approved to be in the full coverage trawl EM category, that vessel will be subject to this final rule for every fishing trip in which the vessel deploys pelagic trawl gear. This means, in addition to other requirements, that these vessels must ensure their EM systems are operating and actively recording for the duration of every pelagic trawl gear fishing trip and associated offload. The owner or operator of a vessel in the full coverage trawl EM category will be responsible for contracting with a permitted EM hardware service provider, as specified at § 679.51(g)(1)(ix)(B), to procure, install, and maintain EM equipment on their vessel. To pay for video review services for vessels in the full coverage trawl EM category, this final rule establishes a new full coverage EM review fee at § 679.56.

The final rule at § 679.51(g)(1)(i)(A)( 1 ) defines the partial coverage trawl EM category for catcher vessels operating in the GOA or AI. These vessels are currently in the Observer Program's partial coverage category.

Catcher vessels approved to be in the partial coverage trawl EM category must continue to log all trips in ODDS. Access to ODDS is available through the NMFS Alaska Region website (see ADDRESSES ). For the fishing year, every fishing trip in which a partial coverage catcher vessel deploys solely pelagic trawl gear is considered a part of the trawl EM category. This means that these vessels must, in addition to other requirements, ensure their EM systems are operating and actively recording for the duration of every fishing trip and associated offload. Vessels in the partial coverage trawl EM category are prohibited from deploying non-pelagic trawl gear while on a fishing trip subject to EM coverage. Catcher vessels in the partial coverage trawl EM category are required to deliver catch only to tender vessels or processors in the trawl EM category having a NMFS-approved VMP or CMCP. Vessels in the partial coverage trawl EM category will use NMFS' contracted EM hardware service provider that has been procured through the partial coverage fee program. EM equipment for vessels in the partial coverage trawl EM category are paid for by the observer fees as specified at § 679.55.

This final rule adds EM requirements for tender vessels that are used to transport unprocessed groundfish received from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category to an associated processor. As part of the unprocessed groundfish chain of custody, it is necessary for tender vessels to comply with EM requirements to ensure no sorting of catch occurs before the catch reaches the processor. This final rule at § 679.51(g)(1)(i)(B) allows the owner or operator of a tender vessel to request to be placed in the trawl EM category before receiving any delivery from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category. A tender vessel that is approved to be in the trawl EM category must comply with applicable vessel responsibilities specified at § 679.51(g)(3) for every delivery received and offloaded subject to the trawl EM category, including ensuring their EM system is operating and actively recording for the duration of every such trip and associated offload.

For shoreside processors or stationary floating processors to receive deliveries from vessels in the trawl EM category, this final rule includes additional catch handling requirements. Shoreside processors or stationary floating processors indicate their intent to receive trawl EM category deliveries in the upcoming fishing year during the annual CMCP process. Under this final rule at § 679.28(g)(7), (9), and (10), shoreside processors or stationary floating processors receiving deliveries from vessels in the trawl EM category are required to follow specified salmon sorting and handling procedures to ensure shoreside observers have full access to salmon bycatch. This final rule at § 679.28(g)(9) allows observers at these processors to collect full salmon and Pacific halibut data and necessary biological samples, which are vital in monitoring the health and status of those stocks in Alaska.

Current regulations at § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(C) require salmon retention and storage for processors in the BS pollock fishery. This final rule moves these existing regulations to § 679.28(g)(9)(ii) and (g)(10) and extends those regulations to shoreside processors and stationary floating processors receiving deliveries from vessels in the trawl EM category in the GOA. Each year, NMFS publishes an Observer Sampling Manual, which contains the comprehensive sampling procedures and methods to be used by observers to collect fishery-dependent data but does not establish the sampling rate. The criteria used to determine the sampling rate required at shoreside processors and stationary floating processors receiving deliveries from vessels in the trawl EM category will be determined annually and published in the ADP.

There are currently two types of EM service providers: (1) EM hardware service providers that equip and maintain EM systems aboard vessels; and (2) EM review service providers that receive and review EM data from EM systems. This final rule adds a regulation at § 679.2 to define both kinds ofEM service providers. NMFS may contract with or grant a permit to a prospective EM hardware service provider if their data are able to be reviewed by the current EM service provider NMFS has selected for reviewing EM data.

This final rule at § 679.52(d) adds the procedures for EM hardware service providers to obtain an EM hardware service provider permit and the responsibilities of EM hardware service providers. Prospective EM hardware service providers need to obtain an EM hardware service provider permit. Once approved and issued by NMFS, the EM hardware service provider permit is valid until the provider does not provide EM services for a period of 12 consecutive months to vessels in the trawl EM category or until NMFS removes the permit. Performance of the EM hardware service provider will be assessed annually on the ability of the provider to meet program objectives as outlined in § 679.51 and the ADP. Start Printed Page 60799

An EM data review service provider is a provider that NMFS contracts with, or otherwise has an established business relationship with, to review, interpret, or analyze EM data as required under this final rule at § 679.51. To avoid conflicts of interest, NMFS will select EM data review service providers that do not have a direct financial relationship with vessels in the trawl EM category.

The operator of each catcher vessel or tender vessel approved by NMFS to be in the trawl EM category must make their vessel available to an EM hardware service provider for installation and servicing of all required EM system components according to this final rule at § 679.51(g)(1)(ix). The EM hardware service provider will install the EM system and cameras in locations that meet the monitoring objectives annually specified in the ADP. Full coverage vessels will choose their permitted EM hardware service provider, while NMFS will assign partial coverage catcher vessels or tender vessels a NMFS-permitted EM hardware service provider.

If a vessel already has an EM system installed from a non-permitted EM hardware service provider, the catcher vessel or tender vessel operator will work with a NMFS-permitted EM hardware service provider to modify the EM system as necessary to meet the specifications in the trawl EM category.

After EM equipment has been installed or serviced, the catcher vessel or tender vessel operator will develop a VMP with the EM hardware service provider and submit it to NMFS for approval according to this final rule at § 679.51(g)(2). A VMP is a document that outlines operator responsibilities for the trawl EM category, including requirements for sending EM data to the EM data review service provider for review, restrictions should EM equipment malfunction, and how feedback from NMFS or the EM data review service provider will be communicated to vessel operators. NMFS provides a VMP template for guidance to the EM service provider and the vessel operator on the elements NMFS requires in a final NMFS-approved VMP.

The catcher vessel or tender vessel operator must agree to comply with the components of the VMP, acknowledge as much by signing the VMP, and submit the signed VMP to NMFS. NMFS reviews the VMP for completeness and may request additional clarification. If the VMP meets the requirements established in the VMP template, NMFS will approve the VMP and place the vessel in a trawl EM category for the upcoming fishing year.

A catcher vessel or tender vessel in the trawl EM category is required to maintain a copy of their current NMFS-approved VMP onboard at all times while that catcher vessel conducts fishing activities, or tender vessel receives EM deliveries, as part of the trawl EM category. If NMFS does not approve the VMP, NMFS will issue an initial administrative decision (IAD) to the vessel owner or operator that will explain the basis for the disapproval. The vessel owner or operator may file an administrative appeal under the administrative appeals procedures set out at 15 CFR part 906 .

The catcher vessel or tender vessel operator must make the NMFS-approved VMP available upon request by NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (OLE), a NMFS-authorized officer, or other NMFS-authorized personnel (see this final rule § 679.51(g)(4)(iv)).

If NMFS determines that a catcher vessel or tender vessel failed to comply with its VMP, the catcher vessel or tender vessel's application for placement in the trawl EM category may not be approved the following year(s).

Catcher vessel and tender vessel operators and owners in the trawl EM category must comply with all elements of the NMFS-approved VMP and maintain the EM system in working order, including ensuring the EM system is powered and functioning throughout the fishing trip, keeping cameras clean and unobstructed, and ensuring the system is not tampered with, consistent with this final rule at § 679.51(g)(3). Catcher vessel and tender vessel owners and operators are also required to ensure that power is maintained to the EM system at all times when the vessel is under way or the engine is operating on trips monitored using EM. Catcher vessel operators are required to follow EM system procedures prior to deploying gear as specified in this final rule at § 679.7(j)(1). Additionally, catcher vessel and tender vessel operators are required to ensure the EM system is fully functional prior to retrieving gear during the fishing trip or prior to receiving a delivery, consistent with this final rule at § 679.51(g)(4)(iii).

Before fishing gear is retrieved or an offload is received, as applicable, the catcher vessel and tender vessel operators need to verify that all components of the EM system are functioning. Instructions for completing this verification will be provided in the vessel's VMP consistent with this final rule at § 679.51(g)(2)(vi).

Catcher vessel and tender vessel operators will be required to follow landing notice procedures specified in the VMP, consistent with this final rule at § 679.51(g)(3). The landing notice is transmitted by the catcher vessel or tender vessel to the intended shoreside processor or stationary floating processor, consistent with the timeline specified in the VMP prior to returning to port. After receiving the landing notice from the vessel, the processor will relay that information to shoreside observers.

Catcher vessel and tender vessel operators are prohibited from tampering with the EM system and from harassing their EM service provider, EM reviewers, or any other monitoring personnel who may be working with vessel operators in this program. This final rule adds to existing EM prohibitions at § 679.7(j) to ensure EM system functionality and the data from these systems are usable for fisheries management. Other operator responsibilities are identified in the VMP to meet data needs for EM monitoring.

Catcher vessel and tender vessel operators must submit the EM data to the EM data review provider using a method specified in the NMFS-approved VMP. Operators of vessels in the trawl EM category must submit EM data after a specified number of trips, consistent with the vessel's NMFS-approved VMP. The frequency of data submittal will be defined in the VMP and could change based on data needs identified by NMFS, consistent with this final rule at § 679.51(g).

The EM system must be fully operational as described in the VMP. The VMP will list EM system malfunctions considered contrary to the Observer Program's data collection objectives. The VMP will also describe the procedures to follow if malfunctions occur, including when to contact the EM service provider and OLE. This final rule at § 679.51(g)(4) describes the responsibilities of the catcher vessel and tender vessel operator in case of an EM system malfunction.

With trawl EM, catcher vessel operators retain all catch except when doing so would compromise the safety and stability of the vessel (see this final rule at § 679.7(j)(2)). Start Printed Page 60800

For all fishing trips, catcher vessels will be expected to avoid sorting and discarding catch to the greatest extent practicable. Unsorted catch must be delivered to a tender vessel, shoreside processor, or a stationary floating processor to ensure observers have access to all catch.

To promote retention of catch for catcher vessels in the trawl EM category, this final rule includes exceptions to regulations that otherwise require discarding catch at sea. Namely, under the final rule, catcher vessels in the trawl EM category will not be subject to the prohibition against exceeding Maximum Retainable Amounts (MRAs) in the BS, AI, and GOA; the prohibition against vessels having on board, at any particular time, 20 or more crabs of any species; and the pollock trip limit in the GOA.

This final rule exempts vessels in the trawl EM category from the prohibition at § 679.7(a)(16) pertaining to MRAs that limit retention of incidentally caught species so that total harvest can be managed up to, but not over, the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) by the end of the year. The MRA prohibition at § 679.7(a)(16) requires at-sea discarding of fish above the MRA amount for each species. While the prohibition on exceeding the MRAs is removed for vessels participating in the trawl EM category, under this final rule, NMFS will continue to use MRA regulations at § 679.20(e) to determine whether a vessel is “directed fishing,” (see § 679.2 for definition) for a particular species for various purposes ( e.g., compliance with § 679.22) and to gauge whether the vessel's behavior has changed, in conjunction with the Trawl EM Incentive Plan Agreement (TEM IPA) discussed below. If NMFS determines an IPA is not effective in preventing vessel behavior changes, NMFS may not allow a vessel to participate in the trawl EM category program in the following year(s).

This final rule also adds an exception for vessels participating in the trawl EM category from the regulation at § 679.7(a)(14) that prohibits vessels in the BSAI and GOA from having on board, at any particular time, 20 or more crabs of any species with a carapace width of more than 1.5 inches (38 millimeters) at the widest dimension. Rather than discarding such crab, the final rule requires catcher vessels to retain all crabs for enumeration by shoreside observers at the processor, as described below in the PSC Retention section of this preamble.

Additionally, this final rule exempts vessels in the trawl EM category from the prohibitions at § 679.7(b)(2) that limit catcher vessels' harvest of pollock in the GOA (commonly referred to as the pollock trip limit). Currently, catcher vessels are subject to a 300,000 lb (136 mt) on-board retention limit on pollock, requiring vessels to discard at sea any pollock in excess of 300,000 lbs (136 mt). The final rule will require catcher vessels in the trawl EM category to retain all such catch.

Under this final rule, catcher vessels fishing in the trawl EM category are required to retain all species categorized as PSC, including salmon and crab, so that they can be fully enumerated by shoreside observers at the shoreside processor or stationary floating processor as specified at § 679.21(a)(2).

To maintain the controls on the behavior of catcher vessels in the pollock fishery that the MRAs, crab retention limits, and the GOA pollock trip limits provide, this final rule includes provisions for a TEM IPA. An IPA is an industry-developed contractual arrangement that is approved by NMFS.

Under this final rule, in order to be qualified to participate in the trawl EM category, catcher vessels in the partial coverage category will be required to become a party to a TEM IPA. Under this final rule at § 679.57, TEM IPAs are structured to limit changes in vessel behavior as a result of this final rule.

To ensure IPAs are effective, IPA parties will be required to demonstrate to the Council through annual reports that the IPA is accomplishing the Council's intent that each vessel in the trawl EM category limit changes in behavior. The representative of each approved TEM IPA will submit a written annual report to the Council, which will be available to the public. Additionally, NMFS inseason management staff will continue to track bycatch and pollock harvest by vessels in the trawl EM category and provide updates in the Annual Inseason Report to the Council. Upon receipt of the TEM IPA Annual Report and the NMFS Annual Inseason Report, the Council may re-evaluate the goals for the TEM IPA and make adjustments as necessary subject to NMFS' approval.

NMFS will approve a TEM IPA if the IPA meets the criteria specified in this final rule at § 679.57. Each year, NMFS will publish on the NMFS Alaska Region website the approved list of TEM IPAs and NMFS Approval Memorandums, the list of parties to each IPA, approved modifications to the TEM IPAs, and the list of catcher vessels that, on average, harvest bycatch in quantities that would exceed MRAs and catch more than 300,000 lbs (136 mt) of pollock per fishing trip in the GOA. For the sake of clarity, each TEM IPA will define how these averages will be calculated over the fishing year.

Logbooks are necessary for trawl EM data flow, and the trawl EM category does not work without this component. Under this final rule, logbooks are required for all participants in the trawl EM category. Catcher vessels in the trawl EM category may use NMFS-approved paper or electronic logbooks and follow the logbook-related regulations at § 679.5(a).

Under this final rule, catcher vessels and tender vessels in the trawl EM category may only deliver fish to a shoreside processor or stationary floating processor that has a NMFS-approved CMCP. Furthermore, processors are prohibited from receiving deliveries from a catcher vessel or tender vessel in the trawl EM category without a NMFS-approved CMCP.

This final rule modifies § 679.28(g) to reorganize CMCP requirements to improve clarity and consistency and to add provisions necessary to facilitate observer data collection for deliveries from vessels in the trawl EM category.

In the ADP, NMFS defines the criteria for determining the necessary number of observers at shoreside processors and stationary floating processors. The criteria for determining the necessary number of observers for a given processor may include tonnage processed, number of deliveries, or processing hours. These criteria apply to all processors receiving deliveries from vessels in the trawl EM category. The specific number of observers necessary to meet sampling objectives are listed in the CMCP, which NMFS may update throughout the year to ensure that the necessary number of observers are present, as processing effort may change seasonally.

Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors receiving deliveries from vessels in the full coverage trawl EM category procure observer services by arranging and paying for observer services directly from a permitted observer provider consistent with Start Printed Page 60801 existing regulations at § 679.51(d). This final rule modifies regulations governing observer provider permitting and responsibilities at § 679.52 to remove fax as an electronic communication method, update how often specific information must be submitted to NMFS (see Observer Program Fees section), and clarify the requirements for observer providers to monitor observer conduct and address observer misconduct.

NMFS is authorized under section 313 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to require Observer Program participants in any North Pacific fishery to pay a fee for observer and EM monitoring provided the fee does not exceed 2 percent of the fishery's ex-vessel value.

To pay for video review services for vessels in the full coverage trawl EM category, this final rule establishes a new full coverage EM review fee at § 679.56. This new fee will be used by NMFS to pay for the costs of data review, storage, and transmission of EM data for vessels in the full coverage trawl EM category. The annual cost of EM review, data storage, and transmission will be divided among full coverage vessels in the trawl EM category. NMFS will use the pollock catch history ( i.e., actual harvest amount) from the previous year to divide the cost equitably among full coverage participants in the trawl EM category for that year. NMFS will send invoices to vessel owners and payment will be required by May 31 each year. Failure to pay the full coverage trawl EM fee will prevent a catcher vessel or tender vessel from being selected for the trawl EM category in the following year as specified in this final rule at § 679.51(g)(1)(4).

Consistent with regulations at § 679.55, NMFS uses funds from the existing observer fees to pay for EM hardware and review services for vessels in the partial coverage category. Catcher vessels and tender vessels in the partial coverage trawl EM category (vessels operating in the GOA and AI pollock fisheries) will continue to pay the existing observer fee as specified at § 679.55. The partial coverage category is funded through a system of fees collected from fishery participants (vessels and processors) under authority of section 313 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. NMFS uses partial coverage fees to procure shoreside observers, deploy and support EM equipment on selected vessels, and pay for EM video review and data storage.

In addition to the regulations necessary to implement the trawl EM category, NMFS revises the following regulations for clarity and efficiency:

Remove the expired prohibition at § 679.7(a)(17), specifying that neither catcher vessels nor catcher processors could act as a tender vessel until all groundfish or groundfish product was offloaded and that they could not harvest groundfish while operating as a tender vessel. That prohibition was added as part of an emergency rule ( 66 FR 7276 , January 22, 2001), which expired on July 17, 2001. To date, the regulation has not been removed. This final rule removes the expired prohibition at § 679.7(a)(17) to prevent confusion, especially as § 679.7(a)(11) contains a similar prohibition.
Regulations implementing EM for nontrawl vessels in the partial coverage category of the Observer Program are modified to remove the phrase “ EM selection pool ” and to add in its place “ Nontrawl EM selection pool ” to clearly identify regulations applicable to the different EM categories. Multiple gear types, excluding trawl, participate in the nontrawl EM selection pool, while only trawl vessels are eligible for the trawl EM category.
This final rule moves regulations specifying salmon sorting and handling practice from § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(C)( 2 ) through ( 6 ) to § 679.28(g)(9) and (10). This move is necessary to consolidate all CMCP-related regulations into a single location.
Replace all instances of “video data storage device” with “EM data” in § 679.51(f) to broaden the language to allow for future data formats.
Remove fax numbers in §§ 679.28(g) and 679.51(g) to match current practice that has abandoned fax usage.

NMFS received 17 comment letters on the Notice of Availability and the proposed rule. At the public hearings and through the NOA and proposed rule comment periods, NMFS received comments from individuals, fishery observers, and pollock fishery participants including harvesters and processors. NMFS has summarized and responded to the 25 unique comments below.

Comment 1: Indigenous peoples and other affected parties should be involved in the development of future EM actions.

Response: NMFS acknowledges the comment. This rule was developed through a public process at the Council ( https://www.npfmc.org/ ). The Council held multiple meetings over several years to discuss stages of the EFP and this rule as it was developed. All meetings held by the Council are open to the public, announced on the Council's web page, and accept comments and testimony by the public. NMFS seeks to include diverse viewpoints on the development of future EM actions and will continue to improve outreach to notify and engage all interested parties, including Alaska Native Tribes, of actions under development.

Comment 2: Collaborative efforts that are inclusive of agency, industry, scientific, and vendor personnel are essential for addressing the complex topic of implementing EM programs that meet management needs.

Response: NMFS agrees that collaborative efforts were integral to the success of the EFP and development of this rule.

Comment 3: The proposed rule does not allow vessels to return to observer coverage during a fishing year. Vessels should be provided this flexibility in the case of EM system issues and malfunctions that cannot be repaired in a timely manner.

Response: The EM program is voluntary and vessels can opt-in on an annual basis. In order to maintain the sampling design outlined in the ADP, a catcher vessel must remain in the trawl EM category for all directed fishing for pollock with pelagic trawl gear for the entirety of the fishing year and would not be able to leave the trawl EM category during that fishing year. Based on the experience of participants in the EFP, EM systems are reliable and NMFS does not anticipate that malfunctions would limit a vessel's participation in a pollock fishery.

Comment 4: The proposed rule states that NMFS retains the authority to deploy at-sea observers aboard vessels in the EM category, which could be seen as punitive.

Response: NMFS envisions that at-sea observers will be deployed through the established ADP process, which includes a public process through the Council and its associated monitoring committees. The ability for NMFS to deploy at-sea observers for the purpose of collecting biological data necessary for the conservation and management of the fishery is necessary to allow the maximum number of EM vessels to participate in the program each year. Start Printed Page 60802 Without this flexibility, NMFS would need to reduce the number of vessels allowed to participate in the trawl EM category and require some vessels to carry observers every year, rather than deploying observers on vessels only as needed to target specific data needs.

Comment 5: The proposed rule at § 679.51(g)(1)(iv) does not specify a date when vessels will receive notification of approval for the trawl EM category. This timeframe is critical to both vessels and EM service providers for planning EM system installations, upgrades, or repairs that must occur prior to the season start.

Response: NMFS agrees that vessels need to be notified in a timely manner. Generally, vessels can expect to receive notification of approval within a month of the November 1 deadline to request to join the trawl EM category.

Comment 6: Please clarify what happens if a vessel indicates that they intend to deploy nonpelagic gear, which puts them into the observer coverage pool, but ultimately only deploys pelagic trawl gear.

Response: A vessel in the trawl EM category that indicates they intend to deploy nonpelagic trawl gear on a trip, but instead deploys only pelagic gear during the trip, would be in violation of the requirement to use EM on all pelagic trawl trips, as specified in the definition of “Trawl EM category” at § 679.2. NMFS would view this behavior as a vessel not providing accurate data and therefore not complying with the trawl EM regulations.

Comment 7: Can video data be used to identify vessel personnel for non-fisheries related enforcement action?

Response: No. The video recorded by the vessel EM system is covered by the Magnuson-Stevens Act's confidentiality provisions. NMFS is not authorized to release EM footage unless an exception set forth in section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act applies.

Comment 8: Vessels participating in the trawl EM category should be allowed to carry nonpelagic trawl gear while fishing in Type I and II crab closure areas for both trawl EM category and non-trawl EM category trips, where they are currently prohibited to do so. During the EFP, vessels in the trawl EM category were allowed to carry nonpelagic gear when trawling in these areas on trawl EM category trips to test the capabilities of EM for monitoring whether nonpelagic gear was deployed, and no issues were encountered.

Response: NMFS agrees that, on trawl EM category fishing trips, EM will monitor whether a nonpelagic trawl is deployed in a Type I or II crab closure area. NMFS detected no issues during the EFP with participating vessels deploying nonpelagic trawls. Based on this comment, NMFS revised regulations at § 679.22(b)(1)(i) and (ii) to allow vessels in the trawl EM category during trawl EM category fishing trips to carry, but not deploy, nonpelagic trawl gear in these areas. Under this final rule, all EM footage captured by catcher vessels in the EM category will be reviewed. Vessels will be required to indicate in their VMP which of its net reels contain nonpelagic trawl gear, as they did during the EFP. Revising regulations to allow nonpelagic trawl gear to be on board vessels during fishing trips that fall outside of the trawl EM category is beyond the scope of this action.

Comment 9: Catcher vessels are required to indicate whether they would like to participate in the trawl EM category by November 1 of each year. This requirement creates difficulties for tender vessels as the associated shoreside processor likely will not know which vessels will be available to participate in the trawl EM category until February of the upcoming fishing year.

Response: The November 1 deadline does not extend to tender vessels. NMFS will specify the anticipated number of tender vessels each year in the ADP based on available funds in the partial coverage category. While the November 1 deadline does not apply, tender vessels must have a NMFS-approved VMP in place prior to receiving catch from trawl EM category catcher vessels.

Comment 10: Under the proposed rule at § 679.7(j)(2)(ii), shoreside processors are prohibited from (1) beginning to sort a trawl EM category offload before an observer has completed biological sampling of all salmon and (2) continuing to sort trawl EM category catch if the salmon storage container is full. These requirements impact current fishery operations associated with open access fisheries, where there is a race to fish. These open access offloads are currently sampled at a 33 percent rate under the EFP, and, as such, the regulations should not prevent further offloading of catch. In the rare instance of conflicting sampling of offloads, the subsequent offload could be selected by the observers.

Response: Based on this comment, NMFS revised this final rule at §§ 679.7(j)(2)(ii)(D), 679.7(j)(2)(ii)(E), and 679.28(g)(9)(ii)(D) to specify these regulations are applicable only to offloads of catch from the BS or CDQ pollock fisheries. This will not change salmon accounting in the partial coverage pollock fisheries in the GOA and AI.

Additionally, for the GOA and AI open access pollock fisheries, NMFS added § 679.28(g)(9)(ii)(E) to this final rule to state: “Regarding deliveries of pollock from the Gulf of Alaska or Aleutian Islands, observer(s) must be given the opportunity to complete the count of salmon and the collection of scientific data or biological samples from all offloads selected for monitoring. When the observer(s) has completed all counting and sampling duties for the offload, plant personnel must remove the salmon in the presence of the observer(s) from the salmon storage container and location where salmon are counted and biological samples or scientific data are collected.” This additional requirement does not prevent processors from sorting the next GOA or AI offload if the observer(s) are sampling the previous offload.

Comment 11: Processors providing hardware to support Observer Program software is inefficient as it often requires technology support skills that are outside the scope of a processor's abilities. These required communications could be more efficient if the Observer Program provided the required hardware with the desired technical specifications to processors.

Response: Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors will remain subject to existing regulations requiring them to provide hardware for observers. Any changes to these regulations are outside the scope of this action. Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors receiving pollock from vessels in the trawl EM category fall into either the full or partial coverage categories for observer coverage. Depending on the coverage category of the processor, the observer provider or the processor may be required to supply observers with communication devices. Under the full coverage category, the shoreside processor or stationary floating processor is required to supply communication devices ( i.e., phones, computers, etc.). Under the partial coverage category, the observer provider will be required to supply communication devices as outlined in its contract with NMFS.

Comment 12: The workload at shoreside processors will change drastically under the trawl EM category. With the increases to daily workload, there will be an increased chance for observers to experience illness and Start Printed Page 60803 physical injuries while working 12 hours a day for the duration of a 90 day contract. Previously, observers with minor injuries were able to be placed at a shoreside processor due to the light amount of physical work.

Response: Observer safety is the top priority of this final rule. The trawl EM category shifts observer sampling duties from at-sea catcher vessels to shoreside processors and stationary floating processors, thereby reducing risks to observers associated with working on commercial fishing vessel decks, where they are exposed to many of the same hazards as commercial harvesters. NMFS encourages observers to work directly with their employer on full coverage deployment assignments to best match their physical, mental, and professional needs. For example, an extended deployment to an AFA shoreside processor or stationary floating processor may not suit all observers at all times.

NMFS encourages observers to report injuries and illnesses that may impact their ability to carry out their sampling duties, including the need to take time off for health reasons. Such incidents are not uncommon given that observing is often mentally and physically challenging. In the event that an observer is unable to work, NMFS staff will communicate with observers through inseason advisors and field office staff to reassess and, if necessary, alter or reduce sampling requirements for the processor at issue. The expectation is not to increase the workload of other observers at that processor, but rather to guide the remaining observers to assess the workload and determine which sampling priorities can be completed in the absence of an injured or ill observer. Completing the full suite of sampling duties may not be possible. The health and wellbeing of observers takes precedence over sampling duties at all times. This action does not alter the ability for observer provider companies to re-assign observers to accommodate health conditions.

Comment 13: There needs to be oversight for when EM hardware service providers introduce new hardware and technology for monitoring to ensure that the dependability and monitoring needs of this program are met.

Response: NMFS agrees that substantive changes to approved EM hardware or software would necessitate approval by NMFS. Based on this comment, NMFS revised this final rule at § 679.52(d)(3)(ii) to include the following: “At any time after initial approval of the EM hardware service provider permit, this testing requirement must be applied to and met by any EM system requiring new, or significantly updated, hardware or software installed onboard the vessel.”

Comment 14: The proposed rule states that a vessel operator must verify all cameras are recording and that all sensors and other EM system components are functional prior to hauling back. Clarify the extent to which a vessel should troubleshoot the EM system in situations that may necessitate immediate haulback.

Response: Vessel owners and operators are required to ensure their EM systems are fully functional, regardless of fishing activities, as specified in this final rule at § 679.51(g)(3). The VMP indicates the actions a vessel must take if a malfunction occurs.

Comment 15: A vessel operator may not be aware of some EM system malfunctions that occur and should not be responsible or subject to enforcement action in the event of a malfunction. The EM hardware service provider may be aware of issues that the vessel is unaware of. Please clarify how this information will be communicated to vessels, service providers, and OLE when feedback from the EM review provider occurs.

Response: Vessels are obligated to actively monitor their EM systems as specified in this final rule at § 679.51(g)(3). If an issue is discovered during the EM review process, OLE will assess, among other things, whether the vessel had the ability to address it by following their VMP.

Vessels should work with their EM hardware service provider to ensure that they have all the information necessary to meet regulatory requirements. EM hardware service providers and vessels will receive EM review feedback as review is completed throughout a fishing year by NMFS's chosen EM review service provider. In any case, ultimately, it is the responsibility of the vessel owner and vessel operator to understand and comply with the regulations governing their participation in the trawl EM program.

Comment 16: The proposed rule at § 679.7(j)(2)(i)(B) states that there is a prohibition on “codend dumping” and “codend bleeding.” Under the EFP, vessels were allowed to “bleed” their codends if necessary to maintain the safety and stability of the vessel. This prohibition will compromise a vessel's ability to use salmon excluders and methods to control catch for vessel safety.

Response: The intent of § 679.7(j)(2)(i)(B) is to not allow discards except for those necessary to maintain the safety and stability of the vessel. Codend dumping or bleeding are commonly used to maintain vessel safety and stability. Based on this comment, NMFS removed the phrase “This includes `codend dumping' or `codend bleeding' ” from this final rule at § 679.7(j)(2)(i)(B) for clarity.

Comment 17: Remove any reference to “directed fishing” as a metric to evaluate and penalize a vessel for its fishing behavior and instead require the IPAs to monitor this.

Response: NMFS disagrees and is choosing to retain the references to “directed fishing.” Directed fishing is defined in § 679.2 to mean “unless indicated otherwise, any fishing activity that results in the retention of an amount of a species or species group on board a vessel that is greater than the maximum retainable amount for that species or species group as calculated under § 679.20.” The term directed fishing is used in various NMFS Alaska regulations that are not affected by this final rule ( e.g., closure areas under § 679.22).

Furthermore, under this final rule, whether a trawl EM category vessel is directed fishing for a species other than pollock—that is, whether a vessel conducts fishing activity that exceeds the MRA for a non-pollock species—will be used to gauge whether, alongside the TEM IPA, there have been changes in vessel behavior, even though the vessel is exempt from the MRA prohibition at § 679.7(a)(16). And, for clarity, exceeding an MRA does not necessarily indicate a change in behavior for purposes of the TEM IPA. For example, if all vessels directed fishing for pollock in a given area exceed the MRA for Pacific ocean perch, that would not necessarily be seen as a change in behavior. If potential changes of behavior, such as directed fishing for non-pollock species, are indicated by MRA calculations, NMFS will contact the TEM IPA representative. This is a collaborative process that seeks to identify the cause of concern and effect changes to fishing behavior to address the concern. If NMFS determines that an IPA is not effective in preventing vessel behavior changes, NMFS may elect not to allow a vessel to participate in the trawl EM category in the following year(s). Start Printed Page 60804

Comment 18: Exemptions from the prohibitions regarding exceeding MRAs at § 679.7(a)(16), the GOA catcher vessel harvest limit for pollock at § 679.7(b)(2), and the trawl gear performance standard at § 679.7(a)(14) enable participating vessels to exceed established limits without consequences and incentivize fishing for species that are closed to pelagic trawl gear. Catch that exceeds MRAs should be prohibited from entering commerce, as industry-managed IPAs are not effective at protecting closed stocks. Catch that exceeds MRAs will impact the closure of seasons and areas for the protection of endangered Steller sea lions.

Response: Improved retention of catch is necessary to provide observers stationed at shoreside processors with unsorted catch for collection of biological samples and to minimize potential biases in data collection. Improved retention greatly reduces at-sea discards and improves catch accounting, resulting in improved estimates of catch and bycatch in the pollock fisheries.

It is necessary to remove prohibitions regarding discards, such as MRAs, GOA pollock trip limit, and the crab standard, in order to improve retention. Vessels in the trawl EM category will deliver catch to processors that would otherwise be discarded at sea, thereby reducing the overall waste in the fishery while improving catch accounting of PSC due to sampling at shoreside processors and stationary floating processors. As discussed above, NMFS will still calculate MRAs to determine whether a vessel is directed fishing for non-pollock species and whether their behavior has changed under this final rule.

The TEM IPA was modeled on the current salmon bycatch IPAs (§ 679.21(f)(12)), which have proven to be a successful method for the BS pollock fleet to modify its behavior to meet NMFS management goals. In addition, the TEM IPAs were implemented as part of the EFP process and proved effective at controlling changes in vessel behavior. If NMFS or the Council determines that an IPA is not effective in preventing vessel behavior changes, NMFS may not allow a vessel to participate in the trawl EM category in the following year(s).

This final rule does not affect the harvest limits, season dates, areas fished, or fishing gear requirements that trawl EM vessels must comply with. Therefore, this action is not expected to change fishery activities in a way that would negatively affect any Endangered Species Act-listed species through increased potential for competition for prey, disturbance, or incidental takes.

Nevertheless, in response to this comment, NMFS added two new regulations for greater clarity. First, in this final rule at § 679.7(j)(2)(i)(F), NMFS added the following prohibition to make clear that it is unlawful for any person to “Use a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category to deploy trawl gear in an area that is closed, for any reason, to directed fishing for pollock.” This additional provision will ensure that vessels in the trawl EM category will remain prohibited from fishing in closure areas they otherwise would not be eligible to fish in if they were not participating in the trawl EM category. Second, at § 679.57(f)(2)(iii)(E), this final rule adds the following to the list of information the TEM IPA Annual Report must contain: “Identification of and the TEM IPA's response to vessels directed fishing in conflict with harvest specifications or directed fishing for Steller Sea Lion forage species within closed Steller Sea Lion protection areas.”

Comment 19: The IPA representative for the GOA will need the aggregated non-confidential data to perform the analysis for the annual IPA report.

Response: NMFS is committed to working with the TEM IPA representatives in the formation of the TEM IPA Annual Reports.

Comment 20: Accounting for PSC both at-sea and shoreside is important. Cameras aboard the vessel may not be able to identify the species of crab aboard a vessel in the event of an at-sea discard.

Response: NMFS agrees that accounting for catch of all species, including crab, is important. While the EM system aboard these vessels is not able to identify crab to a species level, since all crab will be retained, any crab catch will be accounted for at the shoreside processor. Participation in the trawl EM category requires vessels to minimize discards to the greatest extent practicable, including PSC, except where doing so would compromise the safety and stability of the vessel. This requirement will ensure that all catch, with the exception of jellyfish and large organisms ( e.g., sharks and marine mammals), will be delivered to the shoreside processor where they will be subject to shoreside observer sampling. At-sea discards of species that may be PSC will be reported during the EM review process and through shoreside processor landing reports.

Comment 21: Sample station requirements at shoreside processors should be clearly defined to ensure the observer's safety and ability to collect samples. Details of the sample station requirements should be specifically listed and easily comparable to other sample station requirements. Communication expectations of shoreside processors should be clearly outlined and should utilize current technology to ensure the observer receives all necessary information.

Response: The CMCP is a flexible tool that can be adjusted throughout the year through an amendment process. This mechanism allows NMFS to work with the shoreside processor to alter sampling stations to meet observer sampling needs. Additionally, NMFS will review CMCPs on an annual basis and amend them as necessary. Each shoreside processor is unique, requiring a flexible tool to address each situation. This action includes requirements for the location of the observer sampling station, platform scale, minimum workspace, table size, and diverter board. The CMCP will clearly outline PSC handling requirements, specifically for salmon and halibut.

The CMCP will also facilitate communication between the vessels, shoreside processors, and the observers by requiring that all necessary information be supplied to the observers.

Comment 22: Full coverage vessels will be responsible for paying costs associated with EM video review. Therefore, they should be able to choose between EM review service providers similar to how EM hardware service providers are selected. This would require NMFS to contract with more than one EM review service provider.

Response: NMFS has not received any new resources to establish EM programs and does not have the additional staff capacity to administer multiple EM review service provider contracts. The trawl EM program is voluntary; there is no requirement for a vessel to participate in the program if they prefer a different EM review provider.

Comment 23: The Council deliberations during the development of this program made clear that observer fees should cover the GOA processors' observer costs. Please clarify that the partial coverage fee will cover these additional costs.

Response: The partial coverage fee will be used to pay for observers stationed at non-AFA shoreside Start Printed Page 60805 processors and stationary floating processors.

Comment 24: Please define how trawl EM category costs would be covered for vessels participating in both the full and partial coverage pollock fisheries.

Response: Vessels participating in the AFA pollock fishery, for any number of trips, are considered to be full coverage vessels and are subject to the EM service requirements for full coverage vessels as specified in this final rule at § 679.51(g)(1)(ix)(B). Full coverage catcher vessels and tender vessels will procure their EM hardware service provider and pay the EM review fee.

Vessels participating only in the partial coverage pollock fishery are considered to be partial coverage vessels and are subject to the EM service requirements for partial coverage vessels as specified at § 679.51(g)(1)(ix)(A). Partial coverage catcher vessels and tender vessels will be covered by the existing observer fee.

Comment 25: Close salmon fisheries to protect Southern Resident killer whales.

Response: This rule pertains to the BS, AI, GOA, and CDQ pollock fisheries, which do not overlap with any salmon fishery. In any event, this action improves salmon bycatch accounting in the pollock fisheries.

This final rule includes the following substantive changes from the proposed rule to address public comments and clarify regulatory language. Throughout the regulatory text, NMFS also made technical and grammar edits to correct regulatory cross references, use consistent terms, remove redundancy, and promote clarity.

At § 679.2 NMFS revised the definition for “Trawl EM category” by removing the phrase “the defined group of” and adding the phrase “when those vessels are directed fishing for, or receiving deliveries of, pollock.” This revision was necessary to ensure that catcher vessels in the trawl EM category are only subject to the trawl EM category regulations when they are directed fishing for pollock with pelagic trawl gear.

At § 679.7(j)(2)(i)(B), and as explained in more detail in response to comment 16, NMFS removed the phrase “This includes `codend dumping' or `codend bleeding' ” to clarify that bled codends are not prohibited if necessary to maintain the safety and stability of the vessel.

As explained in more detail in response to comment 18, NMFS added § 679.7(j)(2)(i)(F) to make it unlawful for any person to “Use a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category to deploy trawl gear in an area that is closed, for any reason, to directed fishing for pollock.”

At § 679.7(j)(2)(iii)(B), NMFS moved the words “without an approved VMP” within the sentence for clarity.

At § 679.7(j)(2)(ii)(D) and (E), and as explained in more detail in response to comment 10, NMFS added language to clarify that the prohibitions on stopping or delaying offloads due to observer salmon sampling duties would not apply to the GOA or AI pollock fisheries. The GOA and AI pollock fisheries are open access and delaying offloads may cause economic inefficiencies. Instead, § 679.7(j)(2)(ii)(D) and (E) apply to the BS and CDQ full coverage pollock fisheries where all offloads are sampled.

At § 679.22(b)(1)(i) and (ii), and as explained in more detail in response to comment 8, NMFS added language that allows vessels in the trawl EM category to have nonpelagic trawl gear aboard the vessel on trawl EM category fishing trips while fishing in Type I and Type II areas in Figure 5 to part 679. The EM system aboard the vessel allows the EM review service provider to monitor whether nonpelagic gear is deployed in these areas. Vessels will indicate in their VMP which net reel contains the nonpelagic trawl gear. NMFS used this approach during the EFP, during which vessels were allowed to fish in these areas with a nonpelagic trawl aboard the vessel, and detected no issues. This clarification is consistent with the Analysis and fishery operations under the EFP.

NMFS revised § 679.28(g)(5) added the words “up to” to state that the CMCP may be approved for up to 1 year. This change was made to reflect the current state of CMCPs, which may be temporarily approved for less than one year while required changes are being made.

NMFS revised § 679.28(g)(7)(ix)(C) to include the phrase “The workspace must include flooring that prevents slipping and drains well, adequate lighting, and a hose that supplies fresh or sea water to the observer.” This phrase was previously required under § 679.28(d)(6) and was inadvertently removed in the proposed rule.

NMFS revised § 679.28(g)(7)(x)(G) to read, “Estimated start time of each vessel offload;” to clarify intent. This regulation is intended to provide observers with the anticipated start time for each trawl EM category offload.

At § 679.28(g)(9)(ii)(D), NMFS revised wording for consistency with the changes at § 679.7(j)(2)(ii)(D) and (E).

As explained in more detail in response to comment 10, NMFS added § 679.28(g)(9)(ii)(E), which states “Regarding the deliveries of pollock from the Gulf of Alaska or Aleutian Islands, the observer(s) must be given the opportunity to complete the count of salmon and the collection of scientific data or biological samples from all offloads selected for monitoring. When the observer(s) has or have completed all counting and sampling duties for the offload, plant personnel must remove the salmon in the presence of the observer(s) from the salmon storage container and location where salmon are counted and biological samples or scientific data are collected.” This revision will not affect salmon accounting in the GOA and AI pollock fisheries and is consistent with the Analysis and fishery operations under the EFP.

At § 679.51(g)(1)(i)(A)( 1 ) and ( 2 ), NMFS removed the word “targeting” and added in its place the phrase “directed fishing for” to clarify that vessels must be “directed fishing,” as defined at § 679.2, for pollock to operate in the trawl EM category.

At § 679.51(g)(1)(v)(B), NMFS added wording to clarify that vessels that are not operating in the trawl EM category on a particular fishing trip will remain subject to observer coverage as specified at § 679.51(a)(1)(i) and (a)(2)(i).

At § 679.51(g)(3)(iv), NMFS removed the phrase “conducted under paragraph (g)(5) of this section” and added the phrase “trawl EM category” to clarify that all vessels must comply with their VMP regardless of their coverage category.

At § 679.52(d)(3)(ii), and as explained in more detail in response to comment 13, NMFS added the phrase “At any time after initial approval of the EM hardware service provider permit, this testing requirement must be applied to and met by any EM system requiring new, or significantly updated, hardware or software is installed onboard a vessel.” to clarify that approval of one system does not transfer to significant variations of that system or to a new EM system.

At § 679.52(d)(3)(iv), NMFS added the phrase “if a corporation” to be consistent with (d)(3)(v).

At § 679.52(d)(3)(vii), NMFS added the phrase “to do so” for additional clarity.

At § 679.56(a)(4)(ii), NMFS removed the phrase “make electronic payment to NMFS”, leaving the words “submit payment.” This is to clarify that the method of payment may change as technology advances. Start Printed Page 60806

NMFS revised wording at § 679.57(b)(4)(ii), (f)(2)(iii)(A), and (e)(3)(i) for consistency replacing the words “retain” and “land” with “harvesting.” At § 679.57(b)(4)(ii) and (f)(2)(iii)(A), NMFS also replaced the word “ensure” with “discourage” to better clarify the intent of incentive measures.

As explained in more detail in response to comment 18, NMFS added § 679.57(f)(2)(iii)(E), which states “Identification of, and the TEM IPA's response to, vessels directed fishing in conflict with harvest specifications or directed fishing for Steller Sea Lion forage species within closed Steller Sea Lion protection areas.”

NMFS is issuing this rule pursuant to sections 304(b) and 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which provides the specific authority for implementing this action. Pursuant to Magnuson-Stevens Act section 305(d), this action is necessary to carry out amendment 126 to the BSAI FMP, amendment 114 to the GOA FMP, other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law and to revise regulations associated with the Observer Program for clarity and technical consistency. The NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this final rule is consistent with the FMPs, other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law.

This final rule has been determined to be not significant for the purposes of Executive Order 12866 .

A Regulatory Impact Review was prepared to assess the costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives. A copy of this analysis is available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES ). The Council recommended and NMFS approved these regulations based on those measures that maximize net benefits to the Nation.

The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration during the proposed rule stage that this action would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The factual basis for the certification was published in the proposed rule and is not repeated here. No comments were received regarding this certification. As a result, a regulatory flexibility analysis was not required and none was prepared.

This final rule contains collection-of-information requirements subject to review and approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This final rule revises existing collection-of information requirements for OMB Control Numbers 0648-0213 (Alaska Region Logbook and Activity Family of Forms); 0648-0330 (NMFS Alaska Region Scale and Catch Weighing Requirements); 0648-0515 (Alaska Interagency Electronic Reporting System); and 0648-0711 (Alaska Cost Recovery and Fee Programs) and revises and extends 0648-0318 (North Pacific Observer Program). Because of a concurrent action for 0648-0213, the revision to that collection of information for this final rule has been assigned a temporary control number, OMB Control Number 0648-0819, that will later be merged into 0648-0213. OMB Control Numbers 0648-0812 (Electronic Logbook: Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program Catcher Vessels Less Than 60 Ft. LOA) and 0648-0815 (Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Pot Gear Catcher/Processor Monitoring) are being merged into 0648-0515 and 0648-0318, respectively, and 0648-0812 and 0648-0815 will be discontinued upon issuance of this final rule. The public reporting burden estimates provided below for the collections of information include the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

This final rule revises the collection of information under OMB Control Number 0648-0213, associated with paper logbooks. Due to a concurrent action for that collection, the collection-of-information requirements have been assigned a temporary control number, OMB Control Number 0648-0819, that will later be merged into OMB Control Number 0648-0213. This final rule requires logbooks to be submitted by all catcher vessels in the trawl EM category. Catcher vessels in the trawl EM category may use either NMFS-approved paper logbooks (OMB Control Number 0648-0213) or electronic logbooks (OMB Control Number 0648-0515). Catcher vessels greater than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA already are required to maintain logbooks. Some catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA that are not currently required to submit a logbook will need to begin doing so to participate in the trawl EM category; therefore, this final rule will increase the number of vessels required to submit a logbook. The temporary control number covers the revisions necessary to 0648-0213 for the catcher vessels that choose to submit paper logbooks. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 18 minutes for the Catcher Vessel Trawl Daily Fishing Logbook.

The owner or operator of a catcher vessel or tender vessel is required to use ODDS to request placement in the trawl EM category. Catcher vessels in the trawl EM category are required to log all fishing trips in ODDS. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 5 minutes to submit the request through ODDS and 15 minutes to log a fishing trip in ODDS.

The vessel owner or operator of a catcher vessel or tender vessel in the trawl EM category is required to submit a VMP to NMFS. The public reporting burden per response for the VMP is estimated to average 48 hours.

Vessel operators in the trawl EM category are required to submit EM data and associated documentation identified in their vessel's VMP to NMFS. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 1 hour.

Vessels in the trawl EM category are required to communicate catch information to the shoreside processor or stationary floating processor that would be receiving the catch. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 5 minutes for the landing notice for EM pollock trawl offloads.

A catcher vessel owner or operator is required to be a party of a TEM IPA to be approved for the trawl EM partial coverage category. The TEM IPA representative submits the final TEM IPA to NMFS. The representative of Start Printed Page 60807 each approved TEM IPA is required to submit a written annual report to the Council. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 40 hours for the TEM IPA and 40 hours for the TEM IPA annual report.

Prospective EM hardware service providers need to apply, and be approved, for an EM hardware service provider permit. The public reporting burden to obtain this permit is estimated to average 8 hours.

An administrative appeal may be submitted if NMFS issues an IAD to deny a request to place a vessel in the trawl EM category, an IAD to disapprove a final TEM IPA, or an IAD for expiration of an EM hardware services provider permit. The public reporting burden per response for an administrative appeal is estimated to average 4 hours.

The submission time of the observer deployment/logistics report is changed to within 24 hours of the observer assignment or daily by 4:30 p.m., Pacific Time, each business day with regard to each observer. Fax is removed as a submission method for this report, and this final rule will continue to allow submission by email or any other methods specified by NMFS. This report is no longer required to include the location of any observer employed by the observer provider who is not assigned to a vessel, shoreside processor, or stationary floating processor. These changes are not expected to change the average response time for this report. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 7 minutes.

This final rule allows for electronic submission of the reports that are submitted by an observer provider and used by NMFS to monitor and enforce standards of observer conduct and identify problems on deployments that may compromise the observer's health or well-being. This final rule also requires the provider's responses to the violation in the report. These changes are not expected to change the average response time for these reports. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 2 hours.

This final rule removes fax as an electronic communication method and continues to allow submission by email or other methods specified by NMFS for other observer provider responsibilities. The public reporting burden per response to these requirements is estimated to average 60 hours for the observer provider permit application; 8 hours for college transcripts; 1 hour for observer training registration; 7 minutes each for observer briefing registration and projected observer assignments; 5 minutes each for physical examination verification and updates to observer provider information; 12 minutes for certificates of insurance; and 30 minutes each for observer debriefing registration, observer provider contracts, and observer provider invoices.

The information collection for 0648-0330 is revised because this final rule requires all shoreside processors and stationary floating processors receiving pollock from vessels in the trawl EM category to have NMFS-approved CMCPs in place before receiving deliveries from catcher vessels or tender vessels in the trawl EM category. Some processors that do not currently submit a CMCP will need to begin doing so; therefore, this requirement will increase the number of respondents that submit a CMCP. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 40 hours for the new participants required to submit a CMCP and initially in the first 2 years after implementation for existing CMCPs, but in the following years the burden will be reduced.

The information collection for 0648-0515 is revised due to this final rule. Additionally, OMB Control Number 0648-0812 is being merged into 0648-0515 and will be discontinued upon issuance of this final rule. OMB Control Number 0648-0812 was established as a temporary collection ( 88 FR 53704 , August 8, 2023) because 0648-0515 was being revised by concurrent actions and was intended to be merged into 0648-0515 following the completion of those actions. This final rule requires logbooks to be submitted by all catcher vessels in the trawl EM category. Catcher vessels in the trawl EM category may use either NMFS-approved electronic logbooks (OMB Control Number 0648-0515) or paper logbooks (OMB Control Number 0648-0213). Catcher vessels greater than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA already are required to maintain logbooks. Some catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA that are not currently required to submit a logbook will need to begin doing so to participate in the trawl EM category; therefore, this final rule will increase the number of vessels required to submit a logbook. The revision to this collection of information due to the rule adds the catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA that choose to submit electronic logbooks. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 15 minutes per day into the Catcher Vessel Electronic Logbook.

The information collection for 0648-0711 is revised because this final rule requires the owner of a catcher vessel in the full coverage trawl EM category to submit the new full coverage trawl EM fee. The public reporting burden per response is estimated to average 1 minute for the fee payment.

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. Written comments are recommendations for this information collection should be submitted at the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain . Find these particular information collections by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond or, nor shall any person by subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Dated: July 15, 2024.

Samuel D. Rauch, III,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs National Marine Fisheries Service.

For the reasons set out in the preamble, NMFS amends 15 CFR part 902 and 50 CFR part 679 as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 902 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

2. Amend § 902.1, in the table in paragraph (b), under “50 CFR”, by:

a. Revising the entry for “679.5(a)”; and

b. Adding in numerical order entries for “679.28(g)(2)(iv)”, “679.56”, and “679.57”. Start Printed Page 60808

The revision and additions read as follows:

CFR part or section where the information collection requirement is locatedCurrent OMB control No. (all numbers begin with 0648-) * * * * * * * * * *679.5(a)-0213, -0269, -0515, and -0272. * * * * *679.28(g)(2)(iv)-0330. * * * * *679.56-0711.679.57-0318. * * * * *

3. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 108-447 ; Pub. L. 111-281 .

4. Amend § 679.2 by:

a. Removing the definition of “EM selection pool”;

b. Revising the definition of “EM service provider” and paragraph (3)(iv) of the definition “Fishing trip”; and

c. Adding in alphabetical order the definition of “Nontrawl EM selection pool”, “Trawl EM category”, and “Trawl EM Incentive Plan Agreement (TEM IPA)”

The revisions and additions read as follows:

EM service provider means any person, including their employees or agents, that NMFS contracts with, or grants an EM hardware service provider permit to under § 679.52(d), to provide EM services, or to collect, review, interpret, or analyze EM data, as required under § 679.51. The two types of EM service providers are as follows:

(1) EM hardware service provider is a provider that NMFS grants a permit under § 679.52(d) and is authorized to deploy and service EM hardware aboard vessels in an EM category as specified in § 679.51.

(2) EM data review service provider is a provider that NMFS contracts with, or otherwise has an established business relationship with, to review, interpret, or analyze EM data as required under § 679.51.

Fishing trip means:

(iv) For a vessel in any EM category, the period of time that begins when the vessel with an empty hold departs a port or tender vessel until the vessel returns to a port or tender vessel and offloads or delivers all fish.

Nontrawl EM selection pool means the defined group of vessels from which NMFS will randomly select the vessels required to use an EM system under § 679.51(f).

Trawl EM category means catcher vessels and tender vessels with a NMFS-approved VMP that are required to use an EM system as specified under § 679.51(g)(1) when those vessels are directed fishing for, or receiving deliveries of, pollock.

Trawl EM Incentive Plan Agreement (TEM IPA) means a voluntary private contract in writing, approved by NMFS under § 679.57, that establishes incentives for partial coverage catcher vessels in the trawl EM category to keep catch within the limits to which vessels not in the trawl EM category are subject. These limits include the catcher vessel harvest limit for pollock in the Gulf of Alaska (§ 679.7(b)(2)) and MRAs (§ 679.20(e)).

5. Amend § 679.5 by adding paragraph (a)(1)(iii)(H) and revising paragraph (a)(4)(i) to read as follows:

(iii) * * *

If harvest made under . . . programRecord the . . .For more information, see . . . * * * * * * *(H) Trawl EM Category (TEM)Management program modifier as TEM§ 679.51.

(i) Catcher vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA. The owner and operator of a catcher vessel less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA are required to comply with the vessel activity report described at paragraph (k) of this section, but otherwise are not required to comply with the R&R requirements of this section, except for:

(A) Vessels using pot gear as described in paragraph (c)(3)(i)(B)( 1 ) of this section;

(B) Vessels participating in the PCTC Program as described in paragraph (x) of this section; and

6. Amend § 679.7 by:

a. Adding paragraph (a)(11)(iii);

b. Revising paragraphs (a)(14) and (a)(16);

c. Removing and reserving paragraph (a)(17); and

d. Revising paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (iii), and (j).

The addition and revisions read as follows:

(iii) Tender vessel. Use a catcher vessel or catcher/processor to harvest groundfish while operating as a tender vessel.

(14) Trawl gear performance standard— (i) BSAI. Except for catcher vessels in the trawl EM category, use a vessel to participate in a directed fishery for pollock using trawl gear and have on board the vessel, at any particular time, 20 or more crabs of any species that have a carapace width of more than 1.5 inches (38 mm) at the widest dimension.

(ii) GOA. Except for catcher vessels in the trawl EM category, use a vessel to participate in a directed fishery for pollock using trawl gear when directed fishing for pollock with nonpelagic trawl gear is closed and have on board Start Printed Page 60809 the vessel, at any particular time, 20 or more crabs of any species that have a carapace width of more than 1.5 inches (38 mm) at the widest dimension.

(16) Retention of groundfish bycatch species. Except for catcher vessels in the trawl EM category, exceed the maximum retainable amount established under § 679.20(e).

(i) Except for catcher vessels in the trawl EM category, retain more than 300,000 lb (136 mt) of unprocessed pollock on board a catcher vessel issued a FFP at any time during a fishing trip as defined at § 679.2;

(ii) Except for catcher vessels in the trawl EM category, land more than 300,000 lb (136 mt) of unprocessed pollock harvested in any GOA reporting area from a catcher vessel issued a FFP to any processor or tender vessel during a calendar day as defined at § 679.2; and

(iii) Except for catcher vessels in the trawl EM category, land a cumulative amount of unprocessed pollock harvested from any GOA reporting area from a catcher vessel issued a FFP during a directed fishery that exceeds the amount in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section multiplied by the number of calendar days that occur during the time period the directed fishery is open in that reporting area.

(j) North Pacific Observer Program—Electronic Monitoring.— (1) General.

(i) Fish without an EM system when a vessel is required to carry an EM system under § 679.51.

(ii) Fish with an EM system without a copy of a valid NMFS-approved VMP on board when directed fishing in a fishery subject to EM coverage.

(iii) Fail to comply with a NMFS-approved VMP when directed fishing in a fishery subject to EM coverage.

(iv) Fail to ensure an EM system is functioning prior to departing port on a fishing trip as specified at § 679.51(f)(5)(vi)(A).

(v) Fail to ensure an EM system is functional prior to departing on a fishing trip as specified at § 679.51(g)(3)(v).

(vi) Depart on a fishing trip without a functional EM system, per the VMP, unless approved to do so by NMFS, after the procedures at § 679.51(f)(5)(vi)(A)( 1 ), or § 679.51(g), have been followed.

(vii) Fail to follow procedures related to EM system malfunctions as described at § 679.51(f)(5)(vi)(B) or § 679.51(g) prior to deploying each set of gear on a fishing trip selected for EM coverage.

(viii) Fail to make the EM system, associated equipment, logbooks, and other records available for inspection upon request by NMFS, OLE, or other NMFS-authorized officer.

(ix) Fail to submit EM data as specified under § 679.51(f)(5)(vii) or § 679.51(g).

(x) Tamper with, bias, disconnect, damage, destroy, alter, or in any other way distort, render useless, inoperative, ineffective, or inaccurate any component of the EM system, associated equipment, or data recorded by the EM system when the vessel is directed fishing in a fishery subject to EM coverage, unless the vessel operator is directed to make changes to the EM system by NMFS, the EM service provider, or as directed in the troubleshooting guide of the VMP.

(xi) Assault, impede, intimidate, harass, sexually harass, bribe, or interfere with an EM service provider.

(xii) Interfere with or bias the sampling procedure employed in the EM selection pool, including either mechanically or manually sorting or discarding catch outside of the camera view or inconsistent with the NMFS-approved VMP.

(xiii) Fail to meet the vessel owner and operator responsibilities when using an EM system as specified at § 679.51(f)(5) or § 679.51(g)(5).

(2) Trawl EM category —(i) Catcher vessels in the trawl EM category. (A) Use a catcher vessel in the partial coverage trawl EM category to fish without being party to an approved trawl EM incentive plan agreement established under § 679.57;

(B) Use a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category to discard catch from the codend before it is brought on board the vessel unless required to maintain the safety and stability of the vessel;

(D) Use a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category to land catch to a tender vessel that is not in the trawl EM category or does not have a NMFS-approved VMP;

(E) Use a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category to land catch to a shoreside processor or stationary floating processor that does not have a NMFS-approved CMCP; or

(F) Use a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category to deploy trawl gear in an area that is closed, for any reason, to directed fishing for pollock.

(ii) Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors. (A) Receive any delivery from a vessel in the trawl EM category without being issued and following a NMFS-approved Catch Monitoring Control Plan as described in § 679.28(g).

(B) Store any non-salmon species in a designated salmon storage container as described in a NMFS-approved Catch Monitoring Control Plan per § 679.28(g).

(C) Allow any salmon species to be placed into any location other than the designated salmon storage container described in a NMFS-approved Catch Monitoring Control Plan per § 679.28(g) at a shoreside processor or stationary floating processor.

(D) Begin sorting a trawl EM category offload from the Bering Sea or CDQ pollock fisheries before an observer has completed the count of all salmon and the collection of scientific data and biological samples from the previous offload.

(E) Continue to sort trawl EM category catch from the Bering Sea or CDQ pollock fisheries if the salmon storage container described in a NMFS-approved Catch Monitoring Control Plan per § 679.28(g) is full.

(F) Allow any PSC harvested or delivered by a vessel in the trawl EM category to be sold, purchased, bartered, or traded.

(iii) Tender vessels. (A) Operate a tender vessel in the trawl EM category and receive a delivery from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category and a catcher vessel not in the trawl EM category during the same fishing trip.

(B) Operate a tender vessel in the trawl EM category without an approved VMP and receive a delivery from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category.

7. Amend § 679.20 by revising paragraph (d)(2) to read as follows:

(2) Groundfish as prohibited species closure. When the Regional Administrator determines that the TAC of any target species specified under paragraph (c) of this section, or the share of any TAC assigned to any type of gear, has been or will be achieved prior to the end of a year, NMFS will publish notification in the Federal Register requiring that target species be treated in the same manner as a prohibited species, as described under § 679.21(a), for the remainder of the year, except:

(i) Rockfish species caught by catcher vessels using hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear as described in paragraph (j) of this section; and

(ii) Catcher vessels in the trawl EM category.

8. Amend § 679.21 by adding paragraphs (a)(2)(ii)(A) and (B), and revising paragraph (f)(15)(ii)(C) to read as follows:

(A) Vessels in the trawl EM category must retain all prohibited species catch for sampling by an observer.

(B) [Reserved]

(C) Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors must comply with the requirements in § 679.28(g)(9) and (10) for the receipt, sorting, and storage of salmon from deliveries of catch from the BS pollock fishery.

9. Amend § 679.22 by revising paragraph (b)(1)(i) and (ii) to read as follows:

(i) Type I closures. No person may trawl in waters of the EEZ within the vicinity of Kodiak Island, as shown in Figure 5 to this part as Type I areas, from a vessel having any trawl other than a pelagic trawl either attached or on board, except as follows. Vessels in the trawl EM category may have a trawl other than a pelagic trawl either attached or on board, but may not deploy a trawl other than a pelagic trawl in a Type I area.

(ii) Type II closures. From February 15 to June 15, no person may trawl in waters of the EEZ within the vicinity of Kodiak Island, as shown in Figure 5 to this part as Type II areas, from a vessel having any trawl other than a pelagic trawl either attached or on board, except as follows. Vessels in the trawl EM category may have a trawl other than a pelagic trawl either attached or on board, but may not deploy a trawl other than a pelagic trawl in a Type II area.

10. Amend § 679.28 by:

a. Revising paragraphs (d)(10)(i) and (g)(1);

b. Adding paragraph (g)(2)(iv);

c. Revising paragraphs (g)(3) through (6);

d. Adding (g)(7) introductory text;

e. Revising (g)(7)(v);

f. Removing paragraph (g)(7)(vi)(C);

g. Revising paragraphs (g)(7)(vii) through (xi); and

h. Adding paragraphs (g)(8) through (10).

(i) How does a vessel owner arrange for an observer sampling station inspection? The vessel owner must submit an Inspection Request for Observer Sampling Station with all the information fields accurately filled in to NMFS by emailing ( [email protected] ), or completing the online request form, at least 10 working days in advance of the requested date of inspection. The request form is available on the NMFS Alaska Region website.

(1) What is a CMCP? A CMCP is a plan submitted by the owner and manager of a processing plant, and approved by NMFS, detailing how the processor will meet the applicable catch monitoring and control standards detailed in paragraphs (g)(7) through (10) of this section.

(iv) Any shoreside processor or stationary floating processor receiving any delivery from catcher vessels or tender vessels in the trawl EM category as defined at § 679.2.

(3) How is a CMCP approved by NMFS? NMFS will approve a CMCP if it meets all the applicable requirements specified in paragraphs (g)(7) through (10) of this section. The processor may be inspected by NMFS prior to approval of the CMCP to ensure that the processor conforms to the elements addressed in the CMCP. NMFS will complete its review of the CMCP within 14 working days of receipt. If NMFS disapproves a CMCP, the processor owner or manager may resubmit a revised CMCP or file an administrative appeal as set forth under the administrative appeals procedures described at § 679.43.

(4) How is a CMCP inspection arranged? The processor must submit a request for a CMCP inspection. The time and place of a CMCP inspection may be arranged by submitting a written request to NMFS, Alaska Region, or other method of electronic communication designated by NMFS. NMFS will review the inspection request within 10 working days after receiving a complete application for an inspection. The inspection request must include:

(i) Name of the person submitting the application and the date of the application;

(ii) Address, telephone number, and email address of the person submitting the application; and

(iii) A proposed CMCP detailing how the processor will meet each of the applicable performance standards in paragraphs (g)(7) through (10) of this section.

(5) For how long is a CMCP approved? NMFS will approve a CMCP for up to 1 year if it meets the applicable performance standards specified in paragraphs (g)(7) through (10) of this section. An owner or manager must notify NMFS in writing if changes are made in plant operations or layout that do not conform to the CMCP.

(6) How do I make changes to my CMCP? An owner and manager may change an approved CMCP by submitting a CMCP addendum to NMFS. NMFS will approve the modified CMCP if it continues to meet the applicable performance standards specified in paragraphs (g)(7) through (10) of this section. Depending on the nature and magnitude of the change requested, NMFS may require a CMCP inspection as described in paragraph (g)(3) of this section. A CMCP addendum must contain:

(i) Name of the person submitting the addendum;

(ii) Address, telephone number, and email address of the person submitting the addendum; and

(iii) A complete description of the proposed CMCP change.

(7) Catch monitoring and control standards. For all shoreside processors or stationary floating processors accepting any delivery from the fisheries listed in paragraph (g)(2) of this section:

(v) Delivery point. Each CMCP must identify a single delivery point. The delivery point is the first location where fish removed from a delivering catcher vessel can be sorted or diverted to more than one location. If the catch is pumped from the hold of a catcher vessel or a codend, the delivery point normally will be the location where the pump first discharges the catch. If catch is removed from a vessel by brailing, the delivery point normally will be the bin or belt where the brailer discharges the catch. The CMCP must describe how the catch will be offloaded at the delivery point.

(vii) Scale Drawing of the Plant. The CMCP must be accompanied by a scale drawing of the plant showing: Start Printed Page 60811

(A) The delivery point;

(B) Flow of fish;

(D) The observer sampling station described in paragraph (g)(7)(ix) of this section;

(E) The location of each scale used to weigh catch;

(F) Each location where catch is sorted including the last location where sorting could occur; and

(G) Information to meet other requirements of this part, if requested by NMFS.

(viii) Reasonable assistance. Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors must provide reasonable assistance as described in § 679.51(e)(2)(vi), to observer(s) and to the Rockfish CMCP specialist. The CMCP must identify staff responsible for ensuring reasonable assistance is provided.

(ix) Observer sampling station. Each CMCP, except for the Rockfish Program, must identify and include an observer(s) sampling station for the exclusive use of observer(s). Unless otherwise approved by NMFS, the sampling station must meet the following criteria:

(A) Location of observer sampling station. ( 1 ) The observer sampling station must be located in an area protected from the weather where the observer has access to unsorted catch.

( 2 ) The observer sampling station must be adjacent to the location where salmon will be counted and biological samples or scientific data are collected.

( 3 ) Clear, unobstructed passage must be provided between the observer sampling station and observer sample collection point. The observer(s) must be able to monitor the collection and transport of unsorted catch to the observer sampling station.

(B) Proximity of observer sampling station. The observer sampling station must be located within 4 meters of the observer sample collection point without encountering safety hazards, or, reasonable assistance must be given to move samples into the observer sampling station upon request.

(C) Minimum workspace requirements. The observer sampling station must include: A working area of at least 4.5 square meters. The observer(s) must be able to stand upright and have a sampling area at least 0.9 meters deep in front of the table and scale. The workspace must include flooring that prevents slipping and drains well, adequate lighting, and a hose that supplies fresh or sea water to the observer.

(D) Clear, unobstructed passage. A clear and unobstructed passage is required between the observer sample collection point and sampling station, and within the observer sampling station. Passageways must be at least 65 centimeters wide at their narrowest point, and be free of tripping or head bumping hazards.

(E) Table. The observer sampling station must include a table at least 0.6 meters deep, 1.2 meters wide, 0.9 meters high, and no more than 1.1 meters high. The entire surface area of the table must be available for use by the observer(s). Any area used for the observer sampling scale is in addition to the minimum space requirements for the table specified at paragraph (g)(7)(ix)(B) of this section. The observer sampling table must be secure, and stable.

(F) Observer Platform scale. The observer sampling station must include a platform scale as described in paragraph (c)(4) of this section, and must meet the requirements specified in paragraph (c)(3)(v) of this section when tested by the observer. The platform scale must be located within 1 meter of the observer sampling table. The scale must be mounted so that the weighing surface is no more than 0.7 meters above the floor.

(G) Lockable cabinet. The observer work station must include a secure and lockable cabinet or locker of at least 0.5 cubic meters, and must be for the exclusive use of the observer(s).

(x) Communication with observer. The CMCP, except for the Rockfish Program, must describe what communication equipment such as radios or cellular phones is used to facilitate communications within the plant. The plant owner must ensure that the plant manager provides the observer(s) with the same communications equipment used by plant staff. The plant owner or plant manager must communicate the following information to the observer(s), including:

(A) Daily schedule of expected landings;

(B) Vessel name;

(D) If the delivering vessel is operating under the trawl EM category;

(E) Estimated tonnage onboard the vessel;

(F) If there is a deckload;

(G) Estimated start time of each vessel offload;

(H) Estimated time to complete the offload;

(I) If the vessel offload will be interrupted for any reason; and

(J) Any other information required by the applicable CMCP or VMP.

(xi) Processor liaison. The CMCP must designate a processor liaison. The processor liaison is responsible for:

(A) Orienting new observer(s) to the plant and providing a copy of the NMFS-approved CMCP and any subsequent addendums or revisions; and

(B) Assisting in the resolution of observer(s) concerns.

(8) Rockfish Program. In addition to compliance with requirements set forth at paragraph (g)(7) of this section, all shoreside processors or stationary floating processors receiving deliveries of groundfish harvested under the authority of a rockfish CQ permit must:

(i) Rockfish CMCP specialist notification. Describe how the Rockfish CMCP specialist will be notified of deliveries of groundfish harvested under the authority of a rockfish CQ permit.

(ii) [Reserved]

(9) Processors receiving AFA pollock, CDQ pollock, and trawl EM category deliveries. In addition to compliance with requirements set forth at paragraph (g)(7) of this section, all shoreside processors and stationary floating processors receiving deliveries from the fisheries described in paragraphs (g)(2)(i),(ii), and (iv) of this section, must comply with the following:

(i) Salmon storage container. (A) A salmon storage container must be designated for the exclusive purpose of storing salmon during an offload;

(B) The observer(s) must have a clear, unobstructed view of the salmon storage container to ensure no salmon of any species are removed without the observer's knowledge;

(D) The scale drawing of the plant must include the location of the salmon storage container.

(ii) Salmon sorting and handling practices. (A) Sort and transport all salmon to the salmon storage container identified in the CMCP (see paragraphs (g)(7)(vi)(C) and (g)(7)(x)(F) of this section). The salmon must remain in that salmon storage container and within the view of the observer(s) at all times during the offload;

(B) If, at any point during the offload, salmon are too numerous to be contained in the salmon storage container, cease the offload and all sorting and give the observer(s) the opportunity to count and collect scientific data or biological samples from all salmon in the storage bin. The counted salmon then must be removed from the area by plant personnel in the presence of the observer(s);

(C) At the completion of the offload, give the observer(s) the opportunity to count the salmon and collect scientific data or biological samples; Start Printed Page 60812

(D) When receiving deliveries of pollock from the Bering Sea or CDQ pollock fisheries, give the observer(s) the opportunity to complete the count of salmon and the collection of scientific data or biological samples from the previous offload of catch before sorting of the next offload of any catch may begin. When the observer(s) has completed all counting and sampling duties for the offload, plant personnel must remove the salmon in the presence of the observer(s), from the salmon storage container and location where salmon are counted and biological samples or scientific data are collected; and

(E) Regarding deliveries of pollock from the Gulf of Alaska or Aleutian Islands, the observer(s) must be given the opportunity to complete the count of salmon and the collection of scientific data or biological samples from all offloads selected for monitoring. When the observer(s) has completed all counting and sampling duties for the offload, plant personnel must remove the salmon in the presence of the observer(s), from the salmon storage container and location where salmon are counted and biological samples or scientific data are collected.

(iii) Observer sample collection point. The observer sample collection point is the location where the observer collects unsorted catch.

(A) The observer sample collection point (see paragraph (g)(7)(ix)(A)( 3 ) of this section) must have a diverter mechanism to allow fish to be diverted from the belt directly into the observer's sampling baskets. The location and design of the diverter mechanism must be described in the CMCP; and

(B) The scale drawing of the plant, specified at paragraph (g)(7)(vii) of this section, must include the location of the observer sample collection point.

(iv) Observer sampling scales and test weights. (A) Identify by serial number each observer sampling scale in the CMCP;

(B) Provide observer sampling scales that are accurate and within the limits specified in paragraph (c)(4)(v) of this section;

(C) Test weights must be made available for the observer(s) use, be kept in good condition, be made of stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant material, and must meet requirements specified in paragraph (c)(4)(iii) of this section;

(D) List the serial numbers of the test weights to be used to test the observer sampling scale in the CMCP; and

(E) The CMCP must identify where the test weights will be stored. Test weights must be stored within the observer sampling station or reasonable assistance must be provided upon observer(s) request to move the weights from the storage location to the observer sampling scale.

(10) AFA pollock and CDQ pollock. In addition to paragraphs (g)(7) and (9) of this section, all shoreside processors and stationary floating processors accepting deliveries described in paragraph (g)(2)(i) of this section have the following additional requirements:

(i) Ensure no salmon of any species pass beyond the last point where sorting of fish occurs, as identified in the scale drawing of the plant, paragraph (g)(7)(vii) of this section, in the CMCP;

(ii) The CMCP must describe the process that will be used to sort salmon, including the procedures for handling salmon that have passed beyond the last point where sorting of fish occurs; and

(iii) Meet all salmon handling requirements as described in (g)(9) of this section.

11. Amend § 679.51 by:

a. Removing the words “NMFS Alaska Region website at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ ”, “NMFS Alaska Region website https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ ”, “NMFS Alaska Region website at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov ”, “NMFS Alaska Region website at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov ”, and “NMFS Alaska Region website ( http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov )” wherever they appear, and, adding in their place, the words “NMFS Alaska Region website”;

b. Adding paragraph (a)(1)(iv);

c. Revising paragraphs (a)(2)(ii) and (b)(2)(i);

d. Adding paragraph (b)(3);

e. In paragraph (c)(3), removing the phrase “transmitted by facsimile to 206-526-4066” and adding in its place the phrase “other method specified by NMFS on the NMFS Observer Program website”;

f. In paragraph (f), removing the words “EM selection pool” wherever they appear and adding in their place the words “nontrawl EM selection pool”;

g. Revising paragraph (f)(2) paragraph heading;

h. In paragraph (f)(3)(ii), removing the phrase “the video data storage devices” and adding in its place the phrase “EM data”;

i. Revising paragraph (f)(4)(v);

j. Adding paragraph (f)(4)(vi);

k. In paragraph (f)(5)(vii), removing the phrase “the video data storage device” and adding in its place the words “EM data”; and

l. Adding paragraph (g).

The additions and revisions read as follows:

(iv) Observer workload at shoreside processors and stationary floating processors. Regarding shoreside processors and stationary floating processors, the time required for an observer to complete sampling, data recording, and data communication duties, per this paragraph (a)(1), may not exceed 12 hours in each 24-hour period.

(ii) Observer coverage requirements. A vessel listed in paragraphs (a)(2)(i)(A) through (C) of this section must have at least one observer aboard the vessel at all times. Some fisheries require additional observer coverage in accordance with paragraph (a)(2)(vi) of this section. The following exceptions apply:

(A) A vessel subject to the partial observer coverage category as per paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section;

(B) A vessel approved to be in the full coverage trawl EM category; vessels in the full coverage trawl EM category are subject to observer coverage if NMFS determines that at-sea coverage is necessary in the Annual Deployment Plan.

(i) Coverage level. (A) An AFA inshore processor must provide an observer for each 12-consecutive-hour period of each calendar day during which the processor takes delivery of, or processes, groundfish harvested by a vessel engaged in a directed pollock fishery in the BS. An AFA inshore processor that, for more than 12 consecutive hours in a calendar day, takes delivery of or processes pollock harvested in the BS directed pollock fishery must provide two observers for each such day.

(B) The owner and operator of an AFA shoreside or stationary floating processor receiving deliveries from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category must provide the necessary number of observers to meet the criteria prescribed by NMFS in the Annual Deployment Plan for each calendar day during which the processor takes delivery of, or processes, groundfish harvested by a vessel engaged in a directed pollock fishery in the BS.

(3) Shoreside processor and stationary floating processor receiving a delivery from catcher or tender vessels in the trawl EM category —(i) Deadline to submit a request to receive trawl EM deliveries. A shoreside processor and stationary floating processor must submit a request to NMFS by November 1 of the year prior to the fishing year in which they intend to receive deliveries from catcher vessels or tender vessels in the trawl EM category.

(2) Notification of nontrawl EM trip selection.

(v) If, at any time, changes are required to the VMP to improve the data collection of the EM system or address fishing operation changes, the vessel owner or operator must work with NMFS and the EM service provider to amend the VMP. The vessel owner or operator must sign the amended VMP and submit these changes to the VMP to NMFS prior to departing on the next fishing trip selected for EM coverage.

(vi) The VMP will require information regarding:

(A) Vessel and contact information;

(B) Gear used;

(D) Requirements for meeting program objectives as specified in the Annual Deployment Plan;

(E) List of potential solutions for hardware malfunctions;

(F) Images of camera locations and camera views;

(G) EM hardware service provider information;

(H) Valid signatures from the EM hardware service provider and vessel owner or operator; and

(I) Any other information required by the applicable VMP.

(g) Trawl EM category —(1) Vessel placement in the trawl EM category —(i) Applicability. (A) The owner or operator of a catcher vessel with a pollock trawl endorsement (PTW) on their FFP in the partial coverage category under paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section, or in the full coverage category in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, may request to be placed in the trawl EM category.

( 1 ) Partial coverage trawl EM category. Catcher vessels directed fishing for pollock with pelagic trawl gear in the GOA or AI fisheries.

( 2 ) Full coverage trawl EM category. Catcher vessels directed fishing for pollock with pelagic trawl gear in the BS or CDQ fisheries.

(B) The owner or operator of a tender vessel must request to be placed in the trawl EM category before receiving a delivery from a catcher vessel in the trawl EM category.

(ii) How to request placement in the trawl EM category. The owner or operator of a vessel must complete the trawl EM category request and submit it to NMFS using ODDS. Access to ODDS is available through the NMFS Alaska Region website. ODDS is described in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section.

(iii) Deadline to submit a trawl EM category request. A vessel owner or operator must submit an annual trawl EM category request in ODDS by November 1 of the year prior to the fishing year in which the vessel would be placed in the trawl EM category.

(iv) Approval for placement in the trawl EM category. NMFS may approve a vessel for placement in the trawl EM category based on criteria specified by NMFS in the Annual Deployment Plan, available through the NMFS Alaska Region website. Criteria for disapproval may include actions by the vessel leading to data gaps, noncompliance with program elements such as discarding of catch, vessel configuration or fishing practices that cannot provide the necessary camera views to meet data collection goals, failure to follow the trawl EM category VMP, and/or failure to adhere to an incentive plan agreement as specified in § 679.57 for partial coverage catcher vessels or § 679.21(f)(12) for full coverage catcher vessels. For the trawl EM application to be considered complete, all fees due to NMFS from the owner or authorized representative of a catcher vessel subject to the fees specified at § 679.56 at the time of application must be paid.

(v) Notification of approval for placement in the trawl EM category. (A) NMFS will notify the owner or operator through ODDS of approval for the trawl EM category for the following fishing year. Catcher vessels remain subject to observer coverage under paragraphs (a)(1)(i) or (a)(2)(i) of this section unless and until NMFS approves the request for placement of the catcher vessel in the trawl EM category.

(B) Once NMFS notifies the catcher vessel owner or operator that their request to be placed in the trawl EM category has been approved, the vessel owner or operator must comply with the responsibilities in paragraphs (g)(2) and (3) of this section and all further instructions set forth in ODDS when they operate in the trawl EM category. When a catcher vessel approved for placement in the trawl EM category does not operate in the trawl EM category on a particular fishing trip, the vessel remains subject to observer coverage under paragraphs (a)(1)(i) or (a)(2)(i) of this section.

(vi) Initial Administrative Determination (IAD). If NMFS denies a request to place a vessel in the trawl EM category, NMFS will provide an IAD to the vessel owner, which will explain the basis for the denial.

(vii) Appeal. If the vessel owner wishes to appeal NMFS' denial of a request to place the vessel in the trawl EM category, the owner may appeal the determination under the appeals procedure set out at 15 CFR part 906 .

(viii) Duration. Once NMFS approves a vessel for placement in the trawl EM category, that vessel will remain in the trawl EM category for the following upcoming fishing year or until:

(A) NMFS disapproves the vessel's VMP under paragraph (g)(2) of this section; or

(B) The vessel no longer meets the trawl EM category criteria specified by NMFS.

(ix) Procurement of EM services. (A) In the partial coverage category, the owner or operator of a vessel approved for the trawl EM category must use the EM hardware service provider as outlined by NMFS in the Annual Deployment Plan.

(B) In the full coverage category, the owner or operator of a vessel approved for the trawl EM category must arrange and pay for EM service provider services from a permitted EM hardware service provider.

(2) Vessel Monitoring Plan (VMP). Once approved for the trawl EM category, and prior to the first trawl EM fishing trip in the fishing year, the vessel owner or operator must develop a VMP with the EM hardware service provider following the VMP template available through the NMFS Alaska Region website.

(i) VMP Submission. The vessel owner or operator must sign and submit the VMP to NMFS each fishing year.

(ii) VMP Approval. NMFS may approve the VMP for the fishing year if it meets all the requirements specified in the VMP template available through the NMFS Alaska Region website.

(iii) VMP Resubmission. If the VMP does not meet all the requirements specified in the VMP template, NMFS will provide the vessel owner or operator the opportunity to submit a revised VMP that meets all the requirements specified in the VMP template.

(iv) VMP Disapproval. If NMFS does not approve the revised VMP, NMFS will issue an IAD to the vessel owner or operator that will explain the basis for the disapproval. The vessel owner or Start Printed Page 60814 operator may file an administrative appeal under the administrative appeals procedures set out at 15 CFR part 906 .

(v) VMP Revision. If, at any time, changes must be made to the VMP to improve the data collection of the EM system or address fishing operation changes, the vessel owner or operator must work with NMFS and the EM hardware service provider to amend the VMP. The vessel owner or operator must sign the updated VMP and submit those changes to NMFS. NMFS must approve the amended VMP prior to departing on the next fishing trip selected for EM coverage.

(vi) VMP Components. The VMP will require information regarding:

(H) Valid signatures from the EM hardware service provider and either the vessel owner or operator; and

(3) Responsibilities. To use an EM system under this section the vessel owner and operator must:

(i) Installation. Make the vessel available for the installation of EM equipment by an EM hardware service provider;

(ii) Access. Provide access to the vessel's EM system and reasonable assistance to the EM hardware service provider;

(iii) Copy. Maintain a copy of a NMFS-approved VMP onboard the vessel at all times when the vessel is directed fishing in a fishery subject to EM coverage;

(iv) Compliance. Comply with all elements of the VMP during trawl EM category fishing trips;

(v) Maintenance. Maintain the EM system, including by doing the following:

(A) Ensure the EM system is functioning before departing on a fishing trip.

(B) Ensure power is maintained to the EM system for the duration of a trawl EM category fishing trip;

(C) Ensure the system is functioning for the entire fishing trip, camera views are unobstructed and clear in quality, and discards may be completely viewed, identified, and quantified; and

(D) Ensure EM system components are not tampered with, disabled, destroyed, or operated or maintained improperly.

(vi) Communication. Communicate catch information to the shoreside processor or stationary floating processor receiving catch through a NMFS approved system. The following information must be transmitted as outlined in the VMP:

(A) Vessel name;

(B) Identify which Management areas the vessel was operating in;

(D) Estimated deckload size, if present;

(E) Estimated time of arrival at shoreside processor or stationary floating processor; and

(F) Information to meet other requirements of this part, if requested by NMFS.

(4) EM coverage duration and duties. (i) Beginning a Fishing Trip. A fishing trip in the trawl EM category may not begin until all previously harvested fish have been landed.

(ii) Ending a Fishing Trip. At the end of the fishing trip in the trawl EM category, the vessel operator must follow the instructions in the VMP and submit the EM data and associated documentation identified in the VMP.

(iii) Daily Tests. The vessel operator must complete daily tests of equipment functionality as instructed in the vessel's VMP.

(A) During a fishing trip in the trawl EM category, before each haul is retrieved, the vessel operator must verify all cameras are recording and all sensors and other required EM system components are functioning as instructed in the vessel's VMP.

( 1 ) If a malfunction is detected prior to retrieving the haul the vessel operator must attempt to correct the problem using the instructions in the vessel's VMP.

( 2 ) If the malfunction cannot be repaired at sea, the vessel operator must notify the EM hardware service provider of the malfunction at the end of the fishing trip. The malfunction must be repaired prior to departing on the next fishing trip in the trawl EM category.

(iv) Inspection. Make the EM system and associated equipment available for inspection upon request by OLE, a NMFS-authorized officer, or other NMFS-authorized personnel.

(5) ODDS requirements for trawl EM category catcher vessels in the partial coverage category —(i) EM trips. Prior to embarking on each fishing trip, the operator of a catcher vessel in the partial coverage trawl EM category with a NMFS-approved VMP must register the anticipated trip with ODDS. The owner or operator must specify the use of pelagic trawl gear to determine trawl EM category participation for the upcoming fishing trip.

12. Amend § 679.52 by:

a. Revising paragraphs (b)(1)(iii)(A), (b)(1)(iii)(B)( 2 ), and (b)(3)(i) introductory text;

b. In paragraph (b)(11) introductory text removing “, fax”;

c. Revising paragraphs (b)(11)(iv) and (b)(11)(vii) introductory text;

d. In paragraph (b)(11)(ix), removing the word “fax” and adding in its place the phrase “electronic submission (email or online through NMFS-designated electronic system)”;

e. In paragraph (b)(11)(x) introductory text, removing the phrase “fax or email” and adding in its place the phrase “electronic submission (email or online through NMFS-designated electronic system)”;

f. Revising paragraph (b)(11)(x)(B); and

g. Adding paragraphs (d) and (e).

(A) That all of the observer's in-season catch messages (data) between the observer and NMFS are submitted to the Observer Program as outlined in the current Observer Sampling Manual.

( 2 ) The observer does not at any time during his or her deployment travel through a location where an Observer Program employee is available for an in-person data review and the observer completes a phone, email, or other NMFS-specified method for mid-deployment data review, as described in the Observer Sampling Manual; and

(i) An observer provider must develop, maintain, implement, and enforce a policy addressing observer conduct and behavior for their employees that serve as observers. The policy shall address the following behavior and conduct regarding:

(iv) Observer deployment/logistics report. An accurate deployment/logistics report must be submitted Start Printed Page 60815 within 24 hours of the observer assignment, or daily by 4:30 p.m., Pacific time, each business day with regard to each observer. The deployment/logistics report must include the observer's name, cruise number, current vessel, shoreside processor or stationary floating processor assignment and vessel/processor code, embarkation date, and estimated or actual disembarkation dates.

(vii) Observer provider contracts. Observer providers must submit to the Observer Program a completed and unaltered copy of each type of signed and valid contract (including all attachments, appendices, addendums, and exhibits incorporated into the contract) between the observer provider and those entities requiring observer services under § 679.51(a)(2) and (b)(2), by February 1 of each year. Observer providers must also submit to the Observer Program, upon request, a completed and unaltered copy of the current or most recent signed and valid contract (including all attachments, appendices, addendums, and exhibits incorporated into the contract and any agreements or policies with regard to observer compensation or salary levels) between the observer provider and the particular entity identified by the Observer Program or with specific observers. The copies must be submitted by electronic transmission (email or through an electronic system as designated by NMFS) or other method specified by NMFS within 5 business days of the request for the contract at the address listed in § 679.51(c)(3). Signed and valid contracts include the contracts an observer provider has with:

(B) Within 72 hours after the observer provider determines that an observer violated the observer provider's conduct and behavior policy described at paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section; these reports shall include the underlying facts, circumstances, and provider responses to the violation, including the steps taken to enforce the provider's conduct and behavior policy.

(d) EM hardware service provider permit. —(1) Permit. The Regional Administrator may issue a permit authorizing a person's participation as an EM hardware service provider for operations requiring EM system coverage per § 679.51(f) and (g). Persons seeking to provide EM services under this section must obtain an EM hardware service provider permit from the NMFS Alaska Region.

(2) EM hardware service provider. An applicant seeking an EM hardware service provider permit must submit a completed application to the Regional Administrator for review. This application can be found on the NMFS Alaska Region website.

(3) Contents of application. An application for an EM hardware service provider permit must contain the following:

(i) Contact information. (A) The permanent phone number and email address of the owner(s) of the EM hardware service provider.

(B) Current physical location, business mailing address, business telephone, and business email address for each office of the EM hardware service provider.

(ii) Hardware and software testing. Description of testing conducted to ensure that the EM hardware is capable of withstanding environmental conditions in the North Pacific Ocean. NMFS will provide specifications for EM hardware upon request. At any time after initial approval of the EM hardware service provider permit, this testing requirement must be applied to and met by any EM system requiring new, or significantly updated, hardware or software installed onboard a vessel.

(iii) Data review. Provide a sample of EM data to NMFS that can be reviewed by NMFS EM data review software for compliance with program objectives as specified in § 679.51(f) and (g).

(iv) Conflict of interest. A statement signed under penalty of perjury from each owner or, if the owner is an entity, each board member and officer, if a corporation, that they have no conflict of interest as described in paragraph (c) of this section.

(v) Criminal convictions and Federal contracts. A statement signed under penalty of perjury from each owner or, if the owner is an entity, each board member and officer, if a corporation, describing:

(A) Any criminal convictions; and

(B) Any Federal contracts they have had and the performance rating they received for each such contract.

(vi) Prior experience. A description of any prior experience the EM hardware service provider may have in placing individuals in remote field and/or marine work environments. This includes recruiting, hiring, deployment, working with fishing fleets, and operations in remote areas.

(vii) Responsibilities and duties. A description of the EM hardware service provider's ability to carry out the responsibilities and duties of an EM hardware service provider as set out under paragraph (e) of this section and the arrangements to be used to do so.

(4) Application evaluation. NMFS staff will evaluate the completeness of the application, the application's consistency with needs and objectives of the EM program, and other relevant factors. NMFS will provide specifications for EM hardware upon request.

(5) Agency determination on an application. NMFS will send the Agency's determination on the application to the EM hardware service provider. If an application is approved, NMFS will issue an EM hardware service provider permit to the applicant. If an application is denied, the reason for denial will be explained in the electronic determination.

(6) Transferability. An EM hardware service provider permit is not transferable. To prevent a lapse in authority to provide EM hardware services, a provider that experiences a change in ownership that involves a new person may submit a new permit application prior to sale and ask to have the application approved under this paragraph (a) prior to date of sale.

(7) Expiration of EM hardware service provider permit. —(i) Permit duration. An EM hardware service provider permit will expire after a period of 12 continuous months during which no EM services are provided to vessels in an EM category.

(ii) Permit expiration. The Regional Administrator will provide a written initial administrative determination (IAD) of permit expiration to a provider if NMFS records indicate that the provider has not provided EM services to vessels in an EM category during a period of 12 continuous months. A provider who receives an IAD of permit expiration may appeal the IAD under § 679.43. A provider that appeals an IAD will be issued an extension of the expiration date of the permit until after the final resolution of the appeal.

(8) Removal of permit. Performance of the EM hardware service provider will be assessed annually on the ability of the provider to meet program objectives as outlined in § 679.51 and the Annual Deployment Plan. If the EM hardware service provider is unable to meet program objectives, the permit will be removed.

(e) Responsibilities of EM hardware service providers. Responsibilities of EM hardware service providers are specified in section § 679.51(f) and (g).

13. Add §§ 679.56 and 679.57 to subpart E to read as follows:

(a) Full coverage trawl electronic monitoring (EM) category fee— (1) Responsibility. The owner of a catcher vessel in the full coverage trawl EM category must comply with the requirements of this section. Subsequent opting out of the trawl EM category does not affect the FFP permit holder's liability for paying the full coverage trawl EM category fee for any fishing year in which the vessel was approved to be in the full coverage trawl EM category and made pollock landings. Subsequent transfer of an AFA catcher vessel or AFA permit does not affect the catcher vessel owner's liability for non-compliance with this section.

(2) Landings subject to the observer fee. The full coverage trawl EM fee is assessed on pollock landings by catcher vessels in the full coverage trawl EM category as specified in § 679.51(g).

(3) Fee collection. The owner of a catcher vessel (as identified under paragraph (a)(1) of this section) is responsible for paying the full coverage trawl EM fee for all pollock landings.

(4) Payment. —(i) Payment due date. The owner of a catcher vessel (as identified under paragraph (a)(1) of this section) must submit all full coverage trawl EM fee payments to NMFS no later than May 31 of the fishing year following the year in which the pollock landings occurred.

(ii) Payment recipient and method. The owner of a catcher vessel (as identified under paragraph (a)(1) of this section) must submit payment and related documents as instructed on the fee submission form. Payments must be made electronically through the NMFS Alaska Region website. Instructions for electronic payment will be made available on both the payment website and a fee liability summary letter mailed to each permit holder.

(b) Full coverage standard ex-vessel value determination and use. NMFS will use the standard prices calculated for AFA cost recovery per § 679.66(b).

(c) Full coverage fee percentages. —(1) Established percentages. The trawl EM fee percentage is the amount as determined by the factors and methodology described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section. These amounts will be announced by publication in the Federal Register in accordance with paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(2) Calculating fee percentage value. Each year NMFS will calculate and publish the trawl EM fee percentage for the full coverage trawl EM category catcher vessels according to the following factors and methodology:

(i) Factors. NMFS will use the following factors to determine the fee percentages:

(A) The catch to which the full coverage trawl EM fee will apply;

(B) The ex-vessel value of that catch; and

(ii) Methodology. NMFS will use the following equations to determine the trawl EM fee percentage: 100 × DPC ÷ V, where:

(A) DPC equals the trawl EM category costs for the directed full coverage pollock fisheries for the most recent fiscal year (October 1 through September 30) with any adjustments to the account from payments received in the previous year.

(B) V equals the total of the standard ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the trawl EM fee liability for the current year.

(iii) Program costs. Trawl EM category costs will be calculated only for catcher vessels that NMFS approves to be in the full coverage trawl EM category.

(3) Publication. —(i) General. NMFS will calculate and announce the trawl EM fee percentage in a Federal Register notice by December 1 of the year following the year in which the full coverage pollock landings were made. NMFS will calculate the trawl EM fee percentage based on the calculations described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(ii) Effective period. NMFS will apply the calculated trawl EM fee percentage to all full coverage trawl EM category directed pollock landings made by vessels in the trawl EM category between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year.

(4) Applicable percentage. A designated representative must use the AFA fee percentage applicable at the time a Bering Sea directed pollock landing is debited from an AFA pollock fishery allocation to calculate the AFA fee liability for any retroactive payments for that landing.

(a) Parties to a trawl EM Incentive Plan Agreement (TEM IPA)— (1) TEM IPA. A catcher vessel owner or operator must be a party to a TEM IPA to be approved for the trawl EM partial coverage category.

(2) Compliance. Once a party to a TEM IPA, a catcher vessel owner or operator cannot withdraw from the TEM IPA and must comply with the terms of the TEM IPA for the duration of the fishing year.

(b) Request for approval of a proposed TEM IPA. The TEM IPA representative must submit a proposed TEM IPA to NMFS. The proposed TEM IPA must contain the following information:

(1) Affidavit. The TEM IPA must include an affidavit affirming that each party to the TEM IPA is subject to the same terms and conditions.

(2) Name of the TEM IPA— (3) Representative. The TEM IPA must include the name, telephone number, and email address of the TEM IPA representative who is responsible for submitting the proposed TEM IPA on behalf of the TEM IPA parties, any proposed amendments to the TEM IPA, and the annual report required under paragraph (f) of this section.

(4) Incentive plan. The TEM IPA must contain provisions that address or contain the following:

(i) Restrictions, penalties, or performance criteria that will limit changes in fishing behavior.

(ii) Incentive measures to discourage catcher vessels from harvesting pollock catch in excess of 300,000 (136 mt) pounds during a fishing trip, on average in the GOA, and an explanation of how the incentive(s) encourage vessel operators to limit harvest in excess of 300,000 (136 mt) pounds of pollock per fishing trip in the GOA.

(iii) Incentive measures to prevent catcher vessels from exceeding the MRAs established in § 679.21(e) and how the incentives encourage vessel operators to avoid bycatch and avoid exceeding the maximum retainable amounts established in § 679.20(e).

(iv) Acknowledgment by the parties that NMFS will disclose to the public their vessels' performance under the TEM IPA and any restrictions, penalties, or performance criteria imposed under the TEM IPA by vessel name.

(5) Compliance agreement. The TEM IPA must include a provision that all parties to the TEM IPA agree to comply with all provisions of the TEM IPA.

(6) Signatures. The name and signature of the owner or operator for each vessel that is a party to the TEM IPA.

(c) Deadline and duration. —(1) Deadline for proposed TEM IPA. A proposed TEM IPA must be received by NMFS no later than 1700 hours, A.l.t., on December 1 of the year prior to the fishing year for which the TEM IPA is proposed to be effective.

(2) Duration. Once approved, a TEM IPA is effective starting January 1 of the fishing year following the year in which NMFS approves the IPA, unless the TEM IPA is approved between January 1 and January 19, in which case the TEM IPA is effective starting in the year Start Printed Page 60817 in which it is approved. Once approved, a TEM IPA is effective until December 31 of the first year in which it is effective or until December 31 of the year in which the TEM IPA representative notifies NMFS in writing that the TEM IPA is no longer in effect, whichever is later. A TEM IPA may not expire mid-year. No party may leave a TEM IPA once it is approved, except as allowed under paragraph (d)(3) of this section.

(d) NMFS review of a proposed TEM IPA. —(1) Approval. A TEM IPA will be approved by NMFS if the TEM IPA meets the following requirements:

(i) Complies with the submission requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section; and

(ii) Contains the information required in paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Amendments to a TEM IPA. Amendments in writing to an approved TEM IPA may be submitted to NMFS at any time and will be reviewed under the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section. An amendment to an approved TEM IPA is effective when NMFS notifies the TEM IPA representative in writing of NMFS approval.

(3) Disapproval. (i) NMFS will disapprove a proposed TEM IPA or a proposed amendment to a TEM IPA:

(A) If the proposed TEM IPA fails to meet any of the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section; or

(B) If a proposed amendment to a TEM IPA would cause the TEM IPA to no longer comply with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

(4) Initial Administrative Determination (IAD). If NMFS identifies deficiencies in the proposed TEM IPA, NMFS will notify the applicant in writing that the proposed TEM IPA will not be approved. The TEM IPA representative will be provided one 30-day period to address, in writing, all deficiencies identified by NMFS. Additional information or a revised TEM IPA received by NMFS after the expiration of the 30-day period specified by NMFS will not be considered. NMFS will evaluate any additional information submitted by the TEM IPA representative within the 30-day period. If the Regional Administrator determines that the additional information addresses the deficiencies in the proposed TEM IPA, the Regional Administrator will approve the proposed TEM IPA under paragraph (d) of this section. However, if NMFS determines that the proposed TEM IPA does not comply with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, NMFS will issue an IAD providing the reasons for disapproving the proposed TEM IPA.

(5) Appeal. A TEM IPA representative who receives an IAD disapproving a proposed TEM IPA may appeal under the procedures set forth at 15 CFR part 906 . If the TEM IPA representative fails to timely file an appeal of the IAD pursuant to 15 CFR part 906 , the IAD will become the final agency action. If the IAD is appealed and the final agency action approves the proposed TEM IPA, the TEM IPA will be effective as described in paragraph (c) of this section.

(6) Pending approval. While appeal of an IAD disapproving a proposed TEM IPA is pending, proposed parties to the TEM IPA subject to the IAD, which are not currently parties to an approved TEM IPA, are not authorized to participate in trawl EM category.

(e) Public release of a TEM IPA and performance metrics. Each fishing year NMFS will release to the public and publish on the NMFS Alaska Region website:

(1) Approvals. Approved TEM IPAs and Approval Memos;

(2) Parties. List of parties to each approved TEM IPA; and

(3) Names. Names of vessels covered by each approved TEM IPA that:

(i) On average, harvesting pollock catch in excess of 300,000 pounds (136 mt) per fishing trip in the GOA;

(ii) Harvest bycatch in quantities that exceed MRAs; and

(iii) Vessels' performance under the TEM IPA and any restrictions, penalties, or performance criteria imposed under the TEM IPA by vessel name.

(f) TEM IPA Annual Report. The representative of each approved TEM IPA must submit a written annual report to the Council at the address specified in § 679.61(f). The Council will make the annual report available to the public.

(1) Submission deadline. The TEM IPA Annual Report must be received by the Council no later than May 15 of the following fishing year.

(2) Information requirements. The TEM IPA Annual Report must contain the following information:

(i) A comprehensive description of the incentive measures in effect in the previous year;

(ii) A description of how these incentive measures affected individual vessels;

(iii) An evaluation of whether incentive measures were effective in limiting changes in vessel behavior including the effectiveness of:

(A) Measures to discourage participating vessels, on average, from harvesting pollock catch in excess of 300,000 pounds (136 mt) per fishing trip in the GOA;

(B) Measures that incentivize participating vessels to avoid exceeding MRAs established in § 679.20(e) applicable to non-EM vessels;

(C) Restrictions, penalties, or performance criteria that were imposed to prevent vessels from consistently exceeding catcher vessel harvest limit for pollock in the GOA or MRAs relative to non-EM vessels by vessel name (see §§ 679.7(b)(2) and 679.20(e));

(D) The frequency of vessels exceeding the catcher vessel harvest limit for pollock in the GOA and MRA limits relative to non-EM vessels (see §§ 679.7(b)(2) and 679.20(e)); and

(E) Identification of, and the TEM IPA's response to, vessels directed fishing in conflict with harvest specifications or directed fishing for Steller Sea Lion forage species within closed Steller Sea Lion protection areas.

(iv) A description of any amendments to the TEM IPA that were approved by NMFS since the last annual report and the reasons that the amendments to the TEM IPA were requested.

[ FR Doc. 2024-15931 Filed 7-26-24; 8:45 am]

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Introduction. One section that is often required in a dissertation is the "Definitions of Terms.". This gives your readers an understanding of the concepts or factors that will be discussed throughout your study, as well as contextual information as to how you will be using those concepts in your study. The "Definitions of Terms ...
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I would put the section in question before the first section, where the concepts you want to define are mentioned. However, note that, generally, you have two options, in my opinion.The first is to collect definitions (potentially, with brief explanations) under a separate section, which is usually called "Definitions of Terms".The second option is not to have a separate section, but to ...
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A definition of terms may not be deemed necessary for some students, especially those who prefer taking the easier route. However, incorporating a definition of terms can greatly enhance your research paper. Benefits of a Definition of Terms. This is a useful place to include technical terms in your topic or your research question.
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A valued or desired outcome associated with a research project. Anticipated benefits may express the probability that subjects and society may benefit from the research procedures. Research may benefit the individual or society as a whole. If research will not benefit individuals, it is required to provide a reasonable likelihood of resulting ...
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aims and objectives
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Federal Register :: Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska
Catcher vessels in the trawl EM category may use NMFS-approved paper or electronic logbooks and follow the logbook-related regulations at § 679.5(a). CMCP Under this final rule, catcher vessels and tender vessels in the trawl EM category may only deliver fish to a shoreside processor or stationary floating processor that has a NMFS-approved CMCP.

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