[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2196-2197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1143]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011102G]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic 
Performance Data for the West Coast (California-Alaska) Commercial 
Fisheries

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506 
(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 18, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, 
Departmental

[[Page 2197]]

Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6086, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 20230 (or via Internet at 
[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Dave Colpo, Pacific States Marine Fisheries 
Commission, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115, phone 206-526-
4251, [email protected]; Steve Freese, Alaska Fisheries Science 
Center, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115, phone 206-526-
6113, [email protected]; or Joe Terry, Alaska Fisheries Science 
Center, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115, phone 206-526-
4253, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Economic performance data for selected West Coast (California-
Alaska) commercial fisheries will be collected for each of the 
following groups of operations: (1) processors, including on-shore 
plants, mothership vessels and at-sea catcher/processor vessels; (2) 
catcher vessels; and (3) charter vessels. Companies associated with 
these groups will be surveyed for expenditure, earnings and employment 
data. In general, questions will be asked concerning ex-vessel and 
wholesale prices and revenue, variable and fixed costs, expenditures, 
dependence on the fisheries, and fishery employment. The data 
collection efforts will be coordinated to reduce the additional burden 
for those who participate in multiple fisheries. Each year the 
principal focus of this data collection program will be on a different 
set of fisheries or on a different set of participants in these 
fisheries. The data will be used for the following three purposes: (1) 
to monitor the economic performance of these fisheries and various 
components of these fisheries through primary processing; (2) to 
analyze the economic performance effects of current management 
measures; and (3) to analyze the economic performance effects of 
alternative management measures. The measures of economic performance 
to be supported by this data collection program include the following: 
(1) contribution to net National benefit; (2) contribution to income of 
groups of participants in the fisheries (i.e., fishermen, vessel 
owners, processing plant employees, and processing plant owners) (3) 
employment; (4) regional economic impacts (income and employment); and 
(5) factor utilization rates. As required by law, the confidentiality 
of the data will be protected.
    In each year, the data collection effort will focus on different 
components of the West Coast fisheries and more limited data will be 
collected for the previously surveyed components of these fisheries. 
The latter will be done to update the models that will be used to track 
economic performance and to evaluate the economic effects of 
alternative management actions. This cycle of data collection will 
result in economic performance data being available and updated for all 
the components of the West Coast fisheries identified above.
    The large scale of most of the processing operations involved in 
these fisheries and of many of the harvesting operations and the 
concentration of ownership in many of these fisheries, particularly off 
Alaska, means that improved economic data for the management of these 
fisheries is a high priority for the individuals who will provide data 
for these fisheries. This is demonstrated by the fact that associations 
representing many of the Alaskan participants in these fisheries 
support this data collection effort and have volunteered to assist in 
verifying the data.

II. Method of Collection

    Data will be collected from a sample of the owners and operators of 
catcher vessels, catcher/processors, on-shore processing plants, 
motherships and charter vessels that participate in these fisheries. 
The data are expected to be collected principally by NMFS and Pacific 
States Marine Fisheries Commission economists. Questionnaires will be 
mailed to the selected members of each of the different survey groups 
and in many cases those individuals will be interviewed to ensure the 
clarity of their responses. To the extent practicable, the data 
collected will consist of data that the respondents maintain for their 
own business purposes. Therefore, the collection burden will consist 
principally of transcribing data from their internal records to the 
survey instrument and participating in personal interviews. In 
addition, current data reporting requirements will be evaluated to 
determine if they can be modified to provide improved economic data at 
a lower cost to respondents and the Agency. Similarly, it will be 
determined if some of these data can be collected more effectively and 
efficiently from the firms that provide bookkeeping and accounting 
services to participants in West Cost commercial marine fisheries. This 
data collection method would be used only after obtaining permission to 
do so from participants in the fisheries.
    The surveys described in this Federal Register Notice will be 
voluntary. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is considering 
the development of additional mandatory reporting requirements for 
economic data. If such requirements are implemented, the data collected 
with voluntary surveys in Alaska would be decreased.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0369.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business and other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,278.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2 hours for a response from a catcher 
vessel; 1 hour for a response from a charter boat operator; and 8 hours 
for a response from a processor.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,074.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 10, 2002.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-1143 Filed 1-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S