[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 6417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3084]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020303G]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; American 
Fisheries Act, Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements.

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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 8, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Patsy A. Bearden at 907-586-7228, or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The American Fisheries Act (AFA) established an allocation program 
for the pollock fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Management Area (BSAI) which imposed major structural changes on the 
BSAI pollock fishery. The AFA provides the BSAI pollock fleet the 
opportunity to conduct their fishery in a more rational manner, while 
protecting non-AFA participants in the other fisheries. The AFA also 
affected the management of other groundfish, crab, and scallop 
fisheries off Alaska.
    Much of the monitoring and enforcement burden is placed on 
participating AFA cooperatives and their members, which allows NOAA to 
manage the pollock fishery more precisely. Monitoring their own catch, 
vessels are able to individually (and in aggregate) come very close to 
harvesting exactly the amount of pollock they were allocated. NOAA 
requires certain reports and information to allow it to manage the 
fishery and monitor the program.

II. Method of Collection

    Shoreside processor logbooks are submitted electronically. Other 
reports may be e-mailed, FAXed or submitted in paper form.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0401.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations, 
individuals or households, and not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 26.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 20 hours for a cooperative preliminary 
report; 8 hours for a cooperative final report; 30 minutes for a non-
member vessel contract fishing application; 35 minutes for a shoreside 
processor electronic logbook (SPELR); 5 minutes for a cooperative 
pollock catch report; and 5 minutes for a designation of agent for 
service of process.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,024.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $636.

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 31, 2003.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-3084 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S