[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 121 (Tuesday, June 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37465-37466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15949]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061803H]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic Data 
for U.S. 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 25, 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 Rita Curtis, Department of Commerce, NOAA, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East West Highway, 12752, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301-713-2328).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Economic data for selected U.S. commercial fisheries will be 
collected for each of the following groups of operations: (1) 
processors, including onshore 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; and for basic demographic 
data on fishing and processing crews.
    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. Participation in these 
data collections will be voluntary.
    The data will be used for the following three purposes: (1) to 
monitor the economic performance 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 utilizations rates. As required by law, the 
confidentiality of the data will be protected.
    A two-prong approach to data collection will be adopted. In the 
majority of fisheries, data collections will focus each year on a 
different component of the U.S. commercial fisheries, with only limited 
data collected in 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 U.S. commercial fisheries identified above.
    In a limited number of fisheries, the approach adopted will result 
in an ongoing economic data collection program. Economic data 
collection programs will only be initiated in a) high-profile fisheries 
with significant seasonal variation; and b) fisheries with an existing 
data collection program to which economic questions can be appended. 
Examples of the latter include appending trip-specific economic 
questions to observer and logbook programs survey vehicles. The number 
of questions asked under an economic data collection program will be 
far more limited than those asked in a one-time survey, which have 
estimated average response times of approximately 10 minutes and two 
hours, respectively.
    Contingent upon OMB approval of this proposed data collection, 
voluntary surveys currently being conducted under ``Economic 
Performance Data for the West Coast (California-Alaska) Commercial 
Fisheries'' (OMB Number 0648-0369) will be covered under this national 
umbrella.

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. 
In the majority of fisheries, data collection will involve mailing 
questionnaires to the selected members of each of the different survey 
groups. In many cases, individuals may receive the questionnaire in 
advance to allow them to prepare their response but may be interviewed 
to ensure the clarity of their responses. In those fisheries in which 
economic questions are appended to an existing program, respondents 
will be requested to return the completed form along with their regular 
submission, as appropriate. 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 the Agency and with reduced burden on potential 
respondents. 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 potential respondents. 
This data collection method would be used only after obtaining 
permission to do so from participants in the fisheries.

[[Page 37466]]

III. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,400.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1-2 hours for a response from a 
catcher vessel (burden estimation calculated using 1.5 hours per 
response); 1 hour for a response from a charter vessel; 8 hours for a 
response from a West Coast or Alaska processor, including factory 
trawlers, motherships and on-shore primary plants processor; 1-2 hours 
for a response from an East Coast or Gulf processor (burden estimation 
calculated using 1.5 hours per response); 10 minutes per response to a 
single trip form; and 20 minutes per response for an annual expenditure 
form.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,850.
    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: June 17, 2003.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-15949 Filed 6-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S