[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6453-6454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1649]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northwest 
Region Federal Fisheries Permits

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), DOC.

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.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 10, 2006.

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 Kevin A. Ford, (206) 526-6115 or e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    NOAA Fisheries seeks comment on the renewal of permit information 
collections required to: (1) Renew and transfer of Pacific Coast 
Groundfish limited entry permits; (2) implement certain provisions of 
the sablefish permit stacking program as provided for by Amendment 14 
of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; and (3) issue 
and fulfill the terms and conditions of exempted fishing permits 
(EFPs).
    NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region manages the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish Fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Washington, 
Oregon, and California under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan. The regulations implementing the Pacific Groundfish 
Fishery require that those individuals participating in the limited 
entry fishery have a valid limited entry permit. The participation in 
the fishery and access to a limited entry permit has been restricted to 
control the overall harvest capacity.
    Each year, permit owners are required to renew their permit by 
reviewing their current permit information, providing any updated 
information and certifying that the permit information is correct. 
Similarly, a permit owner is required to request a permit transfer in 
writing. Additional information may be requested from the permit owner 
to determine compliance with groundfish regulations. The regulations 
implementing the limited entry program are found at 50 CFR part 660, 
Subpart G.
    Also, NOAA Fisheries will require information collections to 
implement sablefish permit stacking program which will allow NOAA 
Fisheries to prevent excessive fleet consolidation, ensure processor 
access to sablefish, and maintain the character of the fleet through an 
owner on board provision. These information collections will include 
both one time collections and annual information collections. 
Specifically, the annual information collections will require a 
corporation or partnership that owns a sablefish endorsed permit to 
list all individuals with ownership interests in the entity; and as 
part of a permit transfer, a certification by the permit owner to 
report the remaining pounds (not yet harvested) on a sablefish permit 
at the time of transfer.
    Applicants for exempted fishing permit must submit written 
information that allows NOAA Fisheries to evaluate the exempted fishing 
activity and weigh the benefits and costs of the proposed activities. 
The information included in an application is specified at 50 CFR 
600.745(b)(2). Permit holders are required to file reports on the 
results of the experiments and in some cases individual vessels are 
required to provide minimal data reports. There is also a requirement 
of a call-in notification prior to the fishing trip. This information 
allows NOAA fisheries

[[Page 6454]]

to evaluate the techniques used and decide if management regulations 
should be approved as is, modified, or disapproved.

II. Method of Collection

    The information collections for permit renewals and transfers and 
to implement sablefish permit stacking program are made on NOAA 
Fisheries forms. Also, the renewal of limited entry permits may be 
completed and submitted using online renewal form on the NOAA 
Fisheries, Northwest Region web site. Transfer forms and forms for the 
permit stacking program are available from the region's web site but 
must be submitted by mail or in person. Applications for an exempted 
fishing permit must be submitted in a written format. The exempted 
fishing permit data reports from individual vessels may be submitted in 
person, faxed, or submitted by telephone by the vessel owner or 
operator to NOAA Fisheries or the states of Washington, Oregon, or 
California.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0203.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions, states, individuals 
or households, and business or other for-profits organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 755.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 10 hours for an exempted fishing 
permit (EFP) application; 1 hour for an EFP summary report; 10 minutes 
for an EFP data report; 2 minutes for EFP trip notification; 20 minutes 
for a limited entry permit transfer form; 20 minutes for a renewal 
form; 30 minutes for mid-season transfer of sablefish permit; 30 
minutes for at sea processing vessel exemption application; 20 minutes 
for addition of spouse as co-owner of a sablefish permit application; 
and 30 minutes for an sablefish permit ownership interest form.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 723.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $51,904.

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: February 2, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-1649 Filed 2-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P