[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58810-58811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20410]


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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).

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 December 17, 
2007.

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 Ford, (206) 526-6115 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northwest Region 
manages the

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U.S. groundfish fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off 
Washington, Oregon and California under the Pacific Coast Fishery 
Management Plan. In its consideration of a groundfish trawl 
rationalization program, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) 
has requested that NMFS collect detailed information for owners of 
trawl endorsed limited entry permits in order to develop an appropriate 
policy. The recent reauthorization of the Mangnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (MSA) placed a deadline on the PFMC to 
complete its consideration of the trawl rationalization program. 
Further, the MSA (Section 303A(5)(B)(ii)) requires that the Secretary 
of Commerce consider procedures to address concerns over excessive 
geographic and/or other consolidation in harvesting and processing 
sectors of the fishery. NMFS would request that all trawl endorsed 
permit owners who are business entities to provide the names of 
individuals who have an ownership interest in the entity and the 
percentage of interest held in the entity by such individuals. This 
information would be requested annually on a voluntary basis.
    In addition, NMFS would revise its existing sablefish ownership 
interest form to request that all business entities who own or hold a 
sablefish permit to provide the percentage of ownership interest each 
individual has in the business entity. This information about the 
percentage of ownership interest by an individual would be requested on 
a voluntary basis.

II. Method of Collection

    Paper applications would be provided to potential respondents and 
the methods of submission would include fax or mail.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0203.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; and business or other 
for-profits organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 90.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes to prepare and mail 
response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 45 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $64,677.

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: October 11, 2007.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-20410 Filed 10-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P