[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 159 (Friday, August 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 47882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18892]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Fishery Capacity Reduction Program Request.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0376.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular submission.
    Burden Hours: 27,928.
    Number of Respondents: 1,200.
    Average Hours Per Response: Implementation plans, 6,634 hours; 
advance and post referenda and bids, 4 hours; monthly buyer or seller 
reports, 2 hours; annual buyer or seller reports, 4 hours; buyer/seller 
reports, 2 hours; and information provided to resolve conflicts in 
ownership claims, 1 hour.
    Needs and Uses: The Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) amended the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to 
provide for voluntary reduction of excess fishing capacity through 
fishing capacity reduction (buyback) programs. Excess fishing capacity 
decreases fisheries earnings, complicates fishery management, and 
imperils fishery conservation. Congress acknowledged this by providing 
program authority. This extension request for information collection 
approval involves standard information required to be included in any 
program request for any fishery.
    The statutory objective of a program is ``to obtain the maximum 
sustained reduction in fishing capacity at the least cost and in a 
minimum period of time.'' Buybacks pay fishermen either to (1) 
surrender their fishing permits or (2) both surrender their permits and 
either scrap their fishing vessels or restrict vessel title to prevent 
fishing. The buybacks can involve either a Federal or State fishery. 
Buybacks can be funded via a long-term loan from the Federal government 
to the fishery (called industry-funded buybacks), to be repaid by the 
industry by post-buyback landing fees, or funded from appropriations 
(non-industry funded) or other non-loan sources of funds. Programs 
involving industry financed loans are authorized by section 1111 of 
title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936.
    Buybacks can involve as many as seven types of information 
collection requirements on the public. These are:
    (1) Program requests (including development of a harvester 
proponents' implementation plan),
    (2) Invitations to bid,
    (3) Referendum material for review and vote,
    (4) Buyer reporting and recordkeeping,
    (5) Seller reports (if buyers do not collect the fee),
    (6) State actions for fisheries subject to State authority, and
    (7) Advisement of conflicts in ownership claims.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Frequency: Monthly, annually, and one-time only.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, (202) 395-3897.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, FAX number (202) 395-7285, or 
[email protected].

    Dated: August 12, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-18892 Filed 8-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P