[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76615-76616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29922]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska 
Interagency Electronic Reporting System

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

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 February 17, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 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, (907) 586-7008 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Interagency Electronic Reporting System (IERS) and its data 
entry component, eLandings, was implemented for use in the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Rationalization Program (CR) crab 
fisheries, commercial harvest and production of groundfish (including 
rockfish), and Pacific halibut. Once implementation is complete, 
eLandings will allow processors and others to make all three species' 
landings reports with a single reporting system to NMFS, the 
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), and Alaska Department 
of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
    Using eLandings removes reporting duplications, and will make 
recordkeeping and reporting simpler. Additional benefits of the 
eLandings system include:
     Immediate verification of permits and vessel 
identification;
     Timely catch reports for management agency use;
     Options for processors to import or export catch and 
production information; and
     Significant reduction in data entry by management agencies 
and processors.

II. Method of Collection

    Methods of submittal include e-mail of electronic forms, and mail 
and facsimile transmission of paper forms. Clients with no Web access, 
such as the at-sea fleet, will use eLandings client desktop software 
and submit landing reports as e-mail attachments. The vessels use 
satellite communications which may or may not include telephone, 
Internet, text messaging, e-mail, and e-mail attachment capabilities.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0515.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
     Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,277.

[[Page 76616]]

     Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes for IERS processor 
registration; 35 minutes for eLandings landing report; 35 minutes for 
backup manual eLandings report; and 15 minutes for catcher/processor or 
mothership production report.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 57,762.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $14,931 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

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: December 12, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-29922 Filed 12-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P