[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40341-40342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16717]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC084


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Notice of 
Public Workshop for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Economic Data 
Reports

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: NMFS and the Alaska Fishery Science Center (AFSC) will hold a 
public workshop in Seattle, WA, to review draft revisions to the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Economic Data Reports (EDR) 
currently required from catcher vessels, catcher/processors, shoreside 
processors, and stationary floating crab processors participating in 
the BSAI Crab Rationalization Program.

DATES: The workshop will be held on Friday, July 20, 2012, from 9 a.m. 
to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

[[Page 40342]]


ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held in the Nordby Conference Room, 
Fisherman's Terminal, 3919 18th Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119-1679.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Brian Garber-Yonts, AFSC, (206) 
526-6301 or Karen Palmigiano, NMFS Alaska Region, at 907-586-7240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The workshop is being held to review 
preliminary draft EDR forms for catcher vessels, catcher/processors, 
shoreside crab processors, and stationary floating crab processors 
participating in the Crab Rationalization Program fisheries, as well as 
Registered Crab Receivers that participate in the fisheries as non-
processing crab buyers. The preliminary draft EDR forms are intended to 
implement changes to the crab EDR requirements recommended by the North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) on February 4, 2012.
    The Council's preferred alternative for crab EDR revisions 
eliminates redundant data reporting by removing requirements to report 
data that is collected through other sources. It also eliminates data 
inaccuracies in order to reduce the cost of collecting the data, and 
clarifies EDR form instructions to reduce the burden on those required 
to complete the forms. More information on the Council recommendation 
and a description of the preferred alternative, Modified Alternative 3, 
can be accessed at the link below.
    The workshop is intended to gather input from participants on the 
preliminary draft EDR forms. Feedback received during the workshop will 
also be used by NMFS to develop the proposed rule to implement the 
Council's preferred alternative. Other topics to be addressed at the 
workshop include general planning for administration of the EDR process 
by NMFS' Data Collection Agent (Pacific States Marine Fisheries 
Commission [PSMFC]), future potential for online reporting, and the 
development of the draft proposed rule implementing the Council's 
preferred alternative to revise the EDR requirements.
    Documents describing the draft revised EDR reporting instructions 
and forms for catcher vessels, catcher/processors, shoreside crab 
processors, and stationary floating crab processors can be downloaded 
at http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/crab/rat/edr/. The Council motion and description of the preferred alternative 
to revise crab EDR requirements, can be downloaded at http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/PDFdocuments/catch_shares/Crab/CrabEDR_Motion212.pdf, and the Public Review Draft Regulatory Impact 
Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Modification of 
Economic Data Reports can be downloaded at http://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/PDFdocuments/catch_shares/Crab/CrabEDR212.pdf.

Special Accommodations

    These workshops are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for special accommodations should be directed to 
Brian Garber-Yonts (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 5 
working days before the workshop date.

    Dated: July 2, 2012.
Emily Menashes,
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-16717 Filed 7-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P