[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26412-26413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10546]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Halibut 
Catch Sharing Plan Survey

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 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 July 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 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 Dr. Dan Lew, (530) 752-1746 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for a new information collection.
    Numerous management measures have recently been proposed or 
implemented that affect recreational charter boat fishing for Pacific 
halibut off Alaska, including the adoption of a Halibut Catch Sharing 
Plan (78 FR 75843, December 12, 2013) in International Pacific Halibut 
Commission Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A that alters the way Pacific 
halibut is allocated between the guided sport (i.e., the charter 
sector) and the commercial halibut fishery. The Catch Sharing Plan 
(CSP) formalizes the annual process of allocating catch between the

[[Page 26413]]

commercial sector and charter sector and for determining harvest 
restrictions in the charter sector (78 FR 75843, December 12, 2013). In 
addition, the CSP allows leasing of commercial halibut individual 
fishing quota (IFQ) by eligible charter businesses holding a charter 
halibut permit (CHP). The IFQ pounds are leased in terms of number of 
fish, called guided angler fish (GAF), which are determined based on a 
conversion rate published by the National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS). Leased GAF can be used by charter businesses to relax harvest 
restrictions for their angler clients, since the fish caught under the 
leased GAF would not be subject to the charter sector-specific size and 
bag limits that may be imposed--though the non-charter sector size and 
bag limit restrictions (currently two fish of any size per day) would 
still apply to charter anglers who are not using GAF.
    To help inform potential future policy discussions about the CSP, 
NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center plans to conduct a survey that 
will collect information on general attitudes toward the CSP and the 
GAF leasing program from Area 2C and Area 3A charter boat businesses 
(CHP holders), and ask them to indicate their preferences for 
hypothetically relaxing specific features of the GAF leasing program 
that are employed in similar types of programs in both fisheries and 
non-fisheries contexts. This information could provide valuable 
information to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in its 
evaluation of the current features of the CSP and provide information 
that may help it evaluate adjustments to the CSP. The survey will also 
provide a broad gauge of attitudes toward the program and its impacts 
on the charter sector and anglers.

II. Method of Collection

    The method of data collection will be a survey of CHP permit 
holders implemented through a mail questionnaire.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 700.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 350.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 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: May 2, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-10546 Filed 5-7-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P