[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 18534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08937]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


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.
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Alaska Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0633.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 117.
    Average Hours per Response: 40 hours for Compensated Transfer 
Report; 4 hours each for Vessel Fuel Survey, Vessel Master Survey; and 
Chinook EDR Verification/Audit.
    Burden Hours: 728.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) manages the Bering Sea 
pollock fishery under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) (16 U.S.C. 
1851). AFA fishing vessels harvest pollock in the Bering Sea pollock 
fishery using pelagic (mid-water) trawl gear, which consists of large 
nets towed through the water by the vessel. At times, Chinook salmon 
and pollock occur in the same locations in the Bering Sea; 
consequently, Chinook salmon are incidentally caught in the nets as 
pollock is harvested. This incidental catch is called bycatch and is 
also called prohibited species catch (PSC).
    The Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report (Chinook Salmon EDR) 
Program provides NMFS and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) with data to evaluate the effectiveness of Chinook salmon 
bycatch management measures for the Bering Sea pollock fishery that 
were implemented under Amendment 91 to the Fishery Management Plan for 
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (75 
FR 53026, August 30, 2010). The EDR consists of three data collections 
that are submitted annually by owners and operators of catcher vessels, 
catcher/processors, motherships, and the Western Alaska Community 
Development Quota Program groups qualified to participate in the Bering 
Sea pollock fishery (50 CFR 679.65). The Chinook Salmon EDR Program 
also includes a means for NMFS to verify the data submitted in these 
three collections.
    NMFS and the Council use the information to determine the 
effectiveness of the Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA), the IPA 
incentives, the PSC limits, and the performance standard in terms of 
minimizing salmon bycatch in times of high and low levels of salmon 
abundance. NMFS and the Council also use the data to evaluate how 
Amendment 91 affects where, when, and how pollock fishing and salmon 
bycatch occur and to study and verify conclusions drawn by industry in 
the IPA annual reports.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: April 24, 2018.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-08937 Filed 4-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P