[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 45 (Thursday, March 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8307-8308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04103]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Economic Data Reports

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 May 6, 2019.

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 Gabrielle Aberle, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries 
Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Telephone (907) 586-
7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    The Bering Sea and Aleutian Island Crab Rationalization Program (CR 
Program) is a limited access privilege program managed under the 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 
(Public Law 108-199, Sec. 801), and the Fishery Management Plan for 
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crab (FMP). The CR Program 
allocates crab among harvesters, processors, Western Alaska Community 
Development Quota groups, and coastal communities for nine crab 
fisheries. The CR Program also includes a comprehensive economic data 
collection program requiring participants to complete annual Economic 
Data Reports (EDRs). These EDRs are intended to aid the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council) and NOAA's National Marine 
Fisheries Service (NMFS) to assess the performance of the CR Program 
and to develop amendments to the FMP or regulations to mitigate any 
unintended consequences of the CR Program.
    NMFS has designated Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission 
(PSMFC) as the Data Collection Agent for the CR Program. NMFS and PSMFC 
administer the crab EDR program under the guidance of the Council. The 
crab EDR program collects annually reported cost, revenue, ownership, 
and employment data from harvest and processing sector participants in 
the CR Program fisheries. This information is necessary to monitor and 
assess the economic effects of the CR Program and support rigorous 
economic analysis to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act and the FMP.
    Participation in the crab EDR program is mandatory under Federal 
fisheries regulations at 50 CFR 680.6 for all active vessel and 
processing sector participants in the CR Program fisheries.
    This information collection contains the three EDRs used by 
participants in the CR Program: Catcher Vessel Crab EDR, Catcher/
Processor Crab EDR, and Processor Crab EDR. An EDR is required from any 
owner or leaseholder of a vessel or processing plant, or a holder of a 
registered crab receiver permit that harvested, processed, custom 
processed, or obtained custom processing for CR crab in specified BSAI 
crab fisheries during the prior calendar year. The EDRs are submitted 
annually and are due on or before July 31 of the following year. The 
information collection also includes information required to be 
submitted for audits to verify data submitted by respondents. 
Additional information on the crab EDR program is available on the 
PSFMC website at http://www.psmfc.org/alaska_crab/.

II. Method of Collection

    The EDRs may be submitted online, by mail, or by fax. PSMFC mails 
EDR announcements and filing instructions to respondents by the end of 
May each year. Respondents are encouraged to complete the forms online 
on the PSMFC website at http://www.psmfc.org/alaska_crab/. EDR forms 
also are available on the PSFMC website as a fillable PDF; these may be 
downloaded, printed, and mailed or faxed to PSMFC.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0518.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; Not-
for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 99.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20 hours each for full Catcher Vessel 
Crab EDR and full Catcher/Processor Crab EDR; 16 hours for full 
Processor Crab EDR; 2 hours each for certification-only Catcher Vessel 
Crab EDR, certification-only Catcher/Processor Crab EDR, and 
certification-only Processor Crab EDR; and 8 hours for Verification of 
Data. These estimates are based on the most recent supporting statement 
prepared for this EDR information collection in 2018. This supporting 
statement is available on NOAA's Paperwork Reduction Act web page at 
https://www.cio.noaa.gov/itmanagement/pdfs/0518Ext16.pdf.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,624 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $318,414 in recordkeeping 
and reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance

[[Page 8308]]

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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Clearance Officer, Office of Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2019-04103 Filed 3-6-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P