[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 234 (Friday, December 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78311-78312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26688]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; West Coast Groundfish Trawl Economic Data

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

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on

[[Page 78312]]

proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess 
the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the 
public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 
60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to 
OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before February 2, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0618 in the subject line of your 
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise 
sensitive or protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Erin Steiner, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake 
Blvd. E, Seattle, WA 98103, (206) 860-3202 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a renewal of a currently approved information 
collection.
    This information collection is needed in order to meet the 
monitoring requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA). An 
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for the West Coast groundfish 
trawl fishery was implemented in January 2011 by the Pacific Fisheries 
Management Council. This mandatory data collection program will 
continue to collect economic cost earnings data from all harvesters and 
processors participating in the West Coast groundfish trawl fishery.
    Data will be collected from all catcher vessels registered to a 
limited entry trawl endorsed permit, quota share permit owners, catcher 
processors registered to catcher processor permits, and motherships 
registered to mothership permits, first receivers, and shore-based 
processors that received round or head-and-gutted IFQ groundfish or 
whiting from a first receiver to provide the necessary information for 
analyzing the effects of the West Coast Groundfish Trawl Catch Share 
Program. As stated in 50 CFR 660.114, the Economic Data Collection 
(EDC) forms due on September 1, 2020, will provide data for the 2019 
operating year. Northwest Fishery Science Center (NWFSC) economists 
will use these data to examine how the implementation of catch share 
management affects fleet structure, production costs, employment, 
generation and distribution of economic rent, and regional economic 
impacts. Analysis based on this data will not only be used for 
providing information to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council on 
changes to the catch share program, but also to meet monitoring 
requirements for catch share programs in the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

II. Method of Collection

    Vessel, first receiver and shore-based processor forms may be 
submitted via mail or electronically. All quota share owner survey 
forms must be submitted online as part of the quota share permit 
renewal system.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0618.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit 
organization.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 349.
    Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours for catcher processors, 
catcher vessels, and motherships, 1 hour for quota share permit owners, 
and 20 hours for first receivers and shore-based processors.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,975.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: 50 CFR 660.114.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-26688 Filed 12-3-20; 8:45 am]
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