[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2646-2647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00552]


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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; Alaska Chinook Salmon Economic Data Reports (EDR)

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 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 March 15, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0633 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 Scott Miller, 907-586-7416, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Regional 
Office, is requesting renewal of the currently approved information 
collection for the Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report Program.
    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 (midwater) 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 Chinook Salmon EDR Program provides 
information to the analysts and the Council and is intended to evaluate 
the effectiveness of the Chinook Salmon Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) 
(see OMB Control No. 0648-0401). The Chinook Salmon EDR Program is 
intended to evaluate where, when, and how pollock fishing and salmon 
bycatch occur and to provide data to study and verify conclusions drawn 
by industry in the IPA annual reports.
    The Chinook Salmon EDR Program is managed primarily by the Alaska 
Fisheries Science Center, with support from NMFS Alaska Region, and is 
administered in collaboration with Pacific States Marine Fisheries 
Commission (Pacific States). The EDR is a mandatory reporting 
requirement under 50 CFR 679.65 for all entities participating in the 
AFA BSAI pollock trawl fishery, including vessel masters and businesses 
that own or lease one or more AFA[hyphen]permitted vessels active in 
fishing or processing BSAI pollock, Western Alaska Community 
Development Quota (CDQ) groups receiving allocations of BSAI pollock, 
and representatives of sector entities receiving allocations of Chinook 
salmon PSC from NMFS.
    The Chinook Salmon EDR Program consists of three separate forms:
     Chinook PSC Allocation In-season Compensated Transfer 
Report--Collects transfer and monetary compensation information for 
Chinook salmon PSC allocations.
     Vessel Fuel Survey--Collects fuel consumption and average 
fuel costs.
     Vessel Master Survey--Collects vessel master impressions 
of fishing experiences during the year and of Chinook salmon PSC 
avoidance efforts.
    The Chinook Salmon EDR Program also includes a means for NMFS to 
verify the data submitted in the Compensated Transfer Report. These 
collections are unchanged since the previous renewal in 2018.

II. Method of Collection

    The Compensated Transfer Report, Vessel Fuel Survey, and Vessel 
Master Survey are completed and submitted using the economic data 
reporting web application on the Pacific States Marine Fisheries 
Commission website at https://www.psmfc.org//chinookedr/. In 2019, NMFS 
discontinued automated auditing of EDR Program reporting. Audits will 
now only be conducted in cases of suspected gross noncompliance. Future 
audits will be conducted by a designated auditor and an audit report 
will be provided to NMFS electronically.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0633.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 117.
    Estimated Time per Response: Compensated Transfer Report: 40 hours; 
Vessel Fuel Survey: 4 hours; Vessel Master Survey: 4 hours; CTR 
Verification Audit: 4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 728 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: American Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 1851); Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et 
seq.).

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a)

[[Page 2647]]

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. 2021-00552 Filed 1-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P