[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48470-48471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17072]



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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; Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Program Permit 
and License Information Collection

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 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 October 11, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA 
Officer, at [email protected]. Please reference OMB Control 
Number 0648-0620 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 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Jahnava Duryea, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
California Central Valley Office, 650 Capital Mall, Suite 5-100, 
Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 930-3725 or via email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requests comments on 
the extension of a currently approved information collection for the 
West Coast Region's Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization 
Program.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 
U.S.C. 1801 et seq., provides that the Secretary of Commerce is 
responsible for the conservation and management of marine fisheries 
resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone (3-200 miles offshore) of the 
United States. NMFS West Coast Region manages the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish Fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast 
of Washington, Oregon, and California under the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
    In January 2011, NMFS implemented a trawl rationalization program, 
which is a catch share program, for the Pacific Coast Groundfish 
Limited Entry Trawl Fishery. The program was implemented through 
Amendments 20 and 21 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP and the 
corresponding implementing regulations at 50 CFR part 660. Amendment 20 
established the trawl rationalization program that consists of an 
individual fishing quota (IFQ) program for the shorebased trawl fleet 
(including whiting and non-whiting sectors) and cooperative programs 
for the at-sea mothership and catcher/processor trawl fleets (whiting 
only). Amendment 21 set long-term allocations for the limited entry 
trawl sectors of certain groundfish species.
    Under the trawl rationalization program, new permits, accounts, 
endorsements and licenses were established. These consist of: quota 
share (QS) permits/accounts, vessel accounts, first receiver site 
licenses, mothership endorsements on certain limited entry trawl 
permits, mothership catcher vessel endorsements on certain limited 
entry trawl permits, catcher/processor endorsements on certain limited 
entry trawl permits, a mothership cooperative permit, and a catcher/
processor cooperative permit. NMFS collects information from program 
participants in order to: (1) establish new permits, accounts, and 
licenses; (2) renew permits, accounts, and licenses; (3) allow trading 
of QS percentages and quota pounds (QP) in online QS and vessel 
accounts, and allow transfer of catch history assignments between 
limited entry trawl permits; (4) track compliance with program control 
limits; and (5) implement other features of the regulations pertaining 
to permits and licenses.
    As part of its fishery management responsibilities, NMFS requires 
this information to determine whether a respondent complies with 
regulations that pertain to issuance and renewal of permits, and 
transfer and use of quota. Identification of the participants of the 
trawl rationalization program, their gear types, descriptions of their 
vessels, and activity levels are needed to control and determine the 
extent of fishing and to track inseason quota use. Collection of this 
information also allows NMFS to equitably manage annual shorebased 
trawl allocations for the fishery and enforce control limits such that 
no person may own or control, or have a controlling influence over, 
quota for any individual species that exceeds the Shorebased IFQ 
Program accumulation limits.
    There is a concurrent proposed rule (0648-BL41) that is seeking to 
revise certain parts of the collection.

II. Method of Collection

    Information is primarily collected by paper format (USPS) mail and 
electronically (internet). In some situations, email or phone 
conversations supplement the information.
    The following information is collected by mail: QS permit 
application forms; late QS permit renewals; vessel account registration 
requests; late vessel account renewals; trawl identification of 
ownership interest forms for new applicants, mothership catcher vessel 
endorsed limited entry permit owners, and mothership permit owners; 
mothership permit change of vessel registration, permit owner, or 
vessel owner application forms; mothership cooperative permit 
application forms; change of mothership catcher vessel endorsement and 
catch history assignment registration forms; mutual agreement exception 
forms; mothership withdrawal forms; catcher/processor cooperative 
permit application forms; material change forms; and QS abandonment 
requests.
    The following information is collected electronically: QS permit 
renewals; QS percent transfers; QP transfers from a QS account to a 
vessel account; vessel account renewals; QP transfers from a vessel 
account to another vessel account; trawl identification of ownership 
interest forms for online QS and vessel account renewals; first 
receiver site license application forms (new applicants and re-
registrations); and mothership permit renewal forms.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0620.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; non-
profit institutions; State, local, or tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 359.
    Estimated Time per Response: QS permit/account application form--20 
minutes; QS permit/account online renewal--10 minutes; QS permit/

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account late renewal form--15 minutes; QS transfer--10 minutes; QP 
transfer from QS account to vessel account--5 minutes; vessel account 
registration request--15 minutes; vessel account online renewal--10 
minutes; vessel account late renewal form--15 minutes; QP transfer from 
vessel account to another vessel account--5 minutes; trawl 
identification of ownership interest form for new entrants--45 minutes; 
trawl identification of ownership interest form for renewals--3.2 
minutes; first receiver site license application form for new 
entrants--200 minutes; first receiver site license application form for 
re-registering license holders--100 minutes; mothership permit renewal 
form--10 minutes; mothership permit change of vessel registration, 
permit owner, or vessel owner application form--35 minutes; mothership 
cooperative permit application form--230 minutes; change of mothership 
catcher vessel endorsement and catch history assignment registration 
form--35 minutes; catcher/processor cooperative permit application 
form--110 minutes; QS abandonment request--10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 663.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $12,640.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.

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. 2022-17072 Filed 8-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P