[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31245-31246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10432]



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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; Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program

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 July 17, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0269 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 Gabrielle Aberle, National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 21668, 
Juneau, AK 99802-1668. Telephone (907) 586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Regional 
Office, is requesting extension of a currently approved information 
collection that contains four components necessary for NMFS to manage 
the Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program (CDQ Program).
    NMFS and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the 
groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone off Alaska under 
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The 
groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands are managed 
under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands Management Area.
    The CDQ Program is an economic development program authorized under 
the Magnuson Stevens Act to provide eligible western Alaska villages 
with the opportunity to participate and invest in fisheries in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, to support economic 
development in western Alaska, to alleviate poverty and provide 
economic and social benefits for residents of western Alaska, and to 
achieve sustainable and diversified local economies in western Alaska.
    This information collection is used by NMFS to manage the small 
vessel CDQ fisheries, transfer quota among the CDQ groups, and 
authorize the use of alternative harvest regulations under certain 
circumstances.
    This information collection contains the following four components:
     The CDQ Vessel Registration System is an online system 
used by the CDQ groups to add small hook-and-line catcher vessels to 
the CDQ vessel registration list. Registered vessels are exempt from 
the requirements to obtain and carry a License Limitation Program 
license under regulations at 50 part 679. This system is also used to 
remove vessels from the CDQ vessel registration list.
     The Groundfish/Halibut CDQ and Prohibited Species Quota 
(PSQ) Transfer Request form is used to transfer annual amounts of 
groundfish and halibut CDQ and PSQ, except Bering Sea Chinook salmon, 
between two CDQ groups. This form is completed by the transferring and 
receiving CDQ groups.
     The Application for Approval of Use of Non-CDQ Harvest 
Regulations is used by a CDQ group, an association representing CDQ 
groups, or a voluntary fishing cooperative to request approval to use 
non CDQ harvest regulations when the CDQ regulations are more 
restrictive than the regulations otherwise required for participants in 
non-CDQ groundfish fisheries.
     An appeals process is provided for an applicant who 
receives an adverse initial administrative determination related to its 
Application for Approval of Use of Non-CDQ Harvest Regulations.

II. Method of Collection

    The information is collected by mail, fax, delivery, email, and 
electronically through eFISH. The applications are available as 
fillable PDFs on the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-community-development-quota-cdq-program-applications-and-forms.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0269.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; Business or other 
for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6.
    Estimated Time per Response: CDQ Vessel Registration System, 10 
minutes; Groundfish/Halibut CDQ and PSQ Transfer Request, 30 minutes; 
Application for Approval of Use of Non-CDQ Harvest Regulations, 5 
hours; Appeals, 4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 36 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping and 
reporting costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
    Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.

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

[[Page 31246]]

cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-10432 Filed 5-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P