[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 154 (Friday, August 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54574-54575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17279]


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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 Pacific Halibut Fisheries: Subsistence

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 October 10, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0512 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 907-586-7356.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Regional 
Office, is requesting extension of a currently approved information 
collection for the Alaska Subsistence Halibut Program.
    The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) promulgates 
regulations governing the North Pacific halibut fishery under the 
Convention between the United States and Canada for the Preservation of 
the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea 
(Convention). The IPHC's regulations are subject to approval by the 
Secretary of State with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce. 
The Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act; 16 U.S.C. 
773c(a)-(b)), provides the Secretary of Commerce with general 
responsibility for carrying out the Convention and the Halibut Act, 
including the authority to adopt regulations necessary to carry out the 
purposes and objectives of the Convention. The Halibut Act, 16 U.S.C. 
773c(c), also provides the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) with authority to develop regulations, including limited 
access regulations, that are in addition to, and not in conflict with, 
IPHC regulations.
    Regulations the Council recommends may be implemented by NMFS only 
after approval by the Secretary of Commerce. The Council has exercised 
this authority in the development of subsistence halibut fishery 
management measures. NMFS has responsibility for managing the 
subsistence halibut fishery according to regulations approved by the 
Secretary. Regulations governing the subsistence halibut fishery are at 
50 CFR 300.2, 300.4, and subpart E, and in the annual management 
measures published in the Federal Register pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
    This information collection is necessary for NMFS to manage the 
Alaska Subsistence Halibut Program. Subsistence halibut means halibut 
caught by a rural resident or a member of an Alaska Native tribe for 
direct personal or family consumption as food, sharing for personal or 
family consumption as food, or customary trade. The Alaska Subsistence 
Halibut Program is intended to allow eligible persons to practice the 
long-term customary and traditional harvest of Pacific halibut for food 
in a non-commercial manner. This program provides NMFS the opportunity 
to enhance estimates of subsistence removals for stock assessment 
purposes.

[[Page 54575]]

    Before fishing under subsistence halibut regulations, a Subsistence 
Halibut Registration Certificate (SHARC) must be obtained. This 
information collection contains the forms used by participants in the 
subsistence halibut fishery to apply for SHARCs, apply for special use 
permits, and submit harvest information for special use permits. This 
information collection contains two collections for which no forms are 
used: the appeals process for denied permits and marking subsistence 
setline fishing gear.
    Information collected by the permit applications includes applicant 
information and depending on the permit type may include information on 
the educational program or a description of the cultural or ceremonial 
occasion the permit will be used for. NMFS uses this information to 
determine the eligibility of applicants to receive or renew permits.
    The permit coordinators submit the harvest logs for Community 
Harvest Permits, Ceremonial Permits, and Educational Permits. Harvest 
logs collect identification information and harvest information for the 
subsistence fishermen fishing under that permit.
    An appeals process is provided for an applicant who receives an 
adverse initial administrative determination related to their permit 
application.
    Subsistence setline gear buoys must be marked with identification 
information that consists of the participant's name and address and an 
``S'' to indicate subsistence halibut gear. This information is used by 
NMFS to link fishing gear to the vessel owner or operator and 
facilitate enforcement of regulations.

II. Method of Collection

    The information is collected primarily by mail, fax, and delivery. 
SHARC renewals may be submitted online through eFISH on the NMFS Alaska 
Region website. The applications and harvest logs are available as 
fillable pdfs on the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-subsistence-halibut-fishery-applications-and-reporting-forms. The fishing gear identification 
information is painted on marker buoys and is not submitted to NMFS.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number:0648-0512.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; State, local, or Tribal 
government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,293.
    Estimated Time per Response: Application for SHARC Rural Resident: 
10 minutes; Application for SHARC Alaska Native Tribal Member: 10 
minutes; Application for SHARC Alaska Native Tribe: 30 minutes; 
Subsistence Halibut Special Permits Application: 30 minutes; Harvest 
logs: 30 minutes; Ceremonial or Educational Permit Log: 2 hours; Appeal 
for permit denial: 4 hours; Gear marking: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,340 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $59,660 in recordkeeping and 
reporting costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
    Legal Authority: Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (16 U.S.C. 
773c).

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 Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-17279 Filed 8-10-23; 8:45 am]
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