2014-06318. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Arbitration

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before May 23, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Patsy A. Bearden, [phone] or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This request is for extension of a currently approved collection.

The Crab Rationalization Program allocates Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab resources among harvesters, processors, and coastal communities through a limited access system that balances the interests of these groups who depend on these fisheries. Program components include quota share allocation, processor quota share allocation, individual fishing quota and individual processing quota issuance, quota transfers, use caps, crab harvesting cooperatives, protections for Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries, arbitration system, monitoring, economic data collection, and cost recovery fee collection.

The Crab Rationalization Program Arbitration System is established by the contracts required pursuant to 50CF 680.20, including the process by which the Market Report and Non-Binding Price Formula are produced, as well as the negotiation approaches, the Binding Arbitration process, and fee collection.

II. Method of Collection

Responses are mailed, except that the Non-binding Price Formula Report may be submitted electronically.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0516.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved collection).

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; individuals or households.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 49.

Estimated Time per Response: Combined Annual Arbitration Organization Notification and Report, 5 hours; Contract Arbitrator Report, 4 hours; Combined Shared Arbitration Accounting Report, 20 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 78.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $435,545 in recordkeeping/reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Dated: March 19, 2014.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.