E8-14935. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Aleutian Islands Pollock Fishery Requirements

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 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 September 2, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 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

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public Law (Pub. L.) 108-199) was signed into law on January 23, 2004. Section 803 of this law allocates the Aleutian Islands (AI) directed pollock fishery to the Aleut Corporation for economic development of Adak, Alaska. The statute permits the Aleut Corporation to authorize one or more agents for activities necessary for conducting the AI directed pollock fishery. Management provisions for the AI directed pollock fishery include: Restrictions on the harvest specifications for the AI directed pollock fishery; provisions for fishery monitoring; reporting requirements; and an AI Chinook salmon prohibited species catch limit that, when reached, would close the existing Chinook salmon savings areas in the AI.

II. Method of Collection

Participants are identified and approved through a letter from the Aleut Corporation which is approved by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This letter includes a list of approved participants. A copy of the letter must be on each participating vessel.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0513.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.

Estimated Time per Response: 16 hours for Annual AI Pollock Fishery Participant Letter; 5 minutes for copy of NMFS Approval to Participants; 4 hours for appeal process.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 40.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $48.

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: June 26, 2008.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.