2011-21762. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Commercial Operator's Annual Report (COAR)

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 October 25, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, 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 renewal of a currently approved information collection.

The Alaska Commercial Operator's Annual Report (COAR) is a report that collects harvest and production information broken out by specific criteria such as gear type, area, delivery and product type, and pounds and value. The COAR is due by April 1 of the year following any buying or processing activity.

Any person or company who received a Fisheries Business License from the Alaska Department of Revenue and an Intent to Operate Permit by Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is required to annually submit the COAR to State of Alaska, ADF&G, under Alaska Administrative Code (AAC), chapter 5 AAC 39.130. In addition, any person or company who receives an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) only permit from ADF&G annually must submit a COAR to ADF&G. Any owner of a catcher/processor or mothership with a Federal permit operating in the EEZ off Alaska is required to annually submit a COAR to ADF&G under 50 CFR part 679.5(p).

The COAR provides information on ex-vessel and first wholesale values for statewide fish and shellfish products. Containing information from shoreside processors, stationary floating processors, motherships, and catcher/processors, this data collection yields equivalent annual product value information for all respective processing sectors and provides a consistent time series according to which groundfish resources may be managed more efficiently.

II. Method of Collection

The method of submittal is completion of a fillable file of the COAR online or completion of a paper form and mailed.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0428.

Form Number: None.

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

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 166.

Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,328.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $415.

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: August 22, 2011.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.