01-31396. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region Logbook Family of Forms

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506 (c)(2)(A)).

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before February 19, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6086, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 20230 (or via Internet at [e-mail]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be directed to Patsy A. Bearden, F/AKR2, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668 (telephone [phone]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

NMFS manages the U.S. groundfish fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Alaska under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMPs). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council prepared the FMPs pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Regulations implementing the FMPs are at 50 CFR part 679.

The recordkeeping and reporting requirements at 50 CFR part 679.5 form the basis for this collection of information. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Alaska Region requests information from participating groundfish fishermen which, upon receipt, results in an increasingly more efficient and accurate database. The collection is necessary for the management and monitoring of the groundfish fisheries of the EEZ off Alaska for purposes of conservation of the fisheries.

II. Method of Collection

Daily logbooks and paper forms are required from participants, and methods of submittal include paper logbooks, facsimile transmission of paper forms, and electronic reporting. The specific types of reporting required are identified below in the section for “Estimated Time Per Response.”

III. Data

OMB Number: 0648-0213.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: Individuals or households, business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,033.

Estimated Time Per Response: 35 minutes for Weekly Cumulative Mothership ADF&G Fish Tickets; 14 minutes for U.S. Vessel Activity Report; 18 minutes for Catcher Vessel trawl gear daily fishing logbook (DFL); 28 minutes for Catcher Vessel longline and pot gear DFL; 30 minutes for Catcher/processor trawl gear daily cumulative production logbook (DCPL); 41 minutes for Catcher/processor longline and pot gear DCPL; 31 minutes for Shoreside processor DCPL; 31 minutes for Mothership DCPL; 8 minutes for Shoreside Processor Check-in/Check-out Report; 7 minutes for Mothership or Catcher/processor Check-in/Check-out Report; 11 minutes for Product transfer report; 17 minutes for Weekly Production Report; 11 minutes for Daily Production Report; estimated time to electronically submit the weekly production report (5 min./report); 5 minutes to electronically submit the check-in/check-out report; 23 minutes for buying station report.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 45,086.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $215,786.

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: December 13, 2001.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.