2011-17752. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region Logbook Family of Forms

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 13, 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 an extension of a currently approved information collection.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Alaska Region manages the United States (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 Management Area (FMPs). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council prepared the FMPs pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The regulations implementing the FMPs are at 50 CFR part 679.

The recordkeeping and reporting requirements at 50 CFR part 679 form the basis for this collection of information. NMFS Alaska Region requests information from participating groundfish participants. This information, upon receipt, results in an increasingly more efficient and accurate database for management and monitoring of the groundfish fisheries of the EEZ off Alaska.

II. Method of Collection

Paper and electronic logbooks, paper and electronic reports, and telephone calls are required from participants, and methods of submittal include Internet and facsimile transmission of paper forms.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0213.

Form Number: None.

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

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 899.

Estimated Time Per Response: 31 minutes for Mothership daily cumulative production logbook (DCPL) or electronic logbook (ELB); 30 minutes for Catcher/processor trawl gear DCPL or ELB; 41 minutes for Catcher/processor longline and pot gear DCPL; 18 minutes for Catcher Vessel trawl gear daily fishing logbook (DFL); 28 minutes for Catcher Vessel longline and pot gear DFL; 8 minutes for Shoreside Processor Check-in/Check-out Report; 7 minutes for Mothership or Catcher/processor Check-in/Check-out Report; 20 minutes for Product transfer report; 14 minutes for U.S. Vessel Activity Report; 23 minutes for buying station report.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 39,871.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $134,701.

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: July 11, 2011.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.