2011-2911. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Prohibited Species Donation (PSD) Program

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 April 11, 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.

A prohibited species donation (PSD) program for Pacific salmon and Pacific halibut has effectively reduced regulatory discard of salmon and halibut by allowing fish that would otherwise be discarded to be donated to needy individuals through tax-exempt organizations. Vessels and processing plants participating in the donation program voluntarily retain and process salmon and halibut bycatch. An authorized, tax-exempt distributor, chosen by NMFS, is responsible for monitoring the retention and processing of fish donated by vessels and processors. The authorized distributor also coordinates the processing, storage, transportation, and distribution of salmon and halibut.

The PSD program requires a collection-of-information so that NMFS can monitor the authorized distributors' ability to effectively supervise program participants and ensure that donated fish are properly processed, stored, and distributed.

II. Method of Collection

Respondents must submit the application to become an authorized distributor by mail or courier; no form exists for this application.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0316.

Form Number: None.

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

Affected Public: Non-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 21.

Estimated Time per Response: Application to become a NMFS Authorized Distributor, 40 hours; Distributor's List of PSD Program Participants, 12 minutes; Distributor's Tracking of Products & Retention of Records, 12 minutes; Processor product tracking requirements, 6 minutes; and PSD fish package labeling, 10 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 535.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $2 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: February 4, 2011.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.