Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; American Fisheries Act: Vessel and Processor Permit Applications, 3471-3472 [E6-671]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 14 / Monday, January 23, 2006 / Notices Estimated Time per Response: 20 hours for Annual preliminary report; 8 hours for Annual final report; 30 minutes for Non-member vessel contract fishing application; 30 minutes to complete and print shoreside processor electronic logbook report (SPELR); 5 minutes to electronically submit SPELR report; 5 minutes for Inshore catcher vessel cooperative pollock catch report; and 5 minutes for Agent for service of process. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,024. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $635. 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: January 17, 2006. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6–670 Filed 1–20–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; American Fisheries Act: Vessel and Processor Permit Applications National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ACTION: Notice. erjones on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES AGENCY: 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 VerDate Aug<31>2005 13:01 Jan 20, 2006 Jkt 208001 proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 24, 2006. 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 dHynek@doc.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Patsy A. Bearden, 907–586– 7008 or patsy.bearden@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract The American Fisheries Act (AFA) was signed into law in October of 1998. The AFA established an allocation program for the pollock fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). The purposes of the AFA were to tighten U.S. ownership standards that had been exploited under the Anti-reflagging Act, to provide Alaska’s BSAI pollock fleet the opportunity to conduct their fishery in a more rational manner, and to protect non-AFA participants in other fisheries. Reduced bycatch, higher utilization rates, increased economic returns, and improved safety are among the direct benefits of the AFA. The flexibility provided by cooperatives and by individual vessel allocations of pollock and other species has allowed the BSAI pollock fleet to spread their fishing effort in time and space, thus somewhat mitigating the negative impacts of the Steller sea lion (SSL) conservation and protection measures. Finally, the cooperative management structure has shifted more of the monitoring and enforcement burden to the cooperatives and their members, allowing NMFS to manage the fishery more precisely. Under the AFA, only vessels and processors that meet specific qualifying criteria are eligible to fish for and process pollock in the BSAI. The BSAI pollock quota is suballocated to groups of vessel owners who form fishing vessel cooperatives under the AFA. All pollock vessels and processors are required to have a valid AFA permit on board the vessel or at the processing plant. The AFA vessel and processor permits have no expiration date and will remain valid indefinitely unless revoked by NMFS. With the exceptions of applications for inshore vessel cooperatives and for replacement PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3471 vessels, the AFA permit program had a one-time application deadline of December 1, 2000. Inshore catcher vessel cooperatives must apply for an AFA permit annually, by December 1 for the following fishing year. The information is collected once a year, because NMFS must identify the universe of participating vessels and processors prior to the start of each fishing year in order to assign allocations of pollock to eligible cooperatives. The applications to replace lost or destroyed AFA vessels may be submitted to NMFS at any time. II. Method of Collection Paper applications are required from participants. Methods of submittal include facsimile transmission of paper forms, except where a notary seal is required. III. Data OMB Number: 0648–0393. Form Number: None. Type of Review: Regular submission. Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-profits organizations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 20. Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours for Application for AFA catcher vessel permit; 30 minutes for Application for AFA permit for replacement vessel; 21⁄2 hours for Application for AFA inshore catcher vessel cooperative permit; 2 hours for Application for AFA mothership permit; and 2 hours for Application for AFA inshore processor permit. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 42. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $59. 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; E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM 23JAN1 3472 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 14 / Monday, January 23, 2006 / Notices they also will become a matter of public record. Dated: January 17, 2006. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6–671 Filed 1–20–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Limits on Applications of Take Prohibitions National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: 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 March 24, 2006. 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 dHynek@doc.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Steve Stone, at (503) 231– 2317, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, Portland, OR 97232–1274 or steve.stone@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: erjones on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES I. Abstract Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to adopt such regulations as it ‘‘deems necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of’’ threatened species. Those regulations may include any or all of the prohibitions provided in section 9(a)(1) of the ESA, which specifically prohibits ‘‘take’’ of any endangered species (‘‘take’’ includes actions that harass, harm, pursue, kill, or capture). The first salmonid species listed by NMFS as threatened were VerDate Aug<31>2005 13:01 Jan 20, 2006 Jkt 208001 protected by virtually blanket application of the section 9 take prohibitions. There are now 21 separate Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of west coast salmonids listed as threatened, covering a large percentage of the land base in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. NMFS is obligated to enact necessary and advisable protective regulations. NMFS makes section 9 prohibitions generally applicable to many of those threatened ESUs, but also seeks to respond to requests from states and others to both provide more guidance on how to protect threatened salmonids and avoid take, and to limit the application of take prohibitions wherever warranted (see 70 FR 37160, June 28, 2005, and 71 FR 834, January 5, 2006). The regulations describe programs or circumstances that contribute to the conservation of, or are being conducted in a way that adequately limits impacts on, listed salmonids. The regulations do not apply the take prohibitions to those programs and circumstances. Some of these limits on the take prohibitions entail voluntary submission of a plan to NMFS and/or annual or occasional reports by entities wishing to take advantage of these limits, or continue within them. II. Method of Collection Submissions may be in paper or electronic format. III. Data OMB Number: 0648–0399. Form Number: None. Type of Review: Regular submission. Affected Public: State, local, or tribal government; business or other for-profit organizations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 201. Estimated Time per Response: 20 hours for a road maintenance agreement; 5 hours for a diversion screening limit project; 30 hours for an urban development package; 10 hours for an urban development report; 20 hours for a tribal plan; and 5 hours for a report of aided, salvaged, or disposed of salmonids. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 500. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $843. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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: January 17, 2006. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6–672 Filed 1–20–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 011806A] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit. AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from the Aleut Enterprise Corporation (AEC). If granted, this permit would be used to support a project to investigate the feasibility of using commercial fishing vessels for acoustic surveys of pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea. The project is intended to promote the objectives of the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) by improving use of pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea. ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP application and the environmental assessment (EA) are available by writing to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Alaska Region, NMFS, P. O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Durall. The EA also is available from the Alaska Region, NMFS website at https:// www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/analyses/ analyses.asp. E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM 23JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3471-3472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-671]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; American 
Fisheries Act: Vessel and Processor Permit Applications

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.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 24, 2006.

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 dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Patsy A. Bearden, 907-586-7008 or 
patsy.bearden@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The American Fisheries Act (AFA) was signed into law in October of 
1998. The AFA established an allocation program for the pollock fishery 
of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). The 
purposes of the AFA were to tighten U.S. ownership standards that had 
been exploited under the Anti-reflagging Act, to provide Alaska's BSAI 
pollock fleet the opportunity to conduct their fishery in a more 
rational manner, and to protect non-AFA participants in other 
fisheries.
    Reduced bycatch, higher utilization rates, increased economic 
returns, and improved safety are among the direct benefits of the AFA. 
The flexibility provided by cooperatives and by individual vessel 
allocations of pollock and other species has allowed the BSAI pollock 
fleet to spread their fishing effort in time and space, thus somewhat 
mitigating the negative impacts of the Steller sea lion (SSL) 
conservation and protection measures. Finally, the cooperative 
management structure has shifted more of the monitoring and enforcement 
burden to the cooperatives and their members, allowing NMFS to manage 
the fishery more precisely.
    Under the AFA, only vessels and processors that meet specific 
qualifying criteria are eligible to fish for and process pollock in the 
BSAI. The BSAI pollock quota is suballocated to groups of vessel owners 
who form fishing vessel cooperatives under the AFA.
    All pollock vessels and processors are required to have a valid AFA 
permit on board the vessel or at the processing plant. The AFA vessel 
and processor permits have no expiration date and will remain valid 
indefinitely unless revoked by NMFS. With the exceptions of 
applications for inshore vessel cooperatives and for replacement 
vessels, the AFA permit program had a one-time application deadline of 
December 1, 2000. Inshore catcher vessel cooperatives must apply for an 
AFA permit annually, by December 1 for the following fishing year. The 
information is collected once a year, because NMFS must identify the 
universe of participating vessels and processors prior to the start of 
each fishing year in order to assign allocations of pollock to eligible 
cooperatives. The applications to replace lost or destroyed AFA vessels 
may be submitted to NMFS at any time.

II. Method of Collection

    Paper applications are required from participants. Methods of 
submittal include facsimile transmission of paper forms, except where a 
notary seal is required.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0393.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profits organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours for Application for AFA 
catcher vessel permit; 30 minutes for Application for AFA permit for 
replacement vessel; 2\1/2\ hours for Application for AFA inshore 
catcher vessel cooperative permit; 2 hours for Application for AFA 
mothership permit; and 2 hours for Application for AFA inshore 
processor permit.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 42.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $59.

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;

[[Page 3472]]

they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 17, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-671 Filed 1-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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