Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report (EDR), 56775 [2014-22511]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 56775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22511]



[[Page 56775]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Chinook 
Salmon Economic Data Report (EDR)

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 November 24, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at JJessup@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

    National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Region manages the 
groundfish fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska. The 
North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared the Fishery 
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Management Area (FMP) under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act). The FMP is implemented under regulations at 50 
CFR part 679.
    NMFS manages the Bering Sea pollock fishery under the American 
Fisheries Act (AFA) (16 U.S.C. 1851). The AFA ``rationalized'' the 
Bering Sea pollock fishery in part by allowing for the formation and 
management of fishery cooperatives. AFA fishing vessels harvest pollock 
using pelagic (mid-water) trawl gear, which consists of large nets 
towed through the water by the vessel. At times, Chinook salmon and 
pollock occur in the same locations in the Bering Sea. Consequently, 
Chinook salmon are incidentally caught in the nets as pollock is 
harvested. This incidental catch is called bycatch and is also called 
prohibited species catch (PSC). Chinook Salmon are defined as a 
prohibited species because they are caught by a vessel issued a Federal 
Fisheries Permit under Sec.  679.4(b) while fishing for groundfish 
(pollock) in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) 
or Gulf of Alaska.
    In December 2009, the Council recommended that NMFS implement the 
Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report (Chinook Salmon EDR) to evaluate 
the effectiveness of Chinook salmon bycatch management measures for the 
Bering Sea pollock fishery that were implemented under Amendment 91 to 
the BSAI FMP (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010).
    The Chinook EDR Program provides information to the analysts and 
the Council for determining the effectiveness of the Incentive Plan 
Agreement (IPA). The Chinook EDR Program evaluates the effectiveness of 
the IPA incentives, the PSC limits, and the performance standard in 
terms of minimizing salmon bycatch in times of high and low levels of 
salmon abundance, and evaluates how Amendment 91 affects where, when, 
and how pollock fishing and salmon bycatch occur. The data collection 
program also provides data for NMFS and the Council to study and verify 
conclusions drawn by industry in the IPA annual reports.

II. Method of Collection

    Attachment to email, electronically (Internet), fax, or mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0633.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 40 hours for Compensated Transfer 
Report; 4 hours each for Vessel Fuel Survey, Vessel Master Survey; and 
Chinook EDR Verification/Audit.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 9,976.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $25,958.

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: September 17, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-22511 Filed 9-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P