Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Commercial Operator's Annual Report (COAR), 54335 [2017-24991]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 221 (Friday, November 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 54335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24991]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska 
Commercial Operator's Annual Report (COAR)

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
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 January 16, 
2018.

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 pracomments@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Suja Hall, (907) 586-7462.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    The Alaska Commercial Operator's Annual Report (COAR) is a report 
that collects harvest and production information broken out by specific 
criteria such as gear type, area, delivery and product type, and pounds 
and value. The COAR is due by April 1 of the year following any buying 
or processing activity.
    Any person or company who received a Fisheries Business License 
from the Alaska Department of Revenue and an Intent to Operate Permit 
by Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is required to annually 
submit the COAR to the ADF&G, under Alaska Administrative Code (AAC), 
chapter 5 AAC 39.130. In addition, any person or company who receives 
an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)-only permit from ADF&G annually must 
submit a COAR to ADF&G. Any owner of a catcher/processor or mothership 
with a Federal permit operating in the EEZ off Alaska is required to 
annually submit a COAR to ADF&G under 50 CFR 679.5(p).
    The COAR contains data on seafood purchasing, production, ex-vessel 
values, and first wholesale values for seafood products. Containing 
information from shoreside processors, stationary floating processors, 
motherships, and catcher/processors, this data collection yields 
equivalent annual product value information for all respective 
processing sectors and provides a consistent time series according to 
which groundfish resources may be managed more efficiently. Use of the 
information generated by the COAR is coordinated between NMFS and the 
ADF&G.

II. Method of Collection

    The COAR is available in pdf and Microsoft Word formats on the 
ADF&G Web site at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishlicense.coar. Respondents complete either a paper 
form or the fillable file available online and submit the form by mail 
to the ADF&G.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0428.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 179.
    Estimated Time per Response: 8 hr.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,432.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $716 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: November 14, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-24991 Filed 11-16-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P