Notice2023-17279
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Alaska Pacific Halibut Fisheries: Subsistence
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 11, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 154 (Friday, August 11, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 154 (Friday, August 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54574-54575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17279]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Alaska Pacific Halibut Fisheries: Subsistence
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received on or before October 10, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#216f6e60600f717360614f4e40400f464e57"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="317f7e70701f616370715f5e50501f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0512 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Gabrielle Aberle, National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 21668,
Juneau, AK, 99802-1668. Telephone 907-586-7356.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Regional
Office, is requesting extension of a currently approved information
collection for the Alaska Subsistence Halibut Program.
The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) promulgates
regulations governing the North Pacific halibut fishery under the
Convention between the United States and Canada for the Preservation of
the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea
(Convention). The IPHC's regulations are subject to approval by the
Secretary of State with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce.
The Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act; 16 U.S.C.
773c(a)-(b)), provides the Secretary of Commerce with general
responsibility for carrying out the Convention and the Halibut Act,
including the authority to adopt regulations necessary to carry out the
purposes and objectives of the Convention. The Halibut Act, 16 U.S.C.
773c(c), also provides the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) with authority to develop regulations, including limited
access regulations, that are in addition to, and not in conflict with,
IPHC regulations.
Regulations the Council recommends may be implemented by NMFS only
after approval by the Secretary of Commerce. The Council has exercised
this authority in the development of subsistence halibut fishery
management measures. NMFS has responsibility for managing the
subsistence halibut fishery according to regulations approved by the
Secretary. Regulations governing the subsistence halibut fishery are at
50 CFR 300.2, 300.4, and subpart E, and in the annual management
measures published in the Federal Register pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
This information collection is necessary for NMFS to manage the
Alaska Subsistence Halibut Program. Subsistence halibut means halibut
caught by a rural resident or a member of an Alaska Native tribe for
direct personal or family consumption as food, sharing for personal or
family consumption as food, or customary trade. The Alaska Subsistence
Halibut Program is intended to allow eligible persons to practice the
long-term customary and traditional harvest of Pacific halibut for food
in a non-commercial manner. This program provides NMFS the opportunity
to enhance estimates of subsistence removals for stock assessment
purposes.
[[Page 54575]]
Before fishing under subsistence halibut regulations, a Subsistence
Halibut Registration Certificate (SHARC) must be obtained. This
information collection contains the forms used by participants in the
subsistence halibut fishery to apply for SHARCs, apply for special use
permits, and submit harvest information for special use permits. This
information collection contains two collections for which no forms are
used: the appeals process for denied permits and marking subsistence
setline fishing gear.
Information collected by the permit applications includes applicant
information and depending on the permit type may include information on
the educational program or a description of the cultural or ceremonial
occasion the permit will be used for. NMFS uses this information to
determine the eligibility of applicants to receive or renew permits.
The permit coordinators submit the harvest logs for Community
Harvest Permits, Ceremonial Permits, and Educational Permits. Harvest
logs collect identification information and harvest information for the
subsistence fishermen fishing under that permit.
An appeals process is provided for an applicant who receives an
adverse initial administrative determination related to their permit
application.
Subsistence setline gear buoys must be marked with identification
information that consists of the participant's name and address and an
``S'' to indicate subsistence halibut gear. This information is used by
NMFS to link fishing gear to the vessel owner or operator and
facilitate enforcement of regulations.
II. Method of Collection
The information is collected primarily by mail, fax, and delivery.
SHARC renewals may be submitted online through eFISH on the NMFS Alaska
Region website. The applications and harvest logs are available as
fillable pdfs on the NMFS Alaska Region website at <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-subsistence-halibut-fishery-applications-and-reporting-forms">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-subsistence-halibut-fishery-applications-and-reporting-forms</a>. The fishing gear identification
information is painted on marker buoys and is not submitted to NMFS.
III. Data
OMB Control Number:0648-0512.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current
information collection).
Affected Public: Individuals or households; State, local, or Tribal
government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,293.
Estimated Time per Response: Application for SHARC Rural Resident:
10 minutes; Application for SHARC Alaska Native Tribal Member: 10
minutes; Application for SHARC Alaska Native Tribe: 30 minutes;
Subsistence Halibut Special Permits Application: 30 minutes; Harvest
logs: 30 minutes; Ceremonial or Educational Permit Log: 2 hours; Appeal
for permit denial: 4 hours; Gear marking: 15 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,340 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $59,660 in recordkeeping and
reporting costs.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
Legal Authority: Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (16 U.S.C.
773c).
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-17279 Filed 8-10-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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