Notice2025-13171
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Alaska Community Quota Entity (CQE) Program
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
July 15, 2025
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
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 133 (Tuesday, July 15, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31624-31625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-13171]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Community Quota Entity (CQE) Program
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 September 15,
2025.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#511f1e10107f010310113f3e30307f363e27"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6e8e9e7e788f6f4e7e6c8c9c7c788c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0665 in the subject line of your
comments. All comments received are part of the public record and will
generally be posted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> without change. 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 Allyson Olds, Technical Editor, Alaska Region Sustainable Fisheries
Division, 709 W 9th Street, Juneau, AK 99801, 907-586-7228,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3c5d5050454f5352125350584f7c52535d5d125b534a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91f0fdfde8e2feffbffefdf5e2d1fffef0f0bff6fee7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for extension of an approved information
collection. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska
Regional Office (AKR), is the sponsor of this information collection.
This information collection contains applications, permits, and reports
required under the Community Quota Entity (CQE) Program.
NMFS AKR manages the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic
zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area under the
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands Management Area. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) authorizes the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council to prepare and amend fishery management
plans for any fishery in waters under its jurisdiction. The
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and NMFS AKR manage
fishing for Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) through
regulations established under the authority of the Northern Pacific
Halibut Act of 1982, 16 U.S.C. 773c (Halibut Act).
The CQE Program is a Federal program administered by NMFS. The CQE
Program allocates to eligible communities in Alaska a portion of the
harvest quotas for groundfish, halibut, crab, and prohibited species.
The allocations provide these communities with the means for starting
or supporting commercial fisheries activities that will result in an
ongoing, regionally based, fisheries-related economy. Participating
communities are represented by a CQE, which is a NMFS-approved non-
profit organization.
Under the Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota
(IFQ) Program, a CQE may purchase commercial halibut and sablefish
quota
[[Page 31625]]
share (QS) for lease to residents of the eligible community. Under the
Charter Halibut Limited Access Program, a CQE may request community
charter halibut permits for use in southeast Alaska and the central
Gulf of Alaska by charter vessel operators designated by the CQE. Under
the License Limitation Program (LLP), a CQE may request non-trawl
groundfish LLP licenses endorsed for Pacific cod in the central or
western Gulf of Alaska for use on vessels designated by the CQE. More
information on the CQEs and the CQE Program is provided on the NMFS
Alaska Region website at <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/community-quota-and-license-programs-community-quota-entities">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/community-quota-and-license-programs-community-quota-entities</a>.
This information collection is required in Federal regulations at
50 CFR 300 Subpart E and Part 679. The eligible communities and the
community governing body that recommends the CQE are listed in Table 21
to 50 CFR part 679.
This collection contains applications used by a nonprofit
corporation to become a CQE; by CQEs to receive non-trawl groundfish
LLP licenses and Charter Halibut Permits (CHPs); by CQEs to transfer or
receive IFQ QS; by CQEs to transfer IFQ to an eligible community
resident or non-resident; and by CQEs to transfer between commercial
halibut IFQ and halibut guided angler fish (GAF). In addition, this
collection contains two reporting requirements: an annual report and an
authorization letter. Annually, each CQE must submit a report
describing its business operations and fishing activities for each
eligible community it represents. CQEs requesting LLP groundfish
licenses must annually submit an authorization letter that assigns each
community LLP license to a user and vessel.
The type of information collected includes information on the
applicants, transferors, transferees, authorized representatives, and
communities represented, as well as information on the procedures,
criteria, administrative activities, business operations, community
fishing activities, sweep-up information, certificate and licensing
information, and fishing activities pertaining to the application.
NMFS requires this information for fisheries management and to
evaluate the ability of a specific CQE to represent an eligible
community. NMFS uses the information collected to establish eligibility
of the CQEs; review each CQE's business operations and fishing
activity; monitor participation of the eligible communities in the CQE
Program and associated limited access programs; and gather information
on distribution and use among these communities of LLP groundfish
licenses, CHPs, and halibut and sablefish QS and IFQ.
All of the forms, except for the Application for Community Charter
Halibut Permit at Sec. 300.67(k), can now be submitted electronically
via email. These forms will be updated accordingly to clarify that
electronic submission is allowed.
II. Method of Collection
The applications are available as fillable PDFs on the NMFS Alaska
Region website at <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-community-quota-entity-applications">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-community-quota-entity-applications</a> that may be downloaded, emailed,
printed, faxed, or delivered to NMFS, with the exception of the
Application for Community Charter Halibut Permit at Sec. 300.67(k),
which may be only submitted by mail, hand delivery, or facsimile. The
CQE annual report must be mailed. The CQE authorization letter may be
submitted as an attachment to an email.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0665.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current
information collection).
Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; Individuals or
households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 94.
Estimated Time per Response: Application for a Non-profit
Corporation to be Designated as a CQE: 200 hours; Transfer
applications: 2 hours; Application for a CQE to Receive a Non-trawl
Groundfish LLP License: 20 hours; Application for Community Charter
Halibut Permit: 1 hour; CQE Annual Report: 40 hours; CQE LLP
Authorization Letter: 1 hour.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,620 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $895 in recordkeeping and
reporting costs.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits;
Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.); The 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 information collection request. 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,
Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2025-13171 Filed 7-14-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 15, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.