80 FR 48078 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request: Alaska Community Quota Entity (CQE) Program

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 154 (August 11, 2015)

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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 154 (Tuesday, August 11, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48078-48079]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19672]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request: Alaska 
Community Quota Entity (CQE) Program

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

[[Page 48079]]

collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 13, 
2015.

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 [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Patsy A. Bearden, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7008, or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    The Alaska Community Quota Entity (CQE) Program allocates to 
eligible communities a portion of the quotas for groundfish, halibut, 
crab, and prohibited species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Management Area (BSAI). Currently, there are 98 CQE eligible 
communities (45 Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and quota share (QS) 
halibut and sablefish, 32 charter halibut, and 21 License Limitation 
Program (LLP) communities), although only a few communities are 
currently participating. The allocations provide communities the means 
for starting or supporting commercial fisheries business activities 
that will result in an ongoing, regionally based, fisheries-related 
economy. A non-profit corporate entity that meets specific criteria to 
receive transferred halibut or sablefish QS on behalf of an eligible 
community may lease the resulting IFQ to persons who are residents of 
the eligible community.

II. Method of Collection

    Forms and applications are ``fillable'' on the computer screen at 
the NMFS Alaska Region Home Page at www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov, and 
may be submitted to NMFS by mail, courier, fax, or 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: Individuals or households; not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 90.
    Estimated Time per Response: 200 hours, Application to become a 
CQE; 2 hours for Application to transfer QS-IFQ to or from CQE; 20 
hours for Application for a CQE to receive a non-trawl LLP license; 1 
hour for Application for Community Charter Halibut Permit; 40 hours for 
CQE Annual Report; 1 hour for CQE LLP Authorization Letter.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,908.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $683.

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: August 6, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-19672 Filed 8-10-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P