SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This is a request for renewal of an approved information collection. This request is by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Regional Office, for the renewal of the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Commercial Salmon Fishery information collection. NMFS manages U.S. salmon fisheries off Alaska under the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ Off Alaska (Salmon FMP). NMFS developed the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Commercial Salmon Fishery provisions under section 304(c)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), and these information collection requirements are necessary under regulations specified at 50 CFR part 679, subpart J.

This collection contains the applications and processes used by harvesters, processors, and other entities receiving deliveries of Cook Inlet EEZ salmon to apply for and manage their permits; provide catch, landings, and processing data; and mark drift gillnet buoys. The data is used to ensure that the fishery participants adhere to harvesting, processing, and other requirements necessary to manage the Cook Inlet EEZ commercial salmon fishery. This information collection includes recordkeeping, reporting, and compliance requirements necessary for the management and monitoring of the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery, including the following:

• Application For Salmon Federal Fisheries Permit (SFFP);
• Application For Salmon Federal Processor Permit (SFPP);
• Application for Registered Salmon Receiver Permit (RSRP);
• Salmon eLandings Processor Registration;
• Salmon Receiver Landing Report;
• Catcher Vessel Daily Fishing Logsheet Salmon Gillnet Gear; and
• Salmon Drift Gillnet Marker Buoys.

Harvesting vessels are required to have a Salmon Federal Fisheries Permit (SFFP) to commercially fish for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area. An SFFP authorizes the vessel to conduct operations in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, subject to all other Federal requirements. The Application for Salmon Federal Fisheries Permit is used by the owner or authorized representative of a catcher vessel to obtain, renew, amend, or surrender an SFFP. NMFS issues an SFFP at no charge after receipt and review of a complete SFFP application. The information collected on this application includes the type of request; owner identification and contact information; vessel information; and signature of the applicant or their authorized representative. If completed by an authorized representative, authorization must be attached. If ownership has changed or if it is an application for a vessel to which an SFFP has never been issued, documentation on vessel ownership must be provided.

Processors that receive and process landings of salmon caught in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area by a vessel authorized by an SFFP are required to obtain a Salmon Federal Processor Permit (SFPP). This includes any person, facility, vessel, or stationary floating processor (SFP) that receives, purchases, or arranges to purchase and process unprocessed salmon harvested in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, except registered salmon receivers. The Application For Salmon Federal Processor Permit is used to obtain, renew, amend, or surrender an SFPP. NMFS issues an SFPP at no charge after receipt and review of a complete SFFP application. The ( printed page 69824) information collected on this application includes the type of request; processor identification and contact information; processor ownership information; and signature of the applicant or their authorized representative. If completed by an authorized representative, authorization must be attached. If ownership has changed or if an FPP has never been issued for this processor, a copy of the USCG Abstract of Title or Certificate of Documentation must be included with this application.

A Registered Salmon Receiver Permit (RSRP) is required for any person, other than an SFPP holder, to receive salmon commercially harvested in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area from the person(s) who harvested the fish. Persons or businesses that receive landings (deliveries) of Cook Inlet EEZ salmon from harvesting vessels but do not immediately process it, or transport it to another location for processing, are required to obtain an RSRP. The Application for Registered Salmon Receiver Permit is used by the owner or authorized representative to obtain, renew, amend, or surrender an RSRP. NMFS issues an RSRP at no charge after receipt and review of a complete RSRP application. The information collected on this application includes the type of request; applicant identification and contact information; type of salmon receiver operation and identification information; and signature of the applicant or their authorized representative. If completed by an authorized representative, authorization must be attached.

SFPP and RSRP holders who do not already have access to eLandings due to their participation in other fisheries, complete the salmon eLandings processor registration before using the eLandings system. Registration is necessary to request authorization to use the system, create a unique User ID, and obtain a password. The registration is completed online at the eLandings registration page: elandings.alaska.gov/​web/​register.html. Entering the information generates a User Agreement Form that the User must print, sign, and submit to NMFS. NMFS emails confirmation that the User is registered, authorized to use eLandings, and that the User ID and the User's account are enabled. Section 679.115(b)(3) lists the information required for the eLandings processor registration. The following type of information is collected: type of operation (selected from a dropdown list); operation name; ADF&G processor code; Federal permit types and numbers; home port code; ADF&G vessel identification number (if a tender vessel); vehicle license information (if a vehicle); if a buying station, tender vessel, or custom processor, information that identifies the associated processor where the processing will take place; and identification and contact information for the primary eLandings User.

The manager of a shoreside processor or a registered salmon receiver that receives salmon from a vessel issued an SFFP under § 679.114 and that is required to have an SFPP or RSRP under § 679.114(c) or (d) is required to use eLandings or other NMFS-approved software to submit a daily salmon receiver landing report during the fishing year. To manage the fishery successfully and avoid overfishing, Federal managers need accurate and rapidly reported catch data from the EEZ to deduct salmon catches from the total allowable catch. Section 679.115(b)(4) lists the fields for the landing report that eLandings autofills with information from the processor's or registered salmon receiver's eLandings registration record. Section 679.115(b)(5) lists the information submitted by the manager of a shoreside processor or a registered salmon receiver on the salmon receiver landing report. The report collects the following information: processor identification information, delivery information, catch information, and discard or disposition information.

The operator of a catcher vessel that is required to have an SFFP under § 679.114(b) and that is using gillnet gear to harvest salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, is required to maintain a salmon drift gillnet daily fishing log (catcher vessel daily fishing logsheet salmon gillnet gear). This logsheet is necessary to collect catch and bycatch information. The data provided by the logs satisfies the Magnuson-Stevens Act Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology requirement (16 U.S.C. 1853(a)(11)). Information from logs is also used to corroborate vessel monitoring system data in the event of a suspected Federal fishery violation.

Drift gillnet gear is required to be marked at both ends with buoys (salmon drift gillnet marker buoys) that legibly display the vessel's SFFP number. Regulations that fishing gear be marked with identification information are essential to facilitate fisheries enforcement and actions concerning damage, loss, and civil proceedings. The ability to link fishing gear to the vessel owner or operator is crucial to enforcement of regulations. NOAA Office of Law Enforcement and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) use the identification information on fishing gear when issuing violations, prosecutions, and other enforcement actions. Buoy marking reduces the costs to NOAA Office of Law Enforcement and the USCG for enforcement efforts and allows for more effective enforcement of fishing gear regulations. Cooperating fishermen also use the gear identification to report placement or occurrence in unauthorized areas.

There have been no changes to this collection except to update respondent numbers and labor costs.

II. Method of Collection

The applications for permits are available as fillable PDFs on the NMFS Alaska Region website at www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​permit/​alaska-federal-fisheries-permit-and-federal-processor-permit-applications and may be downloaded, emailed, printed, faxed, or delivered to NMFS. The Salmon eLandings Processor Registration may be done electronically online at elandings.alaska.gov/​web/​register.html or by mail, fax, or delivery. The Salmon Receiver Landing Report may be submitted electronically. The Catcher Vessel Daily Fishing Logsheet Salmon Gillnet Gear may be submitted by mail or email.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0818.

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: 400 unique respondents.

Estimated Time Per Response: Application for Salmon Federal Fisheries Permit (SFFP)—15 min; Application for Salmon Federal Processor Permit (SFPP)—25 min; Application for Registered Salmon Receiver Permit (RSRP)—20 min; Salmon eLandings Processor Registration—15 min; Salmon Receiver Landing Report—10 min; Catcher Vessel Daily Fishing Logsheet Salmon Gillnet Gear—15 min; Salmon Drift Gillnet Marker Buoys—30 min.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,846 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $20,100.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits, or Mandatory.

Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). ( printed page 69825)

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.

91 FR 69823