Collections of Information for Individual Fishing Quotas for Pacific Halibut and Sablefish in the Alaska Fisheries

I. Abstract

This document requests comments on a number of collections-of- information requirements for the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for fixed gear Pacific halibut and sablefish fisheries off Alaska. The requirements described below have been in place without having obtained the necessary OMB approval, which will now be requested. Request for Quota Share Application - Prior to the end of the application period to apply for IFQ Quota Shares(QS), the Application for QS was used to assess eligibility to receive QS. That application period ended on July 15, 1994. Applications for QS submitted after that date are categorically denied. An applicant denied for untimely submission of an application for QS may, however, file an appeal of that administrative decision. Hence, at this point in time, RAM facilitates such appeals by substituting the Request for Application for QS in place of the more extensive Application for QS itself. RAM determined that for purposes of categorically denying claims for QS the lengthy QS application is no longer necessary. The categorical denial then allows the applicant to enter the appeals process. Vessel Clearance and Departure Reports - A vessel operator who intends to make an IFQ landing at a location other than in an IFQ regulatory area or in the State of Alaska must obtain pre-landing written clearance of the vessel from a clearing officer. If the pre- landing vessel clearance is to be obtained in Washington or another non-Alaska state, a departure report must be provided to NMFS Enforcement prior to departing the waters of the EEZ adjacent to the jurisdictional waters of the State of Alaska, the territorial sea of the State of Alaska, or the internal waters of the State of Alaska. Although these reports are currently cleared under OMB Control Number 0648-0272, some of the data elements in the reports were not

described in the related clearance request. Data elements for which authorization is being requested are: vessel home port, vessel ADF&G number, vessel official number, Federal fisheries permit number, International Pacific Halibut Commission number, halibut and sablefish weight, name of each IFQ cardholder onboard, registered buyer name and number, time of landing, location of clearance, registered buyer signature and date signed. Dockside Sales Receipt - A person holding a valid IFQ permit, IFQ card, and registered buyer permit may conduct a dockside sale of IFQ halibut or IFQ sablefish to a person who has not been issued a registered buyer permit but must issue a dockside sales receipt in lieu of a shipment report. The purpose of reporting the amount of IFQ fish involved in a dockside sale is to provide NMFS Enforcement with the ability to monitor and inspect the shipment of IFQ fish to determine whether there was proper accounting for all IFQ fish landed. Request for Transaction Terminal - All IFQ landings must be reported electronically, using IFQ landing cards and transaction terminals activated with custom-designed computer software. Transaction terminals may be purchased directly from the supplier and sent to NMFS for installation of the custom software that makes a transaction terminal functional. Transaction terminals may also be requested from NMFS, but remain the property of the U.S. Government. This request form is used to request that a transaction terminal be supplied by NMFS. Since the number of terminals available from NMFS may not be sufficient to meet all requests, NMFS requests the address or location of expected activity so that a single terminal may be supplied to appropriate public places, such as Harbormaster offices, to meet the needs of numerous applicants in the same location. Transshipment Authorization - No person may transship processed IFQ halibut or IFQ sablefish between vessels without authorization from a clearing officer and unless operating as a registered buyer. Authorization must be obtained for each instance of transshipment at least 24 hours before the transshipment is intended to commence and the transshipment must occur at a place specified by a NMFS Clearing Officer. The advance notice and restriction to a primary port affords NMFS the opportunity to inspect the fish. Transshipment authorization may be obtained through telephone, FAX, or other voice communications. Existing data elements without clearance are: date and location of transshipment; vessel names and ADF&G numbers; product destination; registered buyer's name and number; species; regulatory areas fished; product type and code; number of units; unit and product weights; request date and time; and requester's name, phone, and fax. IFQ/CDQ Shipment Report - Each registered buyer, other than those conducting dockside sales, must complete a written shipment report for each shipment or transfer of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish from that registered buyer before the fish leave the landing site and assure that a copy of the shipment report or a bill of lading containing the same information as a shipment report accompanies the shipment of IFQ species from the landing site to the first destination beyond the location of the IFQ landing. Existing data elements without clearance are: whether the report is original or revised; signature of registered buyer's representative; and unit product weight. IFQ Administrative Waiver - This form is used by NMFS/Enforcement to document the request for and the granting of waivers for either of several requirements: the Six-hour Prior of Notice of Landing, the 12- hour IFQ Landing Window, the Electronic Landing Report requirement, the IFQ cardholder onboard requirement, or the requirement that vessel clearance be obtained at a primary port.

II. Method of Collection

Most information is submitted by telephone or letter. Receipts must be issued for dockside sales receipts. A form is used to submit shipping reports and requesting waivers .

III. Data

OMB Number: 0648-0272 Form Number: None Type of Review: Regular submission Affected public: Individuals, businesses and other for-profit Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,700 (unchanged from currently approved figure) Estimated Time Per Response: 30 minutes for an Application for Quota Share, 6 additional minutes for the uncleared elements of the Vessel Clearance and Departure Report, 6 minutes for a Dockside Sale Receipt, 30 minutes for a Request for a Transaction Terminal, 6 additional minutes for the uncleared elements of the Transshipment Authorization, 6 additional minutes for the uncleared elements of the Shipment Report, and 6 minutes for the Administrative Waiver. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,505 (this represents the hours to be added to the 0648-0272 clearance, whose total would then be 22,275 hours) Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $175 additional costs for the requirements being submitted, mostly for postage (many requirements involve the use of toll-free phone calls). The total costs for 0648- 0272 requirements would then be $90,996.

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;  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: June 24, 1999. Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 99-16810 Filed 6-30-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F