0428 ss ren 022207

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
COMMERCIAL OPERATOR=S ANNUAL REPORT (COAR)
OMB CONTROL NO.: 0648-0428

INTRODUCTION
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006,
P.L. 109-479 (Magnuson-Stevens Act) authorizes the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council to prepare and amend fishery management plans for any fishery in waters under its
jurisdiction. Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in
waters off the coast of Alaska is managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and the Fishery
Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (FMPs).
The COAR information collection is an enhanced socioeconomic database that NMFS uses to
accurately measure economic and socioeconomic impacts and to prepare economic analyses of
proposed or existing management measures. It provides detailed (and consistent) data for fish
and shellfish products on production, prices, and product forms that are used by NMFS to
respond to requests for economic information that are frequently required by Federal and State
management agencies, the fishing industry, and the general public.
This action requests renewal of this collection-of-information. Regulations implementing this
collection are found at 50 CFR part 679.5(p).
Shoreside processors and stationary floating processors are required to annually submit the
COAR to State of Alaska, Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), under Alaska
Administrative Code, chapter 5 AAC 39.130. The information submitted in the COAR is
protected by Alaska State confidentiality statute AS 16.05.815. Catcher/processors and
motherships operating in the EEZ off Alaska are required by NMFS to annually submit the
COAR for groundfish fisheries to ADF&G under 50 CFR part 679.5(p
A.

JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
Catcher/processors and motherships operating in the EEZ off the coast of Alaska represent a
significant part of the total capacity of groundfish processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands Management Area (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and account for a substantial part
of the total landings each year. NMFS requires motherships and catcher/processors that are
issued a Federal fisheries permit to complete and submit the Alaska COAR on an annual basis.
Added to the information from shoreside processors and stationary floating processors (SFPs)
submitted under State of Alaska requirements, this data collection from motherships and
catcher/processors yields equivalent annual product value information for all respective
processing sectors and provides a consistent time series according to which groundfish resources
may be managed more efficiently.
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The COAR database is used in the annual NMFS Stock Assessment and Fishery valuation
documents for the groundfish fisheries of the BSAI and GOA, annual Federal publications on the
value of U.S. commercial fisheries, and in periodic reports that describe the fisheries and that
serve as reference documents to management agencies, the industry, and others.
The COAR data are also used by NMFS to comply with legislative mandates as follows:
(1) E.O. 12866 and the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(2) American Fisheries Act to monitor and report to Congress on the effects and efficacy
of the new groundfish management programs.
(3) Regulatory Flexibility Act, to the extent that any of the entities reporting under the
COAR program are classified as "small" (using Small Business Administration definitions),
access to these data is key to our fulfilling the impact assessments required of the agency as
pertaining to Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analyses (IRFAs).
(4) The National Standards 4, 5, and 7 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standards
for fishery Conservation and Management.
(5) The National Standards 8 mandate increases the agency’s need for these economic
performance data cross sections in a compatible and consistent format.
Use of the information generated by the COAR is coordinated between NMFS and the ADF&G.
2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will be
used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support
information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection
complies with all applicable Information Quality Guidelines.
The COAR information is required annually on paper application forms from all
catcher/processors and motherships issued a Federal Fisheries permit. ADF&G provides the
COAR to each mothership and catcher/processor to record information from the previous year.
Each mothership or catcher/processor is required to complete and submit one or more pages of
the COAR to ADF&G for computer data entry, whether the processor operated or not. A
certification page is available to indicate no receipt or production took place for that year; in this
case, no other COAR pages are required.
The motherships and catcher/processors submit by mail the COAR the following April to
ADF&G, Division of Commercial Fisheries, P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, Alaska 99802-5526.
Information from motherships and catcher/processors is verified using the NMFS weekly
production report (WPR) data base. Information from processors that operate in State of Alaska
waters, shoreside processors, and SFPs are verified using the ADF&G fish ticket data base.

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COAR
A separate form must be completed for each ADF&G processor code.
Certification page.
Enter processor code
Check YES or NO to indicate:
That you operated using the above processor code this reporting year
Whether fish tickets were written using the above processor code this reporting year
Whether you operated only in EEZ this reporting year
Company name and address, including street, city, state and zip code
Physical location of land-based plant
Vessel name
Contact name, title, email address, telephone number, and company fax number
Alternate contact name, title, email address, telephone number, and company fax number
Signature and date signed
Buying (exvessel) forms A(1-3), C(1-2), E, G, I(1-2), K, and M.
Species name and code.
Area purchased.
Gear code.
Delivery code (form G only).
Total pounds (to the nearest lb) purchased from fishermen.
Total amount paid to fishermen, including all post season adjustments and/or bonuses and
any credit received by fishermen for gas expenses, ice, delivery premiums, and other
miscellaneous expenses.
Price per pound. If additional adjustments may be made after this report has been filed,
check the A$ not final@ box, and submit form M when those adjustments are paid.
Do not include fish purchased from another processor.
Wholesale production forms B(1-6), D, F, H, J(1-2), and K).
Production-except-canned.
Area of processing. List production of Canadian harvested fish separately.
Processed product
Process prefix code
Process suffix code
Product code
Total net weight. Enter total weight of the finished product.
Total value($). Enter the total wholesale value of the finished product
Price per pound.
Canned production. Complete an entry for each can size produced.
Area of processing Process 51 or 52, Enter conventional canned code (51) or smoked, conventional canned
code (52).
Total value ($). Enter the total wholesale value of the finished product
Price per pound
Can size in ounces, to the hundredth of an ounce
Number of cans per case
Number of cases
Custom production forms L(1-2).
Custom-process for another processor L(1). If a mothership custom-processed fish or shellfish for
another processor, the owner must list the processor name, State processor code (if known), and location of
company or vessel name. Do not include any of that production in this report.

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Custom-process by another processor L(2). If another processor custom-processed fish or shellfish
for a mothership or catcher/processor, the owner must use a separate page to list each processor.
Name of company, Processor code, and location or vessel name performing custom production
Custom fresh/frozen miscellaneous production (wholesale/retail market and which are not frozen for canning
later)
Species name and code
Area of processing
Process code
Product code
Total net weight (lb)
Total value ($)
Custom canned production (Complete an entry for each can size produced:
Species name and code
Area of processing
Process 51 or 52
Can size in ounces, to the hundredth of an ounce.
Number of cans per case
Number of cases
Total wholesale value($)
Fish buying retro payments/post-season adjustments, form M(1-2).
Company name, Processor code, and location
Year
Species name and code
Area purchased
Gear code
Delivery code
Total pounds purchased from fisherman
Total amount paid to fishermen (base + adjustment)

The time to complete a COAR is estimated to range from 0.5 (for completion of a certification
page only) to 16 hr; an average of 8 hr per year. Each COAR must be submitted to ADF&G by
mail. Postage costs are within a range of $0.39 to $1.17; estimated postage cost is $1.17.

COAR, Respondent
99
99

Estimated number of responses
Total annual responses
Frequency of response, annual
Total annual time burden hours
Estimated response time = 8 hr
Total personnel cost
Cost per hour = $25
Total miscellaneous cost
Postage 99 x $1.17 = 115.83

792 hr
$19,800
$116

COAR, Federal Government
Total annual responses
Total annual time burden
Total personnel cost
Total miscellaneous cost

0
0
0
0

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It is anticipated that the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to
support publicly disseminated information. As explained in the preceding paragraphs, the
information gathered has utility. NMFS will retain control over the information and safeguard it
from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic
information. See response #10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on
confidentiality and privacy. The information collection is designed to yield data that meet all
applicable information quality guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information will be
subjected to quality control measures and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of
Public Law 106-554.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of
information technology.
NMFS currently does not have the capability to collect COAR information by means of
electronic submission, although the form is available on the Internet to review or print. The
applicant provides a completed COAR in printed form to ADF&G. Also, because of the
requirement for an original signature on the COAR, converting to electronic submission is not an
option at this time.
4. Describe your efforts to identify duplication.
Although many of the questions on the COAR appear to duplicate requests for information that
appear on the WPR, the COAR requests one annual amount for each species by product and
area, compared with the many weekly amounts by species that are recorded and reported by the
industry on daily cumulative production logbooks (DCPLs) and WPRs. It is deemed a preferred
method to request this summary along with associated value information, since each mothership
or catcher/processor has a year-end summary by species and product in their own bookkeeping
system. These requests are not duplications because applicants are either verifying information
already on file (similar to persons verifying their income to the IRS although information has
already been provided through W-2 forms) or providing information that is not on file. In
addition, for economic data purposes, areas of buying and areas of processing are requested
instead of reporting area of the harvested fish.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe
the methods used to minimize burden.
This collection-of-information does not impose a significant impact on small entities.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is
not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
A Federal requirement for processors to submit the COAR is a method to obtain complete and
equivalent annual product value information for all respective processing sectors. The COAR

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data are fundamental to the agency=s mandated obligations under E.O. 12866 and the MagnusonStevens Act, American Fisheries Act, Regulatory Flexibility Act, National Standards 4, 5, 7,
and 8. The COAR database is used in the annual NMFS Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation documents for the groundfish fisheries of the BSAI and GOA, annual Federal
publications on the value of U.S. commercial fisheries, and in periodic reports that describe the
fisheries and that serve as reference documents to management agencies, the industry, and
others. Without the COAR data base, NMFS would be deficient in these very important data
sectors.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a
manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
The COAR is a State of Alaska form that is available on the Internet to download or print a copy
for completion. However, it is not “fillable and printable”.
8. Provide a copy of the PRA Federal Register notice that solicited public comments on the
information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received
in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those
comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their
views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and
recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be
recorded, disclosed, or reported.
A Federal Register notice (71 FR 67546, November 22, 2006) was published. No comments
were received.
Eric Reiter, Seafood Industry Coordinator, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of
Commercial Fisheries (Ph: 907-465-6131; Fax: 907-465-2604), provided current information
regarding the COAR. In response to discussions with Eric, the data elements of the COAR as
well as the number of participants responding to the COAR were updated.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than
remuneration of contractors or grantees.
No payment or gift is provided under this program.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for
assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
The information collected is confidential under Title II, Section 203(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-479). It is also
confidential under NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, which sets forth procedures to protect
confidentiality of fishery statistics. The information submitted in the COAR also is protected by
Alaska State confidentiality statute AS 16.05.815.

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11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual
behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered
private.
This information collection does not involve information of a sensitive nature.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
Total estimated respondents: 99, an increase from 87. Total estimated responses: 99, an
increase from 87. Total estimated burden: 792, up from 696 hr. Total estimated personnel
costs: $19,800, up from $17,400.
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in #12
above).
Total estimated miscellaneous costs: $116 up from $97.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
There will be no appreciable costs to NMFS. The COAR is submitted by respondents to
ADF&G and data from the COAR are analyzed by ADF&G.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or
14 of the OMB 83-I.
The number of respondents is adjusted to the latest reported information, 2005, from ADF&G.
This causes the number of respondents, responses, burden, and personnel cost to increase. In
addition, the cost for postage is increased to reflect current rates.
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and
publication.
Individual data from the COAR is confidential. Fishermen, researchers, economists, etc. request
and receive ad hoc reports (non-confidential data) from COAR data for various reasons. NMFS
economists use data from COAR as a source for a variety of tables that appear in an economic
appendix to the annual Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Reports and also in regulatory
analyses for groundfish fisheries such as Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements and
Regulatory Impact Reviews.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the
information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.

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As this is an Alaska State form, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) number and
expiration date will not be displayed on the COAR.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of the
OMB 83-I.
The COAR is a State of Alaska form and is distributed by the State; as such, the certification
statement will not be displayed on the form.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
This collection does not employ statistical methods.

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