0551 ss rev 043008 rev

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
SOUTHEAST REGION GULF OF MEXICO RED SNAPPER IFQ PROGRAM
OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0551

A.

JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
Collection of percent ownership in a corporation from Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)
participants is necessary for the red snapper IFQ program. The IFQ program has a cap on share
percent ownership of six percent. Without the ability to track corporate shareholder information,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries Service) will be unable to enforce this share ownership cap.
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.
IFQ participants will add the percent corporate ownership online through their IFQ account.
Only appropriate NOAA Fisheries Service personnel will have access to this information. This
information will be used to track corporate ownership in order to be sure the IFQ share
ownership cap is not violated.
After this initial entry, IFQ participants will provide percent ownership information when
renewing their applications for the Federal Permit Application for Fishing in the Exclusive
Economic Zone, under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No.: 0648-0205. The
currently approved Tax Identification Number (TIN) requirement will be maintained on this
permit application so that any permit holders who may acquire IFQ by transfer can be identified
for cost recovery purposes.
Collection of the TIN is necessary on program fee submission forms to ensure that we are
collecting from the person who owes the debt. If the fee submission and payment are not
received, the agency must begin collection processes and those collection processes cannot be
initiated or accomplished without the TIN. NOTE: Because the TIN in this instance is collected
for NOAA Fisheries Service cost recovery, there is demonstrable practical utility. In addition,
cost recovery is mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1852 et seq.) as amended in
2006, and the collection of TIN in such an instance is supported by 31 U.S.C. Section 7701.
As explained above, the information gathered has utility. NOAA Fisheries Service retains control
over the information and safeguards it from improper access, modification, and destruction,
consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. 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 measure
and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of the Public Law 106-554.

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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.
The IFQ program is the first completely electronic IFQ program in the nation. All information is
processed through online access at https://ifq.sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act's operational guidelines require each Fishery Management Plan
(FMP) to evaluate existing state and federal laws that govern the fisheries in question, and the
findings are made part of each FMP. Each Fishery Management Council membership is
comprised of state and federal officials responsible for resource management in their area. These
two circumstances identify other collections that may be gathering the same or similar
information. In addition, each FMP undergoes extensive public comment periods where
potential applicants review the proposed permit application requirements. Therefore, NOAA
Fisheries Service is confident it is aware of similar collections if they exist. This information is
also collected through the Southeast Region Permit Family of Forms (OMB Control No. 06480205) to ensure that potential IFQ participants will not violate the share cap if and when they
enter the fishery. However, due to the minimal amount of time to complete this information, this
duplication is not seen as burdensome.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe
the methods used to minimize burden.
Because all applicants are considered small businesses or small entities, separate requirements
based on size of business have not been developed. Only the minimum data to meet the current
and future needs of NOAA Fisheries Service's fisheries management are requested from the
vessel owners.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is
not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
If the percent ownership in a corporation is not collected, NOAA Fisheries Service will have no
means to track the share cap in the IFQ program.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a
manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
There are no special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner
inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

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8. Provide information on 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 published on February 14, 2008 (73 FR 8649) solicited comments on
this request; no comments were received. Tracking of corporate shareholder information was
also addressed in Final Rule, Regulation Identifier Number (RIN): 0648-AS67 (71 FR 67447),
published in the Federal Register on November 22, 2006.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than
remuneration of contractors or grantees.
There are no payments or other remunerations to respondents.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for
assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
All data submitted under the proposed collection will be handled as confidential material in
accordance with Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), 16
U.S.C. 1881a, Section 402b, and NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Protection of
Confidential Fishery Statistics.
A Privacy Act System of Records Notice, COMMERCE/NOAA-19, Permits and Registrations
for United States Federally Regulated Fisheries, was published in the Federal Register on
04/17/2008. If no comments need to be addressed, it is expected that this System of Records will
be effective by the end of May 2008.
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.
No questions of a sensitive nature are asked.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
Going onto the IFQ website and adding the percent ownership information on the website is
estimated to take one minute. For each respondent to enter this information, this adds 24 hours to
the current total: 1,417 responses x 1 minutes/60 minutes = 24 hours. After this information is
added initially, respondents would continue to include it, with no burden added, when
completing renewals for their federal EEZ permits (the permit form is being revised in a
companion request for OMB Control No. 0648-0205).
Thus, the new response and hour totals would be 10,244 + 1,417 = 11,661 and 1,014 + 24 =
1,038.
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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).
There is no additional cost for this information collection; the total continues to be $383,625.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
There is no additional cost.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or
14 of the OMB 83-I.
The requirement to add percent ownership to the permit information is a program change which
adds 24 hours total.
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and
publication.
These results will not be published.
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.
The OMB Control Number and expiration date will be displayed where appropriate.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of the
OMB 83-I.
There are no exemptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of OMB 83-I.

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

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