As part of its fishery management
responsibilities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
collects certain information to determine whether a respondent
complies with regulations that pertain to the issuance, transfer,
ownership interest or renewal of a Pacific Coast Groundfish limited
entry permit or exempted fishing permit. Also, NMFS collects
information from permit owners and vessel owners to assist NMFS
with its enforcement responsibilities. Exempted fishing permit
holders may be required to provide descriptions of planned fishing
activities, periodic data reports, preseason plans, and summary
reports. The respondents are mainly groundfish fishermen or fishing
companies or partnerships. Other respondents include state
fisheries agencies, non-profits groups, or fishing associations who
sponsor research carried out under exempted fishing
permits.
The EFP estimated hours have
increased by 1,449, although the proposals are estimated to be
fewer (5, rather than 9): estimated times for proposals and summary
reports have increased significantly and there are a greater number
of estimated data reports and notifications of EFP fishing trips
and deliveries under an EFP; NMFS has increased monitoring
requirements associated with EFPs to protect overfished species and
to more closely track EFP fishing activities. Costs have increased
by about $1,000, due to increased number of mailings of reports and
notifications. The time burden for the LEP part of the collection
(including sablefish stacking) has decreased from 280 hours to 185
hours. The reason for the reduction in the time burden is the
elimination of several of the sablefish stacking related
collections which were one time in nature, as well as the marriage
declaration form which was a one time opportunity for permit owners
to add their spouses as co-owner of the permit for the purpose of
obtaining an exemption from the owner on board requirement. Costs
have decreased for LEP s primary due to an adjustment of the costs
associated with processing renewal applications. The renewal fee
for LEPs effective in 2010 is estimated to be $110 per permit. This
application fee is a decrease from $152 renewal fee given in the
prior collection. NMFS has realized certain efficiencies in its
processing of renewals resulting in a reduced number of staff
hours. The reduced renewal fee amount accounts for most of the
decrease in the total annual cost burden to respondents (a decrease
of 17,518: from $61,408 ($152 x 404) to $43,890 ($110 x 399). There
is no fee to the respondents to recover annualized costs to the
Federal government to process transfer requests and ownership
interest information. In summary, the total burden hours have
increased by 1,354 hours and costs decreased by $18,332.
$1,659
No
No
Uncollected
Uncollected
No
Uncollected
Kevin Ford 2065266115
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Limited Entry Permit Renewal
0203 ss ren 091109rev.pdf
Limited Entry Permit Renewal