Justification for change

JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGE

ALASKA PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERIES: CHARTER PERMITS

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0592

JUSTIFICATION: This action removes two information collections from OMB Control No. 0648-0592, which are now included in OMB Control No. 0648-0665 [associated rule: RIN 0648- BB94 (78 FR 33243, published 6/4/2013].

Under the Charter Halibut Limited Access Program, eligible Community Quota Entities (CQEs) may request community charter halibut permits (CHPs) for use in International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). The purpose of issuing permits to this subset of small GOA communities, not located on the road system, is to provide them the opportunity to derive economic benefits from the charter halibut industry.

The CQE designates charter operators to use its community CHPs, although the CHP itself is retained by the CQE. A charter vessel operator using a Community CHP is subject to all charter fishing regulations, and must either begin or end the charter vessel fishing trip within the community designated on the permit.

The Pacific halibut commercial IFQ Program is codified in NMFS regulations at 50 CFR part 679. The IPHC regulations for halibut commercial and subsistence fisheries are codified at

50 CFR parts 300.60 through 300.66. The limited access program for vessels in the guided sport charter fishery is codified at 50 CFR 300.67.

This action removes the following forms from this collection:

a. Application for Community Charter Halibut Permit (CCHP)

[moved to OMB Control No. 0648-0665]

Community charter halibut permit.

A CQE could apply for a limited number of permits for eligible communities at no cost, if they meet criteria for limited participation in the charter halibut fishery. A CQE representing a community in Area 2C could receive a maximum of four CCHPs for each eligible community it represents. A CQE representing a community in Area 3A could receive a maximum of seven CCHPs for each eligible community it represents. The larger number of community permits that would be allowed in Area 3A reflects the larger resource base in that area. A CCHP would have an angler endorsement of six. The communities eligible for a CCHP include those communities in which 10 or fewer “active” charter vessel businesses terminated charter vessel trips in the community in each of the qualifying years, 2004 and 2005.

Application for community charter Permit, Respondents
Total number of respondents Communities: 14 – Area 3A 18 – Area 2C Total annual responses Frequency of response = 1 Total annual time burden Estimated response time = 1 hr Total personnel costs Cost per hour = $25 Total miscellaneous costs (109.60) Mail (0.45 x 16 = 7.20) Fax (6 x 16 = 96) Photocopy (2 x 0.10 x 32 = 6.40)	32 32 32 $800 $110

Application for Transfer Between IFQ and Guided Angler Fish (GAF) by a Community Quota Entity (CQE) [moved to OMB Control No. 0648-0665]

The Application for Transfer Between IFQ and GAF by a Community Quota Entity (CQE) is used to transfer annual IPHC Area 2C or 3A commercial IFQ held by a CQE for use as GAF by a community resident holding one or more CHPs for areas 2C or 3A. In addition, this application may be used to return unused GAF to the CQE from which it was obtained.

♦ A CQE applying for a transfer between IFQ and GAF must be eligible to hold IFQ on behalf of an eligible community in Area 2C or Area 3A and have received NMFS’ notification of approval of eligibility to receive IFQ for that community. In addition,

♦ An individual applying to receive GAF from Area 2C or Area 3A IFQ held by a CQE must be an eligible community resident of the eligible community in whose name the CQE is holding IFQ.

♦ The CQE applying to receive GAF must hold one or more valid community CHPs.

♦ The CQE applying to transfer IFQ to GAF must submit a complete annual report(s) as required by 50 CFR part 679.5(l)(8).

Application for Transfer Between IFQ and GAF by CQE, Respondent
Number of respondents 18 Area 2C 14 Area 3A Total annualized responses Frequency of response = 1 Total burden hours Time per response = 2 hr Total personnel costs ($25 x 64) Total miscellaneous costs (91.60) Mail (1.32 x 30 = 39.60) Fax (6 x 2 = 12) Photocopy (.05 x 25pp x 32 = 40)	32 32 64 hr $1,600 $92

For OMB Control No. 0648-0592 before change: estimated total unique respondents 1,946, estimated total responses 1,376, estimated total burden 2,256 hours, and estimated total miscellaneous costs $ 5,138.

For OMB Control No. 0648-0592 after change: estimated total unique respondents 1,914, estimated total responses 1,312, estimated total burden 2,160 hours, and estimated total miscellaneous costs $ 4,936.

This change will result in 32 fewer respondents, 64 fewer responses, 96 fewer burden hours, and $202 less in miscellaneous costs.

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