Anip Ss (bf54) 042716

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

ALASKA NOTIFICATION OF INTENT

TO PROCESS ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC COD

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-XXXX

This request is for a temporary new information collection due to an associated rule [RIN 0648-BF54]. This collection will be merged into OMB Control No. 0648-0213 after approval.

INTRODUCTION

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. (Magnuson-Stevens Act) authorizes the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) to prepare and amend fishery management plans for any fishery in waters under its jurisdiction. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Region manages: 1) the crab fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters off the coast of Alaska under the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab; 2) groundfish under the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; and 3) groundfish under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and NMFS manage fishing for Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) through regulations established under the authority of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. The IPHC promulgates regulations governing the halibut fishery under the Convention between the United States and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea.

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection-of-information necessary.

This action contains new requirements for a maximum of two communities that would be required to provide notice to NMFS of their intent to process Aleutian Islands Pacific cod. Harvesting and delivery requirements apply only if specific notification requirements are met, and only during a portion of the year. This action establishes harvesting and delivery requirements in the BSAI Pacific cod fishery to prioritize the delivery of a portion of the Aleutian Islands Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) to shoreside processors located on land west of 170 W. longitude in the Aleutian Islands.

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.

a. Notification of Intent to Process Non-Community Development Quota (CDQ) Directed Aleutian Islands Pacific Cod [NEW]

The city manager(s) of the City of Adak, Alaska, and/or the City of Atka, Alaska, must notify NMFS of their intent to process Aleutian Islands Pacific cod in the upcoming year. If neither city submits such notification, the Aleutian Islands shoreside delivery requirement and restriction on the trawl catcher vessel sector allocation would be suspended for the upcoming year.

Notification must be timely and complete in the form of a letter or memo to NMFS signed by the City Manager of the city whose shoreplant is intending to process Aleutian Islands Pacific cod.

Notification must be submitted by certified mail through the United States Postal Service to:

NMFS Alaska Region

Attn: Regional Administrator

P. O. Box 21668

Juneau, AK 99802

Certified mail will provide the community with proof of postmark date and receipt by NMFS. Additionally, the Regional Administrator will send a signed and dated letter confirming receipt of the city’s letter stating their intent to process Aleutian Islands Pacific cod.

Deadline: must be received (not postmarked) by NMFS no later than November 1 prior to the calendar year in which the City of Adak or the City of Atka intends to process Aleutian Islands Pacific cod.

Notification of intent to process Aleutian Island Pacific cod

Date

Name of city

Statement of intent to process Aleutian Island Pacific cod

Calendar year during which the city intends to process Aleutian Island Pacific cod

Signature of and contact information for the City Manager

Notify Intent to Process Pcod, Respondent
Number of respondents Total annual responses Frequency of response = 1 Total burden hours Time per response = 30 minutes Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 1 ) Total miscellaneous cost (3.40) Certified mail, 2016 rates = 3.30 Photocopy cost (0.05 x 2 = 0.10)	2 2 1 hr $37 $4

Notify Intent to Process Pcod, Federal Government
Total annual responses Total burden hours Time per response =1 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 2) Total miscellaneous cost Postage (.45 x 2 = 0.90)	2 2 hr $74 $1

It is anticipated that the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support publicly disseminated information. The Council 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 to Question 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.

Instructions are available on the NMFS Alaska Region web page at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/rr-forms. There is no form; rather a letter is created by the respondent and sent to NMFS by certified mail.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

None of the information collected as part of this information collection duplicates other collections. This information collection is part of a specialized and technical program that is not like any other.

5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.

This information collection does not impose a significant impact on small entities. The two processors impacted by this action are not small businesses.

6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.

If this action were not conducted, the additional opportunities provided for harvesters to deliver Aleutian Islands Pacific cod to Aleutian Islands shoreplants would not exist. The action is intended to provide benefits to harvesters delivering to Aleutian Islands shoreplants, the shoreplants, and the communities where those shoreplants are located. Because of their remote location and limited economic alternatives, Aleutian Islands communities rely on harvesting and processing of the nearby fishery resources to support and sustain their communities. This action is intended to be directly responsive to National Standard 8 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that states conservation and management measures shall take into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities in order to provide for the sustained participation of such communities, and to the extent practicable, minimize adverse economic impacts on such communities (16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(8)).

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

No special circumstances exist.

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 proposed rule (RIN Number 0648-BF54) will be published in the Federal Register to solicit public comments, coincident with this request

9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No special circumstances exist.

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 section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act as amended in 2006 (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.). It is also confidential under NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, which sets forth procedures to protect confidentiality of fishery statistics.

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.

Estimated total unique respondents: 2. Estimated total responses: 2. Estimated total burden:

1 hr. Estimated total personnel costs (average wage equivalent to a GS-7 employee in Alaska, including COLA, at $37/hour): $37.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in Question 12 above).

Total estimated miscellaneous costs: $4.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.

The estimated total responses: 2. The estimated total burden: 2 hours. The estimated total personnel cost: $ 47. Total estimated miscellaneous cost: $ 1.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

Program Changes

Notify of Intent to Process Pacific Cod [NEW]

an increase of 2 respondents and responses, 2 instead of 0

an increase of 1 hr burden, 1 instead of 0 hr

an increase of $37 personnel costs, $37 instead of 0

an increase of $4 miscellaneous costs, $4 instead of 0

16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.

No plans exist for publishing the results of the information collection.

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 Notification of Intent to Process Aleutian Islands Pacific cod is not a form; rather it is a letter created by the respondent. The OMB Control No. and expiration date will be on the instructions.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

Not Applicable.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

This collection does not employ statistical methods.

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