Pcgt Ss (bf12) 062016

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

PACIFIC COAST GROUNDFISH TRAWL RATIONALIZATION PROGRAM

PERMIT AND LICENSE INFORMATION COLLECTION – WIDOW ROCKFISH REALLOCATION

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-XXXX

INTRODUCTION

This is a temporary new collection for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Program Permit and License Information Collection (OMB Control No. 0648-0620), related to Proposed Rule [RIN: 0648-BF12]: Widow Rockfish Reallocation in the Individual Fishing Quota Fishery. This temporary collection will be merged into OMB Control No. 0648-0620 upon OMB approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA),

16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. authorizes the collection of such information.

The rule proposes to reallocate quota shares (QS) of widow rockfish to initial QS recipients now that the widow rockfish stock has been rebuilt, based on a target species formula that will more closely represent the fishing history of permit owners when widow rockfish was a targeted species. The rule also proposes to allow the trading of widow rockfish QS (for which there has been a moratorium pending the reallocation decision), set a deadline for divestiture in case the reallocation of widow rockfish puts any QS permit owner over an accumulation limit, and remove the daily vessel limit for widow rockfish since it is no longer an overfished species. The only portion of the proposed rule that would entail a new or changed collection of information is the reallocation of widow rockfish QS. NMFS proposes that eligible QS permit owners would complete a prefilled application for reallocated widow rockfish QS.

JUSTIFICATION

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

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing to reallocate widow rockfish QS in the individual fishing quota (IFQ) fishery, and will therefore need to collect basic information from eligible QS permit owners on a one-time basis. The application form will be sent to eligible QS permit owners to: 1) ensure that we have the most recent contact information; 2) provide the reallocated widow rockfish QS percentage to each eligible QS permit owner; 3) obtain the permit owner’s acceptance or denial of the reallocated QS amount; and 4) obtain the signature of the owner or an authorized representative. This information is necessary to implement the rulemaking and the reallocation.

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 widow rockfish reallocation application form will be a single-use form, sent to eligible QS permit owners in the fall of 2016. The information collected on the form will be used to:

1) update contact information, if necessary; 2) ensure that the widow QS is being reallocated to the correct person or business; 3) allow NMFS to know which QS permit owners accepted their reallocated widow QS percentages, and review supporting documentation for any permit owner who does not accept their reallocated amount; 4) obtain the signature of the owner or an authorized representative who has declared they are authorized to certify the form. The information will allow NMFS to implement the rulemaking and reallocation with certification and acknowledgement from the QS permit owners, and update any incorrect information used in the reallocation calculation.

The information on the application will not be disseminated to the public, other than to post the final reallocated widow QS percentages to the IFQ quota share account balance page, along with all other QS percentages for all other species. None of the contact information (phone number, fax number, email address), or information on whether the QS permit owner accepted or denied the reallocated amount will be released to the public.

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 temporary new collection will be conducted exclusively by mail, and NMFS will not accept emailed versions of the application form.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

This is a unique information collection and does not duplicate other collections. The trawl rationalization program was developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council and is unique to the commercial Pacific coast trawl fisheries. The program and the temporary new information collection is specific to a section of the Pacific coast commercial fishing industry, the IFQ sector. The information collected is required to implement and administer the reallocation of widow rockfish QS.

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

Many of the respondents are small businesses. NMFS will mail prefilled forms to eligible QS permit owners for this collection. Respondents will only need to certify that the current contact information is correct or make the applicable changes as necessary. Then they will need to review their reallocated widow rockfish amount, and can review their underlying calculation which will be mailed with the form. On the form, they must simply accept or deny the QS amount, and sign the form. If they do not accept the QS amount, they must provide supporting documentation.

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

This is a one-time collection of information that will allow NMFS to reallocate widow rockfish QS in the IFQ fishery. If the collection is not conducted, NMFS will not be able to implement the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s intent or implement the regulations, and will not be able

to reallocate widow rockfish QS, which program participants want and need in order to begin trading.

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

Not Applicable.

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 0648-BF12, Widow Rockfish Reallocation in the Individual Fishing Quota Fishery, will be published coincident with the revision submission for this request, for public comment on the widow rockfish reallocation application form.

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

Not Applicable.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

Some of the information collected above is confidential under section 402(b) of the MSA. It is also confidential under NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Protection of Confidential Fisheries Statistics. All collections of phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses are not released to the public. A statement of the confidentiality of this information is provided on each form.

The information collected is part of a Privacy Act System of Records, COMMERCE/NOAA #19, Permits and Registrations for United States Federally Regulated Fisheries. An amended notice was published in the Federal Register on August 7, 2015 (80 FR 47457) and became effective on September 15, 2015 (80 FR 55327).

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.

Not Applicable.

12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.

The total estimated annual time burden to the respondents or record-keepers resulting from this temporary new collection is 128 hours.

Collection	Responsible Party	Number of Respondents (a)	Frequency of Responses Per Year (b)	Total Number of Responses Per Year (c) = (a*b)	Average Time Per Response (In Minutes) (d)	Annual Burden (In Hours) (e) = (c)*(d/60)
Widow Rockfish Reallocation Application Form	Original QS Permit Owners	128	1	128	60	128
TOTAL BURDEN HOURS		128 Unique Respondents		128 Responses		128

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).

The total estimated annual cost burden to the respondents or record-keepers resulting from this temporary new collection is $76.

Collection	Number of Respondents (a)	Frequency of Responses Per Year (b)	Total Number of Responses Per Year (c) = (a*b)	Mailing Costs to Respondent (d)		Copy Costs to Respondent ($0.05/page) (e)	Notary Costs (if applicable) (f)	Application Fees (g)	Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents (h) = (c) * (d+e+f+g)
1. QS Permit/Account Application Form	128	1	128	$0.44	$0.15		$0.00	$0.00	$75.52
TOTAL REPORTING AND RECORD KEEPING COSTS									$75.52 ($76)

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

NMFS will continue to incur ongoing program costs related to the trawl rationalization program, for which there is a cost recovery program through which NMFS collects cost recovery fees from program participants. This temporary new collection will include staff time to: prepare the application packages and calculation workbooks to support reallocated widow QS percentages, review and process (enter data) incoming applications, prepare receipt mailings, prepare decision documents, update the widow QS percentages in the IFQ accounting system (QS accounts only), and respond to permit owners about application questions. The estimated net administrative cost accruing to the Federal government for this temporary new collection is approximately $30,000.

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

This is a temporary new information collection.

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

The results from this collection are not planned for statistical publication.

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.

Not Applicable.

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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