0393 Ss 083116

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

ALASKA AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT (AFA) PERMITS

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0393

This request is for extension of this information collection.

INTRODUCTION

National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region (NMFS) manages the U.S. groundfish fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and other applicable laws. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council prepared, and NMFS approved, the FMP. Regulations implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR part 679.

On October 21, 1998, the President signed The American Fisheries Act (AFA). With respect to the fisheries off Alaska, the AFA affected the management programs of the pollock fishery of the BSAI and to a lesser extent the other groundfish fisheries of the BSAI: the groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), the king and Tanner crab fisheries of the BSAI, and the scallop fishery off Alaska. NMFS incorporated the relevant provisions of the AFA into the FMP and established a comprehensive management program to implement the AFA.

The Original AFA

The original AFA is available on the NMFS Alaska Region Website: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/afa/afa1998.pdf. The original AFA had two subtitles. Subtitle I generally pertained to the issuance of Federal fishery endorsements. Subtitle II pertained to the management of the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Subtitle II made significant changes in the management of the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The original AFA established sector allocations in the BSAI pollock fishery; determined eligible vessels and processors; allowed the formation of cooperatives; set limits on the participation of AFA vessels in other fisheries; and imposed special catch weighing and monitoring requirements on AFA vessels.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG), in conjunction with the Maritime Administration, implemented Subtitle I, and NMFS implemented Subtitle II.

AFA as Amended by the Coast Guard Act

The AFA amendments in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (Coast Guard Act) amended the provisions of the original AFA that pertain to the issuance of Federal fishery endorsements. The Coast Guard Act also amended provisions that pertain to the management of the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The AFA amendments allow AFA rebuilt and replacement vessels to receive a Federal fishery endorsement, even if the vessel did not have a Federal fishery endorsement as of September 25, 1997. Thus, an AFA rebuilt and AFA replacement vessel may receive a Federal fishery endorsement even if the vessel exceeds the statutory thresholds for length, weight, and horsepower: 165 feet registered length, 750 gross registered tons, or 3,000 shaft horsepower. In addition, the Coast Guard Act allows the rebuilding, replacement, and removal of AFA vessels to improve the safety and efficiency of the AFA fleet.

JUSTIFICATION

The BSAI pollock fishery AFA permanent permits (AFA catcher vessel, AFA catcher/processor, AFA mothership, and AFA inshore processor) had a one-time application deadline of December 1, 2000. Except for annual permits, all participants in the AFA pollock fishery are already permitted, and the permits are issued with an indefinite expiration date. The annual AFA permits are: inshore vessel cooperative permit and inshore vessel contract fishing permit. An AFA vessel replacement application may be submitted to NMFS at any time it is necessary.

AFA vessel and processor permits may not be used on or transferred to any vessel or processor that is not listed on the permit. However, AFA permits may be amended by NMFS to reflect any change in the ownership of the vessel or processor after submittal of this information to NMFS in a written letter.

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

The purpose of the AFA was to tighten U.S. ownership standards that had been exploited under the Anti-reflagging Act, and to provide the BSAI pollock fleet the opportunity to conduct their fishery in a more rational manner while protecting non-AFA participants in the other fisheries. The AFA established sector allocations in the BSAI pollock fishery, determined eligible vessels and processors, allowed the formation of cooperatives, set limits on the participation of AFA vessels in other fisheries, and imposed special catch weighing and monitoring requirements on AFA vessels.

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.

Any vessel used to engage in directed fishing for a non-western Alaska community development quota (non-CDQ) allocation of pollock in the Bering Sea and any shoreside processor, stationary floating processor, or mothership that receives pollock harvested in a non-CDQ directed pollock fishery in the Bering Sea must have a valid AFA permit onboard the vessel or at the facility location at all times while non-CDQ pollock is being harvested or processed.

a. Application for AFA Permit: Rebuilt, Replaced, or Removed Vessel [NO CHANGES]

In order to improve vessel safety and operational efficiency (including fuel efficiency), the owner of an AFA vessel may rebuild or replace that vessel with a vessel documented with a fishery endorsement under section 12113 of Title 46 of the U.S. Code.

The owner of an AFA catcher vessel that is a member of an inshore cooperative may remove that vessel from the Bering Sea directed pollock fishery. If the owner applies to do that, the owner must direct NMFS to assign the pollock catch history of the vessel being removed to other vessel or vessels in the cooperative of the removed vessel. The catcher vessel(s) receiving the pollock catch history of the removed vessel must remain in the fishery cooperative for at least one year after the date on which NMFS approves the application for removal of the catcher vessel.

Applications to replace lost or destroyed AFA vessels may be submitted to NMFS Restricted Management Program (RAM) at any time. In the event of the actual total loss or constructive total loss of an AFA catcher vessel, AFA mothership, or AFA catcher/processor, the owner of such vessel may replace the vessel with a replacement vessel. A constructive total loss is a loss of such significance that the property is beyond economical repair (cost of restoring it exceeds its insured value). This is a one-time only submittal.

Deadlines:

♦ Rebuild an AFA vessel, the owner shall notify NMFS and provide USCG documentation for the rebuilt vessel within 30 days of the issuance of the documentation.

♦ Total or constructive loss of an AFA vessel, the owner of the AFA vessel shall notify NMFS in writing within 120 days of the date of the vessel loss.

♦ The AFA permit on the lost vessel shall remain valid from the date of the vessel loss until three years from December 31 of the year of the vessel loss, unless the AFA permit on the lost vessel is revoked before that date because the lost vessel was replaced or removed.

An AFA rebuilt or replacement vessel shall be eligible to participate in fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska and subject to the same restrictions and limitations as the original vessel. However, if the replacement vessel does not already hold a USCG fishery endorsement, that endorsement must be obtained within 36 months of the end of the last year that the vessel fished for or processed pollock in the BSAI.

An AFA vessel that was rebuilt or replaced after October 15, 2010, is exempt from the maximum length overall (MLOA) on a License Limitation Program ( LLP) groundfish license with a Bering Sea and/or Aleutian Islands area endorsement when the vessel is fishing pursuant to that license, whether the vessel before rebuilding or replacement was exempt.

Use this application to:

♦ Notify NMFS that an AFA vessel has been rebuilt

♦ Request an AFA permit for a replacement catcher vessel, catcher/processor, or mothership

♦ Request removal of an AFA catcher vessel that is a member of an inshore cooperative and assignment of the catch history of that vessel to other vessel or vessels in the same inshore cooperative.

When completed, submit application to:

♦ By mail to: NMFS Alaska Region

Restricted Access Management (RAM)

P.O. Box 21668

Juneau, Alaska 99802-1668

♦ By fax to: (907) 586-7354

♦ or deliver to: 709 West 9th Street, Room 713

Juneau, AK 99801

AFA Permit: Rebuilt, Replacement, or Removed Vessel Application

Block A – Purpose of Application (check one)

Block B –AFA Permitted Vessel

Identify existing AFA permitted vessel being rebuilt, replaced or removed from AFA fishery.

If owner is notifying NMFS of the rebuilding of an AFA vessel, attach USCG Documentation for Rebuilt Vessel

Vessel name

Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) vessel registration number

USCG documentation number

AFA permit number

LLP groundfish license number

Gross tons, Shaft horsepower, & Registered length (feet)

Owner name (list all owners)

Permanent business mailing address of primary vessel owner

Permanent business telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of primary vessel owner

Block C - Identification and ownership of replacement vessel

Attach the current USCG documentation for this vessel showing a valid fishery endorsement.

Vessel name

ADF&G vessel registration number

USCG documentation number

LLP Groundfish License number

Gross tons, Net tons (U.S. tons), & Shaft horsepower

Registered length (feet) & Current length overall (feet)

Owner name (list all owners)

Permanent business mailing address of primary vessel owner

Permanent business telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of primary owner

Block D – Assignment of Pollock Catch History of Removed Vessel

This Block may only be used if the vessel listed in Block B is being permanently removed from the AFA fishery.

Identify vessel(s) to which the owner of the removed AFA catcher vessel, listed in Block B, wishes to permanently

assign the pollock catch history of the removed vessel and the percentage of the pollock catch history assigned

to each vessel. The pollock catch history of the removed vessel may only be assigned to vessel or vessels that

were in the same inshore cooperative to which the removed vessel belonged.

Identify vessel(s) that the owner of the removed vessel in Block B wishes to permanently assign the catch history of the removed vessel by entering the following:

Vessel Name.

USCG Official Documentation Number

AFA Permit Number

Percentage of the pollock catch history that the owner of the removed vessel is assigning to each listed vessel

Block E - Certification of Applicant

Signature and printed name of owner and date of signature

Adjusted time to complete from 30 minutes to 1 hr. Corrected number of respondents and responses from 112 (which includes all vessels) to 3 (which is an estimate of how many actual vessels may be rebuilt. Corrected instructions to say Block E instead of Block D for signatures.

Application for AFA Rebuilt, Replacement, or Removed Vessel Permit, Respondent
Total annual respondents Total annual responses Total burden hours Time per response = 1 hr Total personnel cost Personnel cost per hour = $37/hr x 3 Total miscellaneous cost (7.20) Postage (.45 x 2 = 0.90) Fax ($6 x 1 = 6) Photocopy (2pp x .05 x 3 = 0.30)	3 3 3 hr $111 $7

Application for AFA Rebuilt, Replacement, or Removed Permit, Federal Government
Total annual responses Total burden hours Time per response = 1 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 3) Total miscellaneous cost	3 3 hr $111 0

b. Notification from the cooperative of replacement and removal of vessels. [REMOVED]

This item was included because it appeared that the cooperative had a separate form to notify NMFS of replacement of a vessel. After reading the regulations at 679.4(l), it is shown that the owner of a vessel that is a member of a cooperative notifies NMFS of a vessel replacement using the form described at 2a.

c. Application for AFA Inshore Catcher Vessel Cooperative Permit [NO CHANGES]

The AFA authorizes the formation of fishery cooperatives in all sectors of the BSAI pollock fishery, grants anti-trust exemptions to cooperatives in the mothership sector, and imposes operational limits on fishery cooperatives in the BSAI pollock fishery. NMFS relies on fishery cooperatives for much of the day-to-day management of fishing activity at the cooperative and individual vessel level.

Fishery cooperatives are formed by groups of vessel owners to provide an alternative to the open access race for fish. Under a fishery cooperative, the members agree to divide up the available quota among the membership in a manner that eliminates a wasteful race for fish and allows participants to maximize productivity. The current inshore cooperatives are:

Akutan Catcher Vessel Association

Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative

Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative

Unalaska Cooperative

UniSea Fleet Cooperative

Westward Fleet Cooperative

Add or Subtract a Catcher Vessel

The cooperative representative must submit a new application to NMFS to add or subtract a catcher vessel to or from an inshore cooperative fishing permit prior to the application deadline. Upon approval, NMFS will issue an amended cooperative fishing permit.

Deadline: must be received by NMFS by December 1 of the year prior to the year in which the cooperative permit will be in effect.

A completed application may be submitted:

♦ By mail to: NOAA/NMFS Alaska Region

Restricted Access Management (RAM)

P.O. Box 21668

Juneau, Alaska 99802-1668

♦ By fax to: 907-586-7354

♦ By delivery to: NMFS

709 West 9th Street, Room 713

Juneau, AK 99801

NMFS will issue an AFA inshore cooperative permit upon receipt of a complete application to a cooperative formed pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 521.

The information obtained from an inshore catcher vessel cooperative permit application is used annually to identify the universe of participating vessels and processors in the BSAI pollock fishery prior to start of each fishing year.

Attachments to the Application for an Inshore Cooperative Permit

1) A copy of the cooperative contract or a renewal letter providing notice that a previously filed cooperative contract will remain in effect for the subsequent fishing year. Renewal letters must include the details of any material modifications to the cooperative contract since it was last filed with NMFS.
2) A written certification that:
	♦ The contract was signed by the owners of at least 80 percent of the qualified catcher vessels;
	♦ The cooperative contract requires that the cooperative deliver at least 90 percent of its BSAI pollock catch to its designated AFA processor; and
	♦ Each catcher vessel in the cooperative is a qualified catcher vessel as defined in 50 CFR 679.4(l)(6)(ii)(D) if it meets the following permit requirements:
		• AFA permit. The vessel must have a valid AFA catcher vessel permit with an inshore endorsement;
		• LLP permit. The vessel must be named on a valid LLP permit authorizing the vessel to engage in trawling for pollock in the Bering Sea subarea. If the vessel is more than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall, the vessel must be named on a valid LLP permit endorsed for the AI to engage in trawling for pollock in the AI; and
		• Permit sanctions. The vessel has no permit sanctions that otherwise make it ineligible to engage in fishing for pollock in the BSAI.
3) A copy of a letter requesting a business review on the fishery cooperative from the Department of Justice and any response to such request.

Application for AFA Inshore Catcher Vessel Cooperative Permit

Cooperative Contact Information.

Name of cooperative

Name of Co-op representative

Co-op business mailing address (P.O. Box or street, city, state, zip code);

indicate whether permanent or temporary

Co-op business telephone number, Fax number, and E-mail address

Designated Cooperative Processor Information

Name

Physical location of AFA Inshore Processor

Federal processor permit number

Cooperative Contract Information – List of attachments that are included

Vessel Information

Vessel name as displayed in official documentation.

ADF&G Vessel Registration Number

USCG Documentation Number

AFA Permit Number

Attachments (see above)

Certification of applicant

Signature and printed name of co-op representative and date of signature

Adjusted personnel cost from $25/hr to $37/hr.

Application for AFA Cooperative Permit, Respondent
Total annual respondents Total annual responses Total burden hours Time per response = 2 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 14) Total miscellaneous cost (20.05) Postage (.45 x 4 = 1.80) Fax ($6 x 3 = 18) Photocopy (2pp x .05 x 7 = 0.70	7 7 14 hr $518 $20

Application for AFA Cooperative Permit, Federal Government
Total annual responses Total burden hours Time per response = 1 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 7) Total miscellaneous cost	7 7 $259 0

d. AFA Inshore Vessel Contract Fishing Notification [NO CHANGES]

An AFA inshore cooperative that intends to contract with a vessel that is a member of another AFA inshore cooperative must submit complete information to NMFS, Alaska Region pursuant to 50 CFR part 679.62(c) for each contracted vessel. A separate notification must be submitted for each vessel. The information derived from this notification will assist cooperatives to understand how their catch is accounted, and also will alert NMFS inseason management that some vessels might be reporting with an alternative cooperative identification.

NMFS will notify the parties to the vessel contract when the agency receives the contract fishing notification. NMFS will not make any determinations as to the legality of any contract between or among the parties or its compliance with AFA requirements. There are no permits issued for this AFA contract. NMFS sends a letter acknowledging that the coops are contracting.

Submit the inshore vessel contract fishing notification to:

♦ By mail to: NMFS Alaska Region

Restricted Access Management (RAM)

P.O. Box 21668

Juneau, Alaska 99802-1668

The inshore vessel contract fishing notification may assume any format, but must contain the following information.

AFA Inshore Vessel Contract Fishing Notification

Vessel information

Vessel name and AFA permit number of the contracted vessel. This AFA catcher vessel must have an

inshore fishing endorsement and be a member of an inshore cooperative

Name and signature of the contract vessel’s owner

Name of the contract vessel’s home cooperative

Name and signature of the home cooperative’s designated representative

A complete harvest schedule that shows how all catch and any overages by the contracted vessel will be allocated between the contracting cooperative(s) and the contract vessel’s home cooperative. In the event that multiple cooperatives are contracting with the same non-member vessel, each harvest schedule submitted must clearly specify how all catch and any overages will be allocated among the various cooperatives with which the vessel is contracted as of the date of submission.

Cooperative information

Name of the AFA inshore cooperative wishing to contract with the vessel

Name and signature of the AFA inshore cooperative’s designated representative

Signatures

The inshore vessel contract fishing application is not valid unless it is signed by:

Contracting cooperative’s designated representative

Contract vessel owner, and

Vessel’s home cooperative designated representative

Adjusted personnel cost from $25/hr to $37/hr. Corrected fax cost from $5 to $6.

Notify Vessel Contract Fishing, Respondent
Total respondents Total annual responses Number of responses per respondent = 1 Total burden hours Estimated time per response = 4 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 72) Total miscellaneous cost (93.15) Postage (.45 x 3 = 1.35) Fax ($6 x 15 = 90) Photocopy (2pp x .05 x 18 = 1.80)		18 18 72 hr $2,664 $93

Notify Vessel Contract Fishing, Federal Government
Total annual responses Total burden hours Estimated time per response = 30 minutes Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 9) Total miscellaneous cost		18 9 hr $333 0

e. Application for Approval as an Entity to Receive Transferable Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation [NO CHANGES]

Each year, NMFS will allocate to AFA sectors a portion of the Chinook salmon PSC limit per §679.21(f). An entity representing the catcher/processor sector or the mothership sector may request approval by NMFS to receive transferable Chinook salmon PSC allocations on behalf of the members of the sector.

A complete application must include an authorization contract. The authorization contract authorizes the entity to act on behalf of the vessel owner for purposes of receiving and transferring Chinook salmon PSC allocations and authorizes the entity to be responsible for receiving legal papers on behalf of the vessel owners in the sector. This authorization to represent the sector members is needed under both the 60,000 and the 47,591 PSC limit.

An authorization contract must contain the following information:

♦ Documentation that all vessel owners party to the contract agree that the entity, the entity’s representative, and the entity’s agent for service of process named in this application represent them for purposes of receiving transferable allocations of Chinook salmon PSC

♦ A statement that the entity’s representative and agent for service of process are authorized to act on behalf of the vessel owners party to the contract and are responsible to comply with all applicable requirements of this part.

♦ Certification that the application includes signatures and printed names and date of signature for the owners of each of the AFA permitted vessels identified in the application. The names of the vessel owners signing the contract must be the same as the names of on the USCG vessel documentation

Once submitted, the authorization contract attached to the application is valid until amended or revoked by the parties to the contract.

Deadline, initial or amended application and contract: must be received by NMFS no later than 1700 hours A.l.t. on October 1 of the year prior to the fishing year for which the Chinook salmon PSC allocations are effective.

Deadline, Additions or deletions to the vessels: represented by the entity may be done once per year for subsequent years by submitting an amended contract and revised vessel information by December 1, unless additions or deletions are as a result of a replacement vessel.

Deadline, amendment to the contract related to a replacement vessel: may be made at any time upon submission of an amended application and a copy of the AFA permit issued under

§ 679.4 for the replacement vessel.

Application for Approval as an Entity to Receive Transferable Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation

Contact information.

Name and NMFS person ID of entity

Name of entity’s representative

Name of agent for service of process (if different from representative)

Permanent business mailing address

Temporary business mailing address (if applicable)

Business telephone number, business fax number, and business e-mail address of the entity’s representative

Affirmation – check box

Certification.

Signature and printed name of entity’s representative and date signed

Signature and printed name of agent for service of process, and date signed (if different from representative)

Vessel identification

Vessel name

ADF&G vessel registration number

Federal Fisheries Permit number

Attachment (see above)

Adjusted personnel cost from $25/hr to $37/hr. Added option to fax = $6.

Appln Eligible to Receive Transferable Chinook PSC Allocation, Respondent
Estimated number of respondents 1 mothership entity 1 catcher/processor entity Total annual responses 1 response per year Total burden hours = 8 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 16) Total miscellaneous cost (7.35) Mail (1.35 x 1 = 1.35) Fax ($6 x 1 = 6) Photocopy (5 pp x 0.05 x 2 = 0.50)	2 2 16 hr $592 $7

Appln Eligible to Receive Transferable Chinook PSC Allocation, Federal Government
Total annual responses Total burden hours = 2 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 4) Total miscellaneous cost	2 4 hr $148 0

f. Application for Transfer of Bering Sea Chinook Salmon PSC Allocations [CHANGED Time-to-complete]

NMFS will process a request for transfer of Chinook salmon PSC provided that a paper or electronic application is completed, with all information fields accurately filled in. Application forms are available on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/).

Potential Number of Transferable Chinook Salmon PSC Allocations

Entities That Could Receive Transferable Allocations
	Catcher/ Processor Sector	Mothership Sector	Inshore Co-Ops	CDQ	Total Transferable
A Season	1	1	7	6	15
B Season	1	1	7	6	15
Annual total	2	2	14	12	30

Including the catcher/processor and mothership sectors, there would be a maximum of 15 different Chinook salmon PSC accounts each season. Separate allocations would be made for the A season and the B season for a total of up to 30 transferable PSC allocation accounts each year. This number of transferable PSC accounts could exist under either the 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit or the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit.

The entity receiving a transferable Chinook salmon PSC allocation from NMFS would be authorized:

♦ to transfer all or a portion of the entity’s salmon PSC allocation to another entity or

♦ to receive a transfer from another entity (authorized to sign transfer request forms), and be responsible for any penalties assessed for exceeding the entity’s salmon PSC allocation.

A transfer is a voluntary request to NMFS. A transfer is initiated by the transferor moving a specific amount of a Chinook salmon PSC allocation from his or her account to another entity’s account. NMFS will review the transferor’s catch account to ensure sufficient Chinook salmon is available to transfer. If enough Chinook salmon are in the account, NMFS will make that transfer effective immediately. Transfers to eligible entities may occur at any time in a season but transfers cannot be made between the B and A seasons.

Upon receipt of an approved transfer request, NMFS will issue Bering Sea Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) allocations to the catcher/processor sector entity, the mothership sector entity, inshore cooperatives, and CDQ groups. NMFS will issue separate PSC allocations for the A season and the B season. PSC remaining from the A season could be used in the B season (“rollover”).

Transferees may receive PSC transfers to cover overages (post-delivery transfers). NMFS will evaluate overages of Chinook salmon PSC on June 25 for the A season and on December 1 for the B season.

This would provide entities 15 days after the end of the A season and 30 days after the end of the B season to obtain post delivery transfers to reduce or eliminate any overages. NMFS would allow 30 days after the end of the B season for post delivery transfers because pollock fishing will cease for the remainder of the year on November 1. If, after NMFS allows for post-delivery transfers to cover an overage, an entity exceeded its Chinook salmon PSC allocation, the entity would be subject to an enforcement action for violating NMFS regulations.

Requests for transfers may be submitted to NMFS either electronically or non-electronically. The form is available on the NMFS Alaska Region website (https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries-applications).

Application for Transfer of Bering Sea Chinook Salmon PSC Allocations

Non-Electronic

Identification of transferor

Name and NMFS person ID

Permanent (and temporary, if applicable) Business Mailing Address

Business Telephone No., Business Fax No, and Business E-mail address:

Identification of transferee

Name and NMFS person ID

Permanent (and temporary, if applicable) Business Mailing Address

Business Telephone No., Business Fax No, and Business E-mail address:

Chinook Salmon PSC transferred

Number of Chinook salmon

Date of Transfer

Check whether A Season or B Season

Electronic

Identification of transferor

Transferor selects the transferee.

NMFS person ID, password and Transfer

Chinook PSC Amount Transferred

Number of Chinook PSC

Date of Transfer

Whether A Season or B Season

Identification of Transferee.

Transferee accepts transfer

NMFS person ID, password, and Transfer Key

Adjusted personnel costs from $25/hr to $37/hr. Adjusted fax cost from $5 to $6.

Transfer Bering Sea Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation, Respondents
Total number of respondents (per season) 1 Catcher/processor sector 1 Mothership sector 7 Inshore cooperatives 6 CDQs Total number of responses = 2 Two seasons -- A season and B season Total time burden Time per response = 1 hr Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 30) Total miscellaneous cost (18.90) Fax ($6 x 3 = $18) Mail (0.45 x 2 = 0.90) Online (0 x 10)	15 30 30 hr $1,110 $19

Transfer Bering Sea Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation, Federal Government
Total number of responses Total time burden Time per response = 30 minutes Total personnel cost ($37/hr x 15) Total miscellaneous cost	30 15 hr $555 0

It is anticipated that the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support publicly disseminated information. NOAA Fisheries will retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with 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.

The applications for AFA Inshore Cooperative Permit and AFA Replacement Vessel Permit are available on the NMFS Alaska Region Home Page at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries-applications. The applications are fillable onscreen and may be printed and submitted by mail, or fax. The AFA Inshore Vessel Contract Fishing Notification does not have a form. Future plans of the NMFS Alaska Region are to allow completion of applications online through the Internet.

The Application for Transfer of Chinook PSC allocation may be submitted online at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/webapps/efish/login. The Application for Eligibility to Receive Transferable PSC has an attachment with original signatures and must be mailed to the Regional Administrator, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, or sent by courier to the Office of the Regional Administrator, 709 West 9th St., Juneau, AK 99801.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

No duplication exists with other information collections.

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

The AFA Program consists of CDQ organizations and western Alaskan communities that are home to the shorebased processors (which are small entities) and inshore processors, motherships, catcher/processors, and cooperatives (which are large entities).

The proposed action applies only to those entities that participate in the directed pollock trawl fishery in the Bering Sea. The only small entities that are directly regulated by this action are the six CDQ organizations, and the impact is not significant.

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

If this collection were not conducted or conducted less frequently, the consequences would be that the program would be jeopardized and NMFS could not fulfill the intent of the AFA. With regard to commercial fishing vessels operating in the directed BSAI pollock fishery, the AFA established the legal basis for achieving the objective of reducing excessive fishing capacity and management regulatory conditions that could contribute to the creation of an environment capable of fostering operational inefficiencies in this fishery (Division C, Title II of P.L. 105-277) including limiting entry into the fishery, cooperative formation, allocations of pollock, and development of sideboard measures.

The purpose of the proposed action is to minimize Chinook salmon PSC to the extent practicable while achieving optimum yield from the pollock fishery. The proposed action is necessary to ensure long-term conservation and abundance of salmon, maintain a healthy marine ecosystem, provide maximum benefit to fishermen and communities that depend on salmon and pollock, and comply with the Magnuson–Stevens Act. If the information were not collected annually, NMFS would be unable to achieve these goals.

Mitigation of potential adverse impacts to non-AFA fishermen and processors is also mandated by the AFA. The intent of this action is to provide permits for an AFA Program in the BSAI.

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 Federal Register Notice published on April 21, 2016 (81 FR 23461) solicited public comments. Comment period ended Monday, June 20, 2016. No comments were received.

A questionnaire was sent to the three AFA inshore cooperative managers for solicitation of comments. These managers interact regularly with NMFS Restricted Access Management (RAM) regarding AFA cooperative permits, AFA vessel contracts, and AFA vessel permits. Two comments were received and are listed below.

Comment 1. We have no comments at this time on these.

Response: NMFS acknowledges this comment.

Comment 2.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment on the AFA Permits OMB information collection. My comments are summarized in the table below:

 

AFA Inshore Catcher Vessel Cooperative Permit	No comment (no familiarity with the form)
AFA Inshore Vessel Contract Fishing Notification	No comment (no familiarity with the form)
AFA Permit for Rebuilt, Replacement, or Removed Vessel	While I have not used this form, I have reviewed it and considered it for possible use, and can comment as follows: 1. Public utility of the information The information requested is useful to the public. 2. Clarity of instructions The instructions are not clear. The form is for three separate purposes – rebuilt vessels, replaced vessels, or removed vessels – and each requires different Blocks to be filled out. It would be more clear if each Block stated for which purpose it is to be filled out.  As it is, the only indication of which Blocks are applicable is in the instruction for Block A, and the instructions are wrong (the instructions say that Block D must be “signed” for rebuilt and replaced vessels).  3. Accuracy of the time estimates The time estimate for completing the form appears reasonable.
Application to be Eligible to Receive Transferable Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation	1. Public utility of the information The information requested is useful to the public. 2. Clarity of instructions The instructions are clear. 3. Accuracy of the time estimates The time estimate is a reasonable estimate for gathering the information.
Application for Transfer of Bering Sea Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation	1. Public utility of the information The information requested is useful to the public. 2. Clarity of instructions The instructions are clear.  3. Accuracy of the time estimates The time estimate seems a little low given the potential impact of such a transfer.  As an IPA representative, you better believe I will check those numbers multiple times before submitting.  I’d estimate an hour.

 

Response. NMFS agrees to change the time-to-complete for the Application for Transfer of Bering Sea Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation from 15 minutes to 1 hour; however, respondents

should be monitoring their Chinook salmon PSC every day during the fishery. The instructions for the Application to Rebuild, Replace, or Remove Vessel were corrected.

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

No payment or gift is provided under this program.

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

As stated on the forms, the information collected is confidential under section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. 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 collection of information does not include questions of a sensitive nature.

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

Estimated total unique respondents: 27 (7 cooperatives, 18 contracted vessels, 2 eligible sectors for salmon PSC transfer). Estimated total responses: 60, decreased from 205. Estimated total burden: 135 hr, decreased from 444 hr. Estimated total personnel costs: $ 4,995, decreased from $ 15,522.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection.

Estimated total miscellaneous costs: $ 146, decreased from $ 316.

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

Estimated total responses: 60, decreased from 182; Estimated total burden: 38, decreased from 166 hr. Estimated total personnel cost: $1,406, decreased from $5,399.

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

No Program Changes

Adjustments

Application for Rebuilt, Replacement, or Removed

a decrease of 109 respondents and responses, 3 instead of 112

a decrease of 109 burden, 3 instead of 112 hr

a decrease of $4,033 personnel cost, $111 instead of $4,144

a decrease of $154 miscellaneous cost, $7 instead of $161

Application for Inshore Catcher Vessel Cooperative Permit

an increase of $27 personnel cost, $518 instead of $476

an increase of $2 miscellaneous cost, $20 instead of $18

Application for Eligibility to receive transferable Chinook PSC allocation

a decrease of 13 respondents, 2 instead of 15

a decrease of 28 responses, 2 instead of 30

a decrease of 224 burden, 16 instead of 240 hr

a decrease of $8,288 personnel cost, $592 instead of $8,880

a decrease of $41 miscellaneous cost, $7 instead of $48

Application for Transfer of Bering Sea Chinook Salmon PSC Allocation

an increase of 25 hour, 30 instead of 5 hr

an increase of $925 personnel cost, $1,110 instead of $185

an increase of $2 miscellaneous cost, $19 instead of $17.

Notification of Vessel Contract Fishing

an increase of $864 personnel cost, $2,664 instead of $1,800.

an increase of $15 miscellaneous cost, $93 instead of $78.

Notification from the cooperative of replacement or removal of a vessel [Removed]

a decrease of 8 respondents and responses, 0 instead of 8

a decrease of 1 hour, 0 instead of 1 hr

a decrease of $37 personnel cost, $0 instead of $37

a decrease of $1 miscellaneous cost, $0 instead of $1

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

The information collected 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.

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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