Justification for change

JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGE

NORTH PACIFIC OBSERVER PROGRAM

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0318

This request is to merge OMB Control No. 0648-0731, Temporary Alaska Observer Program, into OMB Control No. 0648-0318. This action also changes the name of OMB Control No. 0648-0318 from “Alaska Observer Program” to “North Pacific Observer Program”.

OMB Control No. 0648-0731 was created as a temporary new collection in accordance with two rules that conflicted with the a rule-related revision of OMB Control No. 0648-0318 per RIN 0648-BF36.

RIN O648-BF25 created new requirements related to observer access to computers, access to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) supplied data entry software, and direct access to NMFS for data transmission, and vessel notification of an observer before handling the vessel’s Bering Sea pollock catch. RIN 0648-BF80 created a new option to allow the owner of a catcher vessel to annually choose full observer coverage in lieu of partial observer coverage for trawl fishing activity in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area for one year.

Merging these two collections results in an addition of 60 respondents, an increase of 250 responses, and 11 hours and no increase in recordkeeping/reporting costs. The new totals are 303 respondents, 9,491 responses, 2,658 hours and $597 in recordkeeping/reporting costs.