Justification for change

JUSTIFICATION FOR CHANGE

ALASKA PACIFIC HALIBUT & SABLEFISH FISHERIES:

INDIVIDUAL FISHING QUOTA (IFQ)

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0272

JUSTIFICATION: The application to apply for a Medical Transfer is modified.

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) manage fishing for Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) through regulations established under the authority of the Convention between the United States Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (Convention) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act).

NMFS would revise the IFQ Emergency Medical Transfer (EMT) Application:

♦ Change the name of the form from “IFQ Emergency Medical Transfer (EMT)” to read “IFQ Medical Transfer”

♦ Block G – Remove requirement for notary public certification from this form. Remove from Block G the signature of notary public, date notary commission expires, and the space for the notary stamp or seal.

The notary information was simply confirming what is already in NMFS database records. Instead of notary confirmation, the certification block is now considered sufficient because it is signed under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct. The notary was confirming that the person signing the form is the person that appeared before them, not that the information is true and correct.

♦ Block C – Identification of IFQ to be Transferred – remove “IFQ Regulatory Area, Number of Units, Numbered To and From (Serial Numbers are shown on the QS Certificate), Actual Number of IFQ Pounds, Transferor Permit Number, and Fishing Year” and add in its place “Fishing year, Transferor IFQ Permit Number, IFQ Area, and IFQ Pounds Transferring.”

These changes simplify the application.

No increase in cost or burden is anticipated with this change. In fact, there will be a slight decrease in cost and burden due to removal of the notary requirement, to be confirmed in the next renewal of this information collection.

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