0648-0272 Supporting Statement A 2021-0913

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Individual Fishing Quotas for

Pacific Halibut and Sablefish in the Alaska Fisheries

OMB Control No. 0648-0272

Abstract

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Regional Office (AKRO), requests extension and revision of this currently approved information collection that contains the requirements for the Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Program (IFQ Program).

This information collection contains the forms used by participants in the IFQ Program to apply for, renew, or replace permits; transfer or lease IFQ and quota share (QS); determine compliance with IFQ program requirements; and designate a beneficiary for a QS holder. Two of the permit applications are also used by participants in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. This information collection also contains annual reports and other collections submitted by telephone or other methods and that do not have forms.

This information collection is necessary to manage the IFQ Program and is required to manage commercial halibut and sablefish fishing under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Halibut Act, and under regulations at 50 CFR parts 300 and 679. This information is used to identify and authorize participants in the halibut and sablefish fisheries, to track and transfer quota share, to limit transfers to authorized participants, and to monitor quota share balances and harvest in these fisheries.

Four revisions are made to this collection. The emergency version of the Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ), which OMB approved under an emergency approval (OMB Control No. 0648-0795) on March 24, 2021, is added for use during emergency situations. The Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up is revised to remove the notary certification. The Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest and Application for Transfer of QS are revised to collect the NMFS ID number to improve identification. Minor editorial changes are made to the forms in this collection to improve clarity and consistency.

Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and NMFS Alaska Region manage fishing for Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) through regulations established under the authority of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, 16 U.S.C. 773c (Halibut Act). The IPHC promulgates regulations governing the halibut fishery under the Convention between the United States Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (Convention). Regulations pursuant to the Convention are set forth at 50 CFR 300 subpart E.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), under the authority of the Halibut Act (with respect to Pacific halibut) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; Magnuson-Stevens Act) (with respect to sablefish), manages the fixed gear Pacific halibut and sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program. NMFS Alaska Region administers the IFQ Program. Regulations implementing the IFQ Program are set forth at 50 CFR part 679. The specific regulations for the information collection requirements are provided under the response to question #2.

The IFQ Program provides a limited access system for Pacific halibut in Convention waters in and off Alaska and sablefish fisheries in waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska. Fishing under the IFQ Program began on March 15, 1995, ending the open-access fisheries that preceded its implementation.

NMFS and the Council developed the IFQ Program to reduce fishing capacity that had increased during years of management as an open-access fishery. The IFQ Program provides coastal Alaska communities a source of revenue, while maintaining the social and economic character of the fixed-gear sablefish and halibut fisheries. The IFQ Program provides economic stability for these fisheries while reducing many of the conservation and management problems commonly associated with open-access fisheries. The IFQ Program includes several provisions, such as ownership caps and vessel use caps that protect small producers, part-time participants, and entry-level participants that otherwise could be adversely affected by excessive consolidation.

Participation in the IFQ Program is limited to persons that hold quota share (QS), although there are several very limited provisions for “leasing” of annual IFQ. QS is a transferable permit that was initially issued to persons who owned or leased vessels that made legal commercial fixed-gear landings of Pacific halibut or sablefish in the waters off Alaska during 1988, 1989, or 1990. Currently, QS may only be obtained through transfer.

Annually, NMFS issues eligible QS holders an IFQ fishing permit that authorizes participation in the IFQ fisheries. IFQ permit holders may harvest their annual allocation at any time during the annual IFQ season, which extends approximately from March through November 15. This allows permit holders to set their own pace and fishing effort.

More information on the IFQ Program is provided on IFQ Program webpage for the NMFS Alaska Region.

Some of the collection instruments in this information collection are used by participants in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The purpose of the CDQ Program is to provide eligible western Alaska villages with the opportunity to participate and invest in fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI); to support economic development in western Alaska; to alleviate poverty and provide economic and social benefits for residents of western Alaska; and to achieve sustainable and diversified local economies in western Alaska. In fitting with these goals, NMFS allocates a portion of the annual catch limits for a variety of commercially valuable marine species in the BSAI to the CDQ Program. Pacific halibut is one of these species. More information on the CDQ Program is provided on the CDQ Program webpage for the NMFS Alaska. Information collection requirements for the CDQ Program are approved under OMB Control Number 0648-0269.

This information collection is necessary to manage the IFQ Program and is required to manage commercial halibut and sablefish fishing under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Halibut Act, and under 50 CFR parts 300 and 679. This information is used to identify and authorize participants in the halibut and sablefish fisheries, to track and transfer quota share, to limit transfers to authorized participants, and to monitor quota share balances and harvest in these fisheries.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

Summary Information about the Components in this Information Collection Review

Item #	Requirement	Regulation	Form?	How Frequently?	Needs and Uses
1	Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ	50 CFR 679.41(d)	Y	One time	Used by persons applying to receive quota share (QS) or individual fishing quota (IFQ) by transfer to obtain a Transfer Eligibility Certificate. Used by NMFS to determine eligibility to receive quota share or individual fishing quota by transfer.
2	Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest	50 CFR 679.42	Y	Annually	Used by corporations, partnerships, associations, and other non-individual entities that hold QS under the IFQ Program to submit information on their ownership interest. Used by NMFS to determine compliance with IFQ requirements.
3	Application for IFQ/CDQ Hired Master Permit	50 CFR 679.4(d)(2) and (e)	Y	As needed	Used by the applicant to obtain hired masters by IFQ permit holders in the IFQ Program and by CDQ permit holders in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program. Used by NMFS to determine the eligibility of the IFQ permit holder to use a hired master and to issue the hired master permit if approved.
4	Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer (RB) Permit	50 CFR 679.4(d)(3)	Y	Annually or as needed	Used by the applicant to apply for, amend, or renew a registered buyer permit under the IFQ Program and the CDQ Program. Used by NMFS to determine the eligibility of the applicant to receive a registered buyer permit and to issue the permit if the application is approved.
5	Application for Transfer of QS	50 CFR 679.41(b)and (c)	Y	As needed	Used by a QS holder to apply to transfer Pacific halibut or sablefish QS. Used by NMFS to determine whether the transfer meets the regulatory requirements governing the buying and selling of QS and the leasing of IFQ.
6	Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	50 CFR 679.41(b), (c), and (m)	Y	As needed	Used by a QS holder to apply to temporarily transfer Pacific halibut or sablefish QS. Used by NMFS to determine whether the transfer meets the regulatory requirements.
6a	(Emergency) Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	50 CFR 679.41(b), (c), and (m)	Y	As needed	Used by a QS holder to apply to temporarily transfer Pacific halibut or sablefish QS when NMFS has promulgated emergency regulations authorizing temporary transfers and an emergency rule is in effect allowing the use of this form. Used by NMFS to determine whether the transfer meets the regulatory requirements.
7	Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up	50 CFR 679.41(e)	Y	As needed	Used by QS holder to apply to combine two blocks of QS in the same vessel category that they currently hold. Used by NMFS to determine eligibility to combine the QS and to ensure that QS and IFQ are transferred in compliance with the regulations governing transfer of QS and IFQ.
8	Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers	50 CFR 679.5(l)(10) and (w)	N	Annually	Used by a CDQ group in times of low halibut abundance to report the criteria used to select IFQ holders to receive IFQ transfers from, the criteria used to determine who can receive transferred IFQ, and the amount and type of IFQ transferred. Used by NMFS to determine compliance with program requirements.
9	Application for Medical Transfer of IFQ	50 CFR 679.42(d)(2)	Y	As needed but not more than in any 3 of the previous 7 years for any medical condition	Used by QS holders not eligible to hire a skipper and who (or immediate family member) have a medical condition preventing them from fishing their catcher vessel IFQ to apply to temporarily transfer IFQ. Used by NMFS to determine that the applicant is eligible for the transfer and to transfer the IFQ derived from QS held by the applicant to an eligible QS holder.
10	QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form	50 CFR 679.41(k)	Y	As needed	Used by QS holder to provide NMFS with the name of a designated beneficiary to receive survivorship transfer privileges in the event of the QS holder’s death. Used by NMFS to identify the designated beneficiary of a QS holder.
11	Appeals	15 CFR 906	N	As needed	Used by a QS holder who receives an Initial Administrative Determination to appeal an application denied by NMFS. Used by NMFS to assess information provided by the appellee in relation to a previous program application denial.
12	Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses	50 CFR 679.4	Y	As needed	Used by the applicant to request a replacement for a certificate, permit, or license that was previously issued by NMFS and that subsequently was lost, destroyed, or stolen. Used by NMFS to determine that the certificate, permit, or license that was previously issued by NMFS is eligible to be replaced and to replace that item.
13	IFQ Administrative Waiver	50 CFR 679.5	N	As needed	Used by an IFQ fisheries participant to request a waiver from one of three landing requirements or IFQ hired master on board requirement. Used by NMFS to determine whether to grant the waiver.
14	Prior Notice of Landing	50 CFR 679.5(l)(1)	N	As needed	Used by vessel operator notify NMFS Office for Law Enforcement (NMFS OLE) prior to making a landing of IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish. Used by NMFS manage and monitor halibut and sablefish harvests.
15	IFQ Departure Report	50 CFR 679.5(l)(4)	N	As needed	Used by a vessel operator to notify NMFS OLE that they intend to make a landing of IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, IFQ sablefish, or Crab Rationalization Program (CR) crab at any location other than in an IFQ regulatory area for halibut and sablefish or in a crab fishery for CR crab in the State of Alaska. Used by NMFS manage and monitor halibut, sablefish, and crab harvests.
16	Transshipment Authorization	50 CFR 679.5(l)(3)	N	As needed	Used by a vessel operator to obtain authorization from NMFS OLE to transship processed IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, IFQ sablefish, or CR crab between vessels. Used by NMFS manage and monitor halibut, sablefish, and crab harvests.
17	Dockside Sales Receipt	50 CFR 679.5(g)(2)(iv)(C)	N	As needed	Used by a registered buyer conducting dockside sales to issue a receipt to each individual receiving IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish in lieu of a product transfer report. Used by NMFS OLE to monitor and inspect the shipment of IFQ fish to determine whether there was proper accounting for all IFQ fish landed.
18	Application for a Non-profit Corporation to be Designated as a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	50 CFR 679.41(n)(2)	Y	One time	Used by a non-profit corporation to apply to be designated as a Recreational Quota Entity in the IFQ Program. Used by NMFS to determine eligibility of the entity to be designated an RQE
19	Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	50 CFR 679.41(b)	Y	As needed	Used by the RQE to apply to receive QS by transfer and to transfer QS. Used by NMFS to ensure that QS are transferred in compliance with regulations governing the buying and selling of QS.
20	Recreational Quota Entity Annual Report	50 CFR 679.5(v)	N	Annually	Used by the RQE to report its administrative activities and business operation for each calendar year that it holds halibut recreational fishing quota and QS. Used by NMFS and the Council to determine compliance with RQE requirements and evaluate program effectiveness.

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 (the Information Quality Act), which requires NMFS to ensure the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information it publicly disseminates. Public dissemination of data collected by this information collection is governed by NOAA's information quality guidelines, which were issued on October 30, 2014.

It is anticipated that the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support publicly disseminated information. NMFS 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 Question 10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on confidentiality and privacy.

1. Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ

Quota share represents a harvesting privilege for a person. Annually, NMFS issues IFQ to QS holders to harvest specified poundage. The specific amount of IFQ held by a person is determined by the number of QS units held, the total number of QS units issued in a specific regulatory area, and the total pounds of sablefish or halibut allocated for the IFQ fisheries in a particular year.

An applicant must be a United States (U.S.) citizen or U.S. corporation, partnership, or other non-individual business entity to receive QS/IFQ by transfer. Those persons applying to receive QS or IFQ by transfer must submit this application to obtain a Transfer Eligibility Certificate (TEC).

A person applies for eligibility only once. To be eligible, persons must have at least 150 days of experience working as part of a harvesting crew in any U.S. commercial fishery. Work in support of harvesting but not directly related to it is not considered harvesting crew work.

The Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ may be submitted by mail or delivery to NMFS, Alaska Region, Restricted Access Management (RAM). Fax submittal is not accepted due to the notary requirements.

The information collected on this application includes applicant identification and contact information; taxpayer identification number (employer identification number or social security number); and information on the applicant’s commercial fishing experience. It requires a notarized signature of the applicant or authorized representative. If the applicant is a corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity, then the form “Quota Share (QS) holder: Identification of Ownership Interest” must be attached. This form is described below.

As part of this extension request, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

2. Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest [Revised]

Revision: The Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest form is revised to collect the NMFS ID number of the QS holder. This form is completed only by non-individual entities, and collecting this information is necessary for NMFS to accurately identify the QS holder because some companies have similar names. This revision does not change the burden hours or costs of this form.

The Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest form must be submitted annually to NMFS by corporations, partnerships, associations, and other non-individual entities that hold QS.

NMFS needs the requested information to determine compliance with IFQ Program requirements that include the following:

• determine if persons who hold QS have exceeded their allowable use limits under the “individually and collectively” language set out in the IFQ regulations at 50 CFR 679.42(e) and (f);

• determine if a corporation or partnership that holds catcher vessel QS has changed (i.e., the addition of a new member);

• identify first-time applicants;

• affirm an entity’s continuing existence;

• ensure corporations and partnerships are not erroneously issued annual IFQ resulting from the collectively held QS;

• determine indirect ownership of vessels for purposes of the hired master provisions of the IFQ Program.

An entity must notify NMFS of any change within 15 days of its effective date and must then transfer its QS to a qualified individual.

Proof of vessel ownership must be submitted by non-individual respondents each year. Federal regulations at 50 CFR 679.42(i) and (j) define acceptable proof of ownership as follows:

• For a documented vessel, owns a minimum 20-percent interest in the vessel as shown by the U.S. Abstract of Title issued by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) that lists the permit holder as an owner and, if necessary to prove the required percentage ownership, other written documentation;

• For an undocumented vessel, owns a minimum 20-percent interest in the vessel as shown by a State of Alaska vessel license or registration that lists the permit holder as an owner and, if necessary to show the required percentage ownership interest.

The Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest form may be submitted to NMFS RAM by mail, delivery, or fax.

The information collected on this form includes the QS holder name, whether the business is a publicly held corporation, whether still active if it’s a non-individual entity, and, if it’s an estate that has been probated, the date probate was finalized. If ownership consists of separate or additional corporations or partnerships, the individual owners of those entities and the percentage of interest those individuals hold in their respective corporations/partnerships must be listed.

With this extension request, this form is revised to collect the NMFS ID number of the QS holder. Block A of the form is revised to add a field for the NMFS ID number, and the instructions are revised to state to provide this information.

In addition to this revision, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

3. Application for IFQ/CDQ Hired Master Permit

A hired master permit is required for harvest of IFQ halibut, IFQ sablefish, or Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) halibut on behalf of an IFQ permit holder. Non-individual IFQ permit holders (corporations, partnerships, associations, and other non-individuals) must designate a hired master to fish their IFQ or obtain a permit to access their account. This application may be used to add or remove a hired master from an account.

To obtain a hired master, non-individual permit holders must own (either directly or indirectly) at least 20 percent of the vessel their hired master will use to fish the IFQ. The applicant must complete a separate application for each vessel, each IFQ permit number, and each CDQ permit number.

To demonstrate percent of vessel ownership by IFQ permit holder, documentation of ownership must be included with this application, except for Category A IFQ permit holders and CDQ permit holders.

• Proof of vessel ownership by the IFQ permit holder:

• For USCG documented vessels, a complete copy of the USCG Abstract of Title

• For an undocumented vessel, a copy of the State of Alaska vessel license or registration

• If the IFQ permit holder is not the person named on the USCG Abstract of Title or State of Alaska vessel license or registration, documentation establishing indirect ownership, such as corporate annual reports, meeting minutes, or stock certificates.

A hired master permit is in effect from the date of issue through the end of the specified fishing year.

The Application for IFQ/CDQ Hired Master Permit may be submitted to NMFS RAM by mail, delivery, or fax.

The type of information collected on this application includes permit holder’s identification and contact information, the purpose for the application, information on the vessel on which the halibut or sablefish will be fished, information on ownership interest in the vessel, identification and contact information for the hired master, and exemption information.

As part of this extension request, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

4. Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer (RB) Permit

The Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer Permit is used to apply for, amend, or renew a registered buyer permit under the IFQ Program and the CDQ Program. A registered buyer permit authorizes the person identified on the permit to receive and make an IFQ landing by an IFQ permit holder or IFQ hired master permit holder, or to receive and make a CDQ halibut landing by a CDQ permit holder or CDQ hired master permit holder.

A registered buyer permit is required of the following:

• Any person who receives IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish from the person(s) who harvested the fish.

• Any person who harvests IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish and transfers such fish in a dockside sale, outside of an IFQ regulatory area, or outside the State of Alaska.

• A vessel operator who submits an IFQ Departure Report (This report is approved under this OMB control number and is described below.)

NMFS does not issue a registered buyer permit to entities receiving IFQ Pacific halibut, IFQ sablefish, or CDQ Pacific halibut at locations outside Alaska. In such cases, the vessel operator must be a registered buyer.

A registered buyer permit is non-transferable and is issued annually on request at no cost. Many registered buyers hold more than one permit.

A registered buyer permit is in effect from the first day of the year for which it is issued or from the date of issuance, whichever is later, through the end of the 1-year cycle that runs from March 1 through the last day of February, unless it is revoked, suspended, surrendered, or modified.

The Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer (RB) Permit may be submitted to NMFS RAM by mail, delivery, or fax. If renewing or amending the permit, the application may be submitted online using eFISH, the NMFS-approved electronic reporting system.

If the application is submitted to NMFS online using eFISH, the NMFS Person ID, password, and transfer key take the place of a signature and certify that all information is true, correct, and complete.

Upon acceptance by NMFS of an online submission, the registered buyer may print a paper copy of the new permit and maintain this copy for inspection. NMFS will mail permits to applicants applying by mail, delivery, or fax.

For the application to be considered complete, all observer fees due to NMFS (see 50 CFR 679.55) must be paid. Observer fees are authorized under OMB control number 0648-0711.

The information collected on this application includes applicant identification and contact information, the activities that best describe the applicant’s anticipated registered buyer activity, the type of permit request, and if renewing or amending a permit, the registered buyer permit number.

As part of this extension request, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

5. Application for Transfer of QS

Revision: The Application for Transfer of QS is revised to collect the NMFS ID number of the lien holder if there is a lien attached to the QS/IFQ being purchased. Collecting the NMFS ID number is necessary for NMFS to accurately identify the lien holder because some QS holders have the same or similar names. This revision does not change the burden hours or costs of this form.

A QS holder uses the Application for Transfer of QS to transfer QS to a person eligible to receive QS. Any person that received QS/IFQ as an Initial Issue or that holds a Transfer Eligibility Certificate (TEC) is eligible to receive QS/IFQ by transfer.

An Application for Transfer of QS must be approved by the NMFS Regional Administrator before a person may use IFQ that results from a direct transfer to harvest IFQ halibut or IFQ sablefish. The IFQ Program does not permit transfer of QS subject to any conditions of repossession or resale to the transferor except by court order, operation of law, or security agreement.

A separate application must be submitted for each group of QS being transferred.

An Application for Transfer of QS may be submitted to NMFS RAM by mail or delivery. Fax submittal is not accepted due to the notary requirements.

The information required by this application is necessary to ensure that QS and IFQ are transferred in compliance with the regulations governing the buying and selling of QS and the leasing of IFQ.

The information collected on this application includes transferor and transferee identification and contact information, identification of QS and IFQ to be transferred and the transaction information, and sweep-up or CDQ compensation information if applicable. It requires notarized signatures of the transferor and transferee or their authorized representatives.

With this extension request, this application is revised to collect the NMFS ID number of the lien holder if there is a lien attached to the QS/IFQ being purchased. Block F of the application is revised to add a field for the lien holder NMFS ID number, and the instructions are revised to state to provide this information.

In addition to this revision, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

6. Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)

IFQ is eligible to be temporarily transferred annually in limited regulatory exceptions. The Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota is used by QS holders to request any of four temporary transfers: Category A IFQ transfer, surviving beneficiary transfer, military service transfer, and transfer to CDQ groups in Areas 4B, 4C, or 4D in times of low halibut abundance.

Specific regulatory criteria must be met before any of these transfers are approved. A temporary IFQ transfer is valid only for the calendar year in which it is approved.

The Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota may be submitted to NMFS by mail or delivery. Fax submittal is not accepted due to the notary requirements.

The information required by this application is necessary to ensure that IFQ are transferred in compliance with the regulations governing the buying, selling, or gifting of IFQ.

The information collected on this application includes transferor and transferee identification and contact information, type of temporary IFQ transfer requested, and identification of IFQ to be transferred and the transaction information. It requires notarized signatures of the transferor and transferee or their authorized representatives. If the temporary transfer is a military transfer, then the QS holder must also answer Yes or No questions on whether they qualify to hire a master and whether they have been called to active service, and if yes, provide documentation of active military mobilization or deployment.

As part of this extension request, a checklist of the required documentation to be included with the application is added to the beginning of the form to make it clearer what is needed for a complete application. Also, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

Since the last extension in 2018, the IFQ temporary transfer form has been revised once, in 2020, which resulted in the current form, and has been revised twice by emergency rules. The current version is the result of a rule (85 FR 44021, July 21, 2020; RIN 0648-BJ34), which included a minor change to regulations to remove a redundant form (Application for Temporary Military Transfer of IFQ form), centralize all non-medical temporary IFQ transfers onto the Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) form, and simplify the temporary IFQ transfer process for the public and for agency administrators. No changes were made to the form other than revising the instructions to improve clarity. This did not change the respondents, responses, or burden.

In 2020, this form was revised due to an emergency rule (85 FR 38100, June 25, 2020; RIN 0648-BJ88) and received emergency approval under OMB Control No. 0648-0792. This rule implemented a temporary IFQ transfer that was applicable only during the 2020 IFQ fishing year and allowed all individual QS holders to transfer their IFQ for the remainder of the 2020 fishing year. The form was revised to add a checkbox that QS holders checked to request the transfer under this emergency rule. This rule increased the estimated respondents, responses, and burden for this form. The new control number covered only the additional respondents, responses, and burden for this form that result from the emergency rule. OMB Control No. 0648-0792 was discontinued after the end of the 2020 IFQ fishing year.

A similar emergency in 2021 resulted in another emergency rule (86 FR 16542, March 30, 2021; RIN 0648-BK41) and similar revisions to this form, which received emergency approval under OMB Control No. 0648-0795. Any individual holding catcher vessel QS will be able to temporarily transfer their IFQ during the remaining 2021 IFQ fishing season in the same manner as the emergency rule implemented in 2020. The form was again revised to add a checkbox that QS holders checked to request the temporary transfer under this emergency rule. It was also revised to show that a notary certification is not required in 2021. The new control number covered only the additional respondents, responses, and burden for this form that result from the emergency rule. OMB Control No. 0648-0795 will be discontinued when it expires in September 2021. This emergency form is being added to this collection so that it will be available for use through the end of the 2021 IFQ fishing year and for use in future emergency situations.

6a. (Emergency) Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) [Added from OMB Control No. 0648-0795]

The emergency version of the Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota was approved under OMB Control No. 0648-0795 in an emergency approval on March 24, 2021, due to an emergency rule (86 FR 16542, March 30, 2021; RIN 0648-BK41). The emergency rule added regulations to temporarily modify the IFQ Program to provide flexibility for QS holders to temporarily transfer their IFQ to an eligible individual for harvest during the remaining 2021 IFQ fishing season. OMB Control No. 0648-0795 will be discontinued when it expires in September 2021.

The emergency form is being added to -0272 so that it will be available for use in future emergency situations. Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act provides authority for rulemaking to address an emergency. Use of this form would occur when NMFS promulgates emergency regulations authorizing temporary transfers to address an emergency consistent with section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This form can only be used when NMFS has done an emergency rule to allow temporary transfer of IFQ, which then will allow the use of this form. This form will only be posted on the NMFS AKR website when an emergency rule is in effect allowing its use.

The emergency form collects the same information as the non-emergency form, with two exceptions. First, the emergency form does not require notary certification, as does the non-emergency form. This reduces the logistical and administrative burden on IFQ participants and NMFS staff. Second, the emergency form includes a checkbox in Block A, which for 0648-0795 was approved with the text “Temporary IFQ Transfer for the 2021 fishing year only.” This text has been changed to read “Temporary IFQ Transfer for the 20XX fishing year only” so that this form can be used in any year. QS holders will check this box to request the temporary transfer allowed under the emergency situation.

As part of this extension request, a checklist of the required documentation to be included with the application is added to the beginning of the form to make it clearer what is needed for a complete application. Also, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

The estimates shown in the tables in Questions 12 and 13 represent the additional anticipated respondents, responses, burden hours, and costs that could result if there is an emergency.

7. Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up [Revised]

Revision: The Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up is revised to remove the notary certification fields because notary certification is not required in Federal regulations for this transfer and is not necessary. Instead of notary confirmation, the signature of the QS holder or authorized representative 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. This revision simplifies the process of applying for the transfer and decreases the cost burden for this application. Removing the notary certification will decrease the cost burden of this collection on the respondents.

The Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up is for use by a person who wishes to combine (sweep-up) two blocks. Blocked QS may be combined into one block if the total amount of QS being combined is less than or equal to established amounts of QS units per area. To be combined, QS must be in the same vessel category, and the resulting block size must not exceed the sweep-up limits.

The Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up may be submitted to NMFS RAM by mail, delivery, or fax. Fax submittal was previously not accepted because of the notary requirements.

The information collected on this application includes the QS holder’s identification and contact information and information on the blocks of quota share to be combined.

With this extension request, this application is revised to remove the notary public certification for the QS holder. Block D is revised to remove the fields for the signature of notary public, the date the notary commission expires, and the space for the notary stamp or seal.

In addition to this revision, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

8. Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers

In years of low halibut catch limits in regulatory areas 4B and 4CDE, CDQ groups are allowed to lease halibut catcher vessel IFQ in regulatory areas 4B, 4C, and 4D. A CDQ group is required to submit an annual report for CDQ IFQ transfers only in years in which the CDQ group received catcher vessel halibut IFQ by transfer.

Any IFQ transferred to a CDQ group under this provision is available for use in conjunction with halibut CDQ and intended for use by residents that have traditionally harvested halibut CDQ. The annual report allows CDQ groups to demonstrate how this opportunity is benefiting its residents without the Council or NMFS needing to define who is a resident.

The reporting requirements at § 679.5(l)(10) and (w) require the CDQ groups to submit an annual report on the criteria used to select IFQ holders to receive IFQ transfers from, the criteria used to determine who can receive transferred IFQ, and the amount and type of IFQ transferred.

The report is submitted to NMFS and the Council through mail or email no later than January 31 after the transfer activity was completed. A CDQ group is not eligible to lease halibut IFQ until a timely and complete report is submitted. There is no form for this report.

This program is voluntary and is limited to small vessels (under 51 feet length overall). There are six CDQ groups. Since this program is implemented only in times of low halibut abundance and not all vessels will opt to participate, NMFS anticipates 0 respondents and responses at this time. However, in the long term, we expect an average 2 responses per year.

9. Application for Medical Transfer of IFQ

QS holders not eligible to hire a skipper and who (or an immediate family member) have a medical condition preventing them from fishing their catcher vessel IFQ may temporarily transfer their IFQ through the use of the medical transfer provision. This provision is intended to allow IFQ to be fished while the QS holder or their immediate family member has a short-term medical condition. For this reason, a written declaration from a health care provider is required, and the number of times a person may use a medical transfer for any medical condition is limited. NMFS will not approve a medical transfer if the applicant has received a medical transfer in any 3 of the previous 7 years for any medical condition. A medical transfer is valid only during the calendar year of the transfer.

The requirement for an IFQ permit holder to be aboard the vessel during fishing operations and to sign the IFQ landing report may be waived. A medical transfer may be approved if the applicant demonstrates that he or she is unable to participate in the IFQ fishery for which he or she holds IFQ—

• because of a severe medical condition that precludes participation; or

• because of a severe medical condition involving an immediate family member that requires the IFQ holder’s full time attendance.

The original application must be mailed or delivered to NMFS RAM.

The information collected on this application includes transferor and transferee identification and contact information; identification of the IFQ to be transferred and the transaction information; and a medical declaration, which is completed by a health care provider as defined at 50 CFR 679.2, that contains the providers identification and contact information and a brief description of the primary medical condition affecting the applicant or applicant’s family member that prevents the QS holder’s participation in the fishery for this calendar year. A copy of the permits to be transferred must be included.

As part of this extension request, the introductory section of the form is changed to a checklist of the required documentation to be included with the application to make it clearer what is needed for a complete application. Minor editorial changes are been made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

Since the last extension in 2018, the requirements for a medical transfer of IFQ were revised once, in 2020, due to a rule (85 FR 8477, February 14, 2020; RIN 0648-BJ07) that modified the medical and beneficiary transfer provisions of the IFQ Program. This rule broadened the range of providers who may attest to a medical condition, which increased the flexibility of a QS holder when choosing a health care provider for treatment and verifying the condition on the medical transfer application. It also changed the medical transfer provisions to allow a medical transfer in any 3 of the previous 7 calendar years for any medical condition rather than in any 2 of the previous 5 calendar years for the same medical condition. The Application for Medical Transfer was revised due to this rule. The revision did not change the respondents, responses, or burden.

10. QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form

QS holders may provide NMFS with the name of a designated beneficiary to receive survivorship transfer privileges in the event of the QS holder’s death. A beneficiary is the surviving spouse or an immediate family member as defined at 50 CFR 679.2.

NMFS allows the transfer of IFQ only (lease) to the beneficiary by right of survivorship, for a period of 3 years following the death of the original QS holder. The information collected is necessary to provide temporary transfer privileges to the family of a deceased QS holder in the absence of a surviving spouse.

The QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form may be submitted to NMFS by mail or delivery.

The information collected on this application includes the QS holder identification and contact information, beneficiary identification and contact information, and the relationship of the beneficiary to the QS holder.

As part of this extension request, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

Since the last extension in 2018, the beneficiary transfer requirements were revised once, in 2020, due to a rule (85 FR 8477, February 14, 2020; RIN 0648-BJ07) that modified the medical and beneficiary transfer provisions of the IFQ Program. This rule added a definition of immediate family member and added estate representative to the list of who may receive IFQ held by the decedent for up to 3 years. This provided greater flexibility to QS holders and their beneficiaries. The QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form was revised due to this rule. The revision did not change the respondents, responses, or burden. The form was also revised to remove the notary certification fields because notary certification was no longer necessary. Instead of notary certification, the signature of the QS holder is sufficient because it is signed under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct. This resulted in a slight decrease to the respondent’s cost burden.

11. Appeals

An appeals process is provided for a QS holder who receives an adverse initial administrative determination (IAD) related to their application. A QS holder may appeal this denial under the appeals procedures set out at 15 CFR part 906.

Administrative appeals of adverse decisions made by NMFS Alaska Region must be submitted to the NMFS National Appeals Office (NAO) in Silver Spring, Maryland. Instructions for submitting an appeal are provided on the NAO website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/rules-and-regulations/appeals. The appeal may be submitted by fax (307-713-2384) or by mail or commercial carrier to National Appeals Office, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

There is no form for this collection.

The appeal must be filed not later than 45 days after the date the IAD is issued unless a shorter or longer filing timeframe is explicitly specified in the regulations governing the initial administrative determination.

Since 2015, one IAD was issued in 2016 and one in 2019, and one appeal has been filed, which was in 2019. For purposes of this analysis, one response is used in the tables in questions 12 and 13.

12. Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses

This form is used by applicants to request a replacement for a certificate, permit, or license that was previously issued by NMFS and that subsequently was lost, destroyed, or stolen.

An Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses may be submitted to NMFS RAM by mail, delivery, or fax.

As part of this extension request, the title of the form is changed from Application for Replacement of Certificates or Permits to Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses. A note is added to the beginning of the form reminding permit holders that most permits may be re-printed from eFISH. Minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

13. IFQ Administrative Waiver

Participants in IFQ fisheries request an administrative waver by calling NOAA Office for Law Enforcement (NMFS OLE) using a NMFS-provided toll-free number or, in rare cases, by marine radio. No form exists for this waiver.

NMFS OLE completes the waiver to document the participant’s request for an administrative waiver from one of the following requirements. The waiver is granted at the discretion of the clearing officer:

• Six-hour Prior of Notice of Landing: issued to a vessel to land fish before the required 6 hours

• 12-hour IFQ Landing Window: issued to a vessel that lands fish after hours: after 1800 and before 0600

• Electronic Landing Report: issued due to eLandings failure

• IFQ hired master on board: issued for the IFQ hired master to not be on board in extreme personal emergencies

An IFQ Administrative Waiver collects the date and time of the waiver; the vessel name and ADF&G vessel registration number; all IFQ permit numbers; the Prior Notice confirmation number (if applicable); the registered buyer name and permit number (if applicable); and the requirement being waived.

14. Prior Notice of Landing (PNOL)

The operator of any vessel making an IFQ landing must submit a PNOL to NMFS OLE no fewer than 3 hours before landing IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish, unless permission to commence an IFQ landing within 3 hours of notification is granted by a clearing officer. No form exists for this item.

The operator of any vessel wishing to make an IFQ landing before the date and time (A.l.t.) reported in the PNOL or later than 2 hours after the date and time (A.l.t.) reported in the PNOL must submit a new PNOL.

Vessel operators call NMFS OLE using a toll-free number to submit a PNOL. A NMFS OLE data clerk types the data directly into the system. The system generates a PNOL confirmation number, which the data clerk provides to the fisherman.

The PNOL alerts the IPHC monitoring personnel and NMFS OLE personnel to legal landings. In addition, the submittal of a PNOL allows NMFS OLE—

• to query the IFQ data center to determine if the permit holder has enough IFQ pounds available in the account to cover the amount being landed;

• to observe the offload; and

• to monitor longline pot gear retrieval in the Gulf of Alaska.

Data on gear type are necessary to ensure compliance with the PNOL requirement because some reporting exemptions are gear-based.

• Halibut: An IFQ landing of halibut of 500 lb or less of IFQ weight and concurrent with a legal landing of salmon harvested using hand troll gear or power troll gear is exempt from the PNOL.

• Lingcod: An IFQ landing of halibut of 500 lb or less of IFQ weight and concurrent with a legal landing of lingcod harvested using dinglebar gear is exempt from the PNOL.

IPHC uses gear type data to assist with harvest monitoring. NMFS and the Council use gear information to project bycatch rates for non-IFQ fish in the IFQ fishery and support analyses for seasonal apportionments and other allocation proposals.

The following information is collected in the PNOL:

• Vessel Information (vessel name and ADF&G vessel registration number)

• Landing information

  • Port of landing and port code

  • Exact location of landing within the port (dock name, harbor name, facility name, or geographical coordinates)

  • Date and time (A.l.t.) that the landing will take place

• Species and estimated weight (lb) of IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish that will be landed

• IFQ regulatory area(s) where IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish were harvested

• IFQ permit numbers used to land IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish

• Gear type used to harvest the IFQ sablefish or IFQ halibut

• If using longline pot gear in the Gulf of Alaska or pot gear in the BSAI, report the following:

  • number of pots set,

  • number of pots lost, and

  • number of pots left deployed on the fishing grounds.

• Comments

Since the last extension in 2018, the PNOL requirements were revised once, in 2020, due to a rule for Amendment 118 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (85 FR 840, January 8, 2020; RIN 0648-BI65). This action added three things that fishermen who choose to use pot gear are required to report: number of pots set, number of pots lost, and number of pots left deployed on the fishing grounds. Vessels who choose to use longline pot gear in the Gulf of Alaska sablefish IFQ fishery were already required to report this information. As NMFS currently required all vessels in the IFQ or CDQ halibut and IFQ sablefish fisheries to submit a PNOL to NMFS, this action did not change the number of respondents or responses, or change the burden or costs already incurred by the respondents.

15. IFQ Departure Report

A vessel operator who intends to make a landing of IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, IFQ sablefish, or Crab Rationalization Program (CR) crab at any location other than in an IFQ regulatory area for halibut and sablefish or in a crab fishery for CR crab in the State of Alaska must submit an IFQ Departure Report, by telephone, to NMFS OLE (800-304-4846 or 907-586-7163) between 0600 hours, A.l.t., and 2400 hours, A.l.t. No form exists for this report.

A vessel operator who intends to make an IFQ landing at a location different from the location named on the IFQ Departure report must submit a revised report naming the new location at least 12 hours in advance of the offload. Revisions must be submitted by telephone, to NMFS OLE (800-304-4846 or 907-586-7163) between the hours of 0600 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), and 2400 hours, A.l.t.

The IFQ Departure Report is submitted only after completion of all IFQ fishing and prior to departing the waters of the exclusive economic zone adjacent to the jurisdictional waters of the State of Alaska, the territorial sea of the State of Alaska, or the internal waters of the State of Alaska.

A vessel operator submitting an IFQ Departure Report for CR crab must have a Registered Crab Receiver permit.

A vessel operator submitting an IFQ Departure Report for IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish must have a registered buyer permit and must submit IFQ landing reports for all IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, and IFQ sablefish on board at the same time and place as the first landing of any IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish.

An IFQ Departure Report collects the intended date, time (A.l.t.), and location of the landing; the vessel operator's name, vessel name, and ADF&G vessel registration number; halibut IFQ, halibut CDQ, sablefish IFQ, and Crab Rationalization Program crab permit numbers of IFQ and CDQ permit holders on board; Registered Buyer permit or Registered Crab Receiver permit number; area of harvest; and estimated total weight as appropriate of IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, IFQ sablefish, or CR crab on board (lb/kg/mt).

16. Transshipment Authorization

No person may transship processed IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, IFQ sablefish, or CR crab between vessels without authorization by a local clearing officer. Authorization from a local clearing officer must be obtained for each instance of transshipment at least 24 hours before the transshipment is intended to commence.

The authorization is requested from NMFS OLE by telephone at 800-304-4846. No form exists for this item.

To obtain a Transshipment Authorization, the vessel operator must provide the following information to the clearing officer: name, telephone number, fax number for person making the request; time and date of transshipment; location of transshipment; name and ADF&G vessel registration number of vessel offloading transshipment; name of vessel receiving the transshipment; product destination; species code and product type code; total product weight; and time (A.l.t.) and date of request.

17. Dockside Sales Receipt

The purpose of reporting the amount of IFQ fish involved in a dockside sale is to provide NMFS OLE with the ability to monitor and inspect the shipment of IFQ fish to determine whether there was proper accounting for all IFQ fish landed.

A person holding a valid IFQ permit or IFQ hired master permit, and a registered buyer permit may conduct a dockside sale of IFQ halibut or IFQ sablefish with a person who has not been issued a registered buyer permit after all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish have been landed and reported.

A person holding a valid halibut CDQ hired master permit and registered buyer permit may conduct a dockside sale of CDQ halibut with a person who has not been issued a registered buyer permit after all CDQ halibut have been landed and reported.

A registered buyer conducting dockside sales must issue a receipt to each individual receiving IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish in lieu of a product transfer report (see OMB control number 0648-0213). No form exists for this item.

The dockside sales receipt must include the following information: date of sale; registered buyer permit number; and weight by product of the IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or sablefish IFQ transferred.

18. Application for a Non-profit Corporation to be Designated as a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)

An RQE is authorized to purchase and hold a limited amount of commercial halibut quota share that will yield additional pounds of recreational fishing quota on an annual basis to augment the amount of halibut available for harvest in the charter halibut fishery. The RQE provides a mechanism for a compensated reallocation of a portion of commercial halibut quota share to the charter halibut fishery.

A non-profit organization that intends to establish itself as an RQE and participate in the IFQ Program must complete an Application for a Non-profit Entity to be Designated as a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE) for approval by NMFS. This application collects information necessary for NMFS to determine eligibility of the entity to be designated an RQE.

NMFS will approve only one entity as the RQE. Upon approval by NMFS, the RQE may buy, sell, and hold halibut QS in Areas 2C and 3A.

This application is due only once.

The application may be submitted to NMFS by mail or delivery. Fax submittal is not accepted due to the notary requirements.

The application collects the applicant’s identification and contact information and requires a notarized signature of the applicant or authorized representative. It also requires the following attachments:

• the applicant’s articles of incorporation

• the applicant’s corporate by-laws

• list of applicant’s key personnel, including its Board of Directors, officers, representatives, and managers

• the applicant’s organizational chart or, at minimum, a written explanation that fully reveals the applicants line and staff responsibilities and relationships

As part of the current extension request, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

19. Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)

An RQE is eligible to receive QS by transfer and to transfer QS. The Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity is used by an RQE to receive or transfer QS.

An RQE is limited to holding no more than 10 percent of the 2015 commercial QS pool in Area 2C and no more than 12 percent of the 2015 commercial QS pool in Area 3A. An RQE may not annually transfer more than 1 percent of the commercial QS units in Area 2C or more than 1.2 percent of the commercial QS units in Area 3A based on the 2015 QS pool.

An RQE may not purchase any D class QS in Area 3A and may not purchase more than 10 percent of the D class QS in Area 2C based on the D class QS pool in 2015. An RQE is also limited to purchasing no more than 10 percent of the B class QS in Area 2C based on the B class QS pool in 2015.

If an RQE transfers QS to another person, the quota class and block designation of the QS is retained. Any person that holds a TEC is eligible to receive QS by transfer from the RQE. The IFQ Program does not permit transfer of QS subject to any conditions of repossession or resale to the transferor except by court order, operation of law, or security agreement.

The Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity may be submitted to NMFS RAM by mail or delivery. Fax submittal is not accepted due to the notary requirements. A separate application is submitted for each QS transfer.

This application collects information necessary for NMFS to ensure that QS are transferred in compliance with regulations governing the buying and selling of QS.

The information collected on this application includes transferor and transferee identification and contact information; identification of the QS to be transferred and the transaction information; information on combining the QS combined into an existing block, if applicable; and vessel length category designation for catcher vessel CDQ compensation QS, if applicable. It requires notarized signatures of the transferor and transferee or their authorized representatives.

As part of the current extension request, minor editorial changes are made to the application to increase clarity and improve consistency with NMFS RAM’s other applications.

20. Recreational Quota Entity Annual Report

The RQE must submit a complete annual report on its administrative activities and business operation for each calendar year that it holds halibut recreational fishing quota (RFQ) and QS. The RQE may combine annual reports on its holdings of halibut QS and RFQ for IFQ regulatory areas 2C and 3A into one report. The RQE must submit annual report data for the halibut QS and RFQ it held during the calendar year.

The RQE is not required to submit an annual report for any calendar year in which it did not hold any halibut QS or RFQ.

The annual report must be submitted to the NMFS Alaska Regional Administrator and to the Council by January 31 for the prior calendar year. There is no form for this annual report.

A complete RQE Annual Report contains the following information.

• General report requirements:

  • Any changes to the bylaws, board of directors, or other key management personnel of the RQE from the preceding year;

  • Amount and description of annual administrative expenses;

  • Amount and description of funds spent on conservation and research, including a summary of the results of those expenditures; and

  • Amount and description of all other expenses incurred by the RQE.

• Information specific to IFQ regulatory areas 2C and 3A—For each IFQ regulatory area represented by the RQE, the RQE must annually report the following information:

  • The total amount of halibut QS by category and blocks held by the RQE at the start of the calendar year, on October 1, and at the end of the calendar year;

  • A list of all transfers (purchases or sales) of halibut QS, including the transaction price; and

  • A description of the number of charter halibut permits and number of angler endorsements purchased and held by the RQE.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also, describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

Except for the dockside sales receipt and the information collected by OLE over the telephone, all of the forms are available as fillable pdfs posted at Alaska IFQ Halibut/Sablefish and CDQ Halibut Program Fishery Applications and Reporting Forms on the NMFS Alaska Region website. The emergency version of the Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota will only be posted when an emergency rule is in effect allowing its use. These forms may be completed electronically by the participant, downloaded, printed, and mailed or faxed to NMFS.

The Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers may be submitted by email.

Registered buyers may use eFISH to renew or amend their registered buyer permit. QS holders may use eFISH to print a copy of their IFQ annual permit, IFQ hired master permit, and IFQ registered buyer permit. eFISH is the NMFS Alaska Region online Fisheries Information System. eFISH provides an online method to submit applications and access to participants’ NMFS permit accounts. eFISH allows participants to renew certain fishery permits; report landings; print certificates or permits; conduct quota transfers; pay fees and submit landing value reports; and check account balances, vessel balances, and landing ledger reports. Permit holders access eFISH through a User ID and password issued by NMFS. Instructions for using eFISH are posted on the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/node/30749.

NMFS Alaska Region is working toward offering more online services. The current data entry and retrieval system is nearing the end of its life, and a new database is in development. RAM would like to make all of our permit applications available through eFISH but it will require some rather large regulatory changes and some new requirements for email addresses to access the online application.

Administrative appeals cannot be submitted electronically because the National Appeals Office requires submission of documents by fax, mail, or delivery to provide the appropriate record for legal proceedings.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Question 2

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. Federal regulations specify use of this information collection to administer the IFQ Program, and there are not alternate means or methods to perform the functions laid out in this supporting statement.

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

NMFS attempts to minimize the burden of this collection on all respondents by collecting only information necessary to manage the IFQ Program, by providing and supporting the online data collection and reporting systems eFISH and eLandings, and by providing help to participants in writing and by phone. eFISH and eLandings include online help options and user guides at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/services. NMFS also maintains documentation about eFISH in the eLandings Wiki (Confluence) at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/alaska-online-services-efish-and-elandings. In addition, NMFS maintains a help/support call center with contractors available by phone Monday through Friday.

Additionally, most of the elements in this information collection are available online as fillable pdfs. A toll-free phone number is available for participants to contact NMFS RAM for help or information on these elements.

NMFS is continually working towards ways to reduce the burden on all respondents, including small entities. The emergency version of the Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota does not require notary certification, which reduces the logistical, administrative, and cost burden on IFQ participants during emergency situations. With this extension request, the notary certification is being removed from the Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up because it is not necessary. NMFS is in the process of evaluating removal of the notary requirements from additional applications in this collection in a future regulatory action (see response to question 8 for more information).

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

This information collection is required to manage the IFQ Program and manage commercial halibut and sablefish fishing under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.), the Halibut Act, and under 50 CFR parts 300 and 679.

It would not be possible to effectively manage the IFQ Program or carry out the mandates of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the Halibut Act if this collection were not conducted or conducted less frequently.

The lack of adequate information to manage the IFQ Program would result in the fishery management decision-making process being less objective, more political, and potentially less equitable. This would decrease the credibility of the fishery management process and result in an unnecessarily costly and ineffective management system. The cost of making decisions based on inadequate information would adversely affect the viability of the IFQ fishing industry.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

One collection may require respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly. A Prior Notice of Landing (PNOL) must be submitted by the required time before landing IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish, which could result in information being submitted more often than quarterly. NMFS uses this information to manage and monitor halibut and sablefish harvests.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publications in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8 (d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

A Federal Register Notice published on January 13, 2021 (86 FR 2644), solicited public comments. In addition, NMFS solicited comments by email from IFQ permit holders. No comments were received from these permit holders or the Federal Register notice.

NMFS RAM staff interacts often with IFQ participants, answering questions and providing information on the applications and permits. Through their interactions, NMFS RAM staff may receive unsolicited comments from participants on the cost and hour burden and the availability of data; frequency of collection; the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format; and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

As a result of these unsolicited comments from the public, NMFS made editorial changes to the forms in this collection to increase clarity and make it easier for the respondents to know how to complete the applications. For example, checklists were added to the beginning of the Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and the Application for Medical Transfer of IFQ to help reduce the number of incomplete applications submitted. To promote awareness that most permits can be reprinted from eFISH, a note and link to eFISH were added to the beginning of the Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses.

Since the last extension of this collection in 2018, information collection requirements in this collection have been revised due to rules originating from Council actions. Through the Council and rulemaking processes, the affected entities have had opportunities to comment on the components of this collection and any proposed changes to them. Any comments received on the information collections have been described in supporting statements and final rules for those actions.

In April 2021, the Council requested NMFS initiate rulemaking to remove the notary requirement from IFQ Program application forms. NMFS is in the process of analyzing this request and, if approved, will publish a final rule in the Federal Register.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift 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 the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy. If the collection requires a systems of records notice (SORN) or privacy impact assessment (PIA), those should be cited and described here.

All information collections by NMFS, Alaska Region, are protected under confidentiality provisions of section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act as amended in 2006 (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.) and under NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, which sets forth procedures to protect confidentiality of fishery statistics.

The System of Records Notice that covers this information collection is COMMERCE/NOAA-19, Permits and Registrations for United States Federally Regulated Fisheries. An amended Privacy Act system of records notice was published in the Federal Register on August 7, 2015 (80 FR 47457), and became effective September 15, 2015 (80 FR 55327).

The Privacy Impact Assessment that covers this information collection is NOAA NMFS Alaska Region Local Area Network (NOAA4700).

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

The Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ collects an applicant’s taxpayer identification number (TIN). A TIN may be an applicant’s social security number (SSN), which is sensitive personal identifiable information (PII). This form is used by persons to obtain a Transfer Eligibility Certificate (TEC).

Although a TIN is not required to issue a TEC, NMFS must collect and store an entity’s TIN for the purpose of complying with the Debt Collection Act of 1996. All potential IFQ QS holders may incur a debt to the government because of fee liabilities charged under the IFQ Program cost recovery fee program authorized under section 304(d)(2)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and implemented by regulations at 50 CFR 679.45. Therefore, NMFS must collect and store every IFQ QS holder’s TIN.

Because an SSN is sensitive PII, NMFS strives to reduce the number of times a QS holder’s TIN must be submitted to NMFS. If the TIN was not collected on the Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ, it would need to be collected on more forms.

As the Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ is the form used to first establish an entity's user profile in the NMFS database, the submission of a TIN on any subsequent application forms is not necessary. Once a TIN is submitted to NMFS on this form, NMFS establishes a NMFS ID and stores the associated TIN in the electronic application management system. For subsequent application forms, issuance of permits, or transfers, the use of the applicant’s NMFS ID associates all transactions with the previously collected TIN making it unnecessary for applicants to submit a TIN to NMFS on other IFQ Program application forms.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

Information Collection	Type of Respondent (e.g., Occupational Title)	# of Respondents/year	Annual # of Responses / Respondent	Total # of Annual Responses	Burden Hrs / Response	Total Annual Burden Hrs	Hourly Wage Rate (for Type of Respondent)1	Total Annual Wage Burden Costs
Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ	QS/IFQ holders	108	1	108	2 hrs	216	27.43	5,925
Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest	QS holders	57	1	57	2 hrs	114	27.43	3,127
Application for IFQ/CDQ Hired Master Permit	IFQ permit holders; CDQ permit holders	580	1	580	1 hr	580	27.43	15,909
Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer (RB) Permit	registered buyers	258	1	258	30 minutes	129	27.43	3,538
Application for Transfer of QS	QS holders	7362	1	368	2 hrs	1,4722	27.43	40,377
Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	IFQ holders; CDQ group representatives	1,0002	1	500	2 hrs	2,0002	27.43	54,860
(Emergency) Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing	IFQ holders; CDQ group representatives	1,3002, 3	1	6503	2 hrs	2,6002, 3	27.43	71,3183
Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up	QS/IFQ holders	6	1	6	2 hrs	12	27.43	329
Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers	CDQ group representatives	2	1	2	40 hrs	80	27.43	2,194
Application for Medical Transfer of IFQ	IFQ permit holders; health care provider	1,4404	1	480	1.5 hrs	2,1604	35.615	76,918
QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form	QS/IFQ holders	15	1	15	30 minutes	8	27.43	219
Appeals	QS holders	1	1	1	4 hrs	4	27.43	110
Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses	permit and license holders	20	1	20	30 minutes	10	27.43	274
IFQ Administrative Waiver	IFQ permit holders	258	avg. 1.5	390	6 minutes	39	27.43	1,070
Prior Notice of Landing	vessel operators	2,703	avg. 2.3	6,220	15 minutes	1,555	27.43	42,654
IFQ Departure Report	vessel operators	27	1	27	15 minutes	7	27.43	192
Transshipment Authorization	vessel operators	1	1	1	12 minutes	1	27.43	27
Dockside Sales Receipt	registered buyers	258	5	1,290	6 minutes	129	27.43	3,538
Application for a Non-profit Corporation to be Designated as a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	RQE representative	06	—	0	200 hrs	0	27.43	0
Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	RQE representative	212	1	20	2 hrs	802	27.43	2,194
Recreational Quota Entity Annual Report	RQE representative	1	1	1	40 hrs	40	27.43	1,097
Totals				10,995		11,236		325,870

¹ Unless otherwise noted, this analysis uses the mean hourly wage for Occupation Code 45-0000 (Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations), Sector 11 (Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting). May 2020 Occupational Employment Statistics Research Estimates, Alaska.

² The application is completed by two respondents: the transferor and the transferee. As each respondent is expected to have burden hours in responding, the total annual burden equals 2 respondents x Total # of Annual Responses [applications] x Burden Hours per Response.

³ The estimates represent the additional anticipated respondents, responses, burden hours, and costs that could result if there is an emergency.

⁴ The application is completed by three respondents: the transferor, the transferee, and the health care provider. As each respondent is expected to have burden hours in responding, the total annual burden equals 3 respondents x Total # of Annual Responses [applications] x Burden Hours per Response.

⁵ The mean hourly wage was determined as follows: ($27.43 *2 [transferor and transferee] + $51.96 [healthcare provider])/3. The healthcare provider mean hourly wage is from Occupation Code 29-0000 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations), Sector 62 (Heath Care). May 2020 Occupational Employment Statistics Research Estimates, Alaska.

⁶ This application is not expected to be used during this renewal period because the RQE has been established and is not expected to change. 1 respondent was entered in ROCIS due to system constraints.

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden already reflected on the burden worksheet).

Information Collection	# of Respondents / year	Annual # of Responses / Respondent	Total # of Annual Responses	Cost Burden / Respondent1	Total Annual Cost Burden
Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ	108	1	108	$15 (Operating costs - $5 Notary - $10)	1,620
Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest	57	1	57	Operating costs - $5	285
Application for IFQ/CDQ Hired Master Permit	580	1	580	Operating costs - $5	2,900
Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer (RB) Permit	258	1	258	Operating costs - $5	1,290
Application for Transfer of QS	7362	1	368	$15 (Operating costs - $5 Notary - $10)	11,0403
Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	1,0002	1	500	$15 (Operating costs - $5 Notary - $10)	15,0003
(Emergency) Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing	1,3002, 5	1	6504	Operating costs - $5	6,5003, 5
Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up	6	1	6	Operating costs - $5	30
Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers	2	1	2	$15 (Operating costs - $5 Notary - $10)	30
Application for Medical Transfer of IFQ	1,4406	1	480	Operating costs - $5	7,2006
QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form	15	1	15	Operating costs - $5	75
Appeals	1	1	1	$505 (Operating costs - $5 Attorney - $5007)	505
Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses	20	1	20	Operating costs - $5	100
IFQ Administrative Waiver	258	avg. 1.5	390	0	0
Prior Notice of Landing	2,703	avg. 2.3	6,220	0	0
IFQ Departure Report	27	1	27	0	0
Transshipment Authorization	1	1	1	0	0
Dockside Sales Receipt	258	5	1,290	0	0
Application for a Non-profit Corporation to be Designated as a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	08	—	0	$15 (Operating costs - $5 Notary - $10)	0
Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	219	1	20	$15 (Operating costs - $5 Notary - $10)	3159
Recreational Quota Entity Annual Report	1	1	1	Operating costs - $5	5
TOTALS			10,994		46,895

¹ Operating costs account for the typical inclusive general office services packages that include expenses for email, fax, copying, mailing, printing, and internet.

² The application is completed by two respondents: the transferor and the transferee.

³ The application is completed by two respondents, the transferor and the transferee. As each respondent is expected to have some operating costs in responding and notary costs, the total annual cost equals 2 respondents x Total # of Annual Responses x $15 [$5 operating costs + $10 notary].

⁴ The estimates represent the additional anticipated respondents, responses, burden hours, and costs that could result if there is an emergency.

⁵ The application is completed by two respondents, the transferor and the transferee. As each respondent is expected to have some operating costs in responding, the total annual cost equals 2 respondents x Total # of Annual Responses x $5 operating costs.

⁶ The application is completed by three respondents: the transferor, the transferee, and the health care provider. As each respondent is expected to have some operating costs in responding, the total annual cost equals 3 respondents x Total # of Annual Responses x $5 operating costs.

⁷ 4 hours of attorney time at $125 per hour

⁸ This application is not expected to be used during this renewal period because the RQE has been established and is not expected to change.

⁹ The application is completed by two respondents, the transferor and the transferee. The RQE will always be one of the respondents. As the RQE and each of the other respondents are expected to have some operating costs in responding, the total annual cost equals 21 respondents x Total # of Annual Responses x $5 operating costs.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

A cost recovery program is in effect for the IFQ Program. Under this cost recovery program, NMFS is authorized to collect direct program costs from the permit holders. Therefore, the information collection requirements of the IFQ Program do not impose a cost on the Federal Government. Direct program costs are the costs NMFS incurs to manage, collect data from, and enforce the IFQ Program.

The direct program costs for the IFQ Program in 2020 were $4,414,604.

The following are examples of the types of tasks that were included under the 2020 IFQ direct program costs:

• analysis and rulemaking activities; in particular, regulations to authorize a fish-up provision for Community Quota Entities in Area 3A, changes to the medical and beneficiary provisions, and authorizing harvest of IFQ halibut in the BSAI using pot gear, and emergency rules to modify IFQ temporary transfer and halibut vessel use cap provisions

• maintenance of the electronic reporting systems, including the catch accounting system

• programming, web design, and maintenance of online applications

• issuance of annual IFQ permits, registered buyer permits, hired master permits, and responding to questions about those permits

• processing transfers of QS and/or IFQ. This includes medical transfers, transfers with right of survivorship, and Guided Angler Fish transfers. Processing transfers also includes responding to questions about the transfers.

• producing an annual transfer report

• determining standard ex-vessel prices using value and volume reports submitted by IFQ Registered Buyers

• fee determination and collection process

• port sampling, primarily personnel costs, but also includes travel and supplies

• processing North Pacific IFQ loan program applications

• inspections, boardings, investigations, outreach and education, and compliance assistance by approximately 20 officers and 10 agents. Additionally, a staff of 6 to 8 data technicians are contracted annually for 7-day per week processing of required reports, such as Product Transfer, Prior Notice of Landing, IFQ Departure, IFQ Overage, and Vessel Activity Reports.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in ROCIS.

The respondents and responses have been adjusted to reflect the most current data available. Additional reasons for adjustments are noted in the tables.

Information Collection	Respondents		Responses		Burden Hours		Reason for Change or Adjustment
	Current Renewal / Revision	Previous Renewal / Revision	Current Renewal / Revision	Previous Renewal / Revision	Current Renewal / Revision	Previous Renewal / Revision
Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ	108	100	108	100	216	200	—
Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest	57	150	57	150	114	300	—
Application for IFQ/CDQ Hired Master Permit	580	200	580	200	580	200	—
Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer (RB) Permit	258	235	258	235	129	118	—
Application for Transfer of QS	736	880	368	440	1,472	880	Burden Hours: Adjusted to reflect the transferor and transferee both have burden hours.
Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	1,000	742	500	371	2,000	742	Burden Hours: Adjusted to reflect the transferor and transferee both have burden hours.
(Emergency) Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	1,300	—	650	—	2,600	—	Added to this collection from OMB Control # 0648-0795. The burden hours reported in -0795 have been adjusted to reflect the transferor and transferee both have burden hours.
Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up	6	58	6	58	12	116	—
Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers	2	2	2	2	80	80	—
Application for Medical Transfer of IFQ	1,440	420	480	140	2,160	210	Burden Hours: Adjusted to reflect the transferor, transferee, and medical professional all have burden hours.
QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form	15	12	15	12	8	6	—
Appeals	1	1	1	1	4	4	—
Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses	20	50	20	50	10	25	—
IFQ Administrative Waiver	258	235	390	346	39	35	—
Prior Notice of Landing	2,703	2,418	6,220	5,594	1,555	1,399	—
IFQ Departure Report	27	26	27	26	7	7	—
Transshipment Authorization	1	1	1	1	1	1	—
Dockside Sales Receipt	258	235	1,290	1,175	129	118	—
Application for a Non-profit Corporation to be Designated as a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	1	1	1	1	0	67	This application is not expected to be used during this renewal period because the RQE has been established and is not expected to change. 1 respondent was left in for administrative purposes due to ROCIS constraints.
Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	21	1	20	20	80	40	Respondents: Adjusted to reflect that the transferor and transferee are both respondents. Burden Hours: Adjusted to reflect the transferor and transferee both have burden hours..
Recreational Quota Entity Annual Report	1	1	1	1	40	40	—
Total for Collection	3,4411	2,7942	10,995	8,923	11,236	4,588
Difference	647		2,072		6,648

¹Unique respondents. Some participants in the IFQ Program submit more than one instrument in this information collection. Therefore, the number of unique respondents is used to show the estimated number of individual participants who are expected to annually submit information during the renewal period for this information collection. The estimated number of unique respondents consist of the following: 2,697 IFQ permit holders, 258 registered buyers, 6 CDQ permit holders, 480 health care providers, and 1 RQE.

² The number of register buyers was previously inadvertently omitted from the estimated number of unique respondents. The total was reported as 2,559 but should have been 2,794: 235 registered buyers, 2,412 IFQ permit holders, 6 CDQ permit holders, 140 health care providers, and 1 RQE.

Information Collection	Labor Costs		Miscellaneous Costs		Reason for change or adjustment
	Current	Previous	Current	Previous
Application for Eligibility to Receive QS/IFQ	5,925	4,692	1,620	1,100	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Quota Share (QS) Holder: Identification of Ownership Interest	3,127	7,038	285	509	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Application for IFQ/CDQ Hired Master Permit	15,909	4,692	2,900	282	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Application for IFQ/CDQ Registered Buyer (RB) Permit	3,538	2,768	1,290	120	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Application for Transfer of QS	40,377	20,644	11,040	9,680	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	54,860	17,407	15,000	8,162	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
(Emergency) Application for Temporary Transfer of Halibut/Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)	71,318	—	6,500	—	Added to this collection from OMB Control # 0648-0795. The wage rate used in -0795 has been updated from the 2019 to the 2020 rate.
Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ by Self Sweep-up	329	2,721	30	638	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages and removed the notary costs.
Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers	2,194	1,876	30	22	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Application for Medical Transfer of IFQ	76,918	6,890	7,200	112	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages and adjusted to reflect that all the respondents are expected to have operating costs.
QS/IFQ Beneficiary Designation Form	219	141	75	10	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Appeals	110	94	505	536	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Application for Replacement of Certificates, Permits, or Licenses	274	587	100	70	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
IFQ Administrative Waiver	1,070	821	0	0	—
Prior Notice of Landing	42,654	32,821	0	0	—
IFQ Departure Report	192	164	0	0	—
Transshipment Authorization	27	23	0	0	—
Dockside Sales Receipt	3,538	2,768	0	0	—
Application for a Non-profit Corporation to be Designated as a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	0	1,572	0	6	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Application for Transfer of Quota Share To or From a Recreational Quota Entity (RQE)	2,194	938	315	223	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages and adjusted to reflect that all the respondents are expected to have operating costs.
Recreational Quota Entity Annual Report	1,097	938	5	1	Misc. costs: Revised amount to account for typical inclusive general office services packages.
Total for Collection	325,870	109,595	46,895	21,471
Difference	216,275		25,424

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

NMFS publishes some information from this collection on the Permits and Licenses Issued in Alaska webpage of the NMFS Alaska Region website, including lists of registered buyers (business name and address, NMFS ID, registered buyer permit number); QS holders (business name and address, species, regulatory area, and number of QS units); persons eligible to receive QS by transfer (business name and address, NMFS ID); and sweepable QS blocks by species, area, and vessel category (QS holder, NMFS ID, and business address).

Final administrative appeal decisions with redactions are posted on the NMFS National Appeals Office website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/rules-and-regulations/appeals. Personally identifiable information and confidential business information submitted in an administrative appeal are not released to the public.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

The OMB control number and the expiration date are not found on the following, which do not have forms: IFQ Administrative Waiver, Prior Notice of Landing, IFQ Departure Report, Transshipment Authorization, Dockside Sales Receipt, Appeals, Annual Report for CDQ IFQ Transfers, and the RQE Annual Report. The IFQ Administrative Waiver, Prior Notice of Landing, IFQ Departure Report, and Transshipment Authorization are submitted by telephone. The Dockside Sales Receipt is given by the permit holder to the buyer; the mode of this receipt is up to the permit holder. The agency will display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection on all other instruments.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions."

The agency certifies compliance with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

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