U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Alaska American Fisheries Act Reports
OMB Control No. 0648-0401
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Region, requests extension of this currently approved information collection.
This information collection contains the annual and periodic reporting requirements for American Fisheries Act (AFA) cooperatives. These requirements include reports about on-going fishing operations of the cooperatives and reports focused on efforts to minimize salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.
This information is used to manage the Bering Sea pollock fishery, to evaluate the salmon bycatch management measures, and to provide the public with information about how the program operates and information about bycatch reduction under this program. This information collection provides the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NMFS with information about the organization and fishing operations of the AFA cooperatives, allocations to the AFA cooperatives, and the effectiveness of the Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch management measures. This information is necessary to ensure long-term conservation and abundance of salmon and pollock, maintain a healthy marine ecosystem, and provide maximum benefit to fishermen and communities that depend on salmon and pollock.
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.
NMFS, Alaska Region, manages the groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Management Area in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Alaska. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act1 (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and other applicable laws. Regulations implementing the FMP are at 50 CFR part 6792.
The Bering Sea pollock fishery is managed under the American Fisheries Act (AFA)3. The AFA was signed into law in October 1998. The purpose of the AFA was to tighten U.S. ownership standards for U.S. fishing vessels under the Anti-reflagging Act and to provide the Bering Sea pollock fleet the opportunity to conduct its fishery in a more rational manner while protecting non-AFA participants in the other fisheries. The AFA established sector allocations in the Bering Sea pollock fishery, determined eligible vessels and processors, allowed the formation of cooperatives, set limits on the participation of AFA vessels in other fisheries, and imposed special catch weighing and monitoring requirements on AFA vessels.
Ten cooperatives were developed as a result of the AFA: seven inshore cooperatives, two offshore cooperatives, and one mothership cooperative. In recent years, NMFS received applications from and has permitted seven inshore cooperatives, but one (Arctic Enterprise Association) consolidated operations with the Akutan Catcher Vessel Association, and another, Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative, ceased operations in 2024. Therefore, five inshore cooperatives are actively participating in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The two offshore cooperatives are Pollock Conservation Cooperative (PCC) representing offshore catcher/processors and High Seas Catcher Vessel Cooperative (HSCC) representing catcher vessels that traditionally delivered to catcher/processors. PCC and HSCC join together to submit a single AFA cooperative report, so they are considered a single cooperative for purposes of respondents in this information collection. Mothership Fleet Cooperative represents catcher vessels that deliver to motherships. This brings the total number of active AFA cooperatives for purposes of this information collection to seven.
More information on the AFA is on the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/american-fisheries-act-pollock-fisheries-management-alaska.
This information collection contains the annual and periodic reporting requirements for AFA cooperatives. These requirements include reports about ongoing fishing operations of the cooperatives and reports specifically focused on efforts to minimize salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. These reporting requirements are located at 50 CFR 679.214 and 679.615.
This information is used to manage the Bering Sea pollock fishery, to evaluate the salmon bycatch management measures, and to provide the public with information about how the program operates and information about bycatch reduction under this program. This information collection provides the Council and NMFS with information about the organization and fishing operations of the AFA cooperatives, allocations to the AFA cooperatives, and the effectiveness of the Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch management measures. This information is necessary to ensure long-term conservation and abundance of salmon and pollock, maintain a healthy marine ecosystem, and provide maximum benefit to fishermen and communities that depend on salmon and pollock.
Other information used to manage the BSAI pollock fishery under the AFA is collected under the following OMB control numbers:
0648-0393: Alaska American Fisheries Act: Permits
0648-0633: Alaska Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report
0648-0678: Alaska Council Cooperative Annual Reports
0648-0711: Alaska Cost Recovery and Fee Programs
This information collection contains the components listed in the table below. There are no forms associated with this information collection. The information is usually submitted in a report or letter, and in an oral presentation to the Council.
Requirement |
Regulation 50 CFR |
Who submits the information? |
How Frequently? |
How submitted? |
Who is it submitted to? |
Requirements Related to On-going Operations of the Cooperatives |
|||||
AFA Cooperative Contract |
AFA Cooperative representative |
annually |
Mail, courier, or email |
Council and NMFS |
|
Requirements Related to Minimizing Salmon Bycatch |
|||||
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) |
IPA representative |
Once, then amended as needed |
Mail, courier, or email |
NMFS |
|
Administrative appeals to disapproved IPA |
IPA representative |
As needed |
Mail, courier, or fax |
NMFS |
|
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report |
IPA representative |
annually |
Mail, courier, or email; and voluntary oral report to the Council |
Council |
|
Changes to this Collection
No changes or revisions were made to this information collection since OMB approved the last extension in 2024.
Requirements Related to the Formation and On-going Operations of the AFA Cooperatives
Additional information is provided below on the AFA Cooperative Contract, which is related to the formation and on-going operations of the AFA cooperatives.
AFA Cooperative Contract
Any fishery cooperative formed under section 1 of the Fisherman’s Collective Marketing Act 19346 (15 U.S.C. 521) (FCMA) for the purpose of cooperatively managing directed fishing for Bering Sea subarea pollock must submit to NMFS an annual cooperative contract. The AFA cooperatives that meet this requirement are the Mothership Fleet Cooperative, the catcher/processor sector cooperative consisting of PCC and HSCC, and the five AFA inshore cooperatives, for a total of seven respondents.
Annually, each AFA cooperative must file with the Council and NMFS—
a signed copy of its fishery cooperative contract;
any material modifications to the cooperative contract;
a copy of a letter from a party to the contract requesting a business review letter on the fishery cooperative from the Department of Justice; and
any response to such letter of request.
The Council and NMFS will make this information available to the public upon request.
The requirement to submit information about the cooperative contract was included by Congress in section 201(a)(1)(A) of the AFA and further defined in regulations at 50 CFR 679.61(d) and (e). The purpose of this requirement is to provide the public, Council, and NMFS with information about the organization and fishing operations of the AFA cooperatives. Making this information public provides transparency about the AFA cooperatives.
If the cooperative contract was previously filed with NMFS and the Council, a renewal letter may be submitted to NMFS and the Council by the filing deadline in lieu of the cooperative contract and business review letter. The renewal letter must provide notice that the previously filed cooperative contract will remain in effect for the subsequent fishing year. The renewal letter also must detail any material modifications to the cooperative contract that have been made since the last filing including, but not limited to, any changes in cooperative membership.
The cooperative contract or renewal letter and the required supporting materials are submitted to NMFS and the Council and must be received at least 30 days prior to the start of any fishing activity conducted under the terms of the contract. In addition, an inshore cooperative that is also applying for an allocation of Bering Sea subarea pollock under 50 CFR 679.62 must file its contract, any amendments hereto, and supporting materials no later than December 1 of the year prior to the year in which fishing under the contract will occur.
The inshore cooperatives include a copy of their contract or the renewal letter with their AFA inshore cooperative permit application (approved under OMB collection 0648-0393). NMFS does not process the inshore cooperative permit application unless it has received a copy of the contract or renewal letter.
The AFA cooperative contract must include the following information:
Requirements for all fishery cooperatives.
List parties to the contract.
List all vessels and processors that will harvest and process pollock harvested under the cooperative.
Specify the amount or percentage of pollock allocated to each party to the contract.
Specify a designated representative and agent for service of process.
Include a contract clause under which the parties to the contract agree to make payments to the State of Alaska for any pollock harvested in the directed pollock fishery that are not landed in the State of Alaska, in amounts which would otherwise accrue had the pollock been landed in the State of Alaska subject to any landing taxes established under Alaska law. Failure to include such a contract clause or for such amounts to be paid will result in a revocation of the authority to form fishery cooperatives under section 1 of the Fisherman’s Collective Marketing Act of June 25, 1934 (15 U.S.C. 521 et seq.).
Obligations of AFA cooperative members to ensure full payment of cost recovery fees.
Additional required elements in all fishery cooperatives that include AFA catcher vessels
Adequate provisions to prevent each non-exempt member catcher vessel from exceeding an individual vessel sideboard limit for each BSAI or Gulf of Alaska sideboard species or species group that is issued to the vessel by the cooperative in accordance with the following formula:
The aggregate individual vessel sideboard limits issued to all member vessels in a cooperative must not exceed the aggregate contributions of each member vessel towards the overall groundfish sideboard amount as calculated by NMFS under § 679.64(b) and as announced to the cooperative by the Regional Administrator, or
In the case of two or more cooperatives that have entered into an inter-cooperative agreement, the aggregate individual vessel sideboard limits issued to all member vessels subject to the inter-cooperative agreement must not exceed the aggregate contributions of each member vessel towards the overall groundfish sideboard amount as calculated by NMFS under § 679.64(b) and as announced by the Regional Administrator.
Requirements Related to Minimizing Salmon Bycatch in the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery
Additional information is provided below on the Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA), administrative appeals to a disapproved IPA, and the IPA Annual Report, which are related to minimizing salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Incentive Plan Agreement
An IPA is an industry-developed contractual agreement that establishes an incentive program to minimize Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch at all levels of salmon abundance. Participation in an IPA is voluntary; however, any vessel or Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program (CDQ) group that chooses not to participate in an IPA is subject to a restrictive opt-out allocation (also called a backstop cap).
Since 2010, three NMFS-approved IPAs have been in place: the Chinook Salmon Bycatch Reduction Incentive Plan and Agreement, the Mothership Salmon Savings Incentive Plan Agreement, and the Inshore Chinook Salmon Savings Incentive Plan Agreement. These IPAs include all participants in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. As all of the AFA and CDQ participants are part of an IPA, currently no new IPAs are expected.
The current, approved IPAs are posted on the NMFS AKR website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/bycatch/chinook-salmon-bycatch-management-alaska.
An amendment to an approved IPA may be submitted at any time. However, once a member of an IPA, a vessel owner or CDQ group cannot withdraw from the IPA during the fishing year. Amendments to an IPA must include the identification number that was assigned by NMFS when it approved the IPA.
An amendment to an approved IPA is effective upon written notification of approval by NMFS to the IPA representative. Once approved, an IPA is effective until December 31 of the first year in which it is effective or until December 31 of the year in which the IPA representative notifies NMFS in writing that the IPA is no longer in effect, whichever is later.
An IPA must include an affidavit affirming that each eligible vessel owner or CDQ group, from whom the IPA representative received written notification requesting to join the IPA, has been allowed to join the IPA subject to the same terms and conditions that have been agreed on by, and are applicable to, all other parties to the IPA.
An IPA must identify at least one third party group. Third party groups include any organizations representing western Alaskans who depend on salmon and have an interest in salmon bycatch reduction but do not directly fish in a groundfish fishery.
An IPA must include the following information:
Affidavit
Name of the IPA
IPA representative name, telephone number, and email address
Third party group
Description of the IPA
Incentive(s) to ensure each vessel avoid Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch under any condition of pollock and Chinook salmon abundance in all years
How the incentives to avoid chum salmon do not increase Chinook salmon bycatch
Rewards for avoiding Chinook salmon and penalties for failure to avoid Chinook salmon at the vessel level
How IPA incentive measures will promote reductions in a vessel’s Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch rates relative to what would have occurred in absence of the incentive program
How the incentive measures in the IPA promote Chinook salmon savings and chum salmon savings in any condition of pollock abundance or Chinook salmon abundance in a manner that is expected to influence operational decisions by vessel operators to avoid Chinook salmon and chum salmon
How the IPA ensures that the operator of each vessel governed by the IPA will manage that vessel’s Chinook salmon bycatch to keep total bycatch below the performance standard for the sector in which the vessel participates
How the IPA ensures that the operator of each vessel governed by the IPA will manage that vessel’s chum salmon bycatch to avoid areas and times where the chum salmon are likely to return to western Alaska
A rolling hot spot program for salmon bycatch avoidance that operates throughout the entire A and B seasons and an agreement to provide notifications of closure areas and any violations of the rolling hot spot program to the third-party organization representing western Alaskans who depend on salmon and do not directly fish in a groundfish fishery.
Restrictions or penalties targeted at vessels that consistently have significantly higher Chinook salmon PSC rates relative to other vessels fishing at the same time.
Require vessels to enter a fishery‐wide in‐season salmon prohibited species catch data sharing agreement
Require use of salmon excluder devices, with recognition of contingencies, from January 20 to March 31, and from September 1 until the end of the B season
Require for savings-credit-based IPAs that the salmon savings credits last for a maximum of three years.
Restrictions or performance criteria used to ensure that Chinook salmon PSC rates in October are not significantly higher than those achieved in the preceding months.
Compliance agreement. IPA must include written statement that all IPA parties agree to comply with all provisions of IPA.
Signatures. The names and signatures of the owner or representative for each vessel and CDQ group that is a party to the IPA. The representative of an inshore cooperative, or the representative of the entity formed to represent the AFA catcher/processor sector, or the AFA mothership sector may sign a proposed IPA on behalf of all vessels that are members of that inshore cooperative or sector level entity
Administrative Appeals to Disapproved IPA
An IPA representative who receives an Initial Administrative Determination (IAD) disapproving a proposed IPA may appeal under the procedures set forth at 50 CFR 679.437 and 15 CFR 906.38. If the IPA representative fails to file an appeal of the IAD pursuant to § 679.43, the IAD will become the final agency action. If the IAD is appealed and the final agency action is a determination to approve the proposed IPA, then the IPA will be effective as described in 50 CFR 679.21(f)(12)(iv)(B).
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report
The IPA annual report is the primary tool through which the Council evaluates the effectiveness of IPAs in reducing Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Information gathered through the annual reports is necessary for the Council to evaluate the salmon bycatch management measures and to provide the public with information about how the program operates and information about bycatch reduction under this program.
The IPA representative must submit an IPA annual report to the Council. The IPA annual report must be received by the Council no later than March 15. The reports are almost always submitted by email. The report is also provided voluntarily to the Council during its April meeting.
The IPA annual reports are posted on the Council’s website (https://www.npfmc.org/cooperative-reporting/) and are retained for historical purposes once removed from the website.
The IPA annual report must include the following information:
Incentive measures in effect in the previous year, including rolling hot spot program and salmon excluder use
How incentive measures affected individual vessels
Were incentive measures effective in achieving salmon savings beyond levels that would have been achieved in absence of the measures, including effectiveness of the following:
Measures to ensure that chum salmon were avoided in areas and at times when chum salmon return to western Alaska
Restrictions or penalties that target vessels that consistently have significantly higher Chinook salmon PSC rates relative to other vessels
Restrictions or performance criteria used to ensure that Chinook PSC rates in October are not significantly higher than in previous months.
Amendments to the IPA terms that were approved by NMFS since the last annual report and the reasons that the amendments to the IPA were made
Sub-allocation to each participating vessel of the number of Chinook salmon PSC and amount of pollock (mt) at the start of each fishing season,
Number of Chinook salmon PSC and amount of pollock (mt) caught at the end of each season.
In-season transfer of Chinook salmon PSC and pollock among AFA cooperatives, entities eligible to receive Chinook salmon PSC allocations, or CDQ groups
Date of transfer
Name of transferor
Name of transferee
Number of Chinook salmon PSC transferred
Amount of pollock (mt) transferred
In-season transfers among vessels participating in the IPA
Date of transfer
Name of transferor
Name of transferee
Number of Chinook salmon PSC transferred
Amount pollock (mt) transferred
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.
All of the requirements in this information collection may be submitted by email except for administrative appeals. 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. The other collection instruments have primarily been submitted by email, and this is expected to continue. The table at the beginning of question #2 shows how each instrument in this collection may be submitted.
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
Some of the information reporting requirements in this collection require industry members to report to NMFS or the Council about the catch and bycatch by individual vessels in a cooperative. This information is available to NMFS through data collected by the observers on these vessels and through the catch and production reports submitted by vessel operators. However, some of the vessel specific information requirements are specifically included in the American Fisheries Act, and others were implemented by the Council to require cooperative members to report vessel specific information to the Council and public that would be difficult for NMFS to report directly due to confidentiality considerations.
These reports are intended to be a resource for the Council to track the effectiveness of the cooperative and their ability to meet the Council’s goals. Additionally, they are a tool for the cooperatives to provide feedback on the programs. Regulation provides a framework for the minimum required information for most of the reports, while the Council has the flexibility to augment this framework with additional information requests that may be pertinent to current issues in the fishery.
If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.
None of the entities that participate in the AFA pollock fisheries and are subject to this collection of information are considered small entities due to cooperative affiliation.
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 commercial fishing efforts under section 201(a)(1)(A) of the AFA, under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.), and under 50 CFR part 679. This collection provides the Council and NMFS with information about the organization and fishing operations of the AFA cooperatives, allocations to the AFA cooperatives, and the effectiveness of the Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch management measures. This information is necessary to ensure long-term conservation and abundance of salmon and pollock, maintain a healthy marine ecosystem, and provide maximum benefit to fishermen and communities that depend on salmon and pollock. It would not be possible to carry out the mandates of the AFA and the Magnuson-Stevens Act if approval to continue this previously approved collection were denied.
Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
This collection is conducted in a manner that is consistent with OMB guidelines.
This collection does not require respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly.
This collection does not require respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it.
This collection does not require respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document.
This collection does not require respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in- aid, or tax records for more than three years.
This collection is not in connection with a statistical survey that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study.
This collection does not require the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB.
This collection does not include a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use.
This collection does not require respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.
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 June 11, 2025 (90 FR 24594), that solicited public comments.
One comment was submitted by Susie Zagorski, a representative of United Catcher Boats, and representative of the Inshore Incentive Plan Agreement, on August 11, 2025. The commenter noted that “[t]he current and proposed information collection requirements for the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) and the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report are both necessary and have strong practical utility.” Further, “[t]he Annual IPA report serves as a transparent, public-facing annual audit of the IPA program and provides significant updates to the public as well as the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) and NOAA Fisheries (NMFS).”
The commenter noted that the “estimated time and cost burden for these collections are reasonable and accurately reflect the effort required.” The commenter had no suggestions for additional efficiencies.
NMFS acknowledges this response.
In addition to the Federal Register notice, NMFS contacted stakeholders outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format, and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. No comments were received from the stakeholders.
Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
No payment or gift are provided to respondents.
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 system 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 and under NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, which sets forth procedures to protect confidentiality of fishery statistics. None of the information submitted under this information collection contains confidential business information. Personally identifiable information and confidential business information submitted in an administrative appeal are not released to the public.
The information in this collection is covered by system of records NOAA-169, Economic Data Reports for Alaska Federally Regulated Fisheries off the Coast of Alaska, and NOAA-1910, Permits and Registrations for United States Federally Regulated Fisheries. The Privacy Impact Assessment that covers this information collection is NOAA470011, Alaska Region.
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.
This information collection does not involve information of a sensitive nature
Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.
The wage rate and burden estimates used in the table below have been used in previous supporting statements for this information collection. The hourly wage rates are rates previously reported by industry in comments received and are not based on rates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These rates are consistent with the rates used for the same respondents in other NMFS Alaska Region information collections. Burden and wage rate estimates are updated when public comment supports doing so.
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) |
Total
Annual Wage Burden Costs |
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) |
IPA representative |
11 |
1 |
1 |
50 hours |
50 |
$165 |
8,250 |
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report |
IPA representative |
3 |
1 |
3 |
80 hours |
240 |
$165 |
39,600 |
AFA Cooperative Contract |
Cooperative representative |
7 |
1 |
7 |
8 hours |
56 |
$75 |
4,200 |
Administrative Appeals to disapproved IPA |
IPA representative |
12 |
1 |
1 |
4 hours |
4 |
$165 |
660 |
Totals |
|
|
|
12 |
|
350 |
|
$52,710 |
1 As no new IPAs are currently expected, one amended IPA per year is estimated to be received during the renewal period of this information collection.
2 Since 2015, no IPAs or amended IPAs have been disapproved by NMFS, and no appeals have been filed. For purposes of this analysis, one response is used.
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).
Operating costs account for the typical inclusive general office services packages that include expenses for email, fax, copying, mailing, printing, and internet.
Some fishery participants submit more than one collection 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.
Information Collection |
#
of Respondents/year |
Annual
# of Responses / Respondent |
Total
# of Annual Responses |
Cost
Burden / Respondent |
Total
Annual Cost Burden |
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Operating costs - $5 |
5 |
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report |
3 |
1 |
3 |
Operating costs - $5 |
15 |
AFA Cooperative Contract |
7 |
1 |
7 |
Operating costs - $5 |
35 |
Administrative appeals to disapproved IPA |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Operating costs - $5 Attorney - $500* |
505 |
TOTALS |
10 unique respondents |
|
12 |
|
$560 |
* Attorney cost is included to reflect the assumption that most people would hire an attorney to prepare an appeal ($125/hour x 4 hours).
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.
Federal government costs are based on one fisheries program specialist and an appeals attorney. The fully loaded salary costs include 52 percent of the salary to account for benefits and other overhead costs. Notes below the table provide the salary and calculations for each cost. The grade and step are from the Department of Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS) 2024 pay tables (https://www.commerce.gov/hr/practitioners/caps/pay-administration). The general schedule grade equivalent for CAPS is included in parentheses.
There are no costs to the government for the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report because these are submitted to the Council. There are no estimated costs to the Federal government for the AFA Cooperative Contract because the costs associated with processing and filing the inshore cooperative contracts are included in the Federal government time and cost estimates for the Application for American Fisheries Act Inshore Catcher Vessel Cooperative Permit approved under 0648-0393, and the costs of filing the information received annually from the other two respondents—Pollock Conservation Cooperative and High Seas Catcher Vessel Cooperative, which file jointly, and Mothership Fleet Cooperative—are negligible.
Cost Descriptions |
Grade/Step |
Loaded Salary /Cost |
% of Effort |
Fringe (if Applicable) |
Total Cost to Government |
Federal Oversight |
|
|
|
|
|
Other Federal Positions |
|
|
|
|
|
Fisheries Program Specialist |
ZP-4 step 2 (GS 13-14) |
$256,653 |
0.1% |
|
256 |
Appeals Attorney |
GS 14 |
$281,555,448 |
0.2% |
|
563 |
Contractor Cost |
|
|
|
|
— |
Travel |
|
|
|
|
— |
Other Costs: |
|
|
|
|
— |
Total |
|
|
|
|
$819 |
ZP-4 2025 salary (capped out ZP-4 step 2 in Juneau, AK) = $168,851. For loaded salary, add 52% ($168,851 * 1.52 = $256,653). To calculate percent of effort: 2 hrs / 2,087 hrs = 0.00095 or about 0.1% of effort.
GS 14 2025 salary (Silver Spring, MD) = $185234. For loaded salary, add 52% ($185234 * 1.52 = $281,555). To calculate percent of effort: 4 hrs / 2,087 hrs = 0.0019 or 0.2% of effort.
Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in ROCIS.
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 |
||
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
50 |
50 |
No change other than renaming the collection instrument. Previously was named Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA). |
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
240 |
240 |
Previously was named IPA Annual Report. |
AFA Cooperative Contract |
7 |
8 |
7 |
8 |
56 |
64 |
8 hr. reduction due loss of one respondent (Peter Pan cooperative) |
Administrative Appeals to disapproved IPA |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
No change |
Total for Collection |
10* |
11* |
12 |
13 |
350 |
358 |
|
Difference |
-1 (adjustment) |
- 1 (adjustment) |
- 8 (adjustment) |
|
|||
* Unique respondents. Some participants 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 consists of 7 cooperative representatives and 3 IPA representatives.
Information Collection |
Miscellaneous Costs |
Reason for change or adjustment |
|
Current |
Previous |
||
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) |
5 |
5 |
No change |
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery IPA Annual Report |
15 |
15 |
No change |
AFA Cooperative Contract |
35 |
40 |
Loss of one respondent (Peter Pan cooperative) |
Administrative Appeals to disapproved IPA |
505 |
505 |
No change |
Total for Collection |
$560 |
$565 |
|
Difference |
-5 |
|
|
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.
At this time, no analyses are in development or are planned for future development that are anticipated to affect this existing information collection.
This 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 and the National Appeals Office 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. See Question 16 of this Supporting Statement for information from this collection that is posted on the Council and NMFS websites.
AFA cooperative contracts are available to the public on request. The IPA annual reports are posted on the Council’s website at https://www.npfmc.org/cooperative-reporting/. Proposed and approved IPAs and renewal letters are posted on the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/bycatch/chinook-salmon-bycatch-management-alaska.
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.
If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
There are no forms associated with this information collection on which to display the expiration date. The information is submitted in a report or letter, and no specific format is required. For the requirement of OMB, instructions and regulations were attached to each IC in ROCIS.
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).
1 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3//dam-migration/msa-amended-2007.pdf
2 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-679
3 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/rules-and-regulations/regulations-acts-treaties-and-agreements-federal-fisheries-alaska
4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-679/subpart-B/section-679.21
5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-679/subpart-F
6 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/521
7 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-679/subpart-D/section-679.43
8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-15/subtitle-B/chapter-IX/subchapter-A/part-906/section-906.3
9 https://www.commerce.gov/node/4990
10 https://www.commerce.gov/node/4991
11 https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/NOAA4700%20PIA%20FY25%20SAOP_Approved.pdf
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Dumas, Sheleen (Federal) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2026-01-28 |