Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, Alaska Notification of Intent To Process Aleutian Islands Pacific Cod

• Citation: 84 FR 60057
• Record Number: 2019-24305
• Published date: 07 November 2019
• Section: Notices
• Court: National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2019)

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2019)]
                [Notices]
                [Pages 60057-60058]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2019-24305]
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                DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
                Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, Alaska Notification
                of Intent To Process Aleutian Islands Pacific Cod
                 The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management
                and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of
                information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
                U.S.C. Chapter 35).
                 Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
                 Title: Alaska Notification of Intent to Process Aleutian Islands
                Pacific Cod.
                 OMB Control Number: 0648-0743.
                 Form Number(s): None.
                 Type of Request: Regular.
                 Number of Respondents: 2.
                 Average Hours per Response: 30 minutes for notification of intent
                to process non-community development quota Aleutian Islands Pacific cod
                from directed fishing.
                 Burden Hours: 1 hr.
                 Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently
                approved information collection that contains the annual notification
                of intent that the City of Adak or the City of Atka submits to NMFS of
                its intent to process non-community development quota Aleutian Islands
                Pacific cod in the upcoming fishing year in order for the Aleutian
                Islands catcher vessel harvest set-aside to go into effect in the
                upcoming fishing year.
                 NMFS uses this information to determine how to calculate Pacific
                cod allocations required under 50 CFR 679.20(a)(7)(viii) during the
                annual Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) harvest specifications
                process. If NMFS receives a notification of intent to
                [[Page 60058]]
                process Aleutian Islands Pacific cod from either the City of Adak or
                the City of Atka by October 31, NMFS establishes an Aleutian Islands
                catcher vessel Pacific cod harvest set-aside, along with other Pacific
                cod allocations by area, sector, and gear type. These harvest limits
                will be in effect in the following year.
                 NMFS implemented this collection of information in 2016 under
                Amendment 113 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the
                Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area. Amendment 113 modified
                management of the BSAI Pacific cod fishery to set aside a portion of
                the Aleutian Islands Pacific cod total allowable catch for harvest by
                vessels directed fishing for Aleutian Islands Pacific cod and
                delivering their catch for processing to a shoreside processor located
                on land west of 170[deg] W longitude in the Aleutian Islands
                (``Aleutian Islands shoreplant''). This harvest set-aside applies only
                if specific notification and performance requirements are met, and only
                during the first few months of the fishing year. This harvest set-aside
                provides the opportunity for vessels, Aleutian Islands shoreplants, and
                the communities where Aleutian Islands shoreplants are located to
                receive benefits from a portion of the Aleutian Islands Pacific cod
                fishery. The notification and performance requirements preserve an
                opportunity for the complete harvest of the BSAI Pacific cod resource
                if the set-aside is not fully harvested.
                 In March 2019, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
                vacated the rule implementing Amendment 113 and remanded Amendment 113
                to NMFS for reconsideration. In May 2019, the U.S. Department of
                Justice filed a notice of appeal.
                 As the notification of intent is based on the vacated regulations
                that implemented Amendment 113, this information will not be collected
                unless the regulations are reinstated on appeal.
                 NMFS is requesting renewal of this collection of information in the
                event of a successful appeal.
                 Affected Public: Local government.
                 Frequency: Annually; on occasion.
                 Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
                 This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov.
                Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections
                currently under review by OMB.
                 Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
                collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice
                to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.
                Sheleen Dumas,
                Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer,
                Commerce Department.
                [FR Doc. 2019-24305 Filed 11-6-19; 8:45 am]
                 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P