[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 61286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24254]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
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 Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
Form Number(s): NA.
Type of Request: Regular (request for a new information
collection).
Number of Respondents: 602.
Average Hours Per Response: Full survey, 30 minutes; follow-up
telephone survey, 10 minutes.
Burden Hours: 186.
Needs and Uses: This request is for a new information collection.
Numerous management measures have recently been proposed or
implemented that affect recreational charter boat fishing for Pacific
halibut off Alaska, including the adoption of a Halibut Catch Sharing
Plan (78 FR 75843) in International Pacific Halibut Commission
Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A that alters the way Pacific halibut is
allocated between the guided sport (i.e., the charter sector) and the
commercial halibut fishery. The Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) formalizes the
annual process of allocating catch between the commercial sector and
charter sector and for determining harvest restrictions in the charter
sector (78 FR 75843). In addition, the CSP allows leasing of commercial
halibut individual fishing quota (IFQ) by eligible charter businesses
holding a charter halibut permit (CHP). The IFQ pounds are leased in
terms of number of fish, called guided angler fish (GAF), which are
determined based on a conversion rate published by the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS). Leased GAF can be used by charter businesses
to relax harvest restrictions for their angler clients, since the fish
caught under the leased GAF would not be subject to the charter sector-
specific size and bag limits that may be imposed--though the non-
charter sector size and bag limit restrictions (currently two fish of
any size per day) would still apply to charter anglers who are not
using GAF.
To help inform potential future policy discussions about the CSP,
NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center plans to conduct a survey that
will collect information on general attitudes toward the CSP and the
GAF leasing program from Area 2C and Area 3A charter boat businesses
(CHP holders), and ask them to indicate their preferences for
hypothetically relaxing specific features of the GAF leasing program
that are employed in similar types of programs in both fisheries and
non-fisheries contexts. This information could provide valuable
information to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in its
evaluation of the current features of the CSP and provide information
that may help it evaluate adjustments to the CSP. The survey will also
provide a broad gauge of attitudes toward the program and its impacts
on the charter sector and anglers.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Frequency: One time.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
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.
Dated: October 7, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-24254 Filed 10-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P