Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Comprehensive Data Collection on Fishing Dependence of Alaska Communities

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before October 21, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at JJessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Amber Himes, (206) 526-4221 or Amber.Himes@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The purpose of this data collection program is to improve commercial fisheries socio-economic data for North Pacific fisheries, using the community as the unit of reporting and analysis. Communities are often the focus of policy mandates (e.g., National Standard 8 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act (MSA), social impact assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act and MSA, North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) programmatic management goals, etc.) and are frequently a recognized stakeholder in NPFMC deliberations and programs. However, much of the existing commercial socio-economic data is collected and organized around different units of analysis, such as counties (boroughs), fishing firms, vessels, sectors, and gear groups. It is often difficult to aggregate or disaggregate these data for analysis at the individual community or regional level. In addition, at present, some relevant community level socio-economic data are simply not collected at all. The NPFMC, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), and community stakeholder organizations, have identified ongoing collection of community level economic and socioeconomic information, specifically related to commercial fisheries, as a priority.

The proposed data collection is a continuation of a program collecting data since 2011. Data collected includes information on community revenues based in the fisheries economy, population fluctuations, vessel expenditures in ports, fisheries infrastructure available in the community, support sector business operations in the community, community participation in fisheries management, effects of fisheries management decisions on the community, and demographic information on commercial fisheries participants from the community. The information collected in this program will capture the most relevant and pressing types of data needed for socio-economic analyses of communities.

II. Method of Collection

The method of data collection will be a survey sent by mail (and by email where possible).

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0626.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved information collection).

Affected Public: State, local, or tribal government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 521.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.