68110 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessi 

Doerpinghaus, Staff Officer, Pacific 

Council; telephone: (503) 820–2415. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

primary purpose of these meetings is for 

the GAP, STT, HC, and SAS to prepare 

for the November 2023 Pacific Council 

meeting. The GAP, STT, HC, and SAS 

will discuss items related to the 

advisory body’s particular management 

items and other matters on the Pacific 

Council’s November agenda. The GAP, 

GMT, and EWG will meet during the 

GAP webinar to discuss matters related 

to the Council’s fishery ecosystem plan 

initiative. No management actions will 

be decided by the GAP, GMT, EWG, 

STT, HC, or SAS. The GAP, GMT, EWG, 

STT, HC, and SAS recommendations 

will be considered by the Council at 

their November or March Council 

(ecosystem matters) meetings. A 

detailed agenda for each of the GAP, 

STT, HC, and SAS webinars will be 

available on the Pacific Council’s 

website prior to the meeting. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agenda may be 

discussed, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal action during this 

meeting. Action will be restricted to 

those issues specifically listed in this 

document and any issues arising after 

publication of this document that 

require emergency action under section 

305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

provided the public has been notified of 

the intent to take final action to address 

the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov; (503) 820–2412) at least 10 

days prior to the meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: September 28, 2023. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21843 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Alaska Region Permit Family 

of Forms 

AGENCY: National Oceanic & 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection, 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to comment on 

proposed, and continuing information 

collections, which helps us assess the 

impact of our information collection 

requirements and minimize the public’s 

reporting burden. The purpose of this 

notice is to allow for 60 days of public 

comment preceding submission of the 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before December 4, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments to 

Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, 

at NOAA.PRA@noaa.gov. Please 

reference OMB Control Number 0648– 

0206 in the subject line of your 

comments. Do not submit Confidential 

Business Information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

specific questions related to collection 

activities should be directed to Gabrielle 

Aberle, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 

99802–1668. Telephone 907–586–7356. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

The National Marine Fisheries 

Services (NMFS), Alaska Region, is 

requesting extension of a currently 

approved information collection for the 

applications for the Federal Fisheries 

Permit (FFP), the Federal Processor 

Permit (FPP), and the Exempted Fishing 

Permit (EFP). 

NMFS requires an FFP for U.S. 

vessels that are used to fish for 

groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska or 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. An 

FFP is also required for vessels used to 

fish for any non-groundfish species and 

that are required to retain any bycatch 

of groundfish under 50 CFR 679.4(b). 

An FPP is required for stationary 

floating processors (processing vessels 

that operate solely within Alaska State 

waters) and is required for shoreside 

processors that receive and/or process 

groundfish harvested from Federal 

waters or from any federally permitted 

vessels. NMFS issues an EFP to allow 

groundfish fishing activities that would 

otherwise be prohibited under 

regulations for groundfish fishing. EFPs 

are issued to support projects that could 

benefit the groundfish fisheries and the 

environment and result in gathering 

information not otherwise available 

through research or commercial fishing 

operations. Regulations governing these 

permits are at 50 CFR 600.745, 679.4, 

and 679.6. 

Section 303(b)(1) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act specifically recognizes 

the need for permit issuance. Requiring 

a permit for marine resource users— 

mandated by 50 CFR 679.4(b), 679.4(f); 

679.6; and 600.745(b)—is one of the 

regulatory steps taken to carry out 

conservation and management 

objectives. Permit issuance is essential 

in fishery resources management for 

identification of the participants and 

expected activity levels and for 

regulatory compliance. The information 

requested on the FFP, FPP, and EFP 

applications is used for fisheries 

management and regulatory compliance 

by NMFS Sustainable Fisheries 

Division, NMFS Restricted Access 

Management Program, NMFS Observer 

Program, NOAA Office of Law 

Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and 

the North Pacific Fisheries Management 

Council. 

The type of information collected on 

the FFP application includes permit 

holder identification information, vessel 

information, permit information, and 

species endorsements. Information 

collected on the FPP application 

includes processor identification 

information, stationary floating 

processor or community quota entity 

vessel information, and vessel 

ownership information. An EFP 

application includes information on the 

applicant and a description of the 

project design including how it will 

vary from current fishing regulations, 

the species affected and targeted, when 

and where the fishing will take place, 

the vessel that will be used, and a 

provision for public release of all 

obtained information. 

II. Method of Collection 

The FFP and FPP application forms 

are available as fillable pdfs on the 

NMFS Alaska Region website and are 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 68111 

submitted by mail, delivery, or fax. An 

FPP may be renewed online through 

eFISH on the NMFS Alaska Region 

website. There is no form to apply for 

an EFP. Applicants submit the required 

information by mail, delivery, email, or 

fax. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0206. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(extension of a current information 

collection). 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households; Business or other for-profit 

organizations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

484. 

Estimated Time per Response: 

Application for Federal Fisheries 

Permit: 21 minutes; Application for 

Federal Processor Permit: 25 minutes; 

Exempted Fisheries Permit application: 

100 hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 474 hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $2,420 in recordkeeping and 

reporting costs. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Required to 

obtain or retain benefits, mandatory. 

Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act. 

IV. Request for Comments 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department/Bureau to: (a) 

Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary for 

the proper functions of the Department, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the 

accuracy of our estimate of the time and 

cost burden for this proposed collection, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the information to 

be collected; and (d) Minimize the 

reporting burden on those who are to 

respond, including the use of automated 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology. 

Comments that you submit in 

response to this notice are a matter of 

public record. We will include or 

summarize each comment in our request 

to OMB to approve this ICR. Before 

including your address, phone number, 

email address, or other personal 

identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you may ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Sheleen Dumas, 

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of 

the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, 

Commerce Department. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21845 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Alaska American Fisheries 

Act Reports 

AGENCY: National Oceanic & 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection, 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to comment on 

proposed, and continuing information 

collections, which helps us assess the 

impact of our information collection 

requirements and minimize the public’s 

reporting burden. The purpose of this 

notice is to allow for 60 days of public 

comment preceding submission of the 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before December 4, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments to 

Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, 

at NOAA.PRA@noaa.gov. Please 

reference OMB Control Number 0648– 

0401 in the subject line of your 

comments. Do not submit Confidential 

Business Information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

specific questions related to collection 

activities should be directed to Gabrielle 

Aberle, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, Juneau, AK. Telephone (907) 

586–7356. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

The National Marine Fisheries 

Services (NMFS), Alaska Region, 

requests extension of a currently 

approved information collection for 

American Fisheries Act reporting 

requirements. 

NMFS Alaska Region manages the 

groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea 

and Aleutian Islands Management Area 

in the Exclusive Economic Zone off 

Alaska. The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) 

prepared the Fishery Management Plan 

for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands Management Area 

(FMP) under the authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 16 

U.S.C. 1801 et seq., and other applicable 

laws. Regulations implementing the 

FMP are at 50 CFR part 679. 

The Bering Sea pollock fishery is 

managed under the American Fisheries 

Act (AFA). The purpose of the AFA was 

to tighten U.S. ownership standards for 

U.S. fishing vessels under the Antireflagging 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. 

This information collection contains 

the annual and periodic reporting 

requirements for 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. These 

reporting requirements are at 50 CFR 

679.21 and 679.61. 

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 longterm 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. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1