Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/02/03/2012-2361/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-chinook-salmon-bycatch-management-in-the-bering
Timestamp: 2017-03-28 12:26:19
Document Index: 560037337

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', 'art 902', '§\u2009902', '§\u2009902', 'art 679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679']

:: Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Chinook Salmon Bycatch Management in the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery; Economic Data Collection
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2012-2361
Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this final rule may be submitted by mail to NMFS, Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Ellen Sebastian, Records Officer; in person at NMFS, Alaska Region, 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, Alaska; by email to OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov; or by fax to (202) 395-7285.
Comment 1: To avoid duplicate reporting of an AFA cooperative's vessels' sub-allocations and seasonal harvest of the number of Chinook salmon PSC and the amount of pollock metric tons (mt), the proposed rule required reporting of these data in either the IPA annual report in § 679.21(f)(13) or in the AFA cooperative annual report in § 679.61(f)(2) but not in both. The commenter requests that NMFS require the reporting of these data only in an IPA annual report, and make optional the reporting of these data by each AFA cooperative in the AFA cooperative annual report. The commenter points out that it is difficult for each AFA cooperative to be informed of a different AFA cooperative's records of sub-allocations and catches, and that coordinating data from multiple sources into a single report without some centralized repository for this data would be difficult. In contrast, each IPA may include parties from multiple cooperatives, and so an IPA representative has the ability to request, organize, and report that information from each AFA cooperative.
In response to public comment on the proposed rule, NMFS will not revise the AFA cooperative's annual reporting requirements at § 679.61(f). NMFS is removing the proposed options for reporting certain information on Chinook salmon PSC and pollock in either an IPA annual report or an AFA cooperative's annual report. Additionally, NMFS removes the proposed provision to require that IPA annual reports at § 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(E) include the number of Chinook salmon PSC and the amount of pollock at the start of each season sub-allocated to each participating vessel, as well as the number of Chinook salmon PSC and amount of pollock (mt) caught at the end of each season, unless reported in an AFA cooperative's annual report under § 679.61(f)(2). NMFS removes the phrase “unless reported under § 679.61(f)(2)” in response to a public comment for the reasons explained above under Comments and Responses. An IPA annual report, therefore, must include the above-described information.
Another change NMFS makes from the proposed rule is to remove the proposed requirement that the AFA cooperative's annual report at § 679.61(f)(2)(vii) include data on the sub-allocations and catch of Chinook salmon PSC and pollock. This change responds to the public comment referred to above, and is explained under Comments and Responses.
NMFS also withdraws all proposed revisions to § 679.61(f)(2)(ii) that would have moved the reporting of retained and discarded catch of pollock and Chinook salmon PSC from § 679.61(f)(2)(ii) to a different location in the AFA cooperative's annual report at § 679.61(f)(2)(vii). NMFS will continue to require reporting of retained and discarded catch of pollock and all Chinook salmon PSC in the AFA annual cooperative report consistent with the intent of the AFA annual cooperative report to collect information on retained and discarded catch of pollock and all PSC. NMFS will not revise § 679.61 in this final rule.
NMFS makes additional corrections to the submission dates for an IPA annual report and the three Chinook salmon EDR reports to correspond with the effective date of this final rule. The first correction clarifies that new data on the sub-allocations, retained catch, and discarded catch of Chinook salmon PSC and pollock required in an IPA annual report at § 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(E) and (f)(13)(ii)(F), must be submitted on or before April 1, 2013, for the calendar year of 2012, rather than June 1, 2012, for the calendar year of 2011. Submission dates for most of the data required in an IPA annual report will continue to be April 1, 2012. IPA representatives will still be required to include a description of (1) the incentive measures for the previous year (§ 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(A)); (2) how incentives affect each vessel (§ 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(B)); (3) whether the incentives achieve salmon savings (§ 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(C)); and (4) the amendments to the terms of the IPA (§ 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(C)).
NMFS includes a minor clarification to the requirements for the IPA annual report at § 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(F)(1)((iv) and (f)(13)(ii)(F)(2)((iv). NMFS adds the word “PSC” to the phrase, “number of Chinook salmon transferred” wherever it appears in the paragraph. These two phrases are revised to state, “number of Chinook salmon PSC transferred.” This revision is required for consistency with reference to Chinook salmon PSC in the preceding paragraph at § 679.21(f)(13)(ii)(F)(1).
NMFS clarifies the submission dates for the three Chinook salmon EDR reports at § 679.65(b) through (d) by specifying that the CTR, Vessel Master Survey, and Vessel Fuel Survey must be submitted on or before June 1, 2013, and each year thereafter. This clarification is included to eliminate ambiguity regarding whether the submission of Chinook bycatch EDR data should begin in 2012 or 2013.
1. The authority citation for part 902 continues to read as follows: Authority:
2. In § 902.1, in the table in paragraph (b), under the entry “50 CFR:” a. Remove the entry for “679.5(c)”; b. Add an entry in alphanumeric order for “679.5(c), (e), and (f)”; c. Revise entries in alphanumeric order for “and “679.21(f) and (g)”; and 679.5(e) and (f)” d. Add entries for “679.65(a), (c), and (d)” and “679.65(b) through (e)”. The additions and revisions read as follows:
§ 902.1 OMB control numbers assigned pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act.
CFR part or section where the information collection requirement is locatedCurrent OMB control number (all numbers begin with 0648-) * * * * * * *50 CFR. * * * * * * *679.5(c), (e), and (f)-0213, -0272, -0330, -0513, -0515, and -0634. * * * * * * *679.5(e) and (f)-0401. * * * * * * *679.21(f) and (g)-0393, -0401, and -0608. * * * * * * *679.65(a), (c), and (d)-0634, and -0515.679.65(b) through (e)-0633. * * * * * * *
3. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows: Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq., Pub. L. 108-447.
4. In § 679.2, add a definition for “designated data collection auditor” in alphabetical order to read as follows: § 679.2 Definitions.
5. In § 679.5: a. Revise paragraph (c)(4)(vi) introductory text; b. Add paragraphs (c)(4)(vi)(I) and (e)(6)(i)(A)( c. Revise paragraphs (f)(1)(vii), (f)(2)(ii), and (f)(7). The additions and revisions read as follows:
§ 679.5 Recordkeeping and reporting (R&R).
(vi) Catch-by-haul information. The operator must record the following information (see paragraphs (c)(4)(vi)(A) through (I) of this section) for each haul (see § 679.2). If no catch occurred for a given day, write “no catch.”
6. In § 679.21, paragraph (f)(12)(vii) is redesignated as (f)(13) and revised to read as follows. § 679.21 Prohibited species bycatch management.
(13) IPA Annual Report. The representative of each approved IPA must submit a written annual report to the Council at the address specified in § 679.61(f). The Council will make the annual report available to the public.
7. Section 679.65 is added to read as follows: § 679.65 Bering Sea Chinook Salmon Bycatch Management Program Economic Data Report (Chinook salmon EDR program).
(1) Daily fishing logbook (DFL), catcher vessel trawl gear. See § 679.5(c)(4).
(2) Electronic logbook (ELB), AFA and CDQ trawl catcher/processors. See § 679.5(f) in combination with eLandings pursuant to § 679.5(e).
(3) IPA Annual Report. See § 679.21(f)(13).
(4) AFA cooperative annual reporting requirement. See § 679.61(f)(2).
(e) Chinook salmon EDR verification and audit procedures. NMFS or the designated data collection agent (DDCA) will conduct verification of Chinook salmon EDR information with the persons identified at § 679.65(b)(1), (b)(2), (c)(1), (d)(1)(i), and (d)(1)(ii).
(1) The persons identified at § 679.65(b)(1), (b)(2), (c)(1), (d)(1)(i), and (d)(1)(ii) must respond to inquiries by NMFS and its DDCA for purposes of the CTR, within 20 days of the date of issuance of the inquiry.
(2) The persons identified at § 679.65(b)(1) and (b)(2) must provide copies of additional data to facilitate verification by NMFS and its DDCA for purposes of the CTR. These paper or electronic copies may include, but are not limited to, previously audited or reviewed financial statements, worksheets, tax returns, invoices, receipts, and other original documents substantiating the data submitted.