National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Notice.
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, Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
Written comments must be submitted on or before May 19, 2003.
Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at
Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Patsy A. Bearden at 907–586–7228, or at
The procedures in question are designed for Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) catcher/processors and American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processors and AFA motherships and involve catch weighing, observer sampling stations, and observer coverage requirements. This existing information collection would be revised to incorporate catch-weighing requirements for AFA inshore processors (shoreside processors and stationary floating processors).
NMFS must be able to ensure that the total weight, species composition, and catch location for each delivery are reported accurately. This is accomplished through a catch-monitoring system that: allows for independent verification of catch weight, species composition and haul location data; ensures that all catch is weighed accurately; and provides a record of the weight of each delivery that may be audited by NMFS. Requirements include approval of scale types for use, inspection requests, scale tests, an inshore processor catch monitoring and control plan, and printed output from scales.
Forms or may be e-mailed, FAXed or submitted in paper form. The daily scale test forms and scale printed output are paper forms that are not submitted to NMFS.
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