The Crab Rationalization Program (CR
Program) allocates Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands crab resources
among harvesters, processors, and coastal communities with a
mandatory economic data collection report (EDR). Section 313 (j) of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act authorizes a mandatory economic data
report (EDR) to be used "to study the impacts of the CR Program,"
to insure that the program will achieve "equity between the
harvesting and processing sectors," and to monitor the "economic
stability for harvesters, processors, and coastal communities." The
Magnuson-Stevens Act also provides specific guidance on the type of
data to be collected, requirements for selecting a collection
agent, verification of data, and treatment and distribution of
confidential data that are included in this collection.
PL:
Pub.L. 94 - 265 313(j) Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act as amended in 2006
This action is a renewal
without program change to EDRs or regulations. Adjustments: There
was a net increase of one respondent, based on the most recent
records. NMFS increased the estimated burden hours for completion
and submittal of the different types of EDR, which then increased
the miscellaneous costs (for accountant fees) to complete and
submit the EDRs. For the Verification of Data, It is estimated
that approximately one-third of submitted EDR forms will need to be
audited in any given year due to questionable or omitted data. In
the 2008 renewal, which should have been shown as applying to only
1/3 of responses, burden and cost for verification of all responses
was included. For this renewal, the adjustment is made to show
auditing of only 1/3 of responses. Total estimated changes are
shown below: ♦ Catcher Vessel EDR Respondents and responses changed
from 100 to 90. Burden hours changed from 750 hours to 3,114 hours.
Miscellaneous costs changed from $ 75,139 to $ 311,464. ♦
Catcher/processor EDR Respondents and responses changed from 10 to
5 Burden hours changed from 125 hours to 185 hours Miscellaneous
costs changed from $ 12,515 to $ 18,508. ♦ Stationary floating crab
processor EDR Respondents and responses changed from 5 to 8 Burden
hours changed from 50 hours to 102 hours Miscellaneous costs
changed from $ 5,008 to $ 10,202. ♦ Shoreside processor EDR
Respondents and responses changed from 16 to 29 Burden hours
changed from 160 hours to 781 hours Miscellaneous costs changed
from $ 16,024 to $ 78,113. ♦ Verification of data Respondents and
responses changed from 131 to 44 Burden hours changed from 393 to
352 Miscellaneous costs changed from $41,920 to $36,080. Net
changes: increase of one respondent, decrease of 86 respondents,
increase of 3,056 hours and increase of $303,761 in miscellaneous
costs.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.