Contract fishing notification

Revised: 12/09/2015 OMB Control No. 0648-0393 Expiration Date 09/30/2016

AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT (AFA) Inshore Vessel Contract Fishing Notification

U.S. Dept. of Commerce/NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Restricted Access Management (RAM) P.O. Box 21668 Juneau, AK 99802-1668 (800) 304-484ll free / 586-7202 in Juneau (907) 586-7354 fax

An AFA inshore cooperative that intends to contract with a non-member vessel to harvest a portion of the cooperative’s annual pollock allocation must submit a complete contract fishing notification to NMFS, Alaska Region, Restricted Access Management (NMFS/AKR/RAM). (See regulations at 50 CFR part 679.62(c)). A separate notification must be submitted for each cooperative for which the vessel harvests. This information will assist cooperatives to understand how their catch is accounted and also alert NMFS In-season Management that some vessels might be reporting with an alternative cooperative ID. The inshore vessel contract fishing notification may assume any format you choose, but must contain the following information.

♦ Name and AFA permit number of the contract vessel. This AFA catcher vessel must have an inshore fishing endorsement and be a member of an inshore cooperative

♦ Name and signature of the contract vessel’s owner

♦ Name of the contract vessel’s home cooperative

♦ Name and signature of the home cooperative’s designated representative

♦ Name of the AFA inshore cooperative wishing to contract with the vessel

♦ Name and signature of the AFA inshore cooperative’s designated representative

♦ A complete harvest schedule. This harvest schedule must show how all catch and any overages by the contracted vessel will be allocated between the contracting cooperative (or cooperatives) and the contract vessel’s home cooperative. In the event that multiple cooperatives are contracting with the same non-member vessel, each harvest schedule submitted must clearly specify how all catch and any overages will be allocated among the various cooperatives with which the vessel is contracted as of the date of submission.

The inshore vessel contract fishing notification is not valid unless it is signed by:

1) The contracting cooperative’s designated representative,

2) The contract vessel owner, and

3) The vessel’s home cooperative designated representative

Submit the inshore vessel contract fishing notification to:

NMFS Alaska Region

Restricted Access Management (RAM)

P.O. Box 21668

Juneau, Alaska 99802-1668

NOTE: NMFS/AKR/RAM will notify the parties to the inshore vessel contract that the inshore vessel contract fishing notification has been received. However, NMFS will not make any determinations as to the legality of any contract between/among the parties or its compliance with AFA requirements.

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PUBLIC REPORTING BURDEN STATEMENT

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 4 hours per response, including the time for reviewing the instructions, searching the existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Before completing this form please note the following: 1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information, subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number; 2) This information is mandatory and is required to manage commercial fishing efforts under

50 CFR part 679, under section 402(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.) as amended in 2006;

3) Responses to this information request are confidential under section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. They are also confidential under NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, which sets forth procedures to protect confidentiality of fishery statistics.

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AFA Inshore Vessel Contract Fishing Notification

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