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OMB Control No: 0648-0353	ICR Reference No: 201603-0648-020
Status: Historical Inactive	Previous ICR Reference No: 201404-0648-002
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NOAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Alaska Region Gear Identification Requirements
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Comment filed on proposed rule and continue	Conclusion Date: 09/22/2016
	Date Received in OIRA: 08/19/2016
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is withholding approval at this time. Prior to publication of the final rule, the agency must submit to OMB a summary of all comments related to the information collection contained in the proposed rule and the agency response. The agency should clearly indicate any changes made to the information collection as a result of these comments.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	04/30/2017	04/30/2017	04/30/2017
Responses	7,350	0	7,350
Time Burden (Hours)	1,225	0	1,225
Cost Burden (Dollars)	9,800	0	9,800

Abstract: Fishermen have proposed using longline pot gear to protect captured sablefish from whale depredation. Depredation negatively impacts the sablefish IFQ fleet through reduced catch rates and increased operating costs. Depredation negatively impacts whales through increased risk of vessel strike, gear entanglement, and altered foraging strategies. Depredation also increases sablefish mortality and the uncertainty of sablefish abundance indicies. Potential benefits of longline pot gear for sablefish fishing include: mitigation of whale interaction with fishing gear, reduced mortality of seabirds, reduced bycatch of non-target fish species, reduced overall halibut mortality when targeting sablefish, and better accounting of total sablefish fishing mortality. Using longline pots versus single pots will maximize fishing efficiency and ex-vessel value of the fishery. Single pots are heavy and their deployment results in lost gear and resultant ghost fishing. Handling of lighter pot longline gear enhances crew safety, particularly on smaller vessels. Fishermen who voluntarily adopt the use of pot longline gear will face some additional recordkeeping and reporting requirements. The owners of vessels on which pot longline gear is used must register to receive pot tags and must submit an affidavit in order to receive a replacement for lost tags.

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Program changes Request for Pot Tags [new] an increase of 4 respondents, 4 instead of 0 an increase of 4 responses, 4 instead of 0 an increase of 1 hour, 1 hr instead of 0 hr an increase of $ 37 personnel cost, $37 instead of $ 0 an increase of $ 1,470 miscellaneous cost, $ 1,470 instead of $ 0 Replace Pot Tags [new] an increase of 2 respondents and responses, 2 instead of 0 an increase of 1 hour, 1 hr instead of 0 hr an increase of $37 personnel cost, $37 instead of $ 0 Longline Pot Marker Buoys [new] an increase of 4 respondents and responses, 4 instead of 0 an increase of 1 hour, 1 hr instead of 0 hr an increase of $ 37 personnel cost, $ 37 instead of $ 0 an increase of $ 40 miscellaneous cost, $ 40 instead of $ 0 Adjustment Groundfish Marker Buoys an increase of 613 hours, 1,838 hr instead of 1,225 hr an increase of $ 15,320 personnel cost, $ 27,570 instead of $ 12,250

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