American Lobster - Annual Trap Transfer Program

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Trap transfers Form	Modified
0673 FR 81 74407 Notice 102616.pdf Supplementary Document	2016-12-30
0673 Supporting Statement 122816.docx Supporting Statement A	2016-12-30

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
205874	Trap transfers Form	Modified
205872	Appeals and director's appeals Instruction	Removed
205870	Lobster permit limited access applications Other-correspondence	Removed

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0648-0673	ICR Reference No: 201612-0648-010
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201404-0648-003
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NOAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: American Lobster - Annual Trap Transfer Program
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 01/31/2017
	Date Received in OIRA: 12/30/2016
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	01/31/2020	36 Months From Approved	04/30/2017
Responses	102	0	340
Time Burden (Hours)	17	0	60
Cost Burden (Dollars)	492	0	1,397

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Abstract: This collection of information is being conducted to help mitigate the initial economic burden of scheduled trap allocation reductions in Lobster Conservation Management Areas 2 and 3 on Federal lobster permit holders through the Annual Lobster Trap Transfer Program, which allows all qualified Federal lobster permit holders to buy and sell trap allocation from Areas 2, 3, or Outer Cape Cod. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) collects application forms from Lobster permit holders who wish to transfer trap allocation from these areas during a 2-month period (from August 1 through September 30) each year; and the revised allocations resulting from the transfers become effective for each participating lobster permit at the start of the following Federal lobster fishing year on May 1. Both the seller and buyer of the traps are required to sign the application form, date the document, and clearly show that the seller has sufficient allocation to transfer and the buyer sufficient room under the applicable trap cap. Originally, this collection was part of a new rulemaking action, and included efforts to obtain information from American lobster permit holders to implement a limited access permit program. However, the limited access portion of the collection is complete and no longer necessary, so a revision is requested to remove it from the collection.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 5101-5109 Name of Law: Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Management Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	81 FR 74407	10/26/2016
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	81 FR 96440	12/30/2016
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Appeals and director's appeals
Lobster permit limited access applications
Trap transfers	NA, NA	Lobster trap transfer request form ,   Trap transfer form - fillable

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	102	340	0	-124	-114	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	17	60	0	-24	-19	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	492	1,397	0	-183	-722	0

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

Burden Increase Due to:

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

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: When this collection was originally approved, it was attached to a rulemaking action that included the implementation of a limited access permit program for Areas 2 and Outer Cape Cod in addition to the Trap Transfer Program. This limited access program has now been completed, and that portion of the collection is no longer necessary, so it has been removed from the overall cost and burden. The Trap Transfer Program has been underway for two years, with preliminary data from which to adjust original burden estimates. Initially, it was predicted that 50 percent of lobster permit holders qualified for transferable areas (Area 2, Area 3, Outer Cape Cod Area), and 10 percent of the rest of the permit holders who weren’t qualified would participate in the Trap Transfer Program; bringing the total participants to roughly 432, and the number of two-party transfer transactions/applications to 216. However, based on the interest and results of the first two years of the program, these numbers are closer to participation from 25 percent of lobster permit holders qualified in these areas, and 5 percent of the remaining permit holders; for a total of 204 participants and 102 transactions/applications.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $492

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 12/30/2016

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