The At-Sea Scales Program was developed in response for catch accounting methodologies that were more precise and verifiable at the level of the individual haul and less dependent on estimates generated by at-sea observers. This was necessary as a result of the implementation of large-scale catch share programs that required NMFS to provide verifiable and defensible estimates of quota harvest.
Shore-based processor participating in catch share program have many of the same catch accounting and monitoring goals as those described above. However, there are several differences that require unique monitoring tools to obtain precise and verifiable catch amounts for quota management. First, shore-based processors vary more in size, facilities and layout than do catcher/processors or motherships. Second, the State of Alaska is responsible for approving scales used for trade by shore-based processors and has developed an effective program for their inspection and approval.
US Code:
16 USC 1801 et seq.
Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
Revisions to forms:
Two forms are revised. Neither change reduces the burden hours to the public and do not change the utility of the information collected for NMFS.
INSPECTION REQUEST FOR SCALES, OBSERVER SAMPLING STATIONS, AND ALL VIDEO MONITORING: The video system specifications section is removed from the inspection request form. NMFS may gather this data at the time of inspection. Additional fields have also been removed that are no longer needed to coordinate and schedule inspections expeditiously. These include company name, mailing address, fax number of contact, todayâs date, and the manufacturer name and model of scale. These changes reduce the burden hours to the public. The burden hour estimate from 2 hours to 8 minutes have been adjusted to reflect this change.
DAILY RECORD OF FLOW SCALE TEST: Two items have been removed from the form: the Beaufort sea scale and the signature of the observer. These two items are no longer needed to determine the accuracy of the flow scale. The removal of these two items does not change the burden hour estimate or the costs to the public.
Reinstatement of collection: SCALE TYPE EVALUATION: The 2014 supporting statement inadvertently removed the scale type evaluations from the collection. A previous supporting statement separated scale type evaluations for platform and hanging scales, belt-conveyor (flow) scales, automatic hopper scales, and potential, undefined scales. However, the scale type evaluation conducted by NMFS is identical for all of these scale types. The differences noted in the previous supporting statement were for scale type evaluations completed by another government agency and should not be included in this supporting statement. This supporting statement reinstates this collection with corrections.
$26,462
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Uncollected
Jennifer Watson 907 586-7537
No
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.
CMP printed record from scale