(a) General. The economic data collection (EDC) program collects mandatory economic data from participants in the trawl rationalization program. NMFS requires submission of EDC forms to gather ongoing, annual economic data, including, but not limited to the following categories of information related to participation in the trawl rationalization program:
(1) Annual data related to QS permit owner activity and characteristics of participation in the fishery, costs and earnings from quota trades, and quota leasing.
(2) Annual data related to costs, earnings, value, labor, operations, physical characteristics, ownership and leasing information for vessels, first receiver sites, or shorebased processors.
(b) Economic data collection program requirements. The following fishery participants in the limited entry groundfish trawl fisheries are required to comply with the following EDC program requirements:
| Fishery participant | Economic data collection | Who is required to submit an EDC? | Consequence for failure to submit (In addition to consequences listed below, failure to submit an EDC may be a violation of the MSA.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Limited entry trawl catcher vessels | (i) Annual/ongoing economic data | (A) All owners, lessees, and charterers of a catcher vessel registered to a limited entry trawl endorsed permit | (1) For permit owner, a limited entry trawl permit application (including MS/CV-endorsed limited entry trawl permit) will not be considered complete until the required EDC for that permit owner associated with that permit is submitted, as specified at §660.25(b)(4)(i). |
| (2) For a vessel owner, participation in the groundfish fishery (including, but not limited to, changes in vessel registration, vessel account actions, or if own QS permit, issuance of annual QP or IBQ pounds) will not be authorized until the required EDC for that owner for that vessel is submitted, as specified, in part, at §660.25(b)(4)(vi) and §660.140(e). | |||
| (3) For a vessel lessee or charterer, participation in the groundfish fishery (including, but not limited to, issuance of annual QP or IBQ pounds if own QS or IBQ) will not be authorized, until the required EDC for their operation of that vessel is submitted. | |||
| (B) [Reserved] | |||
| (2) Motherships | (i) Annual/ongoing economic data | (A) All owners, lessees, and charterers of a mothership vessel registered to an MS permit | (1) For permit owner, an MS permit application will not be considered complete until the required EDC for that permit owner associated with that permit is submitted, as specified at §660.25(b)(4)(i). |
| (2) For a vessel owner, participation in the groundfish fishery (including, but not limited to, changes in vessel registration) will not be authorized until the required EDC for that owner for that vessel is submitted, as specified, in part, at §660.25(b)(4)(vi). | |||
| (3) For a vessel lessee or charterer, participation in the groundfish fishery will not be authorized, until the required EDC for their operation of that vessel is submitted. | |||
| (B) [Reserved] | |||
| (3) Catcher processors | (i) Annual/ongoing economic data | (A) All owners, lessees, and charterers of a catcher processor vessel registered to a C/P-endorsed limited entry trawl permit | (1) For permit owner, a C/P-endorsed limited entry trawl permit application will not be considered complete until the required EDC for that permit owner associated with that permit is submitted, as specified at §660.25(b)(4)(i). (2) For a vessel owner, participation in the groundfish fishery (including, but not limited to, changes in vessel registration) will not be authorized until the required EDC for that owner for that vessel is submitted, as specified, in part, at §660.25(b)(4)(vi). |
| (3) For a vessel lessee or charterer, participation in the groundfish fishery will not be authorized, until the required EDC for their operation of that vessel is submitted. | |||
| (B) [Reserved] | |||
| (4) First receivers/shorebased processors | (i) Annual/ongoing economic data | (A) All owners of a first receiver site license | (1) A first receiver site license application will not be considered complete until the required EDC for that license owner associated with that license is submitted, as specified at §660.140(f)(3). See paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A) of this table. (2) [Reserved] |
| (B) All owners and lessees of a shorebased processor (as defined under “processor” at §660.11, for purposes of EDC) that received round or headed-and-gutted IFQ species groundfish or whiting from a first receiver. | |||
| (5) Quota Share Permit Owners | (i) Annual/ongoing economic data | (A) All owners of a Quota Share permit and account (as defined under §660.25 (c)) | (1) A Quota Share permit application or permit renewal package will not be considered complete until the required EDC for that permit is submitted, as specified at §660.140, subpart D. (2) [Reserved] |
| (B) [Reserved] |
(c) Submission of the EDC forms, and deadline—(1) Submission of the EDC form. The complete, certified EDC forms must contain valid responses for all data fields, and must be submitted either by paper or web form submission as follows:
(i) Paper form submission. Paper forms must be submitted to ATTN: Economic Data Collection Program (FRAM Division), NMFS, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112.
(ii) Web form submission. Completed EDC web forms must be submitted electronically via the Economic Data Collection Program Web Form portal through NOAA.gov/fisheries and the signature page faxed, mailed, or hand-delivered to NWFSC.
(2) Deadline. Complete, certified EDC forms must be mailed and postmarked by or hand-delivered to NMFS NWFSC no later than September 1 each year for the prior year's data.
(3) Quota Share Permit Owner Survey Submissions and Deadline. Quota Share Permit Owner survey forms are submitted by webform only during the quota account application and renewal process specified at §660.140 (d)(2). The complete certified Quota Share Permit Owner survey must be submitted no later than November 30 of each year.
(d) Confidentiality of information. Information received on an EDC form will be considered confidential under applicable law and guidance.
(e) EDC audit procedures—(1) NMFS reserves the right to conduct verification of economic data with the submitter of the form. NMFS may employ a third party agent to conduct the audits.
(2) The submitter of the EDC form must respond to any inquiry by NMFS or a NMFS agent within 20 days of the date of issuance of the inquiry, unless an extension is granted by NMFS.
(3) The submitter of the form must provide copies of additional data to facilitate verification by NMFS or NMFS' agent upon request. The NMFS auditor may review and request copies of additional data provided by the submitter, including but not limited to, previously audited or reviewed financial statements, worksheets, tax returns, invoices, receipts, and other original documents substantiating the economic data submitted.
[75 FR 78387, Dec. 15, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 55155, Sept. 7, 2012; 81 FR 84430, Nov. 23, 2016; 84 FR 68806, Dec. 17, 2019]
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