(a) Requirements to submit an EDR—(1) GOA Trawl Catcher Vessels. The owner or leaseholder of any vessel who is named on a Limited License Program (LLP) groundfish license that authorizes a catcher vessel using trawl gear to harvest LLP groundfish species in the GOA must submit a complete Annual Trawl Catcher Vessel Economic Data Report (EDR) for that calendar year by following the instructions on the Annual Trawl Catcher Vessel EDR form.

(2) GOA Shoreside Processors and Stationary Floating Processors. The owner or leaseholder of a shoreside processor or stationary floating processor with a Federal Processor Permit (FPP) that processes groundfish caught by vessels fishing with trawl gear in the GOA must submit a complete Annual Shoreside Processor Economic Data Report (EDR) for that calendar year by following the instructions on the Annual Shoreside Processor EDR form.

(3) Annual Trawl Catcher/Processor Economic Data Report (EDR). The owner or leaseholder of a vessel that is named on a Limited License Program (LLP) groundfish license that authorizes a Catcher/Processor using trawl gear to harvest and process LLP groundfish in the GOA must submit an Annual Trawl Catcher/Processor EDR as described at §679.94 for that calendar year.

(b) Deadline. A completed EDR or EDR certification page for:

(1) The Annual Trawl Catcher Vessel EDR or the Annual Shoreside Processor EDR must be submitted to the DCA for each calendar year on or before 1700 hours, A.l.t., June 1 of the following year, or

(2) The Annual Trawl Catcher/Processor EDR must be submitted to NMFS as required at §679.94(a)(2).

(c) Information required. The Annual Trawl Catcher Vessel EDR, Annual Shoreside Processor EDR, and Annual Trawl Catcher/Processor EDR forms are available on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov, or by contacting NMFS at 1-800-304-4846.

(d) EDR certification. A person required to submit an EDR under paragraph (a) of this section, or the designated representative, if applicable, must submit the EDR certification statement as either:

(1) Part of the entire EDR. A person submitting the applicable EDR form must attest to the accuracy and completion of the EDR by signing and dating the certification portion of the applicable EDR form; or

(2) EDR certification only. A person submitting a completed EDR certification only must attest that they meet the conditions exempting them from submitting the entire EDR as described in the certification portion of the applicable EDR form and sign and date the certification portion of the form.

(e) Verification of EDR data.

(1) NMFS, the DCA, or the DDCA will conduct verification of information with a person required to submit the applicable EDR, or if applicable, that person's designated representative.

(2) The person required to submit the applicable EDR or designated representative, if applicable, must respond to inquiries by NMFS, the designated DCA, or the DDCA within 20 days of the date of issuance of the inquiry.

(3) The person required to submit the applicable EDR or designated representative, if applicable, must provide copies of additional data to facilitate data verification. NMFS, the DCA, or the DDCA may review and request copies of additional data provided by the person required to submit the applicable EDR form or designated representative, if applicable, including but not limited to, previously audited or reviewed financial statements, worksheets, tax returns, invoices, receipts, and other original documents substantiating the data submitted in an EDR form.

(f) DCA authorization. Except for EDR data submitted as required under §679.94(a), the DCA is authorized to release unaggregated EDR data to authorized data users in blind data format only.

[79 FR 71318, Dec. 2, 2014]