80_FR_42930 80 FR 42792 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Cost Recovery Program

80 FR 42792 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Cost Recovery Program

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 138 (July 20, 2015)

Page Range42792-42792
FR Document2015-17639

NMFS publishes notification of a 1.48 percent fee for cost recovery under the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program. This action is intended to provide holders of crab allocations with the fee percentage for the 2015/2016 crab fishing year so they can calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees that must be submitted by July 31, 2016.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 138 (Monday, July 20, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 138 (Monday, July 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 42792]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17639]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE019


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Cost Recovery Program

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notification of fee percentage.

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SUMMARY: NMFS publishes notification of a 1.48 percent fee for cost 
recovery under the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization 
Program. This action is intended to provide holders of crab allocations 
with the fee percentage for the 2015/2016 crab fishing year so they can 
calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees that must be 
submitted by July 31, 2016.

DATES: The Crab Rationalization Program Registered Crab Receiver permit 
holder is responsible for submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS 
on or before July 31, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keeley Kent, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    NMFS Alaska Region administers the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Crab Rationalization Program (Program) in the North Pacific. Fishing 
under the Program began on August 15, 2005. Regulations implementing 
the Program can be found at 50 CFR part 680.
    The Program is a limited access system authorized by section 313(j) 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Program includes a cost recovery provision 
to collect fees to recover the actual costs directly related to the 
management, data collection, and enforcement of the Program. NMFS 
developed the cost recovery provision to conform to statutory 
requirements and to partially reimburse the agency for the actual costs 
directly related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of 
the Program. Section 313(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act provided 
supplementary authority to section 304(d)(2)(A) and additional detail 
for cost recovery provisions specific to the Program. The cost recovery 
provision allows collection of 133 percent of the actual management, 
data collection, and enforcement costs up to 3 percent of the ex-vessel 
value of crab harvested under the Program. Additionally, section 313(j) 
requires the harvesting and processing sectors to each pay half the 
cost recovery fees. Catcher/processor quota shareholders are required 
to pay the full fee percentage for crab processed at sea.
    A crab allocation holder generally incurs a cost recovery fee 
liability for every pound of crab landed. The crab allocations include 
Individual Fishing Quota, Crew Individual Fishing Quota, Individual 
Processing Quota, Community Development Quota, and the Adak community 
allocation. The Registered Crab Receiver (RCR) permit holder must 
collect the fee liability from the crab allocation holder who is 
landing crab. Additionally, the RCR permit holder must collect his or 
her own fee liability for all crab delivered to the RCR. The RCR permit 
holder is responsible for submitting this payment to NMFS on or before 
July 31, in the year following the crab fishing year in which landings 
of crab were made.
    The dollar amount of the fee due is determined by multiplying the 
fee percentage (not to exceed 3 percent) by the ex-vessel value of crab 
debited from the allocation. Specific details on the Program's cost 
recovery provision may be found in the implementing regulations at 50 
CFR 680.44.

Fee Percentage

    Each year, NMFS calculates and publishes in the Federal Register 
the fee percentage according to the factors and methodology described 
in Federal regulations at Sec.  680.44(c)(2). The formula for 
determining the fee percentage is the ``direct program costs'' divided 
by ``value of the fishery,'' where ``direct program costs'' are the 
direct program costs for the Program for the previous fiscal year, and 
``value of the fishery'' is the ex-vessel value of the catch subject to 
the crab cost recovery fee liability for the current year. Fee 
collections for any given year may be less than, or greater than, the 
actual costs and fishery value for that year, because, by regulation, 
the fee percentage is established in the first quarter of a crab 
fishery year based on the fishery value and the costs of the prior 
year.
    Based upon the fee percentage formula described above, the 
estimated percentage of costs to value for the 2014/2015 fishery was 
1.48 percent. Therefore, the fee percentage will be 1.48 percent for 
the 2015/2016 crab fishing year. This is an increase of 0.83 percent 
from the 2013/2014 fee percentage of 0.65 percent (79 FR 44403, July 
31, 2014). The change in the fee percentage from 2013/2014 to 2014/2015 
is due to an increase in NMFS management costs. These additional costs 
were necessary to maintain and upgrade NMFS' permitting systems and the 
Internet-based crab landings system used for the program. The value of 
crab harvested under the Program also increased from 2013/2014 to 2014/
2015 by $29 million. This increase in value of the fishery offset some 
of the management cost increases and so limited the change in the fee 
percentage between 2013/2014 and 2014/2015.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1862; Pub. L. 109-241; Pub. L. 109-479.

    Dated: July 14, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-17639 Filed 7-17-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P



                                                  42792                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 138 / Monday, July 20, 2015 / Notices

                                                  Ecosystem Committee will meet in                         fishing year so they can calculate the                to NMFS on or before July 31, in the
                                                  Juneau, AK.                                              required payment for cost recovery fees               year following the crab fishing year in
                                                  DATES: The meeting will be held August                   that must be submitted by July 31, 2016.              which landings of crab were made.
                                                  6–7, 2015, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.                         DATES: The Crab Rationalization                         The dollar amount of the fee due is
                                                  ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at                   Program Registered Crab Receiver                      determined by multiplying the fee
                                                  the Ted Stevens Marine Research                          permit holder is responsible for                      percentage (not to exceed 3 percent) by
                                                  Institute, Auke Bay Laboratories, 17109                  submitting the fee liability payment to               the ex-vessel value of crab debited from
                                                  Pt. Lena Loop Road, Juneau, AK 99801.                    NMFS on or before July 31, 2016.                      the allocation. Specific details on the
                                                     Council address: North Pacific                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      Program’s cost recovery provision may
                                                  Fishery Management Council, 605 W.                       Keeley Kent, 907–586–7228.                            be found in the implementing
                                                  4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK                       SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            regulations at 50 CFR 680.44.
                                                  99501–2252.                                                                                                    Fee Percentage
                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                           Background
                                                  Steve MacLean, Council staff; phone:                        NMFS Alaska Region administers the                    Each year, NMFS calculates and
                                                  (907) 271–2809.                                          Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab                  publishes in the Federal Register the fee
                                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The                           Rationalization Program (Program) in                  percentage according to the factors and
                                                  purpose of the Ecosystem Committee is                    the North Pacific. Fishing under the                  methodology described in Federal
                                                  to review progress on development of a                   Program began on August 15, 2005.                     regulations at § 680.44(c)(2). The
                                                  strawman Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP)                    Regulations implementing the Program                  formula for determining the fee
                                                  Module, and development of a                             can be found at 50 CFR part 680.                      percentage is the ‘‘direct program costs’’
                                                  discussion paper planned for                                The Program is a limited access                    divided by ‘‘value of the fishery,’’ where
                                                  presentation to the Council in                           system authorized by section 313(j) of                ‘‘direct program costs’’ are the direct
                                                  December, 2015. The Committee will                       the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery                          program costs for the Program for the
                                                  also discuss scheduling for future                       Conservation and Management Act                       previous fiscal year, and ‘‘value of the
                                                  meetings. The Agenda is subject to                       (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Program                   fishery’’ is the ex-vessel value of the
                                                  change, and the latest version will be                   includes a cost recovery provision to                 catch subject to the crab cost recovery
                                                  posted at http://www.npfmc.org/.                         collect fees to recover the actual costs              fee liability for the current year. Fee
                                                                                                           directly related to the management, data              collections for any given year may be
                                                  Special Accommodations                                   collection, and enforcement of the                    less than, or greater than, the actual
                                                    The meeting is physically accessible                   Program. NMFS developed the cost                      costs and fishery value for that year,
                                                  to people with disabilities. Requests for                recovery provision to conform to                      because, by regulation, the fee
                                                  sign language interpretation or other                    statutory requirements and to partially               percentage is established in the first
                                                  auxiliary aids should be directed to                     reimburse the agency for the actual costs             quarter of a crab fishery year based on
                                                  Shannon Gleason at (907) 271–2809 at                     directly related to the management, data              the fishery value and the costs of the
                                                  least 7 working days prior to the                        collection, and enforcement of the                    prior year.
                                                  meeting date.                                            Program. Section 313(j) of the                           Based upon the fee percentage
                                                    Dated: July 15, 2015.
                                                                                                           Magnuson-Stevens Act provided                         formula described above, the estimated
                                                                                                           supplementary authority to section                    percentage of costs to value for the
                                                  Tracey L. Thompson,
                                                                                                           304(d)(2)(A) and additional detail for                2014/2015 fishery was 1.48 percent.
                                                  Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable            cost recovery provisions specific to the
                                                  Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.                                                                  Therefore, the fee percentage will be
                                                                                                           Program. The cost recovery provision                  1.48 percent for the 2015/2016 crab
                                                  [FR Doc. 2015–17723 Filed 7–17–15; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                           allows collection of 133 percent of the               fishing year. This is an increase of 0.83
                                                  BILLING CODE 3510–22–P                                   actual management, data collection, and               percent from the 2013/2014 fee
                                                                                                           enforcement costs up to 3 percent of the              percentage of 0.65 percent (79 FR 44403,
                                                                                                           ex-vessel value of crab harvested under               July 31, 2014). The change in the fee
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                                                                                           the Program. Additionally, section                    percentage from 2013/2014 to 2014/
                                                  National Oceanic and Atmospheric                         313(j) requires the harvesting and                    2015 is due to an increase in NMFS
                                                  Administration                                           processing sectors to each pay half the               management costs. These additional
                                                                                                           cost recovery fees. Catcher/processor                 costs were necessary to maintain and
                                                  RIN 0648–XE019                                           quota shareholders are required to pay                upgrade NMFS’ permitting systems and
                                                                                                           the full fee percentage for crab                      the Internet-based crab landings system
                                                  Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic                      processed at sea.
                                                  Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and                                                                                used for the program. The value of crab
                                                                                                              A crab allocation holder generally                 harvested under the Program also
                                                  Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization                    incurs a cost recovery fee liability for
                                                  Cost Recovery Program                                                                                          increased from 2013/2014 to 2014/2015
                                                                                                           every pound of crab landed. The crab                  by $29 million. This increase in value
                                                  AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries                       allocations include Individual Fishing                of the fishery offset some of the
                                                  Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and                     Quota, Crew Individual Fishing Quota,                 management cost increases and so
                                                  Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),                       Individual Processing Quota,                          limited the change in the fee percentage
                                                  Commerce.                                                Community Development Quota, and                      between 2013/2014 and 2014/2015.
                                                  ACTION: Notification of fee percentage.                  the Adak community allocation. The
                                                                                                                                                                   Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1862; Pub. L. 109–
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                           Registered Crab Receiver (RCR) permit                 241; Pub. L. 109–479.
                                                  SUMMARY:   NMFS publishes notification                   holder must collect the fee liability from
                                                  of a 1.48 percent fee for cost recovery                  the crab allocation holder who is                       Dated: July 14, 2015.
                                                  under the Bering Sea and Aleutian                        landing crab. Additionally, the RCR                   Emily H. Menashes,
                                                  Islands Crab Rationalization Program.                    permit holder must collect his or her                 Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
                                                  This action is intended to provide                       own fee liability for all crab delivered to           Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
                                                  holders of crab allocations with the fee                 the RCR. The RCR permit holder is                     [FR Doc. 2015–17639 Filed 7–17–15; 8:45 am]
                                                  percentage for the 2015/2016 crab                        responsible for submitting this payment               BILLING CODE 3510–22–P




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Document Created: 2015-12-15 12:58:14
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 12:58:14
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotification of fee percentage.
DatesThe Crab Rationalization Program Registered Crab Receiver permit holder is responsible for submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS on or before July 31, 2016.
ContactKeeley Kent, 907-586-7228.
FR Citation80 FR 42792 
RIN Number0648-XE01

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