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 Range		42792-42792
FR Document		2015-17639

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

VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:30 Jul 17, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\20JYN1.SGM 20JYN1

Document Created: 2015-12-15 12:58:14
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 12:58:14

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notification of fee percentage.
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.
Contact		Keeley Kent, 907-586-7228.
FR Citation		80 FR 42792
RIN Number		0648-XE01

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration