83_FR_64071 83 FR 63833 - Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher Processor Subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non Pollock Groundfish Fishery

83 FR 63833 - Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher Processor Subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non Pollock Groundfish Fishery

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 238 (December 12, 2018)

Page Range63833-63834
FR Document2018-26884

NMFS issues this notice to inform the public that there will be an increase of the fee rate required to repay the $35,000,000 reduction loan financing the non-pollock groundfish fishing capacity reduction program. Effective January 1, 2019, NMFS is increasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.017 per pound to ensure timely loan repayment. The fee rate for Loan B will remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63833-63834]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26884]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG656


Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher 
Processor Subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non Pollock 
Groundfish Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to inform the public that there will 
be an increase of the fee rate required to repay the $35,000,000 
reduction loan financing the non-pollock groundfish fishing capacity 
reduction program. Effective January 1, 2019, NMFS is increasing the 
Loan A fee rate to $0.017 per pound to ensure timely loan repayment. 
The fee rate for Loan B will remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound.

DATES: The non-pollock groundfish program fee rate increase will begin 
with landings on and after January 1, 2019. The first due date for fee 
payments with the increased rate will be February 15, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to Michael A. Sturtevant, 
Acting Chief, Financial Services Division, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Saiz, (301) 427-8752.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Sections 312(b)-(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(b) through (e)) generally 
authorizes fishing capacity reduction programs. In particular, section 
312(d) authorizes industry fee systems for repaying reduction loans 
which finance reduction program costs. Subpart L of 50 CFR part 600 is 
the framework rule generally implementing section 312(b)-(e). Sections 
1111 and 1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1279f 
and 1279g) generally authorize reduction loans.
    Enacted on December 8, 2004, section 219, Title II, of FY 2005 
Appropriations Act, Public Law 104-447 (Act) authorizes a fishing 
capacity reduction program implementing capacity reduction plans 
submitted to NMFS by catcher processor subsectors of the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands (``BSAI'') non-pollock groundfish fishery (``reduction 
fishery'') as set forth in the Act.
    The longline catcher processor subsector (the ``Longline 
Subsector'') is among the catcher processor subsectors eligible to 
submit to NMFS a capacity reduction plan under the terms of the Act.
    The longline subsector non-pollock groundfish reduction program's 
objective was to reduce the number of vessels and permits endorsed for 
longline subsector of the non-pollock groundfish fishery.
    All post-reduction fish landings from the reduction fishery are 
subject to the longline subsector non-pollock groundfish program's fee.
    NMFS proposed the implementing notice on August 11, 2006 (71 FR 
46364), and published the final notice on September 29, 2006 (71 FR 
57696).
    NMFS allocated the $35,000,000 reduction loan (A Loan) to the 
reduction fishery and this loan is repayable by fees from the fishery.
    On September 24, 2007, NMFS published in the Federal Register (72 
FR 54219), the final rule to implement the industry fee system for 
repaying the non-pollock groundfish program's reduction loan and 
established October 24, 2007, as the effective date when fee collection 
and loan repayment began. The regulations implementing the program are 
located at Sec.  600.1012 of 50 CFR part 600's subpart M.
    NMFS published, in the Federal Register on November 2, 2009 (74 FR 
56592), a notice to decrease the A Loan fee rate to $0.016 per pound 
effective January 1, 2010. On November 12, 2010, NMFS published a 
notice (75 FR 69401), to decrease the fee rate to $0.015 per pound, 
effective January 1, 2011. NMFS published a notice on November 30, 2011 
(76 FR 74048) to decrease the fee rate to $0.0145 per pound effective 
January 1, 2012. NMFS published a notice on February 13, 2013 (78 FR 
10136) to further decrease the fee rate once more to $0.0111 per pound 
effective January 1, 2013. NMFS published a notice on January 8, 2018 
(83 FR 793) to increase the fee rate to $0.013 per pound effective 
January 1, 2018.
    NMFS published a final rule to implement a second $2,700,000 
reduction loan (B Loan) for this fishery in the Federal Register on 
September 24, 2012 (77 FR 58775). The loan was disbursed December 18, 
2012 with fee collection of $0.001 per pound to begin January 1, 2013. 
This fee is in addition to the A Loan fee.

[[Page 63834]]

II. Purpose

    The purpose of this notice is to adjust the fee rate for the 
reduction fishery in accordance with the framework rule's Sec.  
600.1013(b). Section 600.1013(b) directs NMFS to recalculate the fee 
rate that will be reasonably necessary to ensure reduction loan 
repayment within the specified 30 year term.
    NMFS has determined for the reduction fishery that the current fee 
rate of $0.013 per pound is less than that needed to service the A 
Loan. Therefore, NMFS is increasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.017 per 
pound which NMFS has determined is sufficient to ensure timely loan 
repayment. The fee rate for Loan B will remain $0.001 per pound.
    Subsector members may continue to use Pay.gov to disburse collected 
fee deposits at: http://www.pay.gov/paygov/ paygov/.
    Please visit the NMFS website for additional information at: 
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/funding-and-financial-services/longline-catcher-processor-subsector-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-non-pollock.

III. Notice

    The new fee rate for the non-pollock Groundfish fishery will begin 
on January 1, 2019.
    From and after this date, all subsector members paying fees on the 
non-pollock groundfish fishery shall begin paying non-pollock 
groundfish fishery program fees at the revised rate.
    Fee collection and submission shall follow previously established 
methods in Sec.  600.1013 of the framework rule and in the final fee 
rule published in the Federal Register on September 24, 2007 (72 FR 
54219).

    Authority:  The authority for this action is Public Law 108-447, 
16 U.S.C. 1861a (b-e), and 50 CFR 600.1000 et seq.

     Dated: December 3, 2018.
Brian Pawlak,
CFO/CAO Director, Office of Management and Budget, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-26884 Filed 12-11-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices 63833 prior to release. Up to one sawfish from DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands each life stage group may (‘‘BSAI’’) non-pollock groundfish unintentionally die during research National Oceanic and Atmospheric fishery (‘‘reduction fishery’’) as set forth activities. Additionally, the applicant Administration in the Act. requests to collect, receive, necropsy, RIN 0648–XG656 The longline catcher processor analyze, and archive up to 30 salvaged subsector (the ‘‘Longline Subsector’’) is dead smalltooth sawfish specimens Fishing Capacity Reduction Program among the catcher processor subsectors (whole or parts) that have been legally for the Longline Catcher Processor eligible to submit to NMFS a capacity collected or archived elsewhere within Subsector of the Bering Sea and reduction plan under the terms of the the U.S. Aleutian Islands Non Pollock Act. Groundfish Fishery The longline subsector non-pollock File No. 22324: The University of groundfish reduction program’s Florida (Responsible Party: Gavin AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries objective was to reduce the number of Naylor, Ph.D.), Florida Museum of Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and vessels and permits endorsed for Natural History, Dickinson Hall, Atmospheric Administration, longline subsector of the non-pollock Gainesville, FL 32611, requests a 10- Commerce. groundfish fishery. year permit to study smalltooth sawfish ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment. All post-reduction fish landings from movements, habitat use, temporal and the reduction fishery are subject to the spatial distribution, and population SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to longline subsector non-pollock structure using tagging, telemetry, and inform the public that there will be an groundfish program’s fee. population genetic methods. Sawfish increase of the fee rate required to repay NMFS proposed the implementing the $35,000,000 reduction loan would be collected year-round in the notice on August 11, 2006 (71 FR financing the non-pollock groundfish Florida Bay and the upper Florida Keys 46364), and published the final notice fishing capacity reduction program. using gillnets, longlines, and angling on September 29, 2006 (71 FR 57696). Effective January 1, 2019, NMFS is gear. The applicant anticipates NMFS allocated the $35,000,000 increasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.017 capturing each year up to 60 sawfish, reduction loan (A Loan) to the reduction per pound to ensure timely loan including 20 neonates and juveniles and fishery and this loan is repayable by fees repayment. The fee rate for Loan B will 40 sub-adult and adult life stages. from the fishery. remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound. Research activities would include On September 24, 2007, NMFS DATES: The non-pollock groundfish published in the Federal Register (72 measurement, weigh (when possible), program fee rate increase will begin ultrasound, photograph/video, genetic FR 54219), the final rule to implement with landings on and after January 1, the industry fee system for repaying the tissue fin clip, muscle biopsy, skin 2019. The first due date for fee biopsy, external dart tag, PIT tag, and non-pollock groundfish program’s payments with the increased rate will be reduction loan and established October blood draw. Subsets of each life stage February 15, 2019. 24, 2007, as the effective date when fee group would receive either internal or ADDRESSES: Send questions about this collection and loan repayment began. external telemetry tracking devices prior notice to Michael A. Sturtevant, Acting The regulations implementing the to release. Additionally, the applicant Chief, Financial Services Division, program are located at § 600.1012 of 50 further requests to collect, receive, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 CFR part 600’s subpart M. necropsy, analyze and archive up to 100 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD NMFS published, in the Federal salvaged dead smalltooth sawfish 20910–3282. Register on November 2, 2009 (74 FR specimens (whole or parts) that have FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 56592), a notice to decrease the A Loan been legally collected or archived Elaine Saiz, (301) 427–8752. fee rate to $0.016 per pound effective elsewhere within the U.S. Other SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: January 1, 2010. On November 12, 2010, objectives include receiving, importing, NMFS published a notice (75 FR 69401), and exporting tissue samples (or parts) I. Background to decrease the fee rate to $0.015 per from five other foreign species of Sections 312(b)–(e) of the Magnuson- pound, effective January 1, 2011. NMFS sawfish for scientific and archival Stevens Fishery Conservation and published a notice on November 30, purposes, including dwarf, narrow, Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(b) 2011 (76 FR 74048) to decrease the fee green, largetooth, and non-U.S. DPS through (e)) generally authorizes fishing rate to $0.0145 per pound effective smalltooth sawfish. capacity reduction programs. In January 1, 2012. NMFS published a Dated: December 6, 2018. particular, section 312(d) authorizes notice on February 13, 2013 (78 FR industry fee systems for repaying 10136) to further decrease the fee rate Julia Marie Harrison, reduction loans which finance once more to $0.0111 per pound Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, reduction program costs. Subpart L of effective January 1, 2013. NMFS Office of Protected Resources, National 50 CFR part 600 is the framework rule published a notice on January 8, 2018 Marine Fisheries Service. generally implementing section 312(b)– (83 FR 793) to increase the fee rate to [FR Doc. 2018–26838 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am] (e). Sections 1111 and 1112 of the $0.013 per pound effective January 1, BILLING CODE 3510–22–P Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. 2018. U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g) generally NMFS published a final rule to authorize reduction loans. implement a second $2,700,000 amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 Enacted on December 8, 2004, section reduction loan (B Loan) for this fishery 219, Title II, of FY 2005 Appropriations in the Federal Register on September Act, Public Law 104–447 (Act) 24, 2012 (77 FR 58775). The loan was authorizes a fishing capacity reduction disbursed December 18, 2012 with fee program implementing capacity collection of $0.001 per pound to begin reduction plans submitted to NMFS by January 1, 2013. This fee is in addition catcher processor subsectors of the to the A Loan fee. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:39 Dec 11, 2018 Jkt 247001 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1

63834 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices II. Purpose DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations in § 679.45 implementing The purpose of this notice is to adjust National Oceanic and Atmospheric cost recovery for the IFQ Program (65 the fee rate for the reduction fishery in Administration FR 14919). Under the regulations, an accordance with the framework rule’s IFQ permit holder must pay a cost RIN 0648–XG613 § 600.1013(b). Section 600.1013(b) recovery fee for every pound of IFQ directs NMFS to recalculate the fee rate Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic halibut and IFQ sablefish that is landed that will be reasonably necessary to Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut on his or her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ ensure reduction loan repayment within and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota permit holder is responsible for self- the specified 30 year term. Cost Recovery Programs collecting the fee for all IFQ halibut and NMFS has determined for the IFQ sablefish landings on his or her AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also reduction fishery that the current fee Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and responsible for submitting IFQ fee rate of $0.013 per pound is less than Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), payment(s) to NMFS on or before the that needed to service the A Loan. Commerce. due date of January 31 of the year Therefore, NMFS is increasing the Loan following the year in which the IFQ ACTION: Notice of standard prices and A fee rate to $0.017 per pound which fee percentage. landings were made. The total dollar NMFS has determined is sufficient to amount of the fee due is determined by ensure timely loan repayment. The fee SUMMARY: NMFS publishes the multiplying the NMFS published fee rate for Loan B will remain $0.001 per individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard percentage by the ex-vessel value of all pound. prices and fee percentage for cost IFQ landings made on the permit(s) Subsector members may continue to recovery for the IFQ Program for the during the IFQ fishing year. As required use Pay.gov to disburse collected fee halibut and sablefish fisheries of the by § 679.45(d)(1) and (d)(3)(i), NMFS deposits at: http://www.pay.gov/ North Pacific (IFQ Program). The fee publishes this notice of the fee paygov/. percentage for 2018 is 2.8 percent. This percentage for the halibut and sablefish action is intended to provide holders of IFQ fisheries in the Federal Register Please visit the NMFS website for halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with during or before the last quarter of each additional information at: https:// the 2018 standard prices and fee year. www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ percentage to calculate the required funding-and-financial-services/longline- Standard Prices payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due catcher-processor-subsector-bering-sea- by January 31, 2019. The fee is based on the sum of all and-aleutian-islands-non-pollock. DATES: The standard prices and fee payments made to fishermen for the sale percentages are valid on December 12, of the fish during the year. This III. Notice includes any retro-payments (e.g., 2018. bonuses, delayed partial payments, The new fee rate for the non-pollock FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl post-season payments) made to the IFQ Groundfish fishery will begin on Greene, Fee Coordinator, 907–586–7105. permit holder for previously landed IFQ January 1, 2019. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: halibut or sablefish. From and after this date, all subsector Background For purposes of calculating IFQ cost members paying fees on the non-pollock recovery fees, NMFS distinguishes groundfish fishery shall begin paying NMFS Alaska Region administers the between two types of ex-vessel value: non-pollock groundfish fishery program IFQ Program in the North Pacific. The Actual and standard. Actual ex-vessel fees at the revised rate. IFQ Program is a limited access system value is the amount of all compensation, authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens monetary or non-monetary, that an IFQ Fee collection and submission shall Fishery Conservation and Management permit holder received as payment for follow previously established methods Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the his or her IFQ fish sold. Standard ex- in § 600.1013 of the framework rule and Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. vessel value is the default value used to in the final fee rule published in the Fishing under the IFQ Program began in calculate the fee. IFQ permit holders Federal Register on September 24, 2007 March 1995. Regulations implementing have the option of using actual ex-vessel (72 FR 54219). the IFQ Program are set forth at 50 CFR value if they can satisfactorily document Authority: The authority for this action is part 679. it; otherwise, the standard ex-vessel Public Law 108–447, 16 U.S.C. 1861a (b–e), In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act value is used. and 50 CFR 600.1000 et seq. was amended to, among other purposes, Section 679.45(b)(3)(iii) requires the require the Secretary of Commerce to Regional Administrator to publish IFQ Dated: December 3, 2018. ‘‘collect a fee to recover the actual costs standard prices during the last quarter Brian Pawlak, directly related to the management and of each calendar year. These standard CFO/CAO Director, Office of Management enforcement of any . . . individual prices are used, along with estimates of and Budget, National Marine Fisheries quota program.’’ This requirement was IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings, Service. further amended in 2006 to include to calculate standard ex-vessel values. [FR Doc. 2018–26884 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am] collection of the actual costs of data The standard prices are described in BILLING CODE 3510–22–P collection, and to replace the reference U.S. dollars per IFQ equivalent pound to ‘‘individual quota program’’ with a for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 more general reference to ‘‘limited landings made during the year. access privilege program’’ at section According to § 679.2, IFQ equivalent 304(d)(2)(A). Section 304(d)(2) of the pound(s) means the weight amount, Magnuson-Stevens Act also specifies an recorded in pounds, and calculated as upper limit on these fees, when the fees round weight for sablefish and headed must be collected, and where the fees and gutted weight for halibut, for an IFQ must be deposited. landing. The weight of halibut in VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:39 Dec 11, 2018 Jkt 247001 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1


Document Created: 2018-12-12 01:39:31
Document Modified: 2018-12-12 01:39:31
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
ActionNotice of fee rate adjustment.
DatesThe non-pollock groundfish program fee rate increase will begin with landings on and after January 1, 2019. The first due date for fee payments with the increased rate will be February 15, 2019.
ContactElaine Saiz, (301) 427-8752.
FR Citation83 FR 63833 
RIN Number0648-XG65
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