[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 24800-24802] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-11429] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 50 CFR Parts 672 and 675 [Docket No. 95031062-5121-02; I.D. 021695C] RIN 0648-AH40 Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Revised Product Recovery Rate
Agency
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
Action
Final rule.
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Summary
NMFS announces approval of a regulatory amendment to revise the standard product recovery rate for pollock, deep skin fillets, and product code 24. The revision is necessary to respond to new information on the current recovery rate achieved by the groundfish processing industry for this product type. This action is intended to further the objectives of the fishery management plans (FMPs) for the groundfish fisheries off Alaska.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 9, 1995.
Addresses
Copies of the environmental assessment/regulatory impact review (EA/RIR) may be obtained from the Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Gravel.
For Further Information Contact
Ronald J. Berg, 907-586-7228.
Supplementary Information
Background
Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in the exclusive economic zone of the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area is managed by NMFS according to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and the FMP for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area. The FMPs were prepared
by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act and are implemented by regulations governing the U.S. groundfish fisheries at 50 CFR parts 672 and 675. General regulations that also pertain to U.S. fisheries appear at 50 CFR part 620. Regulations at Secs. 672.20(j) and 675.20(k) establish standard product types and standard product recovery rates (PRRs) for groundfish harvested and processed off Alaska. This rule revises the pollock deep skin fillet PRR from the current standard of 0.13 to a new standard of 0.16. An explanation of, and reasons for, this amendment are contained in a notice of proposed rulemaking (60 FR 13106, March 10, 1995). That document invited comments through April 10, 1995. One letter of comment was received. It is summarized and responded to in the Comments Received section, below.
Changes in the Final Rule From the Proposed Rule
None.
Comments Received
NMFS received one letter of comment on the proposed rule. This comment supported the proposed action. Comment 1. The standard product recovery rate for pollock deep skin fillets should be revised from 0.13 to 0.16. Response. NMFS concurs in this comment. Classification The Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Regulation of the Department of Commerce certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration that this rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The following is a summary of information, on which this certification was based:
A Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) was prepared for rulemaking that implemented standard product recovery rates for groundfish products produced off Alaska. Based on the FRFA, it was determined that the standard product recovery rates would have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Nonetheless, although this particular regulatory amendment would affect a substantial number of harvesting vessels, which are considered small entities, the effects on those vessels would not result in a reduction in annual gross revenues by more than 5 percent, annual compliance costs of more than 5 percent, or compliance costs of least 10 percent higher as a percent of sales for large entities.
A copy of the EA/RIR/FRFA prepared for the final rule that implemented standard product recovery rates for groundfish products produced off Alaska may be obtained from the Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (see ADDRESSES). This final rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of E.O. 12866.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Parts 672 and 675
Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: May 3, 1995. Gary Matlock, Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR parts 672 and 675 are amended as follows:
PART 672--GROUNDFISH FISHERY OF THE GULF OF ALASKA
1. The authority citation for part 672 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
2. In Sec. 672.20, paragraph (i)(3) table, entry 24 is revised, and in Table 1 to Sec. 672.20 Product Codes 15 through 32 are amended by revising the entry for pollock to read as follows:
Sec. 672.20 General limitations.
* * * * * (i) * * * (3) * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Standard Product product code Product description recovery rate ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * * * * * 24...... Deep skin fillets................................... 0.16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * *
Table 1 to Sec. 672.20 (continued).--Target Species Categories, Product Codes and Descriptions, and Standard Product Recovery Rates for Groundfish Species Referenced in 50 CFR 672.20(a)(1) and/or 675.20(a)(1) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Product code ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 22 FMP species 15 Fillets: 21 Fillets: 23 24 Species Pectoral 16 17 18 19 With Fillets: With Fillets: Fillets: 30 31 32 Meal code girdle Heads Cheeks Chins Belly skin and Skin on ribs on Skinless/ Deep Surimi Mince ribs no ribs no skin bonesless skin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * * * Pollock........... 270 0.15 0.35 0.30 0.30 0.21 0.16 /1/0.16 0.22 0.17 /2/0.17 * * * * * * * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\Standard pollock surimi rate during January through June. \2\Standard pollock surimi rate during July through September.
PART 675--GROUNDFISH FISHERY OF THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AREA
3. The authority citation for part 675 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
4. In Sec. 675.20, paragraph (j)(3) table, entry 24 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 675.20 General limitations.
* * * * * (j) * * * (3) * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Standard Product product code Product description recovery rate ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * * * * * 24...... Deep skin fillets................................... 0.16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * [FR Doc. 95-11429 Filed 5-9-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-W