Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Prohibited Species Donation Program, 33526-33528 [2014-13599]

Download as PDF 33526 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 112 / Wednesday, June 11, 2014 / Notices fishery that operates throughout its range; (4) the best available information indicates that abundance is naturally low and variable across the species’ range, with reports of localized population declines but also evidence of stable and/or increasing abundance estimates; (5) based on the ERA’s assessment, the current population size, while it has likely declined from historical numbers, is sufficient to maintain population viability into the foreseeable future; (6) the main threat to the species is fishery-related mortality from global fisheries; however, information on harvest rates is inconclusive due to poor species discrimination and significant uncertainties in the data, with the best available information indicating low utilization of the species (rare in fisheries records and minor component of illegal fin hauls); (7) there is no evidence that disease or predation is contributing to increasing the risk of extinction of the species; (8) existing regulatory mechanisms throughout the species’ range appear effective in addressing the most important threats to the species (harvest), but it is unknown if they will remain so if harvest increases because many of the regulations are not specific to hammerhead shark utilization; and, (9) while the global population has likely declined from historical numbers, there is no evidence that the species is currently suffering from depensatory processes (such as reduced likelihood of finding a mate or mate choice or diminished fertilization and recruitment success) or is at risk of extinction due to environmental variation or anthropogenic perturbations. Based on these findings, we conclude that the great hammerhead shark is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range nor is it likely to become so within the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the great hammerhead shark does not meet the definition of a threatened or endangered species and our listing determination is that the great hammerhead shark does not warrant listing as threatened or endangered at this time. ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES References A complete list of all references cited herein is available upon request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Authority The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:19 Jun 10, 2014 Jkt 232001 Dated: June 5, 2014. Samuel D. Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2014–13621 Filed 6–10–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XD299 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Prohibited Species Donation Program National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; selection of an authorized distributor. AGENCY: NMFS announces the renewal of permits to SeaShare, authorizing this organization to distribute Pacific salmon and Pacific halibut to economically disadvantaged individuals under the prohibited species donation (PSD) program. Salmon and halibut are caught incidentally during directed fishing for groundfish with trawl gear off Alaska. This action is necessary to comply with provisions of the PSD program and is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. DATES: The permits are effective from June 11, 2014 through June 12, 2017. ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the PSD permits for salmon and halibut prepared for this action may be obtained from the Alaska Region Web site at https:// www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Ellgen, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in the exclusive economic zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) is managed by NMFS in accordance with the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). These fishery management plans (FMPs) were prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing the Alaska groundfish fisheries and implementing the FMPs appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. Fishing for halibut in waters in and off Alaska is governed by the Convention between the United States and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (Convention). The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) promulgates regulations pursuant to the Convention. The IPHC’s regulations are subject to approval by the Secretary of State with concurrence from the Secretary of Commerce. After approval by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, the IPHC regulations are published in the Federal Register as annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62. Amendments 26 and 29 to the BSAI and GOA FMPs, respectively, authorize a salmon donation program and were approved by NMFS on July 10, 1996; a final rule implementing this program was published in the Federal Register on July 24, 1996 (61 FR 38358). The salmon donation program was expanded to include halibut as part of the PSD program under Amendments 50 and 50 to the FMPs that were approved by NMFS on May 6, 1998. A final rule implementing Amendments 50 and 50 was published in the Federal Register on June 12, 1998 (63 FR 32144). Although that final rule contained a sunset provision for the halibut PSD program of December 31, 2000, the halibut PSD program was permanently extended under a final rule published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2000 (65 FR 78119). A full description of, and background information on, the PSD program may be found in the preambles to the proposed rules for Amendments 26 and 29, and Amendments 50 and 50 (61 FR 24750, May 16, 1996, and 63 FR 10583, March 4, 1998, respectively). Regulations at § 679.26 authorize the voluntary distribution of salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska to economically disadvantaged individuals by tax-exempt organizations through an authorized distributor. The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), may select one or more tax-exempt organizations to be authorized distributors, as defined by § 679.2, based on the information submitted by applicants under § 679.26. After review of qualified applicants, NMFS must announce the selection of each authorized distributor in the Federal Register and issue one or more E:\FR\FM\11JNN1.SGM 11JNN1 33527 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 112 / Wednesday, June 11, 2014 / Notices PSD permits to each selected distributor. Renewal of Permits to SeaShare Currently, SeaShare, a tax-exempt organization, is the sole authorized distributor of salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska. SeaShare’s current salmon and halibut PSD permits became effective July 8, 2011, and authorize SeaShare to participate in the PSD program through July 8, 2014 (76 FR 40336, July 8, 2011). On May 19, 2014, the Regional Administrator received two applications from SeaShare to renew its salmon and halibut PSD permits. The Regional Administrator reviewed the applications and determined that they are complete and that SeaShare continues to meet the requirements for an authorized distributor under the PSD program. As required by § 679.26(b)(2), the Regional Administrator based his selection on the following criteria: 1. The number and qualifications of applicants for PSD permits. Seashare is the only applicant for PSD permits at this time. NMFS has previously approved applications submitted by SeaShare. As of the date of this notice, no other applications have been approved by NMFS. SeaShare has been coordinating the distribution of salmon taken incidentally in trawl fisheries since 1993, and of halibut taken incidentally in trawl fisheries since 1998, under exempted fishing permits from 1993 to 1996 and under the PSD program since 1996. SeaShare employs independent seafood quality control experts to ensure product quality is maintained by cold storage facilities and common carriers servicing the areas where salmon and halibut donations would take place. 2. The number of harvesters and the quantity of fish that applicants can effectively administer. Current participants in the salmon donation program administered by SeaShare include: 15 shoreside processors and 137 catcher vessels delivering to shoreside processors; 30 catcher/ processors; and 3 motherships and 15 catcher vessels delivering to motherships, with 12 vessels delivering to both shoreside and motherships. Fifteen shoreside processors and 137 catcher vessels participate in the halibut donation program administered by SeaShare. Two reprocessing plants that generate steaked salmon and halibut participate in the PSD program. SeaShare has the capacity to receive and distribute salmon and halibut from up to 60 processors and the associated catcher vessels. Therefore, it is anticipated that SeaShare has more than adequate capacity for any foreseeable expansion of donations. In 2011, participation in the PSD program expanded beyond the BSAI to include GOA processors and vessels. Table 1 shows the total pounds of headed-and-gutted and steaked salmon and halibut donated to food bank organizations from 2011 to 2013. NMFS does not have information to convert accurately the net weights of salmon and halibut to numbers of salmon and numbers of halibut. TABLE 1—HEADED-AND-GUTTED (H&G) AND STEAKED SALMON AND HALIBUT DONATED TO FOOD BANK ORGANIZATIONS [pounds] 2011 Salmon H&G ................................................................................................................................ Salmon steaked ........................................................................................................................... Halibut H&G ................................................................................................................................. Halibut steaked ............................................................................................................................ 3. The anticipated level of salmon and halibut incidental catch based on salmon and halibut incidental catch from previous years. The incidental catch of salmon and incidental catch mortality of halibut in the GOA and 2012 0 252,427 0 17,715 2013 30,582 83,845 3,663 5,414 534 349,235 30,824 15,002 BSAI trawl fisheries are shown in Table 2. TABLE 2—INCIDENTAL CATCH OF SALMON AND INCIDENTAL CATCH MORTALITY OF HALIBUT IN THE GOA AND BSAI TRAWL FISHERIES [in number of fish or metric tons] Area fishery 2011 2012 BSAI Trawl Chinook Salmon Incidental Catch ..................................................... BSAI Trawl Other Salmon Incidental Catch .......................................................... GOA Trawl Chinook Salmon Incidental Catch ...................................................... GOA Trawl Other Salmon Incidental Catch .......................................................... BSAI Trawl Halibut Mortality ................................................................................. GOA Trawl Halibut Mortality ................................................................................. 25,499 fish ............ 192,904 fish .......... 21,712 fish ............ 2,647 fish .............. 2,447 mt ................ 1,856 mt ................ 11,352 fish ............ 24,318 fish ............ 22,581 fish ............ 1,006 fish .............. 2,905 mt ................ 1,713 mt ................ 2013 13,036 fish. 126,980 fish. 23,892 fish. 5,475 fish. 2,876 mt. 1,226 mt. ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES mt = metric tons. Halibut incidental catch amounts are constrained by an annual prohibited species catch (PSC) limit in the BSAI and GOA. Future halibut incidental catch levels likely will be similar to those experienced from 2011 to 2013. Chinook salmon PSC limits are established for the Bering Sea and central and western GOA pollock fisheries that, when attained, result in VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:19 Jun 10, 2014 Jkt 232001 the closure of pollock fishing. The Chinook salmon PSC limits for the Bering Sea pollock fisheries were established by Amendment 91 to the BSAI FMP (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010) and established for the central and western GOA pollock fisheries by Amendment 93 to the GOA FMP (77 FR 42629, July 20, 2012). In June and December 2013, the North Pacific PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Fishery Management Council recommended a suite of measures that would establish annual Chinook salmon PSC limits for the non-pollock trawl fisheries in the central and western GOA. Consequently, less salmon bycatch is expected in the GOA in the future. While salmon incidental catch amounts tend to vary between years, making it difficult to accurately predict E:\FR\FM\11JNN1.SGM 11JNN1 33528 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 112 / Wednesday, June 11, 2014 / Notices future incidental take amounts, the total, or maximum, amount of annual Chinook salmon incidental catch in the Bering Sea and GOA pollock fisheries is constrained by the PSC limits. 4. Number of vessels and processors participating in the PSD program. For the 2014 permit renewal, shoreside processors will remain at 15, and vessels delivering to shoreside processors will decrease from 137 to 132. Catcher/processors participating in the PSD program for salmon will increase slightly from 30 to 31 under the 2014 permit renewal. Catcher vessels delivering to motherships will remain at 15 vessels. NMFS issues PSD permits to SeaShare for a 3-year period unless the permits are suspended or revoked under § 679.26. The permits may not be transferred; however, they may be renewed following the application procedures in § 679.26. If the authorized distributor modifies the list of participants in the PSD program or delivery locations, the authorized distributor must submit a modified list of participants or a modified list of delivery locations to the Regional Administrator. These permits may be suspended, modified, or revoked under 15 CFR part 904 for violation of § 679.26 or other regulations in 50 CFR part 679. Classification This action is taken under § 679.26. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 108–447. Dated: June 6, 2014. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2014–13599 Filed 6–10–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request Corporation for National and Community Service. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has submitted a public information collection request (ICR) entitled Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Grant Application Instructions for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, with applicable ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:19 Jun 10, 2014 Jkt 232001 supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling the Corporation for National and Community Service, Gail Killeen 407–648–6118 or email to gkilleen@cns.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY–TDD) may call 1–800–833–3722 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted, identified by the title of the information collection activity, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service, by any of the following two methods within 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register: (1) By fax to: 202–395–6974, Attention: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service; or (2) By email to: smar@omb.eop.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB is particularly interested in comments which: • Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of CNCS, including whether the information will have practical utility; • Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; • Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and • Propose ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Agency Number: None. Affected Public: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Grant applicants. Total Respondents: 80. Frequency: One competition per year depending on appropriations. Average Time per Response: 11 hours. Estimated Total Burden Hours: 880 per application. Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None. Total Burden Cost (operating/ maintenance): None. Dated: June 4, 2014. Mike Berning, Director of Office of Field Liaison, CNCS. [FR Doc. 2014–13538 Filed 6–10–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6050–28–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary [Docket ID: DoD–2014–OS–0090] Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records Office of the Secretary of Defense, DoD. ACTION: Notice to add a System of Records. AGENCY: The Office of the Secretary of Defense is adding a system of records, DHRA 13 DoD, entitled ‘‘Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) Workforce Assessment,’’ to its inventory of record systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This system will be used to administer an assessment that will enable the analysis of workforce capabilities and competency gaps within the DTMO organization. The assessment will aid in identifying personnel with competencies necessary to manage programs assigned to the DTMO and meet organizational goals. Data collected will allow for the development of strategies to address human capital needs, close competency Comments gaps, and ensure personnel are A 60-day Notice requesting public appropriately aligned. comment was published in the Federal DATES: Comments will be accepted on or Register on November 26, 2013. This before July 11, 2014. This proposed comment period ended January 27, action will be effective the date 2014. No public comments were following the end of the comment received from this Notice. Description: CNCS is seeking approval period unless comments are received of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service which result in a contrary determination. Grant Application Instructions which are used by applicants to submit an ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, application for funding. identified by docket number and title, Type of Review: Renewal. by any of the following methods: Agency: Corporation for National and * Federal Rulemaking Portal: https:// Community Service. www.regulations.gov. Follow the Title: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of instructions for submitting comments. Service Grant Application Instructions. * Mail: Federal Docket Management OMB Number: 3045–0110. System Office, 4800 Mark Center Drive, PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\11JNN1.SGM 11JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33526-33528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13599]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD299


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Prohibited 
Species Donation Program

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

ACTION: Notice; selection of an authorized distributor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the renewal of permits to SeaShare, authorizing 
this organization to distribute Pacific salmon and Pacific halibut to 
economically disadvantaged individuals under the prohibited species 
donation (PSD) program. Salmon and halibut are caught incidentally 
during directed fishing for groundfish with trawl gear off Alaska. This 
action is necessary to comply with provisions of the PSD program and is 
intended to promote the goals and objectives of the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council.

DATES: The permits are effective from June 11, 2014 through June 12, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the PSD permits for salmon and halibut 
prepared for this action may be obtained from the Alaska Region Web 
site at https://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Ellgen, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in the exclusive economic 
zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) and 
Gulf of Alaska (GOA) is managed by NMFS in accordance with the Fishery 
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Management Area (BSAI FMP) and the Fishery Management Plan for 
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). These fishery management 
plans (FMPs) were prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing the Alaska groundfish 
fisheries and implementing the FMPs appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. 
Fishing for halibut in waters in and off Alaska is governed by the 
Convention between the United States and Canada for the Preservation of 
the Halibut Fishery of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea 
(Convention). The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) 
promulgates regulations pursuant to the Convention. The IPHC's 
regulations are subject to approval by the Secretary of State with 
concurrence from the Secretary of Commerce. After approval by the 
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, the IPHC regulations 
are published in the Federal Register as annual management measures 
pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
    Amendments 26 and 29 to the BSAI and GOA FMPs, respectively, 
authorize a salmon donation program and were approved by NMFS on July 
10, 1996; a final rule implementing this program was published in the 
Federal Register on July 24, 1996 (61 FR 38358). The salmon donation 
program was expanded to include halibut as part of the PSD program 
under Amendments 50 and 50 to the FMPs that were approved by NMFS on 
May 6, 1998. A final rule implementing Amendments 50 and 50 was 
published in the Federal Register on June 12, 1998 (63 FR 32144). 
Although that final rule contained a sunset provision for the halibut 
PSD program of December 31, 2000, the halibut PSD program was 
permanently extended under a final rule published in the Federal 
Register on December 14, 2000 (65 FR 78119). A full description of, and 
background information on, the PSD program may be found in the 
preambles to the proposed rules for Amendments 26 and 29, and 
Amendments 50 and 50 (61 FR 24750, May 16, 1996, and 63 FR 10583, March 
4, 1998, respectively).
    Regulations at Sec.  679.26 authorize the voluntary distribution of 
salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the groundfish trawl fisheries 
off Alaska to economically disadvantaged individuals by tax-exempt 
organizations through an authorized distributor. The Administrator, 
Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), may select one or more 
tax-exempt organizations to be authorized distributors, as defined by 
Sec.  679.2, based on the information submitted by applicants under 
Sec.  679.26. After review of qualified applicants, NMFS must announce 
the selection of each authorized distributor in the Federal Register 
and issue one or more

[[Page 33527]]

PSD permits to each selected distributor.

Renewal of Permits to SeaShare

    Currently, SeaShare, a tax-exempt organization, is the sole 
authorized distributor of salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the 
groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska. SeaShare's current salmon and 
halibut PSD permits became effective July 8, 2011, and authorize 
SeaShare to participate in the PSD program through July 8, 2014 (76 FR 
40336, July 8, 2011).
    On May 19, 2014, the Regional Administrator received two 
applications from SeaShare to renew its salmon and halibut PSD permits. 
The Regional Administrator reviewed the applications and determined 
that they are complete and that SeaShare continues to meet the 
requirements for an authorized distributor under the PSD program. As 
required by Sec.  679.26(b)(2), the Regional Administrator based his 
selection on the following criteria:
    1. The number and qualifications of applicants for PSD permits. 
Seashare is the only applicant for PSD permits at this time. NMFS has 
previously approved applications submitted by SeaShare. As of the date 
of this notice, no other applications have been approved by NMFS. 
SeaShare has been coordinating the distribution of salmon taken 
incidentally in trawl fisheries since 1993, and of halibut taken 
incidentally in trawl fisheries since 1998, under exempted fishing 
permits from 1993 to 1996 and under the PSD program since 1996. 
SeaShare employs independent seafood quality control experts to ensure 
product quality is maintained by cold storage facilities and common 
carriers servicing the areas where salmon and halibut donations would 
take place.
    2. The number of harvesters and the quantity of fish that 
applicants can effectively administer. Current participants in the 
salmon donation program administered by SeaShare include: 15 shoreside 
processors and 137 catcher vessels delivering to shoreside processors; 
30 catcher/processors; and 3 motherships and 15 catcher vessels 
delivering to motherships, with 12 vessels delivering to both shoreside 
and motherships. Fifteen shoreside processors and 137 catcher vessels 
participate in the halibut donation program administered by SeaShare. 
Two reprocessing plants that generate steaked salmon and halibut 
participate in the PSD program. SeaShare has the capacity to receive 
and distribute salmon and halibut from up to 60 processors and the 
associated catcher vessels. Therefore, it is anticipated that SeaShare 
has more than adequate capacity for any foreseeable expansion of 
donations.
    In 2011, participation in the PSD program expanded beyond the BSAI 
to include GOA processors and vessels. Table 1 shows the total pounds 
of headed-and-gutted and steaked salmon and halibut donated to food 
bank organizations from 2011 to 2013. NMFS does not have information to 
convert accurately the net weights of salmon and halibut to numbers of 
salmon and numbers of halibut.

       Table 1--Headed-and-Gutted (H&G) and Steaked Salmon and Halibut Donated to Food Bank Organizations
                                                    [pounds]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       2011            2012            2013
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salmon H&G......................................................               0          30,582             534
Salmon steaked..................................................         252,427          83,845         349,235
Halibut H&G.....................................................               0           3,663          30,824
Halibut steaked.................................................          17,715           5,414          15,002
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. The anticipated level of salmon and halibut incidental catch 
based on salmon and halibut incidental catch from previous years. The 
incidental catch of salmon and incidental catch mortality of halibut in 
the GOA and BSAI trawl fisheries are shown in Table 2.

     Table 2--Incidental Catch of Salmon and Incidental Catch Mortality of Halibut in the GOA and BSAI Trawl
                                                    Fisheries
                                       [in number of fish or metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Area fishery                      2011                       2012                       2013
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BSAI Trawl Chinook Salmon        25,499 fish..............  11,352 fish..............  13,036 fish.
 Incidental Catch.
BSAI Trawl Other Salmon          192,904 fish.............  24,318 fish..............  126,980 fish.
 Incidental Catch.
GOA Trawl Chinook Salmon         21,712 fish..............  22,581 fish..............  23,892 fish.
 Incidental Catch.
GOA Trawl Other Salmon           2,647 fish...............  1,006 fish...............  5,475 fish.
 Incidental Catch.
BSAI Trawl Halibut Mortality...  2,447 mt.................  2,905 mt.................  2,876 mt.
GOA Trawl Halibut Mortality....  1,856 mt.................  1,713 mt.................  1,226 mt.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mt = metric tons.

    Halibut incidental catch amounts are constrained by an annual 
prohibited species catch (PSC) limit in the BSAI and GOA. Future 
halibut incidental catch levels likely will be similar to those 
experienced from 2011 to 2013. Chinook salmon PSC limits are 
established for the Bering Sea and central and western GOA pollock 
fisheries that, when attained, result in the closure of pollock 
fishing. The Chinook salmon PSC limits for the Bering Sea pollock 
fisheries were established by Amendment 91 to the BSAI FMP (75 FR 
53026, August 30, 2010) and established for the central and western GOA 
pollock fisheries by Amendment 93 to the GOA FMP (77 FR 42629, July 20, 
2012). In June and December 2013, the North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council recommended a suite of measures that would establish annual 
Chinook salmon PSC limits for the non-pollock trawl fisheries in the 
central and western GOA. Consequently, less salmon bycatch is expected 
in the GOA in the future. While salmon incidental catch amounts tend to 
vary between years, making it difficult to accurately predict

[[Page 33528]]

future incidental take amounts, the total, or maximum, amount of annual 
Chinook salmon incidental catch in the Bering Sea and GOA pollock 
fisheries is constrained by the PSC limits.
    4. Number of vessels and processors participating in the PSD 
program. For the 2014 permit renewal, shoreside processors will remain 
at 15, and vessels delivering to shoreside processors will decrease 
from 137 to 132. Catcher/processors participating in the PSD program 
for salmon will increase slightly from 30 to 31 under the 2014 permit 
renewal. Catcher vessels delivering to motherships will remain at 15 
vessels.
    NMFS issues PSD permits to SeaShare for a 3-year period unless the 
permits are suspended or revoked under Sec.  679.26. The permits may 
not be transferred; however, they may be renewed following the 
application procedures in Sec.  679.26.
    If the authorized distributor modifies the list of participants in 
the PSD program or delivery locations, the authorized distributor must 
submit a modified list of participants or a modified list of delivery 
locations to the Regional Administrator.
    These permits may be suspended, modified, or revoked under 15 CFR 
part 904 for violation of Sec.  679.26 or other regulations in 50 CFR 
part 679.

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec.  679.26.

     Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.; 
Pub. L. 108-447.

    Dated: June 6, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-13599 Filed 6-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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