Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs, 73045-73048 [2014-28724]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 9, 2014 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Proposed Information Collection;
Comment Request; Coral Reef
Conservation Program Administration
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information
collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before February 9, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
Internet at JJessup@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument and instructions should be
directed to Jenny Waddell at (301) 563–
1150, or Jenny.Waddell@noaagov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
I. Abstract
This request is for extension of a
currently approved information
collection.
The Coral Reef Conservation Act of
2000 (Act) was enacted to provide a
framework for conserving coral reefs.
The Coral Reef Conservation Grant
Program, under the Act, provides funds
to broad-based applicants with
experience in coral reef conservation to
conduct activities to protect and
conserve coral reef ecosystems. The
information submitted by applicants is
used to determine if a proposed project
is consistent with the NOAA coral reef
conservation priorities and the priorities
of authorities with jurisdiction over the
area where the project will be carried
out. As part of the application, NOAA
requires a Data and Information Sharing
Plan in addition to the standard
required application materials.
II. Method of Collection
The information will be collected
electronically by email or by the secure
web based tool grants.gov.
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III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0448.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of a currently approved
information collection).
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; not-for-profit
institutions; state, local, or tribal
government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
35.
Estimated Time per Response: 2
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 70 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $35 in recording/reporting costs.
SUMMARY:
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the
proposed collection of information; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB
approval of this information collection;
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Background
NMFS Alaska Region administers the
halibut and sablefish individual fishing
quota (IFQ) program in the North
Pacific. The IFQ program is a limited
access system authorized by the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the
Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982.
Fishing under the IFQ program began in
March 1995. Regulations implementing
the IFQ program are set forth at 50 CFR
part 679.
In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act
was amended to, among other things,
require the Secretary of Commerce to
‘‘collect a fee to recover the actual costs
directly related to the management and
enforcement of any . . . individual
quota program.’’ This requirement was
further amended in 2006 to include
collection of the actual costs of data
collection, and to replace the reference
to ‘‘individual quota program’’ with a
more general reference to ‘‘limited
access privilege program’’ at section
304(d)(2)(A). This section of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act also specifies an
upper limit on these fees, when the fees
must be collected, and where the fees
must be deposited.
On March 20, 2000, NMFS published
regulations implementing the IFQ cost
recovery program (65 FR 14919), which
are set forth at § 679.45. Under the
regulations, an IFQ permit holder incurs
a cost recovery fee liability for every
pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish
that is landed on his or her IFQ
permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is
responsible for self-collecting the fee
liability for all IFQ halibut and IFQ
sablefish landings on his or her
permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also
responsible for submitting a fee liability
payment to NMFS on or before the due
date of January 31 of the year following
the year in which the IFQ landings were
made. The dollar amount of the fee due
Dated: December 3, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–28718 Filed 12–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–JE–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD639
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut
and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota
Cost Recovery Programs
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of standard prices
and fee percentage.
AGENCY:
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NMFS publishes individual
fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices and
fee percentage for the IFQ cost recovery
program in the halibut and sablefish
fisheries of the North Pacific. The fee
percentage for 2014 is 2.6%. This action
is intended to provide holders of halibut
and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2014
standard prices and fee percentage to
calculate the required payment for IFQ
cost recovery fees due by January 31,
2015.
DATES: Effective December 9, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Troie Zuniga, Fee Coordinator, 907–
586–7105.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 9, 2014 / Notices
is determined by multiplying the annual
IFQ fee percentage (3 percent or less) by
the ex-vessel value of all IFQ landings
made on a permit and summing the
totals of each permit (if more than one).
Standard Prices
The fee liability is based on the sum
of all payments made to fishermen for
the sale of the fish during the year. This
includes any retro-payments (e.g.,
bonuses, delayed partial payments,
post-season payments) made to the IFQ
permit holder for previously landed IFQ
halibut or sablefish.
For purposes of calculating IFQ cost
recovery fees, NMFS distinguishes
between two types of ex-vessel value:
Actual and standard. Actual ex-vessel
value is the amount of all compensation,
monetary or non-monetary, that an IFQ
permit holder received as payment for
his or her IFQ fish sold. Standard exvessel value is the default value on
which to base fee liability calculations.
IFQ permit holders have the option of
using actual ex-vessel value if they can
satisfactorily document it; otherwise,
the standard ex-vessel value is used.
Regulations at § 679.45(c)(2)(i) require
the Regional Administrator to publish
IFQ standard prices during the last
quarter of each calendar year. These
standard prices are used, along with
estimates of IFQ halibut and IFQ
sablefish landings, to calculate standard
values. The standard prices are
described in U.S. dollars per IFQ
equivalent pound for IFQ halibut and
IFQ sablefish landings made during the
year. IFQ equivalent pound(s) is the
weight (in pounds) for an IFQ landing,
calculated as the round weight for
sablefish, and headed and gutted net
weight for halibut. NMFS calculates the
standard prices to closely reflect the
variations in the actual ex-vessel values
of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish
landings by month and port or portgroup. The standard prices for IFQ
halibut and IFQ sablefish are listed in
the tables that follow the next section.
Data from ports are combined as
necessary to protect confidentiality.
Fee Percentage
Section 304(d)(2)(B) of the MagnusonStevens Act specifies a maximum fee of
3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish
harvested under an IFQ program. NMFS
annually sets a fee percentage for
halibut and sablefish IFQ holders that is
based on the actual annual costs
associated with certain management and
enforcement functions, as well as the
standard ex-vessel value of the catch
subject to the IFQ fee for the current
year. The method used by NMFS to
calculate the IFQ fee percentage is
described at § 679.45(d)(2)(ii).
Regulations at § 679.45(d)(3)(i) require
NMFS to publish the IFQ fee percentage
for the halibut and sablefish IFQ
fisheries in the Federal Register during
or before the last quarter of each year.
For the 2014 halibut and sablefish IFQ
fishing season, an IFQ permit holder is
to use a fee liability percentage of 2.6%
to calculate his or her fee for landed IFQ
in pounds. The IFQ permit holder is
responsible for submitting the fee
liability payment to NMFS on or before
January 31, 2015.
The 2014 fee liability percentage of
2.6% is a decrease of 0.2% from the
2013 fee liability of 2.8% (78 FR 77869,
December 4, 2013). The decrease in the
IFQ fee percentage in 2014 is due to an
increase in the total standard ex-vessel
value of the halibut and sablefish
fisheries as a result of significantly
higher ex-vessel prices which
compensated for the lower catch limits
in 2014. The NMFS management and
enforcement costs for the IFQ program
remained constant from 2013 to 2014.
REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2014 IFQ SEASON 1
Landing location
Period ending
Halibut
standard
ex-vessel price
Sablefish
standard
ex-vessel price
CORDOVA ....................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
........................
........................
6.49
........................
7.29
6.79
6.57
6.57
6.57
6.29
6.32
6.26
6.73
7.08
6.72
6.51
6.51
6.51
6.10
6.46
6.37
6.39
6.35
6.44
6.80
6.80
6.80
6.01
5.96
6.09
6.65
6.62
6.63
6.54
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.37
3.40
........................
3.68
3.66
3.66
3.66
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.20
3.34
3.61
3.57
4.06
3.97
HOMER ........................................................................
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
KETCHIKAN .................................................................
KODIAK ........................................................................
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 9, 2014 / Notices
73047
REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2014 IFQ SEASON 1—Continued
Period ending
Halibut
standard
ex-vessel price
Sablefish
standard
ex-vessel price
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
6.54
6.54
........................
........................
........................
6.52
6.85
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
7.72
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
6.92
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.97
3.97
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
Port group
Period ending
Halibut
standard
ex-vessel price
Sablefish
standard
ex-vessel price
BERING SEA 2 .............................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
November 30 ................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................
April 30 .........................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................
July 31 ..........................................................................
August 31 .....................................................................
September 30 ...............................................................
October 31 ....................................................................
........................
........................
5.36
5.56
5.75
5.83
5.87
5.87
5.87
6.28
6.21
6.25
6.57
6.78
6.63
6.48
6.48
6.48
6.27
6.26
6.41
6.47
6.74
6.89
6.84
6.84
6.84
6.27
6.22
6.19
6.35
6.57
6.48
6.50
6.50
........................
........................
3.82
4.33
........................
4.49
3.99
3.99
3.99
3.25
3.29
3.40
3.52
3.55
3.84
3.82
3.82
3.82
3.64
3.31
3.51
3.76
3.70
3.92
4.00
4.00
4.00
3.57
3.32
3.44
3.68
3.68
3.99
3.92
3.92
Landing location
PETERSBURG .............................................................
SEWARD ......................................................................
YAKUTAT .....................................................................
CENTRAL GULF 3 ........................................................
..................................................................................
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SOUTHEAST 4 ..............................................................
ALL 5 .............................................................................
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 9, 2014 / Notices
Port group
Halibut
standard
ex-vessel price
Period ending
November 30 ................................................................
Sablefish
standard
ex-vessel price
6.50
3.92
1. Note:
In many instances prices have not been reported to comply with confidentiality guidelines that prevent price reports when there are
fewer than three processors operating in a location during a month.
2. Landing locations Within Port Group—Bering Sea: Adak, Akutan, Akutan Bay, Atka, Bristol Bay, Chefornak, Dillingham, Captains Bay, Dutch
Harbor, Egegik, Ikatan Bay, Hooper Bay, King Cove, King Salmon, Kipnuk, Mekoryuk, Naknek, Nome, Quinhagak, Savoonga, St. George, St.
Lawrence, St. Paul, Togiak, Toksook Bay, Tununak, Beaver Inlet, Ugadaga Bay, Unalaska.
3. Landing Locations Within Port Group—Central Gulf of Alaska: Anchor Point, Anchorage, Alitak, Chignik, Cordova, Eagle River, False Pass,
West Anchor Cove, Girdwood, Chinitna Bay, Halibut Cove, Homer, Kasilof, Kenai, Kenai River, Alitak, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski, Ninilchik, Old
Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia, Resurrection Bay, Seward, Valdez, Whittier.
4. Landing Locations Within Port Group—Southeast Alaska: Angoon, Baranof Warm Springs, Craig, Edna Bay, Elfin Cove, Excursion Inlet,
Gustavus, Haines, Hollis, Hoonah, Hyder, Auke Bay, Douglas, Tee Harbor, Juneau, Kake, Ketchikan, Klawock, Metlakatla, Pelican, Petersburg,
Portage Bay, Port Alexander, Port Graham, Port Protection, Point Baker, Sitka, Skagway, Tenakee Springs, Thorne Bay, Wrangell, Yakutat.
5. Landing Locations Within Port Group—All: For Alaska: All landing locations included in 2, 3, and 4. For California: Eureka, Fort Bragg, Other
California. For Oregon: Astoria, Aurora, Lincoln City, Newport, Warrenton, Other Oregon. For Washington: Anacortes, Bellevue, Bellingham,
Nagai Island, Edmonds, Everett, Granite Falls, Ilwaco, La Conner, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Ranier, Fox Island, Mercer Island, Seattle, Standwood, Other Washington. For Canada: Port Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver, Haines Junction, Other Canada.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 3, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–28724 Filed 12–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD531
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to Rocky Intertidal
Monitoring Surveys Along the Oregon
and California Coasts
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of an incidental
harassment authorization.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) regulations, notification is
hereby given that NMFS has issued an
Incidental Harassment Authorization
(IHA) to the Partnership for
Interdisciplinary Study of Coastal
Oceans (PISCO) at the University of
California (UC) Santa Cruz for an
Incidental Harassment Authorization
(IHA) to take marine mammals, by
harassment, incidental to rocky
intertidal monitoring surveys.
DATES: Effective December 17, 2014,
through December 16, 2015.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the authorization,
application, and associated
Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) may be obtained by writing to
Jolie Harrison, Chief, Permits and
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SUMMARY:
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Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910,
telephoning the contact listed below
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT),
or visiting the internet at: https://
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/
incidental.htm. Documents cited in this
notice may also be viewed, by
appointment, during regular business
hours, at the aforementioned address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert Pauline, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the
MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct
the Secretary of Commerce to allow,
upon request, the incidental, but not
intentional, taking of small numbers of
marine mammals by U.S. citizens who
engage in a specified activity (other than
commercial fishing) within a specified
geographical region if certain findings
are made and either regulations are
issued or, if the taking is limited to
harassment, a notice of a proposed
authorization is provided to the public
for review.
Authorization for incidental takings
shall be granted if NMFS finds that the
taking will have a negligible impact on
the species or stock(s), will not have an
unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of the species or stock(s) for
subsistence uses (where relevant), and if
the permissible methods of taking, other
means of effecting the least practicable
impact on the species or stock and its
habitat, and requirements pertaining to
the mitigation, monitoring and reporting
of such takings are set forth. NMFS has
defined ‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 CFR
216.103 as ‘‘. . . an impact resulting
from the specified activity that cannot
be reasonably expected to, and is not
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reasonably likely to, adversely affect the
species or stock through effects on
annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’
Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA
established an expedited process by
which citizens of the United States can
apply for an authorization to
incidentally take small numbers of
marine mammals by harassment.
Section 101(a)(5)(D) establishes a 45-day
time limit for NMFS review of an
application followed by a 30-day public
notice and comment period on any
proposed authorizations for the
incidental harassment of marine
mammals. Within 45 days of the close
of the comment period, NMFS must
either issue or deny the authorization.
Except with respect to certain activities
not pertinent here, the MMPA defines
‘‘harassment’’ as: ‘‘any act of pursuit,
torment, or annoyance which (i) has the
potential to injure a marine mammal or
marine mammal stock in the wild [Level
A harassment]; or (ii) has the potential
to disturb a marine mammal or marine
mammal stock in the wild by causing
disruption of behavioral patterns,
including, but not limited to, migration,
breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or
sheltering [Level B harassment].’’
Summary of Request
On July 30, 2014, NMFS received an
application from PISCO for the taking of
marine mammals incidental to rocky
intertidal monitoring surveys along the
Oregon and California coasts. NMFS
determined that the application was
adequate and complete on August 22,
2014. On October 8, 2014, we published
a notice in the Federal Register of our
proposal to issue an IHA with
preliminary determinations and
explained the basis for the proposal and
preliminary determinations (78 FR
64918). The notice initiated a 30-day
public comment period. Responses are
discussed below. In December 2012,
NMFS issued a 1-year IHA to PISCO to
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 236 (Tuesday, December 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73045-73048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28724]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD639
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North
Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery
Programs
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of standard prices and fee percentage.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS publishes individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices
and fee percentage for the IFQ cost recovery program in the halibut and
sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. The fee percentage for 2014
is 2.6%. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and
sablefish IFQ permits with the 2014 standard prices and fee percentage
to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by
January 31, 2015.
DATES: Effective December 9, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Troie Zuniga, Fee Coordinator, 907-
586-7105.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS Alaska Region administers the halibut and sablefish individual
fishing quota (IFQ) program in the North Pacific. The IFQ program is a
limited access system authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Northern
Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. Fishing under the IFQ program began in
March 1995. Regulations implementing the IFQ program are set forth at
50 CFR part 679.
In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act was amended to, among other
things, require the Secretary of Commerce to ``collect a fee to recover
the actual costs directly related to the management and enforcement of
any . . . individual quota program.'' This requirement was further
amended in 2006 to include collection of the actual costs of data
collection, and to replace the reference to ``individual quota
program'' with a more general reference to ``limited access privilege
program'' at section 304(d)(2)(A). This section of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act also specifies an upper limit on these fees, when the fees must be
collected, and where the fees must be deposited.
On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations implementing the IFQ
cost recovery program (65 FR 14919), which are set forth at Sec.
679.45. Under the regulations, an IFQ permit holder incurs a cost
recovery fee liability for every pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish
that is landed on his or her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is
responsible for self-collecting the fee liability for all IFQ halibut
and IFQ sablefish landings on his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit
holder is also responsible for submitting a fee liability payment to
NMFS on or before the due date of January 31 of the year following the
year in which the IFQ landings were made. The dollar amount of the fee
due
[[Page 73046]]
is determined by multiplying the annual IFQ fee percentage (3 percent
or less) by the ex-vessel value of all IFQ landings made on a permit
and summing the totals of each permit (if more than one).
Standard Prices
The fee liability is based on the sum of all payments made to
fishermen for the sale of the fish during the year. This includes any
retro-payments (e.g., bonuses, delayed partial payments, post-season
payments) made to the IFQ permit holder for previously landed IFQ
halibut or sablefish.
For purposes of calculating IFQ cost recovery fees, NMFS
distinguishes between two types of ex-vessel value: Actual and
standard. Actual ex-vessel value is the amount of all compensation,
monetary or non-monetary, that an IFQ permit holder received as payment
for his or her IFQ fish sold. Standard ex-vessel value is the default
value on which to base fee liability calculations. IFQ permit holders
have the option of using actual ex-vessel value if they can
satisfactorily document it; otherwise, the standard ex-vessel value is
used.
Regulations at Sec. 679.45(c)(2)(i) require the Regional
Administrator to publish IFQ standard prices during the last quarter of
each calendar year. These standard prices are used, along with
estimates of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings, to calculate
standard values. The standard prices are described in U.S. dollars per
IFQ equivalent pound for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made
during the year. IFQ equivalent pound(s) is the weight (in pounds) for
an IFQ landing, calculated as the round weight for sablefish, and
headed and gutted net weight for halibut. NMFS calculates the standard
prices to closely reflect the variations in the actual ex-vessel values
of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings by month and port or port-
group. The standard prices for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish are listed
in the tables that follow the next section. Data from ports are
combined as necessary to protect confidentiality.
Fee Percentage
Section 304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies a
maximum fee of 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish harvested under
an IFQ program. NMFS annually sets a fee percentage for halibut and
sablefish IFQ holders that is based on the actual annual costs
associated with certain management and enforcement functions, as well
as the standard ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the IFQ fee for
the current year. The method used by NMFS to calculate the IFQ fee
percentage is described at Sec. 679.45(d)(2)(ii).
Regulations at Sec. 679.45(d)(3)(i) require NMFS to publish the
IFQ fee percentage for the halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries in the
Federal Register during or before the last quarter of each year. For
the 2014 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing season, an IFQ permit holder
is to use a fee liability percentage of 2.6% to calculate his or her
fee for landed IFQ in pounds. The IFQ permit holder is responsible for
submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS on or before January 31,
2015.
The 2014 fee liability percentage of 2.6% is a decrease of 0.2%
from the 2013 fee liability of 2.8% (78 FR 77869, December 4, 2013).
The decrease in the IFQ fee percentage in 2014 is due to an increase in
the total standard ex-vessel value of the halibut and sablefish
fisheries as a result of significantly higher ex-vessel prices which
compensated for the lower catch limits in 2014. The NMFS management and
enforcement costs for the IFQ program remained constant from 2013 to
2014.
Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2014 IFQ Season \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut Sablefish
Landing location Period ending standard ex- standard ex-
vessel price vessel price
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORDOVA....................................... March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... 6.49 ..............
June 30......................... .............. ..............
July 31......................... 7.29 ..............
August 31....................... 6.79 ..............
September 30.................... 6.57 ..............
October 31...................... 6.57 ..............
November 30..................... 6.57 ..............
HOMER......................................... March 31........................ 6.29 ..............
April 30........................ 6.32 ..............
May 31.......................... 6.26 3.37
June 30......................... 6.73 3.40
July 31......................... 7.08 ..............
August 31....................... 6.72 3.68
September 30.................... 6.51 3.66
October 31...................... 6.51 3.66
November 30..................... 6.51 3.66
KETCHIKAN..................................... March 31........................ 6.10 ..............
April 30........................ 6.46 ..............
May 31.......................... 6.37 ..............
June 30......................... 6.39 ..............
July 31......................... 6.35 ..............
August 31....................... 6.44 ..............
September 30.................... 6.80 ..............
October 31...................... 6.80 ..............
November 30..................... 6.80 ..............
KODIAK........................................ March 31........................ 6.01 ..............
April 30........................ 5.96 3.20
May 31.......................... 6.09 3.34
June 30......................... 6.65 3.61
July 31......................... 6.62 3.57
August 31....................... 6.63 4.06
September 30.................... 6.54 3.97
[[Page 73047]]
October 31...................... 6.54 3.97
November 30..................... 6.54 3.97
PETERSBURG.................................... March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
June 30......................... 6.52 ..............
July 31......................... 6.85 ..............
August 31....................... .............. ..............
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
SEWARD........................................ March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
June 30......................... .............. ..............
July 31......................... 7.72 ..............
August 31....................... .............. ..............
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
YAKUTAT....................................... March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
June 30......................... .............. ..............
July 31......................... 6.92 ..............
August 31....................... .............. ..............
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut Sablefish
Port group Period ending standard ex- standard ex-
vessel price vessel price
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BERING SEA \2\................................ March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... 5.36 3.82
June 30......................... 5.56 4.33
July 31......................... 5.75 ..............
August 31....................... 5.83 4.49
September 30.................... 5.87 3.99
October 31...................... 5.87 3.99
November 30..................... 5.87 3.99
CENTRAL GULF \3\.............................. March 31........................ 6.28 3.25
April 30........................ 6.21 3.29
May 31.......................... 6.25 3.40
June 30......................... 6.57 3.52
July 31......................... 6.78 3.55
August 31....................... 6.63 3.84
September 30.................... 6.48 3.82
October 31...................... 6.48 3.82
November 30..................... 6.48 3.82
SOUTHEAST \4\................................. March 31........................ 6.27 3.64
April 30........................ 6.26 3.31
May 31.......................... 6.41 3.51
June 30......................... 6.47 3.76
July 31......................... 6.74 3.70
August 31....................... 6.89 3.92
September 30.................... 6.84 4.00
October 31...................... 6.84 4.00
November 30..................... 6.84 4.00
ALL \5\....................................... March 31........................ 6.27 3.57
April 30........................ 6.22 3.32
May 31.......................... 6.19 3.44
June 30......................... 6.35 3.68
July 31......................... 6.57 3.68
August 31....................... 6.48 3.99
September 30.................... 6.50 3.92
October 31...................... 6.50 3.92
[[Page 73048]]
November 30..................... 6.50 3.92
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1.\ Note: In many instances prices have not been reported to comply with confidentiality guidelines that
prevent price reports when there are fewer than three processors operating in a location during a month.
\2.\ Landing locations Within Port Group_Bering Sea: Adak, Akutan, Akutan Bay, Atka, Bristol Bay, Chefornak,
Dillingham, Captains Bay, Dutch Harbor, Egegik, Ikatan Bay, Hooper Bay, King Cove, King Salmon, Kipnuk,
Mekoryuk, Naknek, Nome, Quinhagak, Savoonga, St. George, St. Lawrence, St. Paul, Togiak, Toksook Bay, Tununak,
Beaver Inlet, Ugadaga Bay, Unalaska.
\3.\ Landing Locations Within Port Group_Central Gulf of Alaska: Anchor Point, Anchorage, Alitak, Chignik,
Cordova, Eagle River, False Pass, West Anchor Cove, Girdwood, Chinitna Bay, Halibut Cove, Homer, Kasilof,
Kenai, Kenai River, Alitak, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski, Ninilchik, Old Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia,
Resurrection Bay, Seward, Valdez, Whittier.
\4.\ Landing Locations Within Port Group_Southeast Alaska: Angoon, Baranof Warm Springs, Craig, Edna Bay, Elfin
Cove, Excursion Inlet, Gustavus, Haines, Hollis, Hoonah, Hyder, Auke Bay, Douglas, Tee Harbor, Juneau, Kake,
Ketchikan, Klawock, Metlakatla, Pelican, Petersburg, Portage Bay, Port Alexander, Port Graham, Port
Protection, Point Baker, Sitka, Skagway, Tenakee Springs, Thorne Bay, Wrangell, Yakutat.
\5.\ Landing Locations Within Port Group_All: For Alaska: All landing locations included in 2, 3, and 4. For
California: Eureka, Fort Bragg, Other California. For Oregon: Astoria, Aurora, Lincoln City, Newport,
Warrenton, Other Oregon. For Washington: Anacortes, Bellevue, Bellingham, Nagai Island, Edmonds, Everett,
Granite Falls, Ilwaco, La Conner, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Ranier, Fox Island, Mercer
Island, Seattle, Standwood, Other Washington. For Canada: Port Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver,
Haines Junction, Other Canada.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 3, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-28724 Filed 12-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
