Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Trawl Rationalization Program; 2015 Cost Recovery, 78400-78402 [2014-30488]
Download as PDF
78400
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices
Dated: December 19, 2014.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Appendix—Scope of Investigation
The scope of this investigation is passenger
vehicle and light truck tires. Passenger
vehicle and light truck tires are new
pneumatic tires, of rubber, with a passenger
vehicle or light truck size designation. Tires
covered by this investigation may be tubetype, tubeless, radial, or non-radial, and they
may be intended for sale to original
equipment manufacturers or the replacement
market.
Subject tires have, at the time of
importation, the symbol ‘‘DOT’’ on the
sidewall, certifying that the tire conforms to
applicable motor vehicle safety standards.
Subject tires may also have the following
prefixes or suffix in their tire size
designation, which also appears on the
sidewall of the tire:
Prefix designations:
P—Identifies a tire intended primarily for
service on passenger cars
LT—Identifies a tire intended primarily for
service on light trucks
Suffix letter designations:
LT—Identifies light truck tires for service on
trucks, buses, trailers, and multipurpose
passenger vehicles used in nominal
highway service
All tires with a ‘‘P’’ or ‘‘LT’’ prefix, and all
tires with an ‘‘LT’’ suffix in their sidewall
markings are covered by this investigation
regardless of their intended use.
In addition, all tires that lack a ‘‘P’’ or ‘‘LT’’
prefix or suffix in their sidewall markings, as
well as all tires that include any other prefix
or suffix in their sidewall markings, are
included in the scope, regardless of their
intended use, as long as the tire is of a size
that is among the numerical size designations
listed in the passenger car section or light
truck section of the Tire and Rim Association
Year Book, as updated annually, unless the
tire falls within one of the specific exclusions
set out below.
Passenger vehicle and light truck tires,
whether or not attached to wheels or rims,
are included in the scope. However, if a
subject tire is imported attached to a wheel
or rim, only the tire is covered by the scope.
Specifically excluded from the scope of
this investigation are the following types of
tires:
(1) racing car tires; such tires do not bear
the symbol ‘‘DOT’’ on the sidewall and may
be marked with ‘‘ZR’’ in size designation;
(2) new pneumatic tires, of rubber, of a size
that is not listed in the passenger car section
or light truck section of the Tire and Rim
Association Year Book;
(3) pneumatic tires, of rubber, that are not
new, including recycled and retreaded tires;
(4) non-pneumatic tires, such as solid
rubber tires;
(5) tires designed and marketed exclusively
as temporary use spare tires for passenger
vehicles which, in addition, exhibit each of
the following physical characteristics:
(a) the size designation and load index
combination molded on the tire’s sidewall
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21:42 Dec 29, 2014
Jkt 235001
are listed in Table PCT–1B (‘‘T’’ Type Spare
Tires for Temporary Use on Passenger
Vehicles) of the Tire and Rim Association
Year Book,
(b) the designation ‘‘T’’ is molded into the
tire’s sidewall as part of the size designation,
and,
(c) the tire’s speed rating is molded on the
sidewall, indicating the rated speed in MPH
or a letter rating as listed by Tire and Rim
Association Year Book, and the rated speed
is 81 MPH or a ‘‘M’’ rating;
(6) tires designed and marketed exclusively
for specialty tire (ST) use which, in addition,
exhibit each of the following physical
characteristics: *
(a) the size designation molded on the
tire’s sidewall is listed in the ST sections of
the Tire and Rim Association Year Book,
(b) the designation ‘‘ST’’ is molded into the
tire’s sidewall as part of the size designation,
(c) the tire incorporates a warning,
prominently molded on the sidewall, that the
tire is ‘‘For Trailer Service Only’’ or ‘‘For
Trailer Use Only’’,
(d) the load index molded on the tire’s
sidewall meets or exceeds those load indexes
listed in the Tire and Rim Association Year
Book for the relevant ST tire size, and
(e) the tire’s speed rating is molded on the
sidewall, indicating the rated speed in MPH
or a letter rating as listed by TRA, and the
rated speed does not exceed 81 MPH or an
‘‘M’’ rating;
(7) tires designed and marketed exclusively
for off-road use and which, in addition,
exhibit each of the following physical
characteristics:
(a) the size designation and load index
combination molded on the tire’s sidewall
are listed in the off-the-road, agricultural,
industrial or ATV section of the Tire and Rim
Association Year Book,
(b) in addition to any size designation
markings, the tire incorporates a warning,
prominently molded on the sidewall, that the
tire is ‘‘Not For Highway Service’’ or ‘‘Not for
Highway Use’’,
(c) the tire’s speed rating is molded on the
sidewall, indicating the rated speed in MPH
or a letter rating as listed by the Tire and Rim
Association Year Book, and the rated speed
does not exceed 55 MPH or a ‘‘G’’ rating, and
(d) the tire features a recognizable off-road
tread design.
The products covered by the investigation
are currently classified under the following
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States (HTSUS) subheadings: 4011.10.10.10,
4011.10.10.20, 4011.10.10.30, 4011.10.10.40,
4011.10.10.50, 4011.10.10.60, 4011.10.10.70,
4011.10.50.00, 4011.20.10.05, and
4011.20.50.10. Tires meeting the scope
description may also enter under the
following HTSUS subheadings:
4011.99.45.10, 4011.99.45.50, 4011.99.85.10,
4011.99.85.50, 8708.70.45.45, 8708.70.45.60,
8708.70.60.30, 8708.70.60.45, and
8708.70.60.60. While HTSUS subheadings
are provided for convenience and for
* We are currently suspending requirements (6)(d)
and (e); therefore, tires entered, or withdrawn from
warehouse for consumption that meet exclusion
requirements (6)(a)–(c) above are excluded from the
scope of this investigation.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
customs purposes, the written description of
the subject merchandise is dispositive.
[FR Doc. 2014–30544 Filed 12–29–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD691
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery;
Trawl Rationalization Program; 2015
Cost Recovery
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; 2015 cost recovery fee
percentages and mothership (MS)
pricing.
AGENCY:
This action provides
participants in the Pacific coast
groundfish trawl rationalization
program with the 2015 fee percentages
and MS pricing needed to calculate the
required payments for cost recovery fees
due in 2015.
For calendar year 2015, NMFS
announces the following fee percentages
by sector: 3.0 percent for the Shorebased
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program,
1.2 percent for the MS Coop Program,
0.0 percent for the Catcher Processor (C/
P) Coop Program.
For 2015, the MS pricing to be used
as a proxy by the C/P Coop Program is:
$0.13/lb for Pacific whiting.
DATES: Effective January 1, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher Biegel, Cost Recovery
Program Coordinator, (503) 231–6291,
fax (503) 872–2737, email
Christopher.Biegel@NOAA.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(MSA) requires NMFS to collect fees to
recover the costs directly related to the
management, data collection, and
enforcement of a limited access
privilege program (LAPP) (16 U.S.C.
1854(d)(2)), also called ‘‘cost recovery.’’
The Pacific coast groundfish trawl
rationalization program is a LAPP,
implemented in 2011, and consists of
three sectors: the Shorebased IFQ
Program, the MS Coop Program, and the
C/P Coop Program. In accordance with
the MSA, and based on a recommended
structure and methodology developed in
coordination with the Pacific Fishery
Management Council, NMFS collects
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices
mandatory fees of up to three percent of
the ex-vessel value of groundfish by
sector (Shorebased IFQ Program, MS
Coop Program, and C/P Coop Program).
NMFS collects the fees to recover the
incremental costs of management, data
collection, and enforcement of the trawl
rationalization program. Beginning in
January 2014, NMFS implemented cost
recovery for the trawl rationalization
program. Additional background can be
found in the cost recovery proposed and
final rules, 78 FR 7371 (February 1,
2013) and 78 FR 75268 (December 11,
2013), respectively. The details of cost
recovery for the groundfish trawl
rationalization program are in regulation
at 50 CFR 660.115 (trawl fishery cost
recovery program), § 660.140
(Shorebased IFQ Program), § 660.150
(MS Coop Program), and § 660.160 (C/P
Coop Program).
The cost recovery program regulations
require NMFS to announce, in a Federal
Register document, the next year’s
applicable fee percentages and the
applicable MS pricing for the C/P Coop
Program. NMFS calculates and
announces the fee percentage after each
fiscal year ends, and before the fee
would go into effect on January 1 of the
following year. NMFS calculated the fee
percentages by sector using the best
available information. For 2015, the fee
percentages by sector, which must not
exceed three percent of the ex-vessel
value of fish harvested, are:
• 3.0 percent for the Shorebased IFQ
Program,
• 1.2 percent for the MS Coop
Program,
• 0.0 percent for the C/P Coop
Program.
To calculate the fee percentages,
NMFS used the formula specified in
regulation at § 660.115(b)(1), where the
fee percentage by sector equals the
lower of three percent or direct program
costs (DPC) for that sector divided by
total ex-vessel value (V) for that sector
multiplied by 100.
‘‘DPC’’, as defined in the regulations
at § 660.115(b)(1)(i), are the actual
incremental costs for the previous fiscal
year directly related to the management,
data collection, and enforcement of each
sector (Shorebased IFQ Program, MS
Coop Program, and C/P Coop Program).
Actual incremental costs means those
net costs that would not have been
incurred but for the implementation of
the trawl rationalization program,
including both increased costs for new
requirements of the program and
reduced costs resulting from any
program efficiencies. Similar to 2014,
NMFS only included the cost of
employees’ time (salary and benefits)
spent working on the program in
calculating DPC rather than all
incremental costs of management, data
collection, and enforcement.
‘‘V’’, as specified at § 660.115(b)(1)(ii),
is the total ex-vessel value for each
sector from the previous calendar year.
The ex-vessel value for each sector is
further described in the definition
section at § 660.111, and includes the
total ex-vessel value for all groundfish
species. For 2015, NMFS used the exvessel value for 2013 as reported in
Pacific Fisheries Information Network
(PacFIN) from electronic fish tickets to
determine V. The electronic fish ticket
data in PacFIN is for the Shorebased IFQ
Program. Therefore, the ex-vessel value
for both the MS Coop Program and the
C/P Coop Program is a proxy based on
the Shorebased IFQ Program ex-vessel
price and on the retained catch
estimates (weight) from the observer
data for the MS and C/P Coop Programs.
Due to fluctuations in actual ex-vessel
values and amounts landed, the amount
NMFS collects each year in cost
recovery fees can be over or under
NMFS’ costs from the previous fiscal
year. Accordingly, the cost recovery
regulations at § 660.115(b)(1)(i) state
that if the amount of fees collected by
NMFS is greater or less than the actual
net incremental costs incurred, the DPC
will be adjusted accordingly for the
calculation of the fee percentage in the
following year. For the IFQ and MS
sectors, NMFS estimates the total fees
that will be collected based on the
collections up to the date of
determination, as landings data have not
been finalized when an adjustment is
determined. However, NMFS has final
data on the pounds of Pacific whiting
harvested by the C/P Coop Program for
2014 and the price per pound that the
C/P Coop Program participants used to
calculate their 2014 fee (i.e., $ 0.14 per
pound as the ‘‘MS pricing’’ for 2014
reported in 78 FR 75268, 12/11/2013).
With these data, NMFS can determine
the fees that should be collected from C/
P Coop Program participants. An
adjustment ensures that the aggregate
fees being collected are appropriate. In
2014 it is estimated that both the MS
Coop and C/P Coop fisheries will have
remitted fee amounts greater than the
FY 2013 DPC used to calculate the 2014
fee percentages. As such the 2015 DPC
will be adjusted as follows:
FY 2013 DPC
used for 2014
calculation
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Shorebased IFQ Program ...............................................................................................
MS Coop Program ...........................................................................................................
C/P Coop Program ..........................................................................................................
The DPC used to calculate the 2015
fee percentage for the Shorebased IFQ
Program was already above the 3
percent cap before the adjustment and
therefore the adjustment for 2015 would
have no effect on the 2015 fee
percentage and is not included. The
adjustments for the MS Coop Program
and C/P Coop program are included,
and reduce the DPC values shown
below in the fee percentage calculations
for those two sectors.
The adjustment in the C/P Coop
program costs shows that NMFS
anticipates collecting $15,295.71 more
than the adjusted costs in 2014 resulting
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:42 Dec 29, 2014
Jkt 235001
$1,877,752.00
274,936.05
176,460.05
in a fee percentage of -0.1. Because a fee
percentage cannot be negative, NMFS is
setting the 2015 C/P Coop program cost
recovery fee at 0.0 percent and will
deduct $15,295.71 from the 2015 DPC to
adjust the 2016 fee percentage. The
calculations, using the adjusted DPCs as
described above, are as follows:
Shorebased IFQ Program—3.0% = the
lower of 3% or ($2,028,859.04/
$51,557,998) × 100
MS Coop Program—1.2% = the lower of
3% or ($233,300.78/$14,759,147) ×
100
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
78401
2014 Fees
collected
$1,356,285.28
331,004.07
350,387.25
Adjustment for
2015
N/A
($56,068.02)
($173,927.20)
C/P Coop Program— ¥0.1% = the lower
of 3% or ($¥15,295.71/$22,233,966) ×
100.
MS pricing is the MS Coop Program’s
average price per pound from the
previous complete calendar year. The
MS pricing will be used by the C/P
Coop Program to determine their fee
amount due (MS pricing multiplied by
the value of the aggregate pounds of all
groundfish species harvested by the
vessel registered to a C/P-endorsed
limited entry trawl permit, multiplied
by the C/P fee percentage, equals the fee
amount due). Similar to 2014, MS
pricing for cost recovery is based on the
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
78402
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
average price per pound of Pacific
whiting as reported in PacFIN from the
Shorebased IFQ Program. For 2015 MS
pricing, NMFS used data from calendar
year 2013. In other words, data from the
IFQ fishery is used as a proxy for the MS
average price per pound to determine
the ‘‘MS pricing’’ used in the
calculation for the C/P sector’s fee
amount due. In future years, NMFS may
use values derived from those reported
on the MS Coop Program cost recovery
form from the previous calendar year,
depending on what NMFS determines is
the best information available. NMFS
has calculated the 2015 MS pricing to be
used as a proxy by the C/P Coop
Program as: $0.13/lb for Pacific whiting.
Cost recovery fees are submitted to
NMFS by Fish buyers via Pay.gov
(https://www.pay.gov/paygov/). Fish
buyers registered with Pay.gov can login
in the upper left-hand corner of the
screen. Fish buyers not registered with
Pay.gov can go to the cost recovery
forms directly from the Web site below.
Click on the link to Pacific Coast
Groundfish Cost Recovery for your
sector (IFQ, MS, or C/P): https://
pay.gov/public/search/
global?searchString
=+groundfish+cost+recovery
&formToken=6c80d7e6-a44c-4e9f-a4cceb7aa5000820.
As stated in the preamble to the cost
recovery proposed and final rules, in the
spring of each year, NMFS will release
an annual report documenting the
details and data used for the above
calculations. The report will include
information such as the fee percentage
calculation, program costs, and exvessel value by sector. The annual
report for fishing year 2013 and
calculation for 2014 is available at:
https://
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/
publications/fishery_management/
trawl_program/analytical%20docs/cost_
recovery_annual_report_01.pdf.
The annual report for fishing year
2014 and calculation for 2015 will be
made available to the public
electronically via the NMFS West Coast
Region Groundfish Web site: https://
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/
fisheries/groundfish_catch_shares/
index.html.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 23, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–30488 Filed 12–24–14; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:42 Dec 29, 2014
Jkt 235001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Dated: December 22, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–30413 Filed 12–29–14; 8:45 am]
RIN 0648–XD686
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council; Public Meetings
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice of public meetings.
The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (NPFMC) will
hold a Crab Modeling Workshop and a
Crab Plan Team meeting. The workshop
will be held January 13–15, 2015 with
a Crab Plan Team meeting January 16,
2015.
SUMMARY:
The workshop will be held
January 13–15, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. each day; The Crab Plan Team
meeting will be held January 16, 2015,
from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
DATES:
Both meetings will be held
at the Alaska Fishery Science Center
AFSC, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Bldg
4, Traynor Room, Seattle, WA.
Council address: North Pacific
Fishery Management Council, 605 W.
4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK
99501–2252.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diana Stram; telephone: (907)271–2809.
The
agenda includes:
Modeling Workshop: Work session on
the development of the generic crab
modeling framework (Gmacs). Goals are
to communicate with and receive
feedback from stock assessment authors
on the development and application of
the modeling framework for BSAI crab
stocks. The Crab Plan Team meeting
will review the stock assessment for
Norton Sound Red King Crab and
recommend the Overfishing Levels
(OFL) and Acceptable Biological Catch
(ABC) for 2015/16.
The Agenda is subject to change, and
the latest version will be posted at
https://www.npfmc.org.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Gail Bendixen at
(907) 271–2809 at least 7 working days
prior to the meeting date.
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 4703
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD662
Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico and
South Atlantic; Southeast Data,
Assessment, and Review (SEDAR);
Public Meetings
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 39 assessment
webinars for HMS Smoothhound
Sharks.
AGENCY:
The SEDAR 39 assessment of
HMS Smoothhound Sharks will consist
of a series of webinars. This notice is for
a webinar associated with the
Assessment portion of the SEDAR
process. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
DATES: The assessment webinar for
SEDAR 39 will be held on Friday,
January 16, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 12
p.m., central time.
ADDRESSES:
Meeting address: The meeting will be
held via webinar. The webinar is open
to the public. Those interested in
participating should contact Julie A.
Neer at SEDAR (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT below) to request
an invitation providing webinar access
information. Please request webinar
invitations at least 24 hours in advance
of each webinar.
SEDAR address: 4055 Faber Place
Drive, Suite 201, N. Charleston, SC
29405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie
A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; phone:
(843) 571–4366; email: julie.neer@
safmc.net.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf
of Mexico, South Atlantic, and
Caribbean Fishery Management
Councils, in conjunction with NOAA
Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf
States Marine Fisheries Commissions,
have implemented the Southeast Data,
Assessment and Review (SEDAR)
process, a multi-step method for
determining the status of fish stocks in
the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a multistep process including: (1) Data
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78400-78402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30488]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD691
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Trawl Rationalization Program; 2015
Cost Recovery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; 2015 cost recovery fee percentages and mothership (MS)
pricing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This action provides participants in the Pacific coast
groundfish trawl rationalization program with the 2015 fee percentages
and MS pricing needed to calculate the required payments for cost
recovery fees due in 2015.
For calendar year 2015, NMFS announces the following fee
percentages by sector: 3.0 percent for the Shorebased Individual
Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program, 1.2 percent for the MS Coop Program, 0.0
percent for the Catcher Processor (C/P) Coop Program.
For 2015, the MS pricing to be used as a proxy by the C/P Coop
Program is: $0.13/lb for Pacific whiting.
DATES: Effective January 1, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Biegel, Cost Recovery
Program Coordinator, (503) 231-6291, fax (503) 872-2737, email
Christopher.Biegel@NOAA.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson[hyphen]Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (MSA) requires NMFS to collect fees to
recover the costs directly related to the management, data collection,
and enforcement of a limited access privilege program (LAPP) (16 U.S.C.
1854(d)(2)), also called ``cost recovery.'' The Pacific coast
groundfish trawl rationalization program is a LAPP, implemented in
2011, and consists of three sectors: the Shorebased IFQ Program, the MS
Coop Program, and the C/P Coop Program. In accordance with the MSA, and
based on a recommended structure and methodology developed in
coordination with the Pacific Fishery Management Council, NMFS collects
[[Page 78401]]
mandatory fees of up to three percent of the ex[hyphen]vessel value of
groundfish by sector (Shorebased IFQ Program, MS Coop Program, and C/P
Coop Program). NMFS collects the fees to recover the incremental costs
of management, data collection, and enforcement of the trawl
rationalization program. Beginning in January 2014, NMFS implemented
cost recovery for the trawl rationalization program. Additional
background can be found in the cost recovery proposed and final rules,
78 FR 7371 (February 1, 2013) and 78 FR 75268 (December 11, 2013),
respectively. The details of cost recovery for the groundfish trawl
rationalization program are in regulation at 50 CFR 660.115 (trawl
fishery cost recovery program), Sec. 660.140 (Shorebased IFQ Program),
Sec. 660.150 (MS Coop Program), and Sec. 660.160 (C/P Coop Program).
The cost recovery program regulations require NMFS to announce, in
a Federal Register document, the next year's applicable fee percentages
and the applicable MS pricing for the C/P Coop Program. NMFS calculates
and announces the fee percentage after each fiscal year ends, and
before the fee would go into effect on January 1 of the following year.
NMFS calculated the fee percentages by sector using the best available
information. For 2015, the fee percentages by sector, which must not
exceed three percent of the ex-vessel value of fish harvested, are:
3.0 percent for the Shorebased IFQ Program,
1.2 percent for the MS Coop Program,
0.0 percent for the C/P Coop Program.
To calculate the fee percentages, NMFS used the formula specified
in regulation at Sec. 660.115(b)(1), where the fee percentage by
sector equals the lower of three percent or direct program costs (DPC)
for that sector divided by total ex-vessel value (V) for that sector
multiplied by 100.
``DPC'', as defined in the regulations at Sec. 660.115(b)(1)(i),
are the actual incremental costs for the previous fiscal year directly
related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of each
sector (Shorebased IFQ Program, MS Coop Program, and C/P Coop Program).
Actual incremental costs means those net costs that would not have been
incurred but for the implementation of the trawl rationalization
program, including both increased costs for new requirements of the
program and reduced costs resulting from any program efficiencies.
Similar to 2014, NMFS only included the cost of employees' time (salary
and benefits) spent working on the program in calculating DPC rather
than all incremental costs of management, data collection, and
enforcement.
``V'', as specified at Sec. 660.115(b)(1)(ii), is the total ex-
vessel value for each sector from the previous calendar year. The ex-
vessel value for each sector is further described in the definition
section at Sec. 660.111, and includes the total ex-vessel value for
all groundfish species. For 2015, NMFS used the ex-vessel value for
2013 as reported in Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) from
electronic fish tickets to determine V. The electronic fish ticket data
in PacFIN is for the Shorebased IFQ Program. Therefore, the ex-vessel
value for both the MS Coop Program and the C/P Coop Program is a proxy
based on the Shorebased IFQ Program ex-vessel price and on the retained
catch estimates (weight) from the observer data for the MS and C/P Coop
Programs.
Due to fluctuations in actual ex-vessel values and amounts landed,
the amount NMFS collects each year in cost recovery fees can be over or
under NMFS' costs from the previous fiscal year. Accordingly, the cost
recovery regulations at Sec. 660.115(b)(1)(i) state that if the amount
of fees collected by NMFS is greater or less than the actual net
incremental costs incurred, the DPC will be adjusted accordingly for
the calculation of the fee percentage in the following year. For the
IFQ and MS sectors, NMFS estimates the total fees that will be
collected based on the collections up to the date of determination, as
landings data have not been finalized when an adjustment is determined.
However, NMFS has final data on the pounds of Pacific whiting harvested
by the C/P Coop Program for 2014 and the price per pound that the C/P
Coop Program participants used to calculate their 2014 fee (i.e., $
0.14 per pound as the ``MS pricing'' for 2014 reported in 78 FR 75268,
12/11/2013). With these data, NMFS can determine the fees that should
be collected from C/P Coop Program participants. An adjustment ensures
that the aggregate fees being collected are appropriate. In 2014 it is
estimated that both the MS Coop and C/P Coop fisheries will have
remitted fee amounts greater than the FY 2013 DPC used to calculate the
2014 fee percentages. As such the 2015 DPC will be adjusted as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 DPC used
for 2014 2014 Fees Adjustment for
calculation collected 2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shorebased IFQ Program.................................... $1,877,752.00 $1,356,285.28 N/A
MS Coop Program........................................... 274,936.05 331,004.07 ($56,068.02)
C/P Coop Program.......................................... 176,460.05 350,387.25 ($173,927.20)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The DPC used to calculate the 2015 fee percentage for the
Shorebased IFQ Program was already above the 3 percent cap before the
adjustment and therefore the adjustment for 2015 would have no effect
on the 2015 fee percentage and is not included. The adjustments for the
MS Coop Program and C/P Coop program are included, and reduce the DPC
values shown below in the fee percentage calculations for those two
sectors.
The adjustment in the C/P Coop program costs shows that NMFS
anticipates collecting $15,295.71 more than the adjusted costs in 2014
resulting in a fee percentage of -0.1. Because a fee percentage cannot
be negative, NMFS is setting the 2015 C/P Coop program cost recovery
fee at 0.0 percent and will deduct $15,295.71 from the 2015 DPC to
adjust the 2016 fee percentage. The calculations, using the adjusted
DPCs as described above, are as follows:
Shorebased IFQ Program--3.0% = the lower of 3% or ($2,028,859.04/
$51,557,998) x 100
MS Coop Program--1.2% = the lower of 3% or ($233,300.78/$14,759,147) x
100
C/P Coop Program-- -0.1% = the lower of 3% or ($-15,295.71/$22,233,966)
x 100.
MS pricing is the MS Coop Program's average price per pound from
the previous complete calendar year. The MS pricing will be used by the
C/P Coop Program to determine their fee amount due (MS pricing
multiplied by the value of the aggregate pounds of all groundfish
species harvested by the vessel registered to a C/P-endorsed limited
entry trawl permit, multiplied by the C/P fee percentage, equals the
fee amount due). Similar to 2014, MS pricing for cost recovery is based
on the
[[Page 78402]]
average price per pound of Pacific whiting as reported in PacFIN from
the Shorebased IFQ Program. For 2015 MS pricing, NMFS used data from
calendar year 2013. In other words, data from the IFQ fishery is used
as a proxy for the MS average price per pound to determine the ``MS
pricing'' used in the calculation for the C/P sector's fee amount due.
In future years, NMFS may use values derived from those reported on the
MS Coop Program cost recovery form from the previous calendar year,
depending on what NMFS determines is the best information available.
NMFS has calculated the 2015 MS pricing to be used as a proxy by the C/
P Coop Program as: $0.13/lb for Pacific whiting.
Cost recovery fees are submitted to NMFS by Fish buyers via Pay.gov
(https://www.pay.gov/paygov/). Fish buyers registered with Pay.gov can
login in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. Fish buyers not
registered with Pay.gov can go to the cost recovery forms directly from
the Web site below. Click on the link to Pacific Coast Groundfish Cost
Recovery for your sector (IFQ, MS, or C/P): https://pay.gov/public/search/global?searchString=+groundfish+cost+recovery&formToken=6c80d7e6-a44c-4e9f-a4cc-eb7aa5000820.
As stated in the preamble to the cost recovery proposed and final
rules, in the spring of each year, NMFS will release an annual report
documenting the details and data used for the above calculations. The
report will include information such as the fee percentage calculation,
program costs, and ex-vessel value by sector. The annual report for
fishing year 2013 and calculation for 2014 is available at: https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/publications/fishery_management/trawl_program/analytical%20docs/cost_recovery_annual_report_01.pdf.
The annual report for fishing year 2014 and calculation for 2015
will be made available to the public electronically via the NMFS West
Coast Region Groundfish Web site: https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish_catch_shares/.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 23, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-30488 Filed 12-24-14; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P