Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs, 78172-78175 [2015-31624]
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78172
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / Notices
Service, Portland, Oregon, Tel: (503)
326–5290, Email: jennifer.woods@
trade.gov.
Jeffrey Goldberg, Industry & Analysis,
Office of Trade Promotion Programs,
Washington, DC, Tel: (202) 482–1706,
Email: jeffrey.goldberg@trade.gov.
Frank Spector,
Acting Director, Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2015–31584 Filed 12–15–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Limitation of Duty-Free Imports of
Apparel Articles Assembled in Haiti
Under the Caribbean Basin Economic
Recovery Act (CBERA), as Amended
by the Haitian Hemispheric
Opportunity Through Partnership
Encouragement Act (HOPE)
International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of Annual
Quantitative Limit on Imports of Certain
Apparel from Haiti.
AGENCY:
CBERA, as amended,
provides duty-free treatment for certain
apparel articles imported directly from
Haiti. One of the preferences is known
as the ‘‘value-added’’ provision, which
requires that apparel meet a minimum
threshold percentage of value added in
Haiti, the United States, and/or certain
beneficiary countries. The provision is
subject to a quantitative limitation,
which is calculated as a percentage of
total apparel imports into the United
States for each 12-month annual period.
For the annual period from December
20, 2015 through December 19, 2016,
the quantity of imports eligible for
preferential treatment under the valueadded provision is 350,962,661 square
meters equivalent.
DATED: Effective Date: December 20,
2015.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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Laurie Mease, International Trade
Specialist, Office of Textiles and
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce,
(202) 482–3400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: Section 213A of the Caribbean
Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C.
2703a)
(‘‘CBERA’’), as amended by the
Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity
through Partnership Encouragement Act
of 2006 (‘‘HOPE’’) (Title V of the Tax
Relief and Health Care Act of 2006), the
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Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity
through Partnership Encouragement Act
of 2008 (‘‘HOPE II’’) (Subtitle D of Title
XV of the Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008), the Haiti Economic
Lift Program Act of 2010 (‘‘HELP’’), and
the Trade Preferences Extension Act of
2015; and as implemented by
Presidential Proc. No. 8114, 72 FR
13655 (March 22, 2007), and No. 8596,
75 FR 68153 (November 4, 2010).
Background: Section 213A(b)(1)(B) of
CBERA, as amended (19 U.S.C.
2703a(b)(1)(B)), outlines the
requirements for certain apparel articles
imported directly from Haiti to qualify
for duty-free treatment under a ‘‘valueadded’’ provision. In order to qualify for
duty-free treatment, apparel articles
must be wholly assembled, or knit-toshape, in Haiti from any combination of
fabrics, fabric components, components
knit-to-shape, and yarns, as long as the
sum of the cost or value of materials
produced in Haiti or one or more
beneficiary countries, as described in
CBERA, as amended, or any
combination thereof, plus the direct
costs of processing operations
performed in Haiti or one or more
beneficiary countries, as described in
CBERA, as amended, or any
combination thereof, is not less than an
applicable percentage of the declared
customs value of such apparel articles.
Pursuant to CBERA, as amended, the
applicable percentage for the period
December 20, 2015 through December
19, 2016 is 55 percent. For every 12month period following the effective
date of CBERA, as amended, duty-free
treatment under the value-added
provision is subject to a quantitative
limitation. CBERA, as amended,
provides that the quantitative limitation
will be recalculated for each subsequent
12- month period. Section 213A
(b)(1)(C) of CBERA, as amended (19
U.S.C. 2703a(b)(1)(C)), requires that, for
the 12-month period beginning on
December 20, 2015, the quantitative
limitation for qualifying apparel
imported from Haiti under the valueadded provision will be an amount
equivalent to 1.25 percent of the
aggregate square meter equivalent of all
apparel articles imported into the
United States in the most recent 12month period for which data are
available. The aggregate square meters
equivalent of all apparel articles
imported into the United States is
derived from the set of Harmonized
System lines listed in the Annex to the
World Trade Organization Agreement
on Textiles and Clothing (‘‘ATC’’), and
the conversion factors for units of
measure into square meter equivalents
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used by the United States in
implementing the ATC. For purposes of
this notice, the most recent 12-month
period for which data are available as of
December 20, 2015 is the 12-month
period ending on October 31, 2015.
Therefore, for the one-year period
beginning on December 20, 2015 and
extending through December 19, 2016,
the quantity of imports eligible for
preferential treatment under the valueadded provision is 350,962,661 square
meters equivalent. Apparel articles
entered in excess of these quantities will
be subject to otherwise applicable
tariffs.
Dated: December 10, 2015.
Joshua Teitelbaum,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles,
Consumer Goods and Materials.
[FR Doc. 2015–31598 Filed 12–15–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XE339
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: Notice of standard prices and
fee percentage.
AGENCY:
NMFS publishes individual
fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices and
fee percentage for cost recovery for the
IFQ Program for the halibut and
sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific
(IFQ Program). The fee percentage for
2015 is 3.0 percent. This action is
intended to provide holders of halibut
and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2015
standard prices and fee percentage to
calculate the required payment for IFQ
cost recovery fees due by January 31,
2016.
DATES: Effective December 16, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kristie Balovich, Fee Coordinator, 907–
586–7105.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
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
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / Notices
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 purposes,
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). Section 304(d)(2) 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 in § 679.45 implementing
cost recovery for the IFQ Program (65
FR 14919). 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 selfcollecting 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
IFQ fee liability payment(s) 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 total
dollar amount of the fee due is
determined by multiplying the NMFS
published fee percentage by the exvessel value of all IFQ landings made on
the permit(s) during the IFQ fishing
year. As required by regulations at
§ 679.45(d)(1) and (d)(3)(i), NMFS
publishes this notice of the fee
percentage for the halibut and sablefish
IFQ fisheries in the Federal Register
during or before the last quarter of each
year.
tkelley on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES
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,
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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 used to
calculate the fee liability. IFQ permit
holders have the option of using actual
ex-vessel value if they can satisfactorily
document it; otherwise, the standard exvessel value is used.
The regulation at § 679.45(b)(3)(iii)
requires 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
ex-vessel 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. According to § 679.2, IFQ
equivalent pound(s) means the weight
amount, recorded in pounds, and
calculated as round weight for sablefish
and headed and gutted weight for
halibut, for an IFQ landing. The weight
of halibut in pounds landed as guided
angler fish (GAF) is converted to IFQ
equivalent pound(s) as specified in
§ 300.65(c) of this title. 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
NMFS calculates the fee percentage
each year according to the factors and
methods described in Federal
regulations at § 679.45(d)(2). NMFS
determines the fee percentage that
applies to landings made in the
previous year by dividing the total costs
directly related to the management, data
collection, and enforcement of the IFQ
Program (management costs) during the
previous year by the total standard exvessel value of IFQ halibut and IFQ
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78173
sablefish landings made during the
previous year (fishery value). NMFS
captures the actual management costs
associated with certain management,
data collection, and enforcement
functions through an established
accounting system that allows staff to
track labor, travel, contracts, rent, and
procurement. NMFS calculates the
fishery value as described under the
section, Standard Prices.
Using the fee percentage formula
described above, the estimated
percentage of management costs to
fishery value for the 2015 calendar year
is 3.0 percent of the standard ex-vessel
value. An IFQ permit holder is to use
the fee liability percentage of 3.0
percent to calculate his or her fee for
IFQ equivalent pound(s) landed during
the 2015 halibut and sablefish IFQ
fishing season. An IFQ permit holder is
responsible for submitting the 2015 IFQ
fee liability payment to NMFS on or
before January 31, 2016. Payment must
be made in accordance with the
payment methods set forth in
679.45(a)(4). NMFS will no longer
accept credit card information by phone
or in-person for fee payments. NMFS
has determined that the practice of
accepting credit card information by
phone or in-person no longer meets
agency standards for protection of
personal financial information.
The 2015 fee liability percentage of
3.0 percent is an increase of 0.4 percent
from the 2014 fee liability of 2.6 percent
(79 FR 73045, December 9, 2014). The
change in the fee percentage between
2014 and 2015 can be attributed to a
23.5 percent increase in management
costs. NMFS, the Alaska Department of
Fish and Game (ADF&G), and the
International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC) incurred higher
costs in 2015 due to addition of staff
(NOAA Office of Law Enforcement),
additional costs to maintain the
interagency Internet-based landings
system used for the IFQ Program (NMFS
and ADF&G), and increased costs for the
port sampling program (IPHC). The
value of halibut and sablefish harvests
under the IFQ Program also increased
by 4 percent from 2014 to 2015. This
increase in value of the fishery offset
some of the increase in management
costs, which limited the change in the
fee percentage between 2014 and 2015.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / Notices
TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2015 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 ...............................................................
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 ....................................................................
........................
........................
6.26
6.30
........................
7.22
6.80
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
6.58
6.56
6.63
6.85
6.86
6.79
6.79
6.79
........................
........................
6.48
6.45
6.46
6.50
6.57
7.04
7.04
7.04
........................
6.24
6.19
6.35
6.46
6.55
6.57
6.54
6.54
6.54
........................
........................
........................
6.49
6.58
6.54
6.79
6.84
6.84
6.84
........................
........................
4.91
5.79
5.39
5.59
6.00
5.75
5.75
5.75
........................
6.27
6.37
6.42
6.53
6.83
6.72
6.65
6.65
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.67
3.59
........................
4.14
3.71
3.71
3.71
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.58
3.56
3.50
3.98
3.92
3.81
3.81
3.81
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
2.75
3.68
2.87
3.10
3.28
3.28
3.28
........................
3.68
3.73
3.64
3.57
3.89
3.90
3.85
3.85
HOMER ........................................................................
KETCHIKAN .................................................................
KODIAK ........................................................................
PETERSBURG .............................................................
PORT GROUP BERING SEA 2 ....................................
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PORT GROUP CENTRAL GULF 3 ..............................
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / Notices
78175
TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2015 IFQ SEASON 1—
Continued
Period ending
Halibut
standard
ex-vessel price
Sablefish
Standard
Ex-vessel
price
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 ................................................................
6.65
........................
6.46
6.50
6.50
6.59
6.58
6.80
6.77
6.77
6.77
........................
6.41
6.37
6.38
6.33
6.55
6.54
6.52
6.52
6.52
3.85
........................
3.62
3.71
4.07
4.17
4.19
4.41
4.13
4.13
4.13
........................
3.63
3.72
3.77
3.77
3.79
3.89
3.91
3.91
3.91
Landing location
PORT GROUP SOUTHEAST 4 ....................................
ALL 5 .............................................................................
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 11, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–31624 Filed 12–15–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
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Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
The Department of Commerce will
submit to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for clearance the
following proposal for collection of
information under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35).
Agency: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Title:
OMB Control Number: 0648–0314.
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Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular (extension of
a currently approved information
collection).
Number of Respondents: 146.
Average Hours per Response: 1 hour
to designate a principal state fishery
official(s) or for a request to reinstate
authority; 80 hours for a nomination for
a Council appointment; 16 hours for
background documentation for
nominees.
Burden Hours: 4,607.
Needs and Uses: This request is for an
extension of a currently approved
information collection.
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), as amended in
1996, provides for the nomination for
members of Fishery Management
Councils by state governors and Indian
treaty tribes, for the designation of a
principal state fishery official who will
perform duties under the MagnusonStevens Act, and for a request by a state
for reinstatement of state authority over
a managed fishery. Nominees for
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council membership must provide the
governor or tribe with background
documentation, which is then submitted
to NOAA with the nomination. The
information submitted with these
actions will be used to ensure that the
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act are being met.
Affected Public: State, local and tribal
governments.
Frequency: Annually.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
This information collection request
may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow
the instructions to view Department of
Commerce collections currently under
review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to OIRA_Submission@
omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806.
E:\FR\FM\16DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78172-78175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31624]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE339
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: Notice of standard prices and fee percentage.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS publishes individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices
and fee percentage for cost recovery for the IFQ Program for the
halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific (IFQ Program). The
fee percentage for 2015 is 3.0 percent. This action is intended to
provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2015
standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment
for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2016.
DATES: Effective December 16, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristie Balovich, 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
[[Page 78173]]
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
purposes, 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). Section 304(d)(2) 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 in Sec. 679.45
implementing cost recovery for the IFQ Program (65 FR 14919). 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 IFQ fee liability payment(s) 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 total dollar amount of the fee
due is determined by multiplying the NMFS published fee percentage by
the ex-vessel value of all IFQ landings made on the permit(s) during
the IFQ fishing year. As required by regulations at Sec. 679.45(d)(1)
and (d)(3)(i), NMFS publishes this notice of the fee percentage for the
halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries in the Federal Register during or
before the last quarter of each year.
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 used to calculate the fee liability. 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.
The regulation at Sec. 679.45(b)(3)(iii) requires 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 ex-vessel 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. According to Sec. 679.2, IFQ equivalent
pound(s) means the weight amount, recorded in pounds, and calculated as
round weight for sablefish and headed and gutted weight for halibut,
for an IFQ landing. The weight of halibut in pounds landed as guided
angler fish (GAF) is converted to IFQ equivalent pound(s) as specified
in Sec. 300.65(c) of this title. 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
NMFS calculates the fee percentage each year according to the
factors and methods described in Federal regulations at Sec.
679.45(d)(2). NMFS determines the fee percentage that applies to
landings made in the previous year by dividing the total costs directly
related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of the IFQ
Program (management costs) during the previous year by the total
standard ex-vessel value of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made
during the previous year (fishery value). NMFS captures the actual
management costs associated with certain management, data collection,
and enforcement functions through an established accounting system that
allows staff to track labor, travel, contracts, rent, and procurement.
NMFS calculates the fishery value as described under the section,
Standard Prices.
Using the fee percentage formula described above, the estimated
percentage of management costs to fishery value for the 2015 calendar
year is 3.0 percent of the standard ex-vessel value. An IFQ permit
holder is to use the fee liability percentage of 3.0 percent to
calculate his or her fee for IFQ equivalent pound(s) landed during the
2015 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing season. An IFQ permit holder is
responsible for submitting the 2015 IFQ fee liability payment to NMFS
on or before January 31, 2016. Payment must be made in accordance with
the payment methods set forth in 679.45(a)(4). NMFS will no longer
accept credit card information by phone or in-person for fee payments.
NMFS has determined that the practice of accepting credit card
information by phone or in-person no longer meets agency standards for
protection of personal financial information.
The 2015 fee liability percentage of 3.0 percent is an increase of
0.4 percent from the 2014 fee liability of 2.6 percent (79 FR 73045,
December 9, 2014). The change in the fee percentage between 2014 and
2015 can be attributed to a 23.5 percent increase in management costs.
NMFS, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), and the
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) incurred higher costs
in 2015 due to addition of staff (NOAA Office of Law Enforcement),
additional costs to maintain the interagency Internet-based landings
system used for the IFQ Program (NMFS and ADF&G), and increased costs
for the port sampling program (IPHC). The value of halibut and
sablefish harvests under the IFQ Program also increased by 4 percent
from 2014 to 2015. This increase in value of the fishery offset some of
the increase in management costs, which limited the change in the fee
percentage between 2014 and 2015.
[[Page 78174]]
Table 1--Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for the 2015 IFQ Season \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut Sablefish
Landing location Period ending standard ex- Standard Ex-
vessel price vessel price
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORDOVA....................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 6.26 ..............
May 31.......................... 6.30 ..............
June 30......................... .............. ..............
July 31......................... 7.22 ..............
August 31....................... 6.80 ..............
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
HOMER......................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 6.58 ..............
May 31.......................... 6.56 3.67
June 30......................... 6.63 3.59
July 31......................... 6.85 ..............
August 31....................... 6.86 4.14
September 30.................... 6.79 3.71
October 31...................... 6.79 3.71
November 30..................... 6.79 3.71
KETCHIKAN..................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 6.48 ..............
May 31.......................... 6.45 ..............
June 30......................... 6.46 ..............
July 31......................... 6.50 ..............
August 31....................... 6.57 ..............
September 30.................... 7.04 ..............
October 31...................... 7.04 ..............
November 30..................... 7.04 ..............
KODIAK........................................ ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 6.24 ..............
April 30........................ 6.19 3.58
May 31.......................... 6.35 3.56
June 30......................... 6.46 3.50
July 31......................... 6.55 3.98
August 31....................... 6.57 3.92
September 30.................... 6.54 3.81
October 31...................... 6.54 3.81
November 30..................... 6.54 3.81
PETERSBURG.................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... 6.49 ..............
June 30......................... 6.58 ..............
July 31......................... 6.54 ..............
August 31....................... 6.79 ..............
September 30.................... 6.84 ..............
October 31...................... 6.84 ..............
November 30..................... 6.84 ..............
PORT GROUP BERING SEA \2\..................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 4.91 ..............
May 31.......................... 5.79 2.75
June 30......................... 5.39 3.68
July 31......................... 5.59 2.87
August 31....................... 6.00 3.10
September 30.................... 5.75 3.28
October 31...................... 5.75 3.28
November 30..................... 5.75 3.28
PORT GROUP CENTRAL GULF \3\................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 6.27 3.68
April 30........................ 6.37 3.73
May 31.......................... 6.42 3.64
June 30......................... 6.53 3.57
July 31......................... 6.83 3.89
August 31....................... 6.72 3.90
September 30.................... 6.65 3.85
October 31...................... 6.65 3.85
[[Page 78175]]
November 30..................... 6.65 3.85
PORT GROUP SOUTHEAST \4\...................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 6.46 3.62
April 30........................ 6.50 3.71
May 31.......................... 6.50 4.07
June 30......................... 6.59 4.17
July 31......................... 6.58 4.19
August 31....................... 6.80 4.41
September 30.................... 6.77 4.13
October 31...................... 6.77 4.13
November 30..................... 6.77 4.13
ALL \5\....................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 6.41 3.63
April 30........................ 6.37 3.72
May 31.......................... 6.38 3.77
June 30......................... 6.33 3.77
July 31......................... 6.55 3.79
August 31....................... 6.54 3.89
September 30.................... 6.52 3.91
October 31...................... 6.52 3.91
November 30..................... 6.52 3.91
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 11, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-31624 Filed 12-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
