Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery, 60969-60970 [2017-27769]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2017 / Notices As required by the ESA, as applicable, issuance of these permits was based on a finding that such permits: (1) Were applied for in good faith; (2) will not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in Section 2 of the ESA. Authority: The requested permits have been issued under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222–226), as applicable. Dated: December 20, 2017. Julia Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–27737 Filed 12–22–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XF916 New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; public meeting. AGENCY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. DATES: This meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton, 1 Audubon Road, Wakefield, MA 01880; phone: (781) 245–9300. Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:21 Dec 22, 2017 Jkt 244001 Agenda The Committee will review an updated coral management zone alternative including boundary changes and impacts analysis. They will then recommend final preferred deep-sea coral alternatives to the Council for action during its January 30–February 1 meeting, considering any recommendations from the Habitat Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team. Many aspects of the amendment have already been finalized. The remaining topic for consideration is a coral protection zone or zones along the continental slope, canyons, and seamounts south of Georges Bank. The Committee also plans to discuss next steps stemming from the anticipated January 4 NOAA Fisheries decision on Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. This will include a discussion of alternatives development for the trailing action to consider clam dredge exemption areas on Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals, as well as a discussion about how the decision on the amendment might influence 2018 management priorities. They will also discuss any updates related to offshore wind, oil and gas development, and recommend specific projects for the Council to comment on during early 2018. The Committee will hear a progress update on fishing impacts modeling efforts and receive updates on other habitat-related aspects of the Council’s fishery management program, as needed, for example ongoing EFH consultation work. Other business may be discussed as necessary. Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at (978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 60969 Dated: December 20, 2017. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–27720 Filed 12–22–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XF913 Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment. AGENCY: NMFS issues this notice to decrease the fee rate to 4.5 percent for the Pacific Coast Groundfish fee-share fishery to repay the $28,428,718.88 groundfish sub-loan of the $35,662,471 reduction loan that financed the Pacific Coast Groundfish fishing capacity reduction program. DATES: The Pacific Coast Groundfish program fee rate decrease for groundfish fishery will begin on landings starting on January 1, 2018. The first due date for fee payments with the decreased rate will be February 14, 2018. ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to Paul Marx, Chief, Financial Services Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910– 3282. SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Marx, (301) 427–8871. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background Background Sections 312(b) through (e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(b) through (e)) generally authorizes fishing capacity reduction programs. In particular, section 312(d) authorizes industry fee systems for repaying reduction loans that finance reduction program. Subpart L of 50 CFR part 600 is the framework rule generally implementing section 312(b) through (e). Sections 1111 and 1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g) generally authorizes reduction loans. Enacted on February 20, 2003, section 212 of Division B, Title II, of Public Law 108–7 (section 212) specifically authorizes a fishing capacity reduction E:\FR\FM\26DEN1.SGM 26DEN1 60970 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2017 / Notices ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES program for that portion of the limited entry trawl fishery under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan whose permits, excluding those registered to whiting catcher-processors, are endorsed for trawl gear operation (reduction fishery). The reduction program’s objective was to reduce the number of vessels and permits endorsed for the operation of groundfish trawl gear. The program also involved corollary fishing capacity reduction in the California, Oregon, and Washington fisheries for Dungeness crab and pink shrimp and the sub-loans for these state fisheries have all been repaid. NMFS proposed the implementing notice on May 28, 2003 (68 FR 31653) and published the final notice on July 18, 2003 (68 FR 42613). NMFS allocated $28,428,719 reduction loan to the groundfish fishery. The allocation became a reduction loan repayable by fees from the groundfish fishery. NMFS published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR 40225), the final rule to implement the industry fee system for repaying the program’s reduction loan. The regulations implementing the program are located at § 600.1012 of 50 CFR part 600, subpart M. On August 8, 2005, NMFS published in the Federal Register (70 FR 45695) a notice of the fee effective date and established September 8, 2005, as the effective date when fee collection and loan repayment began. II. Purpose The purpose of this notice is to adjust, in accordance with the framework rule’s § 600.1013(b), the fee rate for the groundfish fishery. Section 600.1013(b) directs NMFS to recalculate the fee rate that will be reasonably necessary to ensure reduction loan repayment within the specified 30-year term. NMFS has determined that the current fee rate of 5.0 percent for the groundfish fishery is projected to collect more than the annual amortization amount needed for 2018. Therefore, NMFS is decreasing the fee rate to 4.5 percent for all landings beginning January 1, 2018. As of November 24, 2017, the outstanding balance on the groundfish fishery subloan was $22,628,122.29. Fish buyers may continue to disburse collected fee deposits to NMFS by using www.pay.gov or mail payments to our lockbox. Our lockbox’s address is: NOAA Fisheries Pacific Coast Groundfish Buyback, P.O. Box 979059, St. Louis, MO 63197–9000. Fish buyers must include the fee collection report with the fee payment. Fish buyers using www.pay.gov will find an electronic fee collection report form. Fish buyers not VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:21 Dec 22, 2017 Jkt 244001 using www.pay.gov may also access the NMFS website for a copy of the fee collection report at: https:// www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mb/financial_ services/docs/pacific_coast_groundfish_ buyback_loan_fee_collection_report.pdf. III. Notice The new 4.5 percent fee rate for the groundfish fishery will begin for all landings starting January 1, 2018. From and after this date, all groundfish program fish sellers paying fees fishery shall begin paying groundfish program fees at the revised rate. From and after this date, all fees received by NMFS for the groundfish fishery shall be subject to the new fee rates regardless of the applicable fee month. The first due date for fee payments with the decreased rate will be February 14, 2018. Fee collection and submission shall follow previously established methods in § 600.1013 of the framework rule and in the final fee rule published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR 40225). Dated: December 19, 2017. Samuel D. Rauch, III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–27769 Filed 12–22–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XF915 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. AGENCY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a two and a half day meeting of its Standing, Reef Fish, Coral, and Socioeconomics Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC). SUMMARY: The meeting will convene on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, January 10, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, January 11, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. EDT, if needed. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Gulf Council’s Conference Room. Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 N Lois DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: (813) 348–1630. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Atran, Senior Fishery Biologist, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; steven.atran@gulfcouncil.org; telephone: (813) 348–1630. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Day 1—Tuesday, January 9, 2018; 9 a.m.–5 p.m. I. Introductions and Adoption of Agenda II. Approval of Minutes a. March 8, 2012 Coral SSC meeting summary b. October 31, 2017 Standing and Reef Fish SSC webinar summary III. Selection of SSC representative at January 29–February 1, 2018 Council meeting in New Orleans, LA Standing and Coral SSC Session IV. Southeast Deep-sea Coral Initiative in the Gulf of Mexico V. Review of the public hearing draft of Coral Amendment 9 VI. Review of Management Strategy Evaluation Developed for the Coral Reef Conservation Program Grant Standing and Socioeconomic SSC Session VII. Grouper and Tilefish 5-year IFQ Review a. Safety at sea b. IFQ participants, dealers, and crew surveys Standing and Reef Fish SSC Session VIII. Review of Draft Status Determination Criteria/Optimum Yield Options Paper Day 2—Wednesday, January 10, 2018; 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. IX. SEDAR Activities a. SEDAR 62 Gray Triggerfish standard assessment i. Terms of reference ii. Project schedule iii. Assessment workshop appointments X. Spawning Aggregations in the Gulf of Mexico a. RESTORE Act Science Program project on spawning aggregations in the Gulf of Mexico b. Prediction and Verification of Snapper-Grouper Spawning Aggregation Sites on the Offshore Banks of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico XI. Evaluating Robustness of Harvest Control Rules to Future Red Tide Events XII. Further Development of a Stock Assessment Prioritization Spreadsheet E:\FR\FM\26DEN1.SGM 26DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60969-60970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27769]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF913


Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to decrease the fee rate to 4.5 
percent for the Pacific Coast Groundfish fee-share fishery to repay the 
$28,428,718.88 groundfish sub-loan of the $35,662,471 reduction loan 
that financed the Pacific Coast Groundfish fishing capacity reduction 
program.

DATES: The Pacific Coast Groundfish program fee rate decrease for 
groundfish fishery will begin on landings starting on January 1, 2018. 
The first due date for fee payments with the decreased rate will be 
February 14, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to Paul Marx, Chief, 
Financial Services Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Marx, (301) 427-8871.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Background Sections 312(b) through (e) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(b) through 
(e)) generally authorizes fishing capacity reduction programs. In 
particular, section 312(d) authorizes industry fee systems for repaying 
reduction loans that finance reduction program. Subpart L of 50 CFR 
part 600 is the framework rule generally implementing section 312(b) 
through (e). Sections 1111 and 1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 
(46 App. U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g) generally authorizes reduction loans.
    Enacted on February 20, 2003, section 212 of Division B, Title II, 
of Public Law 108-7 (section 212) specifically authorizes a fishing 
capacity reduction

[[Page 60970]]

program for that portion of the limited entry trawl fishery under the 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan whose permits, 
excluding those registered to whiting catcher-processors, are endorsed 
for trawl gear operation (reduction fishery).
    The reduction program's objective was to reduce the number of 
vessels and permits endorsed for the operation of groundfish trawl 
gear. The program also involved corollary fishing capacity reduction in 
the California, Oregon, and Washington fisheries for Dungeness crab and 
pink shrimp and the sub-loans for these state fisheries have all been 
repaid.
    NMFS proposed the implementing notice on May 28, 2003 (68 FR 31653) 
and published the final notice on July 18, 2003 (68 FR 42613). NMFS 
allocated $28,428,719 reduction loan to the groundfish fishery. The 
allocation became a reduction loan repayable by fees from the 
groundfish fishery.
    NMFS published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR 
40225), the final rule to implement the industry fee system for 
repaying the program's reduction loan. The regulations implementing the 
program are located at Sec.  600.1012 of 50 CFR part 600, subpart M. On 
August 8, 2005, NMFS published in the Federal Register (70 FR 45695) a 
notice of the fee effective date and established September 8, 2005, as 
the effective date when fee collection and loan repayment began.

II. Purpose

    The purpose of this notice is to adjust, in accordance with the 
framework rule's Sec.  600.1013(b), the fee rate for the groundfish 
fishery. Section 600.1013(b) directs NMFS to recalculate the fee rate 
that will be reasonably necessary to ensure reduction loan repayment 
within the specified 30-year term. NMFS has determined that the current 
fee rate of 5.0 percent for the groundfish fishery is projected to 
collect more than the annual amortization amount needed for 2018. 
Therefore, NMFS is decreasing the fee rate to 4.5 percent for all 
landings beginning January 1, 2018. As of November 24, 2017, the 
outstanding balance on the groundfish fishery sub-loan was 
$22,628,122.29.
    Fish buyers may continue to disburse collected fee deposits to NMFS 
by using www.pay.gov or mail payments to our lockbox. Our lockbox's 
address is: NOAA Fisheries Pacific Coast Groundfish Buyback, P.O. Box 
979059, St. Louis, MO 63197-9000. Fish buyers must include the fee 
collection report with the fee payment. Fish buyers using www.pay.gov 
will find an electronic fee collection report form. Fish buyers not 
using www.pay.gov may also access the NMFS website for a copy of the 
fee collection report at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mb/financial_services/docs/pacific_coast_groundfish_buyback_loan_fee_collection_report.pdf.

III. Notice

    The new 4.5 percent fee rate for the groundfish fishery will begin 
for all landings starting January 1, 2018. From and after this date, 
all groundfish program fish sellers paying fees fishery shall begin 
paying groundfish program fees at the revised rate. From and after this 
date, all fees received by NMFS for the groundfish fishery shall be 
subject to the new fee rates regardless of the applicable fee month. 
The first due date for fee payments with the decreased rate will be 
February 14, 2018.
    Fee collection and submission shall follow previously established 
methods in Sec.  600.1013 of the framework rule and in the final fee 
rule published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR 40225).

    Dated: December 19, 2017.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-27769 Filed 12-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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