Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs, 63834-63837 [2018-26875]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices
II. Purpose
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
The purpose of this notice is to adjust
the fee rate for the reduction fishery in
accordance with the framework rule’s
§ 600.1013(b). 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 for the
reduction fishery that the current fee
rate of $0.013 per pound is less than
that needed to service the A Loan.
Therefore, NMFS is increasing the Loan
A fee rate to $0.017 per pound which
NMFS has determined is sufficient to
ensure timely loan repayment. The fee
rate for Loan B will remain $0.001 per
pound.
Subsector members may continue to
use Pay.gov to disburse collected fee
deposits at: https://www.pay.gov/
paygov/.
Please visit the NMFS website for
additional information at: https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/
funding-and-financial-services/longlinecatcher-processor-subsector-bering-seaand-aleutian-islands-non-pollock.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
III. Notice
The new fee rate for the non-pollock
Groundfish fishery will begin on
January 1, 2019.
From and after this date, all subsector
members paying fees on the non-pollock
groundfish fishery shall begin paying
non-pollock groundfish fishery program
fees at the revised rate.
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 September 24, 2007
(72 FR 54219).
Authority: The authority for this action is
Public Law 108–447, 16 U.S.C. 1861a (b–e),
and 50 CFR 600.1000 et seq.
Dated: December 3, 2018.
Brian Pawlak,
CFO/CAO Director, Office of Management
and Budget, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–26884 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am]
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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 the
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 2018 is 2.8 percent. This
action is intended to provide holders of
halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with
the 2018 standard prices and fee
percentage to calculate the required
payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due
by January 31, 2019.
DATES: The standard prices and fee
percentages are valid on December 12,
2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl
Greene, Fee Coordinator, 907–586–7105.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Background
NMFS Alaska Region administers the
IFQ Program in the North Pacific. The
IFQ Program is a limited access system
authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the
Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982.
Fishing under the IFQ Program began in
March 1995. Regulations implementing
the IFQ Program are set forth at 50 CFR
part 679.
In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act
was amended to, among other 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.
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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 must pay a cost
recovery fee 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 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
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 § 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 is based on the sum of all
payments made to fishermen for the sale
of the fish during the year. This
includes any retro-payments (e.g.,
bonuses, delayed partial payments,
post-season payments) made to the IFQ
permit holder for previously landed IFQ
halibut or sablefish.
For purposes of calculating IFQ cost
recovery fees, NMFS distinguishes
between two types of ex-vessel value:
Actual and standard. Actual ex-vessel
value is the amount of all compensation,
monetary or non-monetary, that an IFQ
permit holder received as payment for
his or her IFQ fish sold. Standard exvessel value is the default value used to
calculate the fee. 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.
Section 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices
pounds landed as guided angler fish 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 port-group. The standard
prices for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish
are listed in Table 1 that follows 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 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 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 2018 calendar year
is 2.8 percent of the standard ex-vessel
value, which is below the 3.0 maximum
fee percentage allowed under section
304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. An IFQ permit holder is to use the
fee percentage of 2.8 percent to calculate
his or her fee for IFQ equivalent
pound(s) landed during the 2018 halibut
and sablefish IFQ fishing season. An
63835
IFQ permit holder is responsible for
submitting the 2018 IFQ fee payment to
NMFS on or before January 31, 2019.
Payment must be made in accordance
with the payment methods set forth in
§ 679.45(a)(4). NMFS no longer accepts
credit card information by phone or inperson 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 (81 FR
23645, April 22, 2016).
The 2018 fee percentage of 2.8 percent
is higher than the 2017 fee percentage
of 2.2 percent (82 FR 60379, December
20, 2017). Although management costs
for the IFQ Program fisheries dropped
1.9 percent from 2017 to 2018, the rise
in fee percentage can be attributed to an
estimated 22.4 percent decrease in the
value of the fisheries over the same
period.
TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2018 IFQ SEASON
Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 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 ...............................................................................................
........................
........................
........................
........................
6.37
6.02
5.74
5.74
5.74
4.72
4.89
4.87
5.68
6.18
6.44
5.65
5.65
5.65
........................
5.24
5.18
5.23
5.70
5.90
5.86
5.86
5.86
........................
4.73
4.65
5.02
5.59
5.76
5.58
5.58
5.58
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
HOMER ...................................................
KETCHIKAN ............................................
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KODIAK ...................................................
PETERSBURG .......................................
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4.17
2.41
3.04
3.59
3.81
3.81
3.81
........................
........................
2.54
3.21
3.56
3.28
3.86
3.81
3.81
3.81
........................
........................
........................
63836
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices
TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2018 IFQ SEASON—
Continued
Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 IFQ Season 1
Period
ending
Halibut
standard
ex-vessel
price
Sablefish
standard
ex-vessel
price
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 .........................................................................................
November 30 ......................................................................................
March 31 ............................................................................................
April 30 ...............................................................................................
May 31 ...............................................................................................
June 30 ..............................................................................................
July 31 ................................................................................................
August 31 ...........................................................................................
........................
5.89
5.99
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
5.27
5.17
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
5.18
5.15
........................
4.94
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
4.75
4.53
4.60
4.53
4.75
4.95
4.95
4.95
5.19
5.08
4.89
5.40
6.12
6.47
5.58
5.58
5.58
5.19
5.18
5.10
5.21
5.84
6.00
5.88
5.88
5.88
5.18
5.12
4.94
5.26
5.76
5.82
5.51
5.51
5.51
5.18
5.12
4.94
5.26
5.76
5.82
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.75
3.35
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.38
3.92
4.09
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
2.45
2.04
2.88
2.99
3.57
3.39
3.39
3.39
3.01
3.17
3.36
3.55
3.20
3.74
3.79
3.79
3.79
3.73
3.46
3.80
3.99
4.27
4.38
4.53
4.53
4.53
3.67
3.26
3.37
3.71
3.53
3.86
4.00
4.00
4.00
3.67
3.26
3.37
3.71
3.53
3.86
Landing
location
SEWARD ................................................
SITKA ......................................................
PORT GROUP BERING SEA 2 ..............
PORT GROUP CENTRAL GULF 3 .........
PORT GROUP SOUTHEAST 4 ..............
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ALL 5 ........................................................
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63837
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices
TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2018 IFQ SEASON—
Continued
Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 IFQ Season 1
Landing
location
Halibut
standard
ex-vessel
price
Period
ending
September 30 .....................................................................................
October 31 .........................................................................................
November 30 ......................................................................................
5.51
5.51
5.51
Sablefish
standard
ex-vessel
price
4.00
4.00
4.00
1 Note: In many instances, prices are not shown in order to comply with confidentiality guidelines 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, Rainier, 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 7, 2018.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–26875 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am]
The Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops will be held on January 10,
February 7, and March 28, 2019. The
Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops will be held
on January 10, January 15, February 1,
February 7, March 1, and March 13,
2019. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
for further details.
DATES:
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XG605
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshops.
AGENCY:
Free Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops and Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshops will be held in January,
February, and March of 2019. Certain
fishermen and shark dealers are
required to attend a workshop to meet
regulatory requirements and to maintain
valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic
Shark Identification Workshop is
mandatory for all federally permitted
Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshop is mandatory for vessel
owners and operators who use bottom
longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet
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The Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops will be held in
Boutte, LA; Virginia Beach, VA; and
Fort Pierce, FL. The Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshops
will be held in Portsmouth, NH; Key
Largo, FL; Gulfport, MS; Charleston, SC;
Manahawkin, NJ; and Houston, TX. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further
details on workshop locations.
ADDRESSES:
Schedules for Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops and Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshops
SUMMARY:
gear, and who have also been issued
shark or swordfish limited access
permits. Additional free workshops will
be conducted during 2019 and will be
announced in a future notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rick
Pearson by phone: (727) 824–5399.
The
workshop schedules, registration
information, and a list of frequently
asked questions regarding the Atlantic
Shark ID and Safe Handling, Release,
and ID workshops are posted on the
internet at: https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/atlantic-sharkidentification-workshops and https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/safe-handling-releaseand-identification-workshops.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops
Since January 1, 2008, Atlantic shark
dealers have been prohibited from
receiving, purchasing, trading, or
bartering for Atlantic sharks unless a
valid Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshop certificate is on the premises
of each business listed under the shark
dealer permit that first receives Atlantic
sharks (71 FR 58057; January 2, 2006).
Dealers who attend and successfully
complete a workshop are issued a
certificate for each place of business that
is permitted to receive sharks. These
certificate(s) are valid for 3 years. Thus,
certificates that were initially issued in
2016 will be expiring in 2019.
Approximately 151 free Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops have been
conducted since January 2008.
Currently, permitted dealers may send
a proxy to an Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop. However, if a
dealer opts to send a proxy, the dealer
must designate a proxy for each place of
business covered by the dealer’s permit
which first receives Atlantic sharks.
Only one certificate will be issued to
each proxy. A proxy must be a person
who is currently employed by a place of
business covered by the dealer’s permit;
is a primary participant in the
identification, weighing, and/or first
receipt of fish as they are offloaded from
a vessel; and who fills out dealer
reports. Atlantic shark dealers are
prohibited from renewing a Federal
shark dealer permit unless a valid
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop
certificate for each business location
that first receives Atlantic sharks has
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63834-63837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26875]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG613
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 the 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 2018 is 2.8 percent. This action is intended to
provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2018
standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment
for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2019.
DATES: The standard prices and fee percentages are valid on December
12, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl Greene, Fee Coordinator, 907-586-
7105.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS Alaska Region administers the IFQ Program in the North
Pacific. The IFQ Program is a limited access system authorized by the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. Fishing
under the IFQ Program began in March 1995. Regulations implementing the
IFQ Program are set forth at 50 CFR part 679.
In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act was amended to, among other
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 must pay a cost recovery fee 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 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 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 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 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. 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.
Section 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
[[Page 63835]]
pounds landed as guided angler fish 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 Table 1 that follows 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 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 2018 calendar
year is 2.8 percent of the standard ex-vessel value, which is below the
3.0 maximum fee percentage allowed under section 304(d)(2)(B) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. An IFQ permit holder is to use the fee percentage
of 2.8 percent to calculate his or her fee for IFQ equivalent pound(s)
landed during the 2018 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing season. An IFQ
permit holder is responsible for submitting the 2018 IFQ fee payment to
NMFS on or before January 31, 2019. Payment must be made in accordance
with the payment methods set forth in Sec. 679.45(a)(4). NMFS no
longer accepts 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 (81 FR 23645, April
22, 2016).
The 2018 fee percentage of 2.8 percent is higher than the 2017 fee
percentage of 2.2 percent (82 FR 60379, December 20, 2017). Although
management costs for the IFQ Program fisheries dropped 1.9 percent from
2017 to 2018, the rise in fee percentage can be attributed to an
estimated 22.4 percent decrease in the value of the fisheries over the
same period.
Table 1--Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for the 2018 IFQ Season
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 IFQ Season \1\
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut Sablefish
Landing location Period ending standard ex- standard ex-
vessel price vessel price
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORDOVA....................................... March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
June 30......................... .............. ..............
July 31......................... 6.37
August 31....................... 6.02 4.17
September 30.................... 5.74
October 31...................... 5.74
November 30..................... 5.74
HOMER......................................... March 31........................ 4.72
April 30........................ 4.89 2.41
May 31.......................... 4.87 3.04
June 30......................... 5.68
July 31......................... 6.18
August 31....................... 6.44 3.59
September 30.................... 5.65 3.81
October 31...................... 5.65 3.81
November 30..................... 5.65 3.81
KETCHIKAN..................................... March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 5.24
May 31.......................... 5.18
June 30......................... 5.23
July 31......................... 5.70
August 31....................... 5.90
September 30.................... 5.86
October 31...................... 5.86
November 30..................... 5.86
KODIAK........................................ March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 4.73 2.54
May 31.......................... 4.65 3.21
June 30......................... 5.02 3.56
July 31......................... 5.59 3.28
August 31....................... 5.76 3.86
September 30.................... 5.58 3.81
October 31...................... 5.58 3.81
November 30..................... 5.58 3.81
PETERSBURG.................................... March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
[[Page 63836]]
June 30......................... .............. ..............
July 31......................... 5.89 ..............
August 31....................... 5.99 ..............
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
SEWARD........................................ March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... 5.27 3.75
June 30......................... 5.17 3.35
July 31......................... .............. ..............
August 31....................... .............. ..............
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
SITKA......................................... March 31........................ 5.18 ..............
April 30........................ 5.15 3.38
May 31.......................... .............. 3.92
June 30......................... 4.94 4.09
July 31......................... .............. ..............
August 31....................... .............. ..............
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
PORT GROUP BERING SEA \2\..................... March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 4.75 2.45
May 31.......................... 4.53 2.04
June 30......................... 4.60 2.88
July 31......................... 4.53 2.99
August 31....................... 4.75 3.57
September 30.................... 4.95 3.39
October 31...................... 4.95 3.39
November 30..................... 4.95 3.39
PORT GROUP CENTRAL GULF \3\................... March 31........................ 5.19 3.01
April 30........................ 5.08 3.17
May 31.......................... 4.89 3.36
June 30......................... 5.40 3.55
July 31......................... 6.12 3.20
August 31....................... 6.47 3.74
September 30.................... 5.58 3.79
October 31...................... 5.58 3.79
November 30..................... 5.58 3.79
PORT GROUP SOUTHEAST \4\...................... March 31........................ 5.19 3.73
April 30........................ 5.18 3.46
May 31.......................... 5.10 3.80
June 30......................... 5.21 3.99
July 31......................... 5.84 4.27
August 31....................... 6.00 4.38
September 30.................... 5.88 4.53
October 31...................... 5.88 4.53
November 30..................... 5.88 4.53
ALL-ALASKA \5\................................ March 31........................ 5.18 3.67
April 30........................ 5.12 3.26
May 31.......................... 4.94 3.37
June 30......................... 5.26 3.71
July 31......................... 5.76 3.53
August 31....................... 5.82 3.86
September 30.................... 5.51 4.00
October 31...................... 5.51 4.00
November 30..................... 5.51 4.00
ALL \5\....................................... March 31........................ 5.18 3.67
April 30........................ 5.12 3.26
May 31.......................... 4.94 3.37
June 30......................... 5.26 3.71
July 31......................... 5.76 3.53
August 31....................... 5.82 3.86
[[Page 63837]]
September 30.................... 5.51 4.00
October 31...................... 5.51 4.00
November 30..................... 5.51 4.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Note: In many instances, prices are not shown in order to comply with confidentiality guidelines 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, Rainier, 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 7, 2018.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-26875 Filed 12-11-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
