Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Cost Recovery Programs, 77180-77183 [2020-26432]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 231 / Tuesday, December 1, 2020 / Notices
Title: NOAA Fisheries Greater
Atlantic Region Vessel Identification
Requirements.
OMB Control Number: 0648–0350.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular submission
(extension of a current information
collection).
Number of Respondents: 3,893.
Average Hours per Response: 45
minutes.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,920.
Needs and Uses: This request is for
extension of a current information
collection.
Regulations at 50 CFR 648.8 and
§ 697.8 require that owners of vessels
over 25 ft (7.6 m) in registered length
that have Federal permits to fish in the
Greater Atlantic Region display the
vessel’s name and official number. The
name and number must be of a specific
size at specified locations: the vessel
name must be affixed to the port and
starboard sides of the bow and, if
possible, on its stern. The official
number must be displayed on the port
and starboard sides of the deckhouse or
hull, and on an appropriate weather
deck so as to be clearly visible from
enforcement vessels and aircraft. The
display of the identifying characters
aids in fishery law enforcement.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households and business or other forprofit organizations.
Frequency: Once per year.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: 50 CFR 648.8.
This information collection request
may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov.
Follow the instructions to view the
Department of Commerce collections
currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function and
entering either the title of the collection
or the OMB Control Number 0648–0350.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Commerce
Department.
[FR Doc. 2020–26462 Filed 11–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; For-Hire Telephone Survey
The Department of Commerce will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication
of this notice. We invite the general
public and other Federal agencies to
comment on proposed, and continuing
information collections, which helps us
assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. Public
comments were previously requested
via the Federal Register on June 24,
2020 during a 60-day comment period.
This notice allows for an additional 30
days for public comments.
Agency: National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
Title: For-Hire Telephone Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0648–0709.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular submission
(extension of a current information
collection).
Number of Respondents: 23,114.
Average Hours per Response: 3
minutes, 30 seconds.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,348.
Needs and Uses: This request is for
extension of a currently approved
information collection. The For-Hire
Survey (FHS) is conducted for NMFS to
estimate fishing effort on for-hire vessels
(i.e., charter boats and head boats) in
coastal states from Maine to Mississippi.
These data are required to carry out
provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as
amended, regarding conservation and
management of fishery resources.
The FHS collects fishing effort
information from for-hire vessel
representatives by telephone interview.
For-hire vessels are randomly selected
for the FHS from a comprehensive
sample frame developed and
maintained by NMFS. A sample of 10%
of the vessels on the FHS frame are
selected for reporting each week. Each
interview collects information about the
vessel, the number and type of trips the
vessel made during the reporting week,
the number of anglers on each trip, and
other trip-level information.
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For-hire fishing effort is estimated in
numbers of angler-trips per sub-region,
state, two-month wave, vessel type, and
fishing area (inshore, nearshore,
offshore). To get a total for-hire effort
estimate, weekly FHS effort estimates
are summed to produce wave estimates
that are adjusted to account for frame
coverage and reporting error. The FHS
estimates are then combined with forhire catch-rate estimates derived from
complementary Marine Recreational
Information Program (MRIP) surveys, to
estimate total, state-level fishing catch.
These estimates are used in the
development, implementation, and
monitoring of fishery management
programs by the NMFS, regional fishery
management councils, interstate marine
fisheries commissions, and state fishery
agencies.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households; Business or other for-profit
organizations.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act.
This information collection request
may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov.
Follow the instructions to view the
Department of Commerce collections
currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function and
entering either the title of the collection
or the OMB Control Number 0648–0709.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Commerce
Department.
[FR Doc. 2020–26461 Filed 11–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA581]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area;
Cost Recovery Programs
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
AGENCY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 231 / Tuesday, December 1, 2020 / Notices
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of standard prices and
fee percentages.
NMFS publishes standard
prices and fee percentages for cost
recovery for the Amendment 80
Program, the American Fisheries Act
(AFA) Program, the Aleutian Islands
Pollock (AIP) Program, and the Western
Alaska Community Development Quota
(CDQ) groundfish and halibut Programs.
The fee percentage for 2020 is 1.19
percent for the Amendment 80 Program,
0.21 percent for the AFA inshore
cooperatives, 3.0 percent for the AIP
program, and 0.84 percent for the CDQ
groundfish and halibut Programs. This
action is intended to provide the 2020
standard prices and fee percentages to
calculate the required payment for cost
recovery fees due by December 31, 2020.
DATES: The standard prices and fee
percentages are valid on December 1,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Charmaine Weeks, Fee Coordinator,
907–586–7231.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Background
Section 304(d) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
Act) authorizes and requires the
collection of cost recovery fees for
limited access privilege programs and
the CDQ Program. Cost recovery fees
recover the actual costs directly related
to the management, data collection, and
enforcement of the programs. Section
304(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act
mandates that cost recovery fees not
exceed 3 percent of the annual ex-vessel
value of fish harvested by a program
subject to a cost recovery fee, and that
the fee be collected either at the time of
landing, filing of a landing report, or
sale of such fish during a fishing season
or in the last quarter of the calendar year
in which the fish is harvested.
NMFS manages the Amendment 80
Program, AFA Program, and AIP
Program as limited access privilege
programs. On January 5, 2016, NMFS
published a final rule to implement cost
recovery for these three limited access
privilege programs and the CDQ
groundfish and halibut programs (81 FR
150). The designated representative (for
the purposes of cost recovery) for each
program is responsible for submitting
the fee payment to NMFS on or before
the due date of December 31 of the year
in which the 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 landings under the
77181
program made during the fishing year.
NMFS publishes this notice of the fee
percentages for the Amendment 80,
AFA, AIP, and CDQ groundfish and
halibut fisheries in the Federal Register
by December 1 each year.
Standard Prices
The fee liability is based on the exvessel value of fish harvested in each
program. For purposes of calculating
cost recovery fees, NMFS calculates a
standard ex-vessel price (standard price)
for each species. A standard price is
determined using information on
landings purchased (volume) and exvessel value paid (value). For most
groundfish species, NMFS annually
summarizes volume and value
information for landings of all fishery
species subject to cost recovery to
estimate a standard price for each
species. The standard prices are
described in U.S. dollars per pound for
landings made during the year. The
standard prices for all species in the
Amendment 80, AFA, AIP, and CDQ
groundfish and halibut programs are
listed in Table 1. Each landing made
under each program is multiplied by the
appropriate standard price to arrive at
an ex-vessel value for each landing.
These values are summed together to
arrive at the ex-vessel value of each
program (fishery value).
TABLE 1—STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY SPECIES FOR THE 2020 FISHING YEAR
Species
Gear type
Reporting period
Arrowtooth flounder
Atka mackerel .........
Flathead sole ...........
Greenland turbot .....
CDQ halibut .............
Pacific cod ...............
All ..........................
All ..........................
All ..........................
All ..........................
Fixed gear .............
Fixed gear .............
Trawl gear .............
All ..........................
All ..........................
All ..........................
All ..........................
Fixed gear .............
Trawl gear .............
All ..........................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
October 1, 2019–September 30, 2020 ......................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
January 1, 2019–December 31, 2019 .......................................................................
January 1, 2020–March 31, 2020 ..............................................................................
April 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 .................................................................................
October 1, 2019–September 30, 2020 ......................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
January 1, 2020–October 31, 2020 ...........................................................................
Pacific ocean perch
Pollock .....................
Rock sole ................
Sablefish ..................
Yellowfin sole ..........
Fee Percentage
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Standard
ex-vessel
price per
pound
($)
NMFS calculates the fee percentage
each year according to the factors and
methods described at 50 CFR
679.33(c)(2), 679.66(c)(2), 679.67(c)(2),
and 679.95(c)(2). NMFS determines the
fee percentage that applies to landings
made during the year by dividing the
total costs directly related to the
management, data collection, and
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enforcement of each program (direct
program costs) during the year by the
fishery value. NMFS captures direct
program costs through an established
accounting system that allows staff to
track labor, travel, contracts, rent, and
procurement. For 2020, the direct
program costs were tracked from
October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2020
(the end of the fiscal year). The
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$0.16
0.23
0.15
0.53
3.82
0.42
0.37
0.15
0.14
0.24
0.13
2.12
0.61
0.15
individual 2020 fee percentages for the
Amendment 80 Program and the
Western Alaska CDQ groundfish and
halibut Programs are higher relative to
percentages calculated for the programs
in 2019. The 2020 percentage for the
AFA Program was less than the 2019
percentage, and the 2020 percentage for
the Aleutian Islands Pollock Program
remained the same as 2019.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 231 / Tuesday, December 1, 2020 / Notices
NMFS will provide an annual report
that summarizes direct program costs
for each of the programs in early 2021.
NMFS calculates the fishery value as
described under the section Standard
Prices.
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Amendment 80 Program Standard
Prices and Fee Percentage
The Amendment 80 Program allocates
total allowable catches (TACs) of
groundfish species, other than Bering
Sea pollock, to identified trawl catcher/
processors in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands (BSAI). The
Amendment 80 Program allocates a
portion of the BSAI TACs of six species:
Atka mackerel, Pacific cod, flathead
sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, and
Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch.
Participants in the Amendment 80
sector have established cooperatives to
harvest these allocations. Each
Amendment 80 cooperative is
responsible for payment of the cost
recovery fee for fish landed under the
Amendment 80 Program. Cost recovery
requirements for the Amendment 80
Program are at 50 CFR 679.95.
For most Amendment 80 species,
NMFS annually summarizes volume
and value information for landings of all
fishery species subject to cost recovery
in order to estimate a standard price for
each fishery species. Regulations specify
that for rock sole, NMFS shall calculate
a separate standard price for two
periods—January 1 through March 31,
and April 1 through October 31, which
accounts for a substantial difference in
estimated rock sole prices during the
first quarter of the year relative to the
remainder of the year. The volume and
value information is obtained from the
First Wholesale Volume and Value
Report, and the Pacific Cod Ex-Vessel
Volume and Value Report.
Using the fee percentage formula
described above, the estimated
percentage of direct program costs to
fishery value for the 2020 calendar year
is 1.19 percent for the Amendment 80
Program. For 2020, NMFS applied the
fee percentage to each Amendment 80
species landing that was debited from
an Amendment 80 cooperative quota
allocation between January 1 and
December 31 to calculate the
Amendment 80 fee liability for each
Amendment 80 cooperative. The 2020
fee payments must be submitted to
NMFS on or before December 31, 2020.
Payment must be made in accordance
with the payment methods set forth in
50 CFR 679.95(a)(3)(iv).
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AFA Standard Price and Fee
Percentages
The AFA allocates the Bering Sea
directed pollock fishery TAC to three
sectors—catcher/processor, mothership,
and inshore. Each sector has established
cooperatives to harvest the sector’s
exclusive allocation. In 2020, the
cooperative for the inshore sector is
responsible for paying the fee for Bering
Sea pollock landed under the AFA. Cost
recovery requirements for the AFA
sectors are at 50 CFR 679.66.
NMFS calculates the standard price
for pollock using the most recent annual
value information reported to the Alaska
Department of Fish & Game for the
Commercial Operator’s Annual Report
and compiled in the Alaska Commercial
Fisheries Entry Commission Gross
Earnings data for Bering Sea pollock.
Due to the time required to compile the
data, there is a one-year delay between
the gross earnings data year and the
fishing year to which it is applied. For
example, NMFS used 2019 gross
earnings data to calculate the standard
price for 2020 pollock landings.
Under the fee percentage formula
described above, the estimated
percentage of direct program costs to
fishery value for the 2020 calendar year
is 0.21 percent for the AFA inshore
sector. To calculate the 2020 fee
liabilities, NMFS applied the respective
fee percentages to the landings of Bering
Sea pollock debited from each
cooperative’s fishery allocation that
occurred between January 1 and
December 31. The 2020 fee payments
must be submitted to NMFS on or before
December 31, 2020. Payment must be
made in accordance with the payment
methods set forth in 50 CFR
679.66(a)(4)(iv).
AIP Program Standard Price and Fee
Percentage
The AIP Program allocates the
Aleutian Islands directed pollock
fishery TAC to the Aleut Corporation,
consistent with the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004 (Pub. L.
108–109), and its implementing
regulations. Annually, prior to the start
of the pollock season, the Aleut
Corporation provides NMFS with the
identity of its designated representative
for harvesting the Aleutian Islands
directed pollock fishery TAC. The same
individual is responsible for the
submission of all cost recovery fees for
pollock landed under the AIP Program.
Cost recovery requirements for the AIP
Program are at 50 CFR 679.67.
NMFS calculates the standard price
for pollock using the most recent annual
value information reported to the Alaska
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Department of Fish & Game for the
Commercial Operator’s Annual Report
and compiled in the Alaska Commercial
Fisheries Entry Commission Gross
Earnings data for Aleutian Islands
pollock. Due to the time required to
compile the data, there is a one-year
delay between the gross earnings data
year and the fishing year to which it is
applied. For example, NMFS used 2019
gross earnings data to calculate the
standard price for 2020 pollock
landings.
For the 2020 fishing year, the Aleut
Corporation selected participants to
harvest or process the Aleutian Islands
directed pollock fishery TAC. Some
harvest occurred; however, the majority
of that TAC was eventually reallocated
to the Bering Sea directed pollock
fishery TAC. Due to the small harvest,
the estimated percentage of direct
program costs to fishery value for the
2020 calendar year were
disproportionally high and well above 3
percent. Pursuant to section 304(d)(2)(B)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the fee
percentage amount must not exceed 3
percent. Therefore, the 2020 fee
percentage is set at 3 percent. To
calculate the 2020 fee liability, NMFS
applied the respective fee percentage to
the pollock landings attributed to the
AIP Program that occurred between
January 1 and December 31. The 2020
fee payments must be submitted to
NMFS on or before December 31, 2020.
Payment must be made in accordance
with the payment methods set forth in
50 CFR 679.67(a)(3)(iv).
CDQ Standard Price and Fee Percentage
The CDQ Program was implemented
in 1992 to provide access to BSAI
fishery resources to villages located in
Western Alaska. Section 305(i) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act identifies 65
villages eligible to participate in the
CDQ Program and the six CDQ groups
to represent these villages. CDQ groups
receive exclusive harvesting privileges
of the TACs for a broad range of crab
species, groundfish species, and halibut.
NMFS implemented a CDQ cost
recovery program for the BSAI crab
fisheries in 2005 (70 FR 10174, March
2, 2005) and published the cost recovery
fee percentage for the 2020/2021 crab
fishing year on July 10, 2020 (85 FR
41566). This notice provides the cost
recovery fee percentage for the CDQ
groundfish and halibut programs. Each
CDQ group is subject to cost recovery
fee requirements for landed groundfish
and halibut, and the designated
representative of each CDQ group is
responsible for submitting payment for
their CDQ group. Cost recovery
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 231 / Tuesday, December 1, 2020 / Notices
requirements for the CDQ Program are at
50 CFR 679.33.
For most CDQ groundfish species,
NMFS annually summarizes volume
and value information for landings of all
fishery species subject to cost recovery
in order to estimate a standard price for
each fishery species. The volume and
value information is obtained from the
First Wholesale Volume and Value
Report and the Pacific Cod Ex-Vessel
Volume and Value Report. For CDQ
halibut and fixed-gear sablefish, NMFS
calculates the standard prices using
information from the Individual Fishing
Quota (IFQ) Ex-Vessel Volume and
Value Report, which collects
information on both IFQ and CDQ
volume and value.
Using the fee percentage formula
described above, the estimated
percentage of direct program costs to
fishery value for the 2020 calendar year
is 0.84 percent for the CDQ groundfish
and halibut programs. For 2020, NMFS
applied the calculated CDQ fee
percentage to all CDQ groundfish and
halibut landings made between January
1 and December 31 to calculate the CDQ
fee liability for each CDQ group. The
2020 fee payments must be submitted to
NMFS on or before December 31, 2020.
Payment must be made in accordance
with the payment methods set forth in
50 CFR 679.33(a)(3)(iv).
(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)
Dated: November 24, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–26432 Filed 11–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY
COMMISSION
CPSC Artificial Intelligence Forum
Consumer Product Safety
Commission.
ACTION: Announcement of forum.
AGENCY:
Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) staff is holding a
forum on artificial intelligence (AI), and
related technologies, such as Machine
Learning (ML). CPSC staff invites
interested parties to attend or
participate in the AI forum via webinar.
DATES: The AI forum will take place
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern Standard
Time (EST) on Tuesday, March 2, 2021,
via webinar. All attendees should preregister for the webinar. Individuals
interested in serving on panels or
presenting information at the forum
should register by January 15, 2020. All
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SUMMARY:
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other individuals who wish to attend
the forum should register by February
15, 2021.
ADDRESSES: The forum will be held via
webinar. Attendance is free of charge.
Persons interested in attending the
forum should register online at: https://
attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/
4723099942466621456 and fill in the
information. After registering, you will
receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the webinar.
Persons interested in serving on a panel
or presenting information should email
ntaylor@cpsc.gov an abstract by January
4, 2021. Detailed instructions for the
webinar participants and other
interested parties will be made available
on the CPSC website on the public
calendar: https://cpsc.gov/newsroom/
public-calendar.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nevin Taylor, Chief Technologist, 4330
East West Highway, Bethesda, MD
20814; telephone: 301–509–0264; email:
ntaylor@cpsc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CPSC staff
is hosting an AI forum to collect
information on the voluntary consensus
standards, certification, and product
specification efforts associated with
products using AI, ML, and related
technologies. The information collected
from the forum will assist staff in
making recommendations for improving
the safety of consumer products that
include this technology.
I. Background
For this Forum, we are generally
defining ‘‘Artificial intelligence’’ (AI) as
any method for programming computers
or products to enable them to carry out
tasks or behaviors that would require
intelligence if performed by humans.1
‘‘Machine learning’’ (ML) is typically
understood to be an iterative process of
applying models or algorithms to data
sets to learn and detect patterns and/or
perform tasks, such as prediction or
decision making that can approximate
some aspects of intelligence.2
A. Potential Uses of AI ML in Consumer
Products To Improve Product Safety
CPSC staff is aware of consumer
products with claims of AI inclusion.
Children’s toys, residential appliances,
and recreational products are being
marketed touting the use of AI, ML, and
related technologies to improve product
efficacy and consumer experience.
1 https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25021/thefrontiers-of-machine-learning-2017-raymond-andbeverly-sackler.
2 Ian Goodfellow Yoshua Bengio Aaron Courville,
Deep Learning (Adaptive Computation and
Machine Learning series), (MIT Press, 2016), 1.
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77183
Although opportunities exist for
manufacturers to improve safety using
new technologies, hazards may also be
associated with the inclusion of these
technologies.
B. AI, ML, and Related Technologies
AI, ML, and related technologies have
the potential to dramatically change the
nature of consumer products, with
important ramifications for CPSC’s
responsibilities to protect consumers
from product hazards. In particular,
products with AI or ML technologies
would be learning from the consumer
and from the operational environment
for the product. Customization occurs
through the evolution of products after
delivery to the consumer, resulting in
significant ramifications for
manufacturer’s implementation of AI
and ML that shape products and
transform consumer experience.
Although adapting to consumer
preferences has the potential to make
significant strides in product
customization of features and safety
enhancements, using data to predict and
enhance product operation could result
in safety hazards.
C. Ramifications of AI and ML in
Consumer Products
Manufacturers may not fully
understand the operation of the AIenabled products, particularly for those
using genetic algorithms and other
evolutionary AI techniques. Changes to
the product after purchase may impede
CPSC’s ability to replicate reported
hazards, creating challenges for
compliance investigations and product
safety standards development.
D. Relevant Voluntary Standards
Voluntary standards organizations are
developing consensus standards related
to AI and ML technologies that will
likely inform and improve safety-related
characteristics in consumer products. AI
and ML standards in the automotive,
aerospace, and defense industries are
ongoing, and knowledge from these
efforts may be valuable in consumer
product safety standards development.
II Forum Topics
The AI forum will discuss existing
and proposed voluntary consensus
standards, certifications, testing
methods, product specifications, best
practices, and similar guidance for AI,
ML, and related technologies. There is
currently considerable interest in
exploring a variety of areas of AI and
ML, including ethics, security, and
privacy. However, given the CPSC
mission, this forum is focused on
obtaining information specific to
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77180-77183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26432]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA581]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Cost Recovery Programs
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
[[Page 77181]]
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of standard prices and fee percentages.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS publishes standard prices and fee percentages for cost
recovery for the Amendment 80 Program, the American Fisheries Act (AFA)
Program, the Aleutian Islands Pollock (AIP) Program, and the Western
Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) groundfish and halibut
Programs. The fee percentage for 2020 is 1.19 percent for the Amendment
80 Program, 0.21 percent for the AFA inshore cooperatives, 3.0 percent
for the AIP program, and 0.84 percent for the CDQ groundfish and
halibut Programs. This action is intended to provide the 2020 standard
prices and fee percentages to calculate the required payment for cost
recovery fees due by December 31, 2020.
DATES: The standard prices and fee percentages are valid on December 1,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charmaine Weeks, Fee Coordinator, 907-
586-7231.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 304(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) authorizes and requires the
collection of cost recovery fees for limited access privilege programs
and the CDQ Program. Cost recovery fees recover the actual costs
directly related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of
the programs. Section 304(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act mandates that
cost recovery fees not exceed 3 percent of the annual ex-vessel value
of fish harvested by a program subject to a cost recovery fee, and that
the fee be collected either at the time of landing, filing of a landing
report, or sale of such fish during a fishing season or in the last
quarter of the calendar year in which the fish is harvested.
NMFS manages the Amendment 80 Program, AFA Program, and AIP Program
as limited access privilege programs. On January 5, 2016, NMFS
published a final rule to implement cost recovery for these three
limited access privilege programs and the CDQ groundfish and halibut
programs (81 FR 150). The designated representative (for the purposes
of cost recovery) for each program is responsible for submitting the
fee payment to NMFS on or before the due date of December 31 of the
year in which the 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 landings under the program made during
the fishing year. NMFS publishes this notice of the fee percentages for
the Amendment 80, AFA, AIP, and CDQ groundfish and halibut fisheries in
the Federal Register by December 1 each year.
Standard Prices
The fee liability is based on the ex-vessel value of fish harvested
in each program. For purposes of calculating cost recovery fees, NMFS
calculates a standard ex-vessel price (standard price) for each
species. A standard price is determined using information on landings
purchased (volume) and ex-vessel value paid (value). For most
groundfish species, NMFS annually summarizes volume and value
information for landings of all fishery species subject to cost
recovery to estimate a standard price for each species. The standard
prices are described in U.S. dollars per pound for landings made during
the year. The standard prices for all species in the Amendment 80, AFA,
AIP, and CDQ groundfish and halibut programs are listed in Table 1.
Each landing made under each program is multiplied by the appropriate
standard price to arrive at an ex-vessel value for each landing. These
values are summed together to arrive at the ex-vessel value of each
program (fishery value).
Table 1--Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Species for the 2020 Fishing Year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard ex-
vessel price
Species Gear type Reporting period per pound
($)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder................ All........................... January 1, 2020-October 31, $0.16
2020.
Atka mackerel...................... All........................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.23
2020.
Flathead sole...................... All........................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.15
2020.
Greenland turbot................... All........................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.53
2020.
CDQ halibut........................ Fixed gear.................... October 1, 2019-September 3.82
30, 2020.
Pacific cod........................ Fixed gear.................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.42
2020.
Trawl gear.................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.37
2020.
Pacific ocean perch................ All........................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.15
2020.
Pollock............................ All........................... January 1, 2019-December 0.14
31, 2019.
Rock sole.......................... All........................... January 1, 2020-March 31, 0.24
2020.
All........................... April 1, 2020-October 31, 0.13
2020.
Sablefish.......................... Fixed gear.................... October 1, 2019-September 2.12
30, 2020.
Trawl gear.................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.61
2020.
Yellowfin sole..................... All........................... January 1, 2020-October 31, 0.15
2020.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fee Percentage
NMFS calculates the fee percentage each year according to the
factors and methods described at 50 CFR 679.33(c)(2), 679.66(c)(2),
679.67(c)(2), and 679.95(c)(2). NMFS determines the fee percentage that
applies to landings made during the year by dividing the total costs
directly related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of
each program (direct program costs) during the year by the fishery
value. NMFS captures direct program costs through an established
accounting system that allows staff to track labor, travel, contracts,
rent, and procurement. For 2020, the direct program costs were tracked
from October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2020 (the end of the fiscal
year). The individual 2020 fee percentages for the Amendment 80 Program
and the Western Alaska CDQ groundfish and halibut Programs are higher
relative to percentages calculated for the programs in 2019. The 2020
percentage for the AFA Program was less than the 2019 percentage, and
the 2020 percentage for the Aleutian Islands Pollock Program remained
the same as 2019.
[[Page 77182]]
NMFS will provide an annual report that summarizes direct program
costs for each of the programs in early 2021. NMFS calculates the
fishery value as described under the section Standard Prices.
Amendment 80 Program Standard Prices and Fee Percentage
The Amendment 80 Program allocates total allowable catches (TACs)
of groundfish species, other than Bering Sea pollock, to identified
trawl catcher/processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI).
The Amendment 80 Program allocates a portion of the BSAI TACs of six
species: Atka mackerel, Pacific cod, flathead sole, rock sole,
yellowfin sole, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch. Participants
in the Amendment 80 sector have established cooperatives to harvest
these allocations. Each Amendment 80 cooperative is responsible for
payment of the cost recovery fee for fish landed under the Amendment 80
Program. Cost recovery requirements for the Amendment 80 Program are at
50 CFR 679.95.
For most Amendment 80 species, NMFS annually summarizes volume and
value information for landings of all fishery species subject to cost
recovery in order to estimate a standard price for each fishery
species. Regulations specify that for rock sole, NMFS shall calculate a
separate standard price for two periods--January 1 through March 31,
and April 1 through October 31, which accounts for a substantial
difference in estimated rock sole prices during the first quarter of
the year relative to the remainder of the year. The volume and value
information is obtained from the First Wholesale Volume and Value
Report, and the Pacific Cod Ex-Vessel Volume and Value Report.
Using the fee percentage formula described above, the estimated
percentage of direct program costs to fishery value for the 2020
calendar year is 1.19 percent for the Amendment 80 Program. For 2020,
NMFS applied the fee percentage to each Amendment 80 species landing
that was debited from an Amendment 80 cooperative quota allocation
between January 1 and December 31 to calculate the Amendment 80 fee
liability for each Amendment 80 cooperative. The 2020 fee payments must
be submitted to NMFS on or before December 31, 2020. Payment must be
made in accordance with the payment methods set forth in 50 CFR
679.95(a)(3)(iv).
AFA Standard Price and Fee Percentages
The AFA allocates the Bering Sea directed pollock fishery TAC to
three sectors--catcher/processor, mothership, and inshore. Each sector
has established cooperatives to harvest the sector's exclusive
allocation. In 2020, the cooperative for the inshore sector is
responsible for paying the fee for Bering Sea pollock landed under the
AFA. Cost recovery requirements for the AFA sectors are at 50 CFR
679.66.
NMFS calculates the standard price for pollock using the most
recent annual value information reported to the Alaska Department of
Fish & Game for the Commercial Operator's Annual Report and compiled in
the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission Gross Earnings data
for Bering Sea pollock. Due to the time required to compile the data,
there is a one-year delay between the gross earnings data year and the
fishing year to which it is applied. For example, NMFS used 2019 gross
earnings data to calculate the standard price for 2020 pollock
landings.
Under the fee percentage formula described above, the estimated
percentage of direct program costs to fishery value for the 2020
calendar year is 0.21 percent for the AFA inshore sector. To calculate
the 2020 fee liabilities, NMFS applied the respective fee percentages
to the landings of Bering Sea pollock debited from each cooperative's
fishery allocation that occurred between January 1 and December 31. The
2020 fee payments must be submitted to NMFS on or before December 31,
2020. Payment must be made in accordance with the payment methods set
forth in 50 CFR 679.66(a)(4)(iv).
AIP Program Standard Price and Fee Percentage
The AIP Program allocates the Aleutian Islands directed pollock
fishery TAC to the Aleut Corporation, consistent with the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-109), and its implementing
regulations. Annually, prior to the start of the pollock season, the
Aleut Corporation provides NMFS with the identity of its designated
representative for harvesting the Aleutian Islands directed pollock
fishery TAC. The same individual is responsible for the submission of
all cost recovery fees for pollock landed under the AIP Program. Cost
recovery requirements for the AIP Program are at 50 CFR 679.67.
NMFS calculates the standard price for pollock using the most
recent annual value information reported to the Alaska Department of
Fish & Game for the Commercial Operator's Annual Report and compiled in
the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission Gross Earnings data
for Aleutian Islands pollock. Due to the time required to compile the
data, there is a one-year delay between the gross earnings data year
and the fishing year to which it is applied. For example, NMFS used
2019 gross earnings data to calculate the standard price for 2020
pollock landings.
For the 2020 fishing year, the Aleut Corporation selected
participants to harvest or process the Aleutian Islands directed
pollock fishery TAC. Some harvest occurred; however, the majority of
that TAC was eventually reallocated to the Bering Sea directed pollock
fishery TAC. Due to the small harvest, the estimated percentage of
direct program costs to fishery value for the 2020 calendar year were
disproportionally high and well above 3 percent. Pursuant to section
304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the fee percentage amount
must not exceed 3 percent. Therefore, the 2020 fee percentage is set at
3 percent. To calculate the 2020 fee liability, NMFS applied the
respective fee percentage to the pollock landings attributed to the AIP
Program that occurred between January 1 and December 31. The 2020 fee
payments must be submitted to NMFS on or before December 31, 2020.
Payment must be made in accordance with the payment methods set forth
in 50 CFR 679.67(a)(3)(iv).
CDQ Standard Price and Fee Percentage
The CDQ Program was implemented in 1992 to provide access to BSAI
fishery resources to villages located in Western Alaska. Section 305(i)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Act identifies 65 villages eligible to
participate in the CDQ Program and the six CDQ groups to represent
these villages. CDQ groups receive exclusive harvesting privileges of
the TACs for a broad range of crab species, groundfish species, and
halibut. NMFS implemented a CDQ cost recovery program for the BSAI crab
fisheries in 2005 (70 FR 10174, March 2, 2005) and published the cost
recovery fee percentage for the 2020/2021 crab fishing year on July 10,
2020 (85 FR 41566). This notice provides the cost recovery fee
percentage for the CDQ groundfish and halibut programs. Each CDQ group
is subject to cost recovery fee requirements for landed groundfish and
halibut, and the designated representative of each CDQ group is
responsible for submitting payment for their CDQ group. Cost recovery
[[Page 77183]]
requirements for the CDQ Program are at 50 CFR 679.33.
For most CDQ groundfish species, NMFS annually summarizes volume
and value information for landings of all fishery species subject to
cost recovery in order to estimate a standard price for each fishery
species. The volume and value information is obtained from the First
Wholesale Volume and Value Report and the Pacific Cod Ex-Vessel Volume
and Value Report. For CDQ halibut and fixed-gear sablefish, NMFS
calculates the standard prices using information from the Individual
Fishing Quota (IFQ) Ex-Vessel Volume and Value Report, which collects
information on both IFQ and CDQ volume and value.
Using the fee percentage formula described above, the estimated
percentage of direct program costs to fishery value for the 2020
calendar year is 0.84 percent for the CDQ groundfish and halibut
programs. For 2020, NMFS applied the calculated CDQ fee percentage to
all CDQ groundfish and halibut landings made between January 1 and
December 31 to calculate the CDQ fee liability for each CDQ group. The
2020 fee payments must be submitted to NMFS on or before December 31,
2020. Payment must be made in accordance with the payment methods set
forth in 50 CFR 679.33(a)(3)(iv).
(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)
Dated: November 24, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-26432 Filed 11-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
