Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs, 82442-82445 [2020-27881]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 244 / Friday, December 18, 2020 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2020–27883 Filed 12–17–20; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA580]
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 2020 is 3.0 percent. This
action is intended to provide holders of
halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with
the 2020 standard prices and fee
percentage to calculate the required
payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due
by January 31, 2021.
DATES: The standard prices and fee
percentages are valid on December 18,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Charmaine Weeks, Fee Coordinator,
907–586–7231.
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
§ 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 at § 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 their IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit
holder is responsible for self-collecting
the fee for all IFQ halibut and IFQ
sablefish landings on their 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. 85, No. 244 / Friday, December 18, 2020 / Notices
pounds landed as guided angler fish is
converted to IFQ equivalent pound(s) as
specified in § 300.65(c)(5)(ii)(E) of this
title. NMFS calculates the standard
prices to closely reflect the variations in
the actual ex-vessel values of IFQ
halibut and IFQ sablefish landings by
month and port or port-group. The
standard prices for IFQ halibut and IFQ
sablefish are listed in the tables that
follow the next section. Data from ports
are combined as necessary to protect
confidentiality.
Fee Percentage
NMFS calculates the fee percentage
each year according to the factors and
methods described at § 679.45(d)(2).
NMFS determines the fee percentage
that applies to landings made in the
previous year by dividing the total costs
directly related to the management, data
collection, and enforcement of the IFQ
Program (management costs) during the
previous year by the total standard exvessel value of IFQ halibut and IFQ
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 2020 calendar year
is 4.3 percent of the standard ex-vessel
value; however, the fee percentage must
not exceed 3.0 percent pursuant to
§ 304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. Therefore, the 2020 fee percentage
is set at 3.0 percent. An IFQ permit
holder is to use the fee percentage of 3.0
percent to calculate his or her fee for
IFQ equivalent pound(s) landed during
the 2020 halibut and sablefish IFQ
fishing season. An IFQ permit holder is
responsible for submitting the 2020 IFQ
fee payment to NMFS on or before
January 31, 2021. Payment must be
made in accordance with the payment
82443
methods set forth in § 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 2020 fee percentage of 3.0 percent
is the same as the 2019 fee percentage
of 3.0 percent (84 FR 70153, December
20, 2019). Between 2019 and 2020 there
was a net 1.6 percent decrease in
management costs; however, the
decrease in costs was offset by a 31.3
percent drop in the value of the halibut
and sablefish harvests over the same
time period. The drop in value was
primarily due to low ex-vessel prices in
both the sablefish and halibut fisheries
in 2020. The drop in value, despite the
decrease in management costs, impacted
the fee percentage to raise it to its actual
value of 4.3 percent. As noted above,
however, the fee percentage is capped at
3.0 percent for the IFQ program.
TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2020 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 ....................................................................................
30-Nov ...........................................................................................
........................................................................................................
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 ..........................................................................................
........................
........................
........................
........................
4.16
3.89
2.78
4.12
4.12
4.12
........................
........................
........................
4.2
4.46
4.57
4.38
4.21
4.21
4.21
........................
........................
........................
3.81
4.07
4.18
4.69
4.8
4.8
4.8
........................
........................
3.93
3.75
3.83
4.14
4.19
4.1
4.1
4.1
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
1.89
1.89
1.89
........................
........................
........................
1.44
1.69
........................
1.94
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
1.39
1.31
1.57
1.35
1.73
1.57
1.57
1.57
........................
........................
........................
........................
HOMER .........................................................................................
KETCHIKAN ..................................................................................
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KODIAK .........................................................................................
PETERSBURG ..............................................................................
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TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2020 IFQ SEASON 1—
Continued
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 ......................................................................................
September 30 ................................................................................
October 31 ....................................................................................
November 30 .................................................................................
........................................................................................................
March 31 .......................................................................................
3.97
4.47
4.39
4.15
4.15
4.15
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
4.75
4.37
........................
........................
........................
........................
3.97
3.76
4.03
4.24
4.28
........................
4.17
4.17
4.17
........................
........................
........................
........................
4.3
4.68
4.34
4.28
4.28
4.28
........................
........................
........................
3.41
3.53
3.61
3.87
3.88
3.88
3.88
........................
4.16
3.94
4
4.23
4.36
4.18
4.13
4.13
4.13
........................
4.41
3.96
4.03
4.17
4.25
4.44
4.36
4.36
4.36
........................
4.34
3.92
3.98
4.1
4.19
4.15
4.13
4.13
4.13
........................
4.34
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
1.63
1.63
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
2.06
1.85
2.11
2.24
........................
1.92
1.92
1.92
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
1.65
1.56
........................
1.93
1.3
1.3
1.3
........................
1.92
2
2
2.14
1.64
1.76
1.61
1.61
1.61
........................
2.28
2.02
1.94
2.03
1.97
2.14
2.07
2.07
2.07
........................
2.16
1.97
1.92
1.98
1.77
1.85
1.8
1.8
1.8
........................
2.16
Landing location
SEWARD .......................................................................................
SITKA ............................................................................................
YAKUTAT ......................................................................................
PORT GROUP BERING SEA 2 .....................................................
PORT GROUP CENTRAL GOA 3 .................................................
PORT GROUP SE ALASKA 4 .......................................................
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ALL-ALASKA 5 ...............................................................................
ALL 5 ..............................................................................................
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 244 / Friday, December 18, 2020 / Notices
TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2020 IFQ SEASON 1—
Continued
Landing location
Halibut
standard ex
vessel price
Period ending
April 30 ..........................................................................................
May 31 ..........................................................................................
June 30 .........................................................................................
July 31 ...........................................................................................
August 31 ......................................................................................
September 30 ................................................................................
October 31 ....................................................................................
November 30 .................................................................................
Sablefish
standard ex
vessel price
3.92
3.98
4.1
4.19
4.15
4.13
4.13
4.13
1.97
1.92
1.98
1.77
1.85
1.8
1.8
1.8
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 14, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–27881 Filed 12–17–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA704]
Pacific Fishery Management Council;
Public Meeting.
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
AGENCY:
The Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s (Pacific Council)
will host an online meeting of the Area
2A Pacific halibut governmental
management entities, that is open to the
public.
DATES: The meeting will be held
Monday, January 4, 2021, from 10:30
a.m. until 2 p.m., Pacific Standard Time,
or until business for the day has been
completed.
ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held
online. Specific meeting information,
including directions on how to join the
meeting and system requirements will
be provided in the meeting
announcement on the Pacific Council’s
website (see www.pcouncil.org). You
may send an email to Mr. Kris
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@
noaa.gov) or contact him at (503) 820–
2412 for technical assistance
Council address: Pacific Fishery
Management Council, 7700 NE
Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland,
OR 97220–1384.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Robin Ehlke, Pacific Council; telephone:
(503) 820–2426.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
primary purpose of the online meeting
is to prepare and develop
recommendations for the 2021
International Pacific Halibut
Commission’s (IPHC) annual meeting
held online from January 25 through
January 29, 2021. Recommendations
generated from the 2A managers
meeting will be communicated to the
IPHC by the Pacific Council’s
representatives. Attendees may also
address other topics relating to Pacific
halibut management.
Although nonemergency issues not
contained in the meeting agenda may be
discussed, those issues may not be the
subject of formal action during this
meeting. Action will be restricted to
those issues specifically listed in this
document and any issues arising after
publication of this document that
require emergency action under section
305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act,
provided the public has been notified of
the intent to take final action to address
the emergency.
Special Accommodations
Requests for auxiliary aids should be
directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt at
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(503) 820–2412 at least 10 business days
prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 15, 2020.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–27972 Filed 12–17–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA705]
Pacific Fishery Management Council;
Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
The Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s (Pacific Council)
Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup (EWG)
will hold an online meeting, which is
open to the public.
DATES: The online meeting will be held
on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, from 10
a.m. to 12 p.m., Pacific Standard Time
or until business is completed.
ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held
online. Specific meeting information,
including directions on how to join the
meeting and system requirements will
be provided in the meeting
announcement on the Pacific Council’s
website (see www.pcouncil.org). You
may send an email to Mr. Kris
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 244 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82442-82445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27881]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA580]
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 2020 is 3.0 percent. This action is intended to
provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2020
standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment
for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2021.
DATES: The standard prices and fee percentages are valid on December
18, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charmaine Weeks, Fee Coordinator, 907-
586-7231.
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 Sec. 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 at 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 their
IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is responsible for self-collecting
the fee for all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings on their
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 82443]]
pounds landed as guided angler fish is converted to IFQ equivalent
pound(s) as specified in Sec. 300.65(c)(5)(ii)(E) of this title. NMFS
calculates the standard prices to closely reflect the variations in the
actual ex-vessel values of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings by
month and port or port-group. The standard prices for IFQ halibut and
IFQ sablefish are listed in the tables that follow the next section.
Data from ports are combined as necessary to protect confidentiality.
Fee Percentage
NMFS calculates the fee percentage each year according to the
factors and methods described 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 2020 calendar
year is 4.3 percent of the standard ex-vessel value; however, the fee
percentage must not exceed 3.0 percent pursuant to Sec. 304(d)(2)(B)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Therefore, the 2020 fee percentage is set
at 3.0 percent. An IFQ permit holder is to use the fee percentage of
3.0 percent to calculate his or her fee for IFQ equivalent pound(s)
landed during the 2020 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing season. An IFQ
permit holder is responsible for submitting the 2020 IFQ fee payment to
NMFS on or before January 31, 2021. 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 2020 fee percentage of 3.0 percent is the same as the 2019 fee
percentage of 3.0 percent (84 FR 70153, December 20, 2019). Between
2019 and 2020 there was a net 1.6 percent decrease in management costs;
however, the decrease in costs was offset by a 31.3 percent drop in the
value of the halibut and sablefish harvests over the same time period.
The drop in value was primarily due to low ex-vessel prices in both the
sablefish and halibut fisheries in 2020. The drop in value, despite the
decrease in management costs, impacted the fee percentage to raise it
to its actual value of 4.3 percent. As noted above, however, the fee
percentage is capped at 3.0 percent for the IFQ program.
Table 1--Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for the 2020 IFQ Season 1
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Halibut Sablefish
Landing location Period ending standard ex standard ex
vessel price vessel price
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CORDOVA....................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
June 30......................... 4.16 ..............
July 31......................... 3.89 ..............
August 31....................... 2.78 ..............
September 30.................... 4.12 1.89
October 31...................... 4.12 1.89
November 30..................... 4.12 1.89
HOMER......................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... 4.2 1.44
June 30......................... 4.46 1.69
July 31......................... 4.57 ..............
August 31....................... 4.38 1.94
September 30.................... 4.21 ..............
October 31...................... 4.21 ..............
30-Nov.......................... 4.21 ..............
KETCHIKAN..................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... 3.81 ..............
June 30......................... 4.07 ..............
July 31......................... 4.18 ..............
August 31....................... 4.69 ..............
September 30.................... 4.8 ..............
October 31...................... 4.8 ..............
November 30..................... 4.8 ..............
KODIAK........................................ ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ 3.93 1.39
May 31.......................... 3.75 1.31
June 30......................... 3.83 1.57
July 31......................... 4.14 1.35
August 31....................... 4.19 1.73
September 30.................... 4.1 1.57
October 31...................... 4.1 1.57
November 30..................... 4.1 1.57
PETERSBURG.................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
[[Page 82444]]
June 30......................... 3.97 ..............
July 31......................... 4.47 ..............
August 31....................... 4.39 ..............
September 30.................... 4.15 ..............
October 31...................... 4.15 ..............
November 30..................... 4.15 ..............
SEWARD........................................ ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
June 30......................... .............. ..............
July 31......................... 4.75 1.63
August 31....................... 4.37 1.63
September 30.................... .............. ..............
October 31...................... .............. ..............
November 30..................... .............. ..............
SITKA......................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 3.97 ..............
April 30........................ 3.76 2.06
May 31.......................... 4.03 1.85
June 30......................... 4.24 2.11
July 31......................... 4.28 2.24
August 31....................... .............. ..............
September 30.................... 4.17 1.92
October 31...................... 4.17 1.92
November 30..................... 4.17 1.92
YAKUTAT....................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... .............. ..............
June 30......................... 4.3 ..............
July 31......................... 4.68 ..............
August 31....................... 4.34 ..............
September 30.................... 4.28 ..............
October 31...................... 4.28 ..............
November 30..................... 4.28 ..............
PORT GROUP BERING SEA \2\..................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ .............. ..............
April 30........................ .............. ..............
May 31.......................... 3.41 1.65
June 30......................... 3.53 1.56
July 31......................... 3.61 ..............
August 31....................... 3.87 1.93
September 30.................... 3.88 1.3
October 31...................... 3.88 1.3
November 30..................... 3.88 1.3
PORT GROUP CENTRAL GOA \3\.................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 4.16 1.92
April 30........................ 3.94 2
May 31.......................... 4 2
June 30......................... 4.23 2.14
July 31......................... 4.36 1.64
August 31....................... 4.18 1.76
September 30.................... 4.13 1.61
October 31...................... 4.13 1.61
November 30..................... 4.13 1.61
PORT GROUP SE ALASKA \4\...................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 4.41 2.28
April 30........................ 3.96 2.02
May 31.......................... 4.03 1.94
June 30......................... 4.17 2.03
July 31......................... 4.25 1.97
August 31....................... 4.44 2.14
September 30.................... 4.36 2.07
October 31...................... 4.36 2.07
November 30..................... 4.36 2.07
ALL-ALASKA \5\................................ ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 4.34 2.16
April 30........................ 3.92 1.97
May 31.......................... 3.98 1.92
June 30......................... 4.1 1.98
July 31......................... 4.19 1.77
August 31....................... 4.15 1.85
September 30.................... 4.13 1.8
October 31...................... 4.13 1.8
November 30..................... 4.13 1.8
ALL \5\....................................... ................................ .............. ..............
March 31........................ 4.34 2.16
[[Page 82445]]
April 30........................ 3.92 1.97
May 31.......................... 3.98 1.92
June 30......................... 4.1 1.98
July 31......................... 4.19 1.77
August 31....................... 4.15 1.85
September 30.................... 4.13 1.8
October 31...................... 4.13 1.8
November 30..................... 4.13 1.8
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\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 14, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-27881 Filed 12-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
