Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher Processor Subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non-Pollock Groundfish Fishery, 95185-95186 [2024-28163]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 231 / Monday, December 2, 2024 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
William Fritz, (301) 427–8078.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Sections 312(b) through (e) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16
U.S.C. 1861a (b) through (e)) generally
authorizes fishing capacity reduction
programs. In particular, section 312(d)
authorizes industry fee systems for
repaying reduction loans that finance
reduction programs. Subpart L of 50
CFR part 600 is the framework rule
generally implementing section 312(b)
through (e). Sections 1111 and 1112 of
the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App.
U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g) generally
authorizes reduction loans.
Enacted on February 20, 2003, section
212 of division B, title II, of Public Law
108–7 (section 212) specifically
authorizes a fishing capacity reduction
program for that portion of the limited
entry trawl fishery under the Pacific
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management
Plan whose permits, excluding those
registered to whiting catcher-processors,
are endorsed for trawl gear operation
(reduction fishery).
The reduction program’s objective
was to reduce the number of vessels and
permits endorsed for the operation of
groundfish trawl gear. The program also
involved corollary fishing capacity
reduction in the California, Oregon, and
Washington fisheries for Dungeness crab
and pink shrimp and the sub-loans for
these State fisheries have all been
repaid.
NMFS proposed the implementing
notice on May 28, 2003 (68 FR 31653)
and published the final notice on July
18, 2003 (68 FR 42613). NMFS allocated
a $28,428,719 reduction loan to the
groundfish fishery. The allocation
became a reduction loan repayable by
fees from the groundfish fishery.
NMFS published in the Federal
Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR 40225),
the final rule to implement the industry
fee system for repaying the program’s
reduction loan. The regulations
implementing the program are located at
50 CFR part 600 subpart M. On August
8, 2005, NMFS published in the Federal
Register (70 FR 45695) a notice of the
fee effective date and established
September 8, 2005 as the effective date
when fee collection and loan repayment
began.
that will be reasonably necessary to
ensure reduction loan repayment within
the specified 30-year term. NMFS has
determined that the current fee rate of
3.5 percent for the groundfish fishery is
projected to collect more than the
annual amortization amount needed for
2025. Therefore, NMFS is decreasing the
fee rate to 2.25 percent for all landings
beginning January 1, 2025.
Fish buyers may continue to disburse
collected fee deposits to NMFS by using
https://www.pay.gov or by mailing
payments to our lockbox. Our lockbox’s
address is: ‘‘NMFS Pacific Coast
Groundfish Buyback Loan, P.O. Box
979008, St. Louis, MO 63197–9000. Fish
buyers must include the fee collection
report with the fee payment. Fish buyers
using https://www.pay.gov will find an
electronic fee collection report form.
Fish buyers not using https://
www.pay.gov may also access the NMFS
website for a copy of the fee collection
report at: https://www.fisheries.
noaa.gov/national/funding-andfinancial-services/pacific-coastgroundfish-buyback.
III. Notice
The new 2.25 percent fee rate for the
groundfish fishery will begin for all
landings starting January 1, 2025. From
and after this date, all groundfish
program fish sellers paying fees shall
begin paying groundfish program fees at
the revised rate. The first due date for
fee payments with the decreased rate
will be February 14, 2025.
Fee collection and submission shall
follow previously established methods
in § 600.1013 of the framework rule and
in the final fee rule published in the
Federal Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR
40225).
Authority: The authority for this
action is Pub. L. 107 206, Pub. L. 108
7, 16 U.S.C. 1861a (b) through (e), and
50 CFR 600.1000 et seq.
Dated: November 22, 2024.
Brian T. Pawlak,
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative
Officer, Director, Office of Management and
Budget, NOAA Fisheries.
[FR Doc. 2024–28144 Filed 11–29–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
II. Purpose
The purpose of this notice is to adjust,
in accordance with the framework rule’s
§ 600.1013(b), the fee rate for the
groundfish fishery. Section 600.1013(b)
directs NMFS to recalculate the fee rate
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18:25 Nov 29, 2024
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95185
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE485]
Fishing Capacity Reduction Program
for the Longline Catcher Processor
Subsector of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Non-Pollock
Groundfish Fishery
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment.
AGENCY:
NMFS issues this notice to
inform the public that there will be a
decrease of the fee rate required to repay
the reduction loan financing the nonpollock groundfish fishing capacity
reduction program. Effective January 1,
2025, NMFS is decreasing the Loan A
fee rate to $0.016 per pound to ensure
timely repayment of the loan. The fee
rate for Loan B will remain unchanged
at $0.001 per pound. The decreased fee
rate is due to a recalculation based on
the required amortization target and
projected non-pollock groundfish Total
Allowable Catch (TAC) for 2025, as well
as a temporary adjustment related to
2024 Season B.
DATES: The non-pollock groundfish
program fee rate decrease will begin
with landings on January 1, 2025. The
first due date for fee payments with the
decreased rate will be February 15,
2025.
SUMMARY:
Send questions about this
notice to William Fritz, Financial
Assistance Specialist, Financial Services
Division, National Marine Fisheries
Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910–3282.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
William Fritz, (301) 427–8078.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
Background
Sections 312(b)–(e) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.)
generally authorizes fishing capacity
reduction programs. In particular,
section 312(d) authorizes industry fee
systems for repaying reduction loans
which finance reduction program costs.
Subpart L of 50 CFR part 600 is the
framework rule generally implementing
section 312(b)–(e). Sections 1111 and
1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936
(46 App. U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g)
generally authorize reduction loans.
Enacted on December 8, 2004, section
219, Title II, of FY 2005 Appropriations
E:\FR\FM\02DEN1.SGM
02DEN1
95186
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 231 / Monday, December 2, 2024 / Notices
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Act, Public Law 104–447 (Act)
authorizes a fishing capacity reduction
program implementing capacity
reduction plans submitted to NMFS by
catcher processor subsectors of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI)
non-pollock groundfish fishery
(reduction fishery) as set forth in the
Act.
The longline catcher processor
subsector (Longline Subsector) is among
the catcher processor subsectors eligible
to submit to NMFS a capacity reduction
plan under the terms of the Act. The
longline subsector non-pollock
groundfish reduction program’s
objective was to reduce the number of
vessels and permits endorsed for
longline subsector of the non-pollock
groundfish fishery. All post-reduction
fish landings from the reduction fishery
are subject to the longline subsector
non-pollock groundfish program’s fee.
NMFS proposed the implementing
notice on August 11, 2006 (71 FR
46364), and published the final notice
on September 29, 2006 (71 FR 57696).
NMFS allocated the $35,000,000
reduction loan (A Loan) to the reduction
fishery and this loan is repayable by fees
from the fishery.
On September 24, 2007, NMFS
published in the Federal Register (72
FR 54219), the final rule to implement
the industry fee system for repaying the
non-pollock groundfish program’s
reduction loan and established October
24, 2007, as the effective date when fee
collection and loan repayment began.
The regulations implementing the
program are located at § 600.1012.
NMFS published a final rule to
implement a second $2,700,000
reduction loan (B Loan) for this fishery
in the Federal Register on September
24, 2012 (77 FR 58775). The loan was
disbursed December 18, 2012 with fee
collection of $0.001 per pound to begin
January 1, 2013. This fee is in addition
to the A Loan fee.
Purpose
The purpose of this notice is to adjust
the fee rate for the reduction fishery in
accordance with the framework rule’s
§ 600.1013(b). Section 600.1013(b)
directs NMFS to recalculate the fee rate
that will be reasonably necessary to
ensure reduction loan repayment within
the specified 30 year term.
NMFS has determined for the
reduction fishery that the current fee
rate of Loan A, $0.020 per pound, is
more than that needed to service the
loan in 2025. Therefore, NMFS is
decreasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.016
per pound. NMFS has determined
$0.017 per pound is sufficient to ensure
timely loan repayment, with an
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18:25 Nov 29, 2024
Jkt 265001
additional temporary $0.001 per pound
adjustment related to the 2024 Season B
rate having been set at $0.020 per pound
rather than $0.019 per pound. The fee
rate for Loan B will remain $0.001 per
pound.
Subsector members may continue to
use Pay.gov to disburse collected fee
deposits at: https\://www.pay.gov/
paygov/.
Please visit the NMFS website for
additional information at:https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/
funding-and-financial-services/longlinecatcher-processor-subsector-bering-seaand-aleutian-islands-non-pollock.
Notice
The new fee rate for the non-pollock
groundfish fishery will begin on January
1, 2025.
From and after this date, all subsector
members paying fees on the non-pollock
groundfish fishery shall begin paying
non-pollock groundfish fishery program
fees at the revised rate.
Fee collection and submission shall
follow previously established methods
in § 600.1013 of the framework rule and
in the final fee rule published in the
Federal Register on September 24, 2007
(72 FR 54219).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.; Pub.
L. 108–447.
Dated: November 26, 2024.
Brian T. Pawlak,
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative
Officer, Director, Office of Management and
Budget, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–28163 Filed 11–29–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE341]
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to the Maryland
Offshore Wind Project Offshore of
Maryland
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of Letter of
Authorization.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) as amended, and implementing
regulations, notification is hereby given
that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has
been issued to US Wind, Inc. (US
Wind), for the taking of marine
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
mammals incidental to the construction
of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project
(hereafter known as the ‘‘Project’’).
DATES: The LOA is effective from
January 1, 2025 through December 31,
2029.
ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting
documentation are available online at:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/
incidental-take-authorizations-undermarine-mammal-protection-act. In case
of problems accessing these documents,
please call the contact listed below (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jessica Taylor, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The MMPA prohibits the ‘‘take’’ of
marine mammals, with certain
exceptions. Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and
(D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et
seq.) direct the Secretary of Commerce
(as delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon
request, the incidental, but not
intentional, taking of small numbers of
marine mammals by U.S. citizens who
engage in a specified activity (other than
commercial fishing) within a specified
geographical region if certain findings
are made, regulations are promulgated
(when applicable), and public notice
and an opportunity for public comment
are provided.
An authorization for incidental
takings shall be granted if NMFS finds
that the taking will have a negligible
impact on the species or stock(s) and
will not have an unmitigable adverse
impact on the availability of the species
or stock(s) for taking for subsistence
uses (where relevant). If such findings
are made, NMFS must prescribe the
permissible methods of taking; ‘‘other
means of effecting the least practicable
adverse impact’’ on the affected species
or stocks and their habitat, paying
particular attention to rookeries, mating
grounds, and areas of similar
significance, and on the availability of
the species or stocks for taking for
certain subsistence uses (referred to as
‘‘mitigation’’); and requirements
pertaining to the monitoring and
reporting of such takings. The MMPA
defines ‘‘take’’ to mean harass, hunt,
capture, or kill, or attempt to harass,
hunt, capture, or kill any marine
mammal (16 U.S.C. 1362(13); 50 CFR
216.103). Level A harassment is defined
as any act of pursuit, torment, or
annoyance which has the potential to
injure a marine mammal or marine
mammal stock in the wild (16 U.S.C.
1362(18); 50 CFR 216.3). Level A
harassment is defined as any act of
E:\FR\FM\02DEN1.SGM
02DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95185-95186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28163]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XE485]
Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher
Processor Subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non-Pollock
Groundfish Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to inform the public that there will
be a decrease of the fee rate required to repay the reduction loan
financing the non-pollock groundfish fishing capacity reduction
program. Effective January 1, 2025, NMFS is decreasing the Loan A fee
rate to $0.016 per pound to ensure timely repayment of the loan. The
fee rate for Loan B will remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound. The
decreased fee rate is due to a recalculation based on the required
amortization target and projected non-pollock groundfish Total
Allowable Catch (TAC) for 2025, as well as a temporary adjustment
related to 2024 Season B.
DATES: The non-pollock groundfish program fee rate decrease will begin
with landings on January 1, 2025. The first due date for fee payments
with the decreased rate will be February 15, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to William Fritz, Financial
Assistance Specialist, Financial Services Division, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-
3282.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Fritz, (301) 427-8078.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 312(b)-(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.) generally authorizes
fishing capacity reduction programs. In particular, section 312(d)
authorizes industry fee systems for repaying reduction loans which
finance reduction program costs. Subpart L of 50 CFR part 600 is the
framework rule generally implementing section 312(b)-(e). Sections 1111
and 1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1279f and
1279g) generally authorize reduction loans.
Enacted on December 8, 2004, section 219, Title II, of FY 2005
Appropriations
[[Page 95186]]
Act, Public Law 104-447 (Act) authorizes a fishing capacity reduction
program implementing capacity reduction plans submitted to NMFS by
catcher processor subsectors of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
(BSAI) non-pollock groundfish fishery (reduction fishery) as set forth
in the Act.
The longline catcher processor subsector (Longline Subsector) is
among the catcher processor subsectors eligible to submit to NMFS a
capacity reduction plan under the terms of the Act. The longline
subsector non-pollock groundfish reduction program's objective was to
reduce the number of vessels and permits endorsed for longline
subsector of the non-pollock groundfish fishery. All post-reduction
fish landings from the reduction fishery are subject to the longline
subsector non-pollock groundfish program's fee.
NMFS proposed the implementing notice on August 11, 2006 (71 FR
46364), and published the final notice on September 29, 2006 (71 FR
57696). NMFS allocated the $35,000,000 reduction loan (A Loan) to the
reduction fishery and this loan is repayable by fees from the fishery.
On September 24, 2007, NMFS published in the Federal Register (72
FR 54219), the final rule to implement the industry fee system for
repaying the non-pollock groundfish program's reduction loan and
established October 24, 2007, as the effective date when fee collection
and loan repayment began. The regulations implementing the program are
located at Sec. 600.1012.
NMFS published a final rule to implement a second $2,700,000
reduction loan (B Loan) for this fishery in the Federal Register on
September 24, 2012 (77 FR 58775). The loan was disbursed December 18,
2012 with fee collection of $0.001 per pound to begin January 1, 2013.
This fee is in addition to the A Loan fee.
Purpose
The purpose of this notice is to adjust the fee rate for the
reduction fishery in accordance with the framework rule's Sec.
600.1013(b). Section 600.1013(b) directs NMFS to recalculate the fee
rate that will be reasonably necessary to ensure reduction loan
repayment within the specified 30 year term.
NMFS has determined for the reduction fishery that the current fee
rate of Loan A, $0.020 per pound, is more than that needed to service
the loan in 2025. Therefore, NMFS is decreasing the Loan A fee rate to
$0.016 per pound. NMFS has determined $0.017 per pound is sufficient to
ensure timely loan repayment, with an additional temporary $0.001 per
pound adjustment related to the 2024 Season B rate having been set at
$0.020 per pound rather than $0.019 per pound. The fee rate for Loan B
will remain $0.001 per pound.
Subsector members may continue to use Pay.gov to disburse collected
fee deposits at: https\://www.pay.gov/paygov/.
Please visit the NMFS website for additional information at:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/funding-and-financial-services/longline-catcher-processor-subsector-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-non-pollock.
Notice
The new fee rate for the non-pollock groundfish fishery will begin
on January 1, 2025.
From and after this date, all subsector members paying fees on the
non-pollock groundfish fishery shall begin paying non-pollock
groundfish fishery program fees at the revised rate.
Fee collection and submission shall follow previously established
methods in Sec. 600.1013 of the framework rule and in the final fee
rule published in the Federal Register on September 24, 2007 (72 FR
54219).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.; Pub. L. 108-447.
Dated: November 26, 2024.
Brian T. Pawlak,
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, Director, Office
of Management and Budget, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-28163 Filed 11-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P