Department of Commerce November 30, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes an in-season adjustment to the Atlantic herring specifications and sub-annual catch limits for 2019. These adjustments are necessary to reduce 2018 herring catch limits that would otherwise remain in effect for 2019. This action is intended to prevent overfishing of the herring resource while minimizing negative social and economic impacts of reduced catch limits.

NMFS announces the receipt of an exempted fishing permit application titled, ``Year-round Coastwide Midwater Rockfish EFP: Monitoring and Minimizing Salmon Bycatch When Targeting Rockfish in the Shorebased IFQ Fishery.'' The application, submitted by the West Coast Seafood Processors Association, Environmental Defense Fund, Oregon Trawl Commission, and Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, requests a permit to test whether removing certain gear, time, and area restrictions for vessels fishing under the Trawl Rationalization Program's Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota Program may impact the nature and extent of bycatch of prohibited species (e.g., Chinook salmon). This exempted fishing permit would allow participating groundfish bottom and midwater trawl vessels more flexibility than allowed in current regulations to target pelagic rockfish species, such as widow, chilipepper, and yellowtail rockfish. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed exempted fishing permits.

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 2018 is 0.75 percent for the Amendment 80 Program, 0.24 percent for the AFA inshore cooperatives, 0.34 percent for the AFA mothership cooperative, 3.0 percent for the AIP program, and 0.66 percent for the CDQ groundfish and halibut Programs. This action is intended to provide the 2018 standard prices and fee percentages to calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees due by December 31, 2018.