99-33197. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Community Development Quota Program

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 22, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 71688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33197]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 113099C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Community 
Development Quota Program

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Approval of amendments to the 1998-2000 Multispecies Community 
Development Plans (CDPs) for six Community Development Quota (CDQ) 
groups.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the approval of recommendations made by the 
State of Alaska (State) for the amendments to the 1998-2000 
Multispecies (MS) CDPs for the six CDQ groups under the Western Alaska 
CDQ Program. This action is necessary to announce NMFS' decision to 
approve the State's recommendations and is intended to further the 
goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.

DATES: Approval of the amendments to the CDPs and the 2000 CDQ and 
prohibited species quota (PSQ) allocations are effective December 21, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the findings made by NMFS in approving the State's 
recommendations may be obtained from the Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 
21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Gravel.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The current percentage allocations of pollock, arrowtooth flounder, 
and ``other species'' CDQ and chinook salmon and non-chinook salmon PSQ 
to the CDQ groups expire on December 31, 1999. To synchronize the 3-
year CDP cycles for all CDQ species by the end of 2000, and to allow 
the State to evaluate the impact of the American Fisheries Act (AFA) on 
the pollock CDQ fisheries, percentage allocations of pollock CDQ and 
associated incidental catch species are being made on an annual basis 
in 1999 and 2000. NMFS approved the 1999 percentage allocation 
recommendations for pollock and the associated incidental catch species 
on January 11, 1999. Percentage allocations to the CDQ groups for these 
five CDQ and PSQ species groups now must be approved for 2000. For the 
2001 through 2003 fishing years, all groundfish CDQ and PSQ species 
will be combined into a single 3-year CDP cycle.
    Eligible Western Alaska communities submitted to the State six 
applications for amendments to the MS CDPs for pollock and the related 
incidental catch species under 50 CFR 679.30. The State conducted a 
public hearing on September 28, 1999. During the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council's October 1999 meeting, the State consulted with the 
Council concerning the proposed amendments to the MS CDPs. At that 
time, the State recommended the same percentage allocations to all of 
the CDQ groups as were approved for 1999, and the Council concurred in 
the State's recommendations.
    On November 5, 1999, the State submitted a letter and findings to 
NMFS recommending that the CDPs for the six CDQ groups be complete and 
recommending the same percentage allocations for pollock and the 
associated incidental catch species as those approved for these CDQ 
groups for 1999. NMFS agrees with the State's recommendations and 
approves the amendments to the 1998-2000 MS CDPs for the six CDQ groups 
and the percentage allocations of pollock and other associated 
incidental catch species for 2000.
    The allocations to each CDQ group are presented in the table 
following. NMFS' findings regarding this decision are also available 
(see ADDRESSES).

    Selected Multispecies Groundfish and Prohibited Species Community Development Quota Allocations for 2000
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                 Species or Species Group                    APICDA   BBEDC    CBSFA     CVRF    NSEDC    YDFDA
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Pollock                                                         16%      21%       5%      22%      22%      14%
Arrowtooth Flounder                                             18%      21%       9%      16%      16%      20%
Other Species                                                   19%      22%       9%      14%      15%      21%
Chinook Salmon PSQ                                              16%      21%       5%      22%      22%      14%
Non-chinook Salmon PSQ                                          16%      21%       5%      22%      22%     14%
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 APICDA = Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association
 BBEDC = Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation
 CBSFA = Central Bering Sea Fishermen's's Association
 CVRF = Coastal Villages Region Fund
 NSEDC = Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation
 YDFDA = Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association
 PSQ = prohibited species quota


    Dated: December 16, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-33197 Filed 12-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F