06-9917. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Program  

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    AGENCY:

    National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

    ACTION:

    Notification of standard prices and fee percentage.

    SUMMARY:

    NMFS publishes IFQ standard prices for the individual fishing quota (IFQ) cost recovery program in the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2006 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2007.

    DATES:

    Effective December 29, 2006.

    Start Further Info

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Troie Zuniga, Fee Coordinator, 907-586-7231.

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    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Background

    NMFS Alaska Region administers the halibut and sablefish IFQ programs in the North Pacific. The IFQ programs are limited access systems authorized by section 303(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. Fishing under the IFQ programs 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 (by Public Law 104-297) to, among other things, require the Secretary of Commerce to “collect a fee to recover the actual costs directly related to the management and enforcement of any . . . individual fishing quota program” (section 304(d)(2)(A)). Section 304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies an upper limit on these fees, when the fees must be collected, and where the fees must be deposited. Section 303(d)(4) allows NMFS to reserve up to 25 percent of the fees collected for use in an IFQ loan program to aid in financing the purchase of IFQ or quota share (QS) by entry-level and small-vessel fishermen.

    On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations implementing the IFQ cost recovery program (65 FR 14919), which are set forth at § 679.45. Under the regulations, an IFQ permit holder incurs a cost recovery fee liability for every pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish that is landed on his or her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is responsible for self-collecting the fee liability for all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings on his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also responsible for submitting a fee liability payment to NMFS on or before the due date of January 31 following the year in which the IFQ landings were made. The dollar amount of the fee due is determined by multiplying the annual IFQ fee percentage (3 percent or less) by the ex-vessel value of each IFQ landing made on a permit and summing the totals of each permit (if more than one).

    Standard Prices

    The fee liability is based on the sum of all payments of monetary worth 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 on which to base fee liability calculations. However, IFQ permit holders have the option of using actual ex-vessel value if they can satisfactorily document them.

    Regulations at § 679.45(c)(2)(i) require 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 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. IFQ equivalent pound(s) is the weight (in pounds), for an IFQ landing calculated as the round weight for sablefish and headed and gutted net weight for halibut. 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 following tables. Data from ports are combined as necessary to protect confidentiality.

    Fee Percentage

    Section 304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act provides for a maximum fee of 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish harvested under an IFQ Program. NMFS annually sets a fee percentage for sablefish and halibut IFQ holders that is based on the actual annual costs associated with certain management and enforcement functions as well as the standard ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the IFQ fee for the current year. The method used by NMFS to calculate the IFQ fee percentage is described at § 679.45(d)(2)(ii).

    Regulations at § 679.45(d) require NMFS to publish the IFQ fee percentage for the halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries in the Federal Register during Start Printed Page 78384or before the last quarter of each year. For the 2006 sablefish and halibut IFQ fishing season, IFQ permit holders are to use a fee liability percentage of 1.0 percent to calculate his or her fee for landed IFQ in pounds. The IFQ permit holder is responsible for submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS on or before January 31, 2007.

    REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2006 IFQ SEASON

    LANDING LOCATIONPERIOD ENDINGHALIBUT STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE ($)SABLEFISH STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE ($)
    CORDOVAFebruary 28--
    March 313.36-
    April 303.162.33
    May 313.42-
    June 303.502.59
    July 31--
    August 314.08-
    September 304.20-
    October 314.20-
    November 304.20-
    DUTCH HARBORFebruary 28--
    March 31--
    April 30--
    May 31--
    June 303.53-
    July 313.382.71
    August 313.81-
    September 30--
    October 31--
    November 30--
    HOMERFebruary 28--
    March 31--
    April 30--
    May 313.64-
    June 303.64-
    July 314.03-
    August 314.06-
    September 304.17-
    October 314.17-
    November 304.17-
    KETCHIKANFebruary 28--
    March 31--
    April 30--
    May 31--
    June 303.82-
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    July 31--
    August 31--
    September 30--
    October 31--
    November 30--
    KODIAKFebruary 283.402.31
    March 313.402.31
    April 303.182.32
    May 313.372.37
    June 303.472.48
    July 313.732.86
    August 313.892.52
    September 304.182.68
    October 314.182.68
    November 304.182.68
    PETERSBURGFebruary 28--
    March 313.45-
    April 303.28-
    May 313.49-
    June 303.55-
    July 313.76-
    August 314.01-
    September 30--
    October 31--
    November 30--
    SEWARDFebruary 283.572.20
    March 313.572.20
    April 30--
    May 31--
    June 30--
    July 31--
    August 314.10-
    September 30--
    October 31--
    November 30--
    SITKAFebruary 283.572.37
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    March 313.572.37
    April 303.192.36
    May 313.592.51
    June 303.722.64
    July 313.932.92
    August 314.022.64
    September 304.132.73
    October 314.132.73
    November 304.132.73
    YAKUTATFebruary 28--
    March 31--
    April 303.30-
    May 313.29-
    June 30--
    July 31--
    August 31--
    September 30--
    October 31--
    November 30--

    REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY PORT GROUP FOR 2006 IFQ SEASON

    PORT GROUPPERIOD ENDINGHALIBUT STANDARD EX -VESSEL PRICE ($)SABLEFISH STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICE ($)
    BERING SEA1February 28--
    March 31--
    April 30-2.24
    May 313.282.20
    June 303.462.34
    July 313.482.38
    August 313.782.21
    September 303.862.26
    October 313.862.26
    November 303.862.26
    CENTRAL GULF2February 283.492.28
    March 313.492.28
    April 303.202.45
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    May 313.422.44
    June 303.472.53
    July 313.812.58
    August 313.972.52
    September 304.102.51
    October 314.102.51
    November 304.102.51
    SOUTHEAST3February 283.542.34
    March 313.542.34
    April 303.342.38
    May 313.542.38
    June 303.682.63
    July 313.772.88
    August 314.012.67
    September 304.182.62
    October 314.182.62
    November 304.182.62
    ALL4February 283.502.32
    March 313.502.32
    April 303.262.41
    May 313.452.40
    June 303.542.53
    July 313.712.58
    August 313.922.50
    September 304.062.51
    October 314.062.51
    November 304.062.51
    1 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
    2 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, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski, Ninilchik, Old Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia, Resurrection Bay, Seward, Valdez, Whittier
    3 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
    4 Landing Locations Within Port Group - All: For Alaska: All landing locations included in 1, 2, and 3. 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
    Start Authority

    Start Printed Page 78388 Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

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    Dated: December 21, 2006.

    Alan D. Risenhoover,

    Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

    End Signature End Supplemental Information

    [FR Doc. 06-9917 Filed 12-22-06; 2:59 pm]

    BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

Document Information

Effective Date:
12/29/2006
Published:
12/29/2006
Department:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Notification of standard prices and fee percentage.
Document Number:
06-9917
Dates:
Effective December 29, 2006.
Pages:
78383-78388 (6 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. 060424108-6204-02, I.D. 121906B
PDF File:
06-9917.pdf
CFR: (1)
50 CFR 679