[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 160 (Friday, August 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42591-42592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20962]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 960503125-6191-02; I.D. 080896D]
RIN 0648-AH03
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Salmon
Donation Program
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Selection of an authorized distributor.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the selection of Tuck Donnelly, Executive
Director, Northwest Food Strategies (NFS), as an Authorized Distributor
for purposes of distributing Pacific salmon to economically
disadvantaged individuals. These salmon are caught as bycatch during
directed groundfish fishing operations in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) management areas. This action
is necessary to comply with provisions of the Salmon Donation Program
(SDP) and is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council).
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 16, 1996, through August 16, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Authorized Distributor Permit may be obtained
from the Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21688, Juneau, AK
99802. Copies of Amendments 26 and 29 and the Environmental Assessment/
Regulatory Impact Review (EA/RIR) prepared for the amendments may be
obtained from the Council, Suite 396, 605 West 4th Ave., Anchorage, AK
99510-2252; telephone: 907-271-2809.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Salveson, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in the exclusive economic
zone of the BSAI and GOA management areas is managed by NMFS according
to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands Area and the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. These fishery management plans (FMPs)
were prepared by the Council under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.) and are implemented at
regulations governing the U.S. groundfish fisheries at subpart H of 50
CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
Amendments 26 and 29 to the BSAI and GOA FMPs, respectively, which
were approved by NMFS on July 10, 1996, implement the SDP. A full
description of, and background information on, the SDP may be found in
the preamble to the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on
May 16, 1996 (61 FR 24750) and in the EA/RIR prepared for that action.
Implementing regulations at 61 FR 38358 (July 24, 1996) authorize
the distribution of Pacific salmon taken incidentally in the groundfish
trawl fisheries off Alaska to economically disadvantaged individuals by
tax-exempt organizations through an authorized distributor. The
Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director) may select one or
more tax-exempt organizations to be authorized distributors, as defined
by Sec. 679.2, based on the information submitted by applicants under
Sec. 679.26. After review of qualified applicants, NMFS will announce
the selection of authorized distributor(s) in the Federal Register.
Participation in the SDP is voluntary.
On July 24, 1996, the Regional Director received an application for
an Authorized Distributor Permit from Tuck Donnelly, Executive
Director, NFS, 600 Erickson Avenue, Suite 395, Bainbridge Island, WA
98110. Upon receipt of the application, the Regional Director
determined that it provided the information required by
Sec. 679.26(a)(1). The Regional Director has selected Mr. Donnelly as
an Authorized Distributor for purposes of the SDP. As required by
Sec. 679.26(a)(2), the Regional Director based his selection on the
criteria listed below. His findings for each criterion are provided.
1. The number and qualifications of applicants for SDP permits. As
of August 16, 1996, only the application from NFS has been received.
Under experimental fishing permits issued by NMFS in 1993, 1994, and
1995, NFS (formerly Terra Marine Research and Educations, Incorporated)
coordinated a salmon donation program, using salmon bycatch from the
trawl groundfish fisheries. NFS will operate the same type of program
as an Authorized Distributor. Information contained in the application
indicates that NFS has coordinated the transportation and routing of
seafood products from Alaska since 1993, relying on all the major
carriers serving Dutch Harbor and Kodiak as well as carriers serving
southeast Alaska.
2. The number of harvesters and the quantity of salmon that
applicants can
[[Page 42592]]
effectively administer. NFS currently administers four shorebased
processors, 17 catcher/processors, and one mothership that are located
on shore and at sea. The vessel numbers represent about 55 percent of
the vessel processing capacity in the BSAI. NFS could administer 40
processors and associated catcher vessels that might deliver to them.
In 1995, NFS processed 44,249 lb (20 metric tons (mt)) of salmon for
distribution under a food bank program. To date in 1996, NFS has
processed 42,767 lb (19.4 mt) of salmon. This amount will increase
substantially during the remainder of the year. NMFS does not have
information to convert accurately these weights to numbers of salmon.
Nonetheless, assuming a recovery rate of 30 percent, and an average
recovered weight of 8 lb (3.63 kg) per fish, the above weights could
represent about 18,000 fish.
3. The anticipated level of salmon bycatch based on salmon bycatch
from previous years. During 1995, about 45,000 salmon were caught in
the BSAI management area by trawl vessels. About 51 percent of these,
or 23,000 salmon, were caught from the middle of August through the end
of calendar year 1995.
4. The potential number of vessels and processors participating in
the groundfish trawl fisheries. About 10 shorebased processors, 60
trawl catcher/processors, five processing motherships, and about 50
trawl catcher vessels operate in the BSAI management area.
This Authorized Distributor Permit is in effect for a 3-year period
from the date of publication of this announcement, unless suspended or
revoked. It may not be transferred; however, it may be renewed
following the application procedures in Sec. 679.26.
If the authorized distributor modifies any information on
participants or delivery locations on the SDP permit application
submitted under Sec. 679.26(a)(1)(xi) or (a)(1)(xiii), the authorized
distributor must submit a modified list of participants or delivery
locations to the Regional Director.
This permit may be suspended, modified, or revoked under 15 CFR
part 904 for noncompliance with terms and conditions specified in the
permit or for violation of Sec. 679.26 or other regulations in 50 CFR
part 679.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 12, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-20962 Filed 8-15-96; 8:45 am]
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