[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 113 (Thursday, June 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32078-32079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15396]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 052097A]
Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific;
Availability of a Limited Entry Permit
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Serve (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Availability of a limited entry permit.
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SUMMARY: The Acting Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has determined that one new permit, or
possibly two permits, may be available for the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands (NWHI) bottomfish limited entry fishery (Ho'omalu Zone). Under
the regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for Bottomfish
and Seamount Groundfish Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FMP),
new permits may be issued when the Regional Administrator has
determined, in consultation with the Western Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council), that bottomfish stocks in the Ho'omalu Zone are able
to support additional fishing effort. The purpose of this notification
is to inform all potential applicants that applications are being
accepted.
DATES: Applications must be filed no later than July 28, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Applications may be obtained from, and completed
applications must be sent to, the Pacific Area Office, Southwest
Region, NMFS, 2570 Dole Street, Room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alvin Katekaru, NMFS, (808) 973-2985,
or Svein Fougner, NMFS, (562) 980-4034.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under regulations implementing Amendment 2
(53 FR 29907, August 9, 1988) to the FMP, which established the limited
access program for the NWHI, the Regional Administrator, Southwest
Region, in consultation with the Council, may allow new entry into the
limited access area (Ho'omalu Zone) of the NWHI bottomfish fishery if
the fishery can support additional effort (50 CFR 660.6(f)). At the
91st Council meeting on November 18-21, 1996, the Regional
Administrator informed the Council of the potential for new entry into
the Ho'omalu Zone during 1997, and requested guidance on issuing
permits. The Council, concurring with its Scientific and Statistical
Committee, recommended to allow no more than seven permits for the
Ho'omalu Zone. This is consistent with the NMFS Honolulu Laboratory's
economic analysis of the optimal number of NWHI bottomfish vessels. The
Regional Administrator has determined that the fishery can support
seven vessels at this time. When the number of permits falls below
seven, the Regional Administrator may initiate procedures allowing for
new entry up to the maximum number allowed in the fishery. On March 27,
1997, the Regional Administrator determined that there would be one
permit, with the possibility of a second permit, available due to the
non-renewal of a permit for 1997. The status on the renewal of a second
permit is currently under review. Regulations governing the issuance of
new Ho'omalu Zone permits require that all prospective applicants be
informed by publication of this notification in the Federal Register,
of the opportunity to file applications (50 CFR 660.61(f)). Forms will
be provided by the Pacific Area Office, Southwest Region, NMFS (See
ADDRESSES) A new permit will be awarded based on a point system as
follows: (1) Two points shall be assigned for each year in which the
applicant was an owner or captain of a vessel that made three or more
qualifying landings of bottomfish from the NWHI. A qualifying landing
is defined by regulations as a landing of bottomfish from the NWHI
regardless of weight, if made on or before August 7, 1985; or a landing
of at least 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of bottomfish from the NWHI, or a
landing of at least 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of fish harvested from the
NWHI, of which at least 50 percent by weight was bottomfish, if made
after August 7, 1985 (50 CFR 660.12). (2) One point shall be assigned
for each year the applicant was an owner or captain of a vessel that
landed at least 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) of bottomfish from the main
Hawaiian Islands. In any single year, points can be assigned for
bottomfish landed from either the NWHI or the main Hawaiian Islands but
not for a combination of both areas. Points shall be assigned for every
year for which the requisite landings can be documented. Applicants
must maintain their own files of valid documentation verifying claims
of accrued points. Copies of these documents must accompany all permit
applications. A permit shall be awarded to a qualifying applicant in
descending order, starting with the applicant with the largest number
of points. If two or more persons have an equal number of points, and
there are insufficient new permits for all such applicants, the new
permit shall be awarded by the Regional Administrator through a
lottery. An applicant must own at least a 25 percent share in the
vessel that the permit would cover, and only one permit will be
assigned to any vessel. No additional permits will be issued to any
vessel owner who already has a Ho'omalu Zone bottomfish permit. At the
91st meeting, the Council also recommended, and the Regional
Administrator agrees, that in considering applications for Ho'omalu
Zone permits: (1) No State of Hawaii fish catch reports used to
document eligibility points should be accepted that are more than one
year old; (2) only State of Hawaii fish catch reports should be
accepted by NMFS to validate accrued qualifying points demonstrating
historical participation in the Hawaiian Islands bottomfish fishery;
(3) the cut-off date for applications should be 45 days after
publication of the notice of availability of a permit in the Federal
Register; (4) relief captains and vessel owners must provide vessel
insurance records or legal certificates of documentation demonstrating
the minimum 25 percent ownership in the vessel; and (5) only records of
bottomfish management unit species should be used for assigning
qualifying points. The Council has requested that the Regional
Administrator act expeditiously once a determination has been made on
the availability of a permit so that the new permit holder will be
allowed as much time as possible to make at least three bottomfish
landings from the Ho'omalu Zone before December 31, 1997. A minimum of
three qualifying bottomfish
[[Page 32079]]
landings is required by all Ho'omalu Zone permittees in order to
maintain eligibility for renewing the permit for the next fishing year
(i.e., 1998).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et. seq.
Dated: June 6, 1997.
Rebecca Lent,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-15396 Filed 6-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F