[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 179 (Wednesday, September 16, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49501-49502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24725]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 082798A]


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: Partial approval of the Community Development Plans for 
Multispecies Groundfish and Prohibited Species for the years 1998 
through 2000.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the partial approval of recommendations made by 
the State of Alaska (State) for the 1998 through 2000 multispecies 
groundfish and prohibited species Community Development Plans (CDPs) 
under the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. 
This action announces the decision by NMFS to approve the State's 
recommended CDPs, including the percentage allocations of the 
multispecies groundfish CDQ reserves and prohibited species quota (PSQ) 
reserves to each CDP, with the exception of certain vessels listed in 
the CDPs that NMFS determined are ineligible for approval at this time. 
This action also announces the availability of findings underlying 
NMFS's decision. This action is intended to further the goals and 
objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act.

DATES: Partial approval of the CDPs is effective October 16, 1998.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sally Bibb, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Multispecies CDQ Program was developed by the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council) as Amendment 41 to the Fisheries 
Management Plan for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish. 
Amendment 41 was approved by NMFS on September 12, 1997, and 
implemented under regulations at subpart C of 50 CFR part 679. 
Regulations establishing the groundfish CDQ reserves and PSQ reserves 
were published in the Federal Register on February 19, 1998 (63 FR 
8356), and a final rule implementing the administrative and catch 
monitoring requirements for the multispecies (MS) CDQ Program was 
published in the Federal Register on June 4, 1998 (63 FR 30381).
    Eligible western Alaska communities submitted six proposed CDPs to 
the State under Sec. 679.30. The CDPs include requests for allocations 
of the available multispecies groundfish CDQ reserves and PSQ reserves 
established at Sec. 679.31. The State conducted a public hearing on 
September 9, 1997, in Anchorage, Alaska, during which all interested 
persons had an opportunity to be heard. The hearing covered the 
substance and content of the proposed CDPs in such a manner that the 
general public, and particularly the affected parties, had a reasonable 
opportunity to understand the impact of each proposed CDP. The State 
made available for public review all State of Alaska materials 
pertinent to the hearing at the time the hearing was announced. The 
public hearing held by the State satisfied the requirements of 
Sec. 679.30(b).
    The State consulted the Council concerning the proposed CDPs during 
the Council's September 1997 and April 1998 meetings. The Council 
reviewed copies of the CDP executive summaries, summary sheets, and the 
State's recommended allocations and concurred in the State's 
recommendations.
    The State sent its recommendations for approval of the proposed 
CDPs to NMFS on July 6, 1998. The State's allocation recommendations 
are effective for 1998 through 2000 for all species groups allocated to 
the groundfish CDQ reserves and PSQ reserves, except arrowtooth 
flounder, squid, ``other species'', chinook salmon, and non-chinook 
salmon. Allocation recommendations for these five species groups are 
effective for 1998 only. Delaying the 1999 and 2000 allocation 
recommendations for these five species groups will allow the State to 
provide for bycatch needs for (1) the fixed gear sablefish CDQ fishery 
when it is integrated into the multispecies groundfish CDQ fisheries in 
1999, and (2) the pollock CDQ fishery if Amendment 45 and its 
implementing regulations are approved by NMFS.
    New regulations governing the MS CDQ fisheries promulgated by NMFS 
on June 4, 1998, require that a fishing plan for each vessel and 
processor proposed as eligible to participate in the MS groundfish CDQ 
be submitted in the CDP. NMFS has reviewed fishing plans for 39 catcher 
vessels, 24 catcher/processors, and five shoreside processing plants 
and determined that 38 catcher vessels, 13 catcher/processors, and five 
shoreside processing plants can be approved at this time as eligible 
for the MS CDQ fisheries. The remaining catcher vessel and 11 catcher/
processors do not meet the requirements for eligibility because 
incomplete or incorrect information was provided in the proposed CDP. 
NMFS has notified the CDQ groups of the deficiencies in the fishing 
plans for these vessels and the specific information that must be 
provided before these vessels will be approved. Vessels not approved as 
eligible vessels with the CDP may be added later through an amendment 
to the CDP.
    With the exception of the vessels mentioned above, NMFS has 
determined that the State's recommendations for approval of proposed 
CDPs are consistent with the community eligibility conditions and 
evaluation criteria and other applicable provisions of the Federal 
regulations

[[Page 49502]]

governing the CDQ Program. The allocations to each CDQ group are 
presented in the table below. NMFS's findings regarding this decision 
also are available (see ADDRESSES). CDQ fishing for multispecies 
groundfish is authorized under Sec. 679.23 at 1200 hours, Alaska local 
time, October 1, 1998.

     State of Alaska Multispecies Groundfish and Prohibited Species Community Development Quota Allocations     
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                                       APICDA       BBEDC        CBSFA         CVRF        NSEDC        YDFDA   
     Species or species group         percent      percent      percent      percent      percent      percent  
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                                            Allocations for 1998-2000                                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Groundfish:                                                                                                     
    BS Sablefish..................           16           20           10           17           18           19
    AI Sablefish..................           16           20           10           17           18           19
    Pacific Cod...................           16           20           10           17           18           19
    WAI Atka Mackerel.............           20           17           10           17           16           20
    CAI Atka Mackerel.............           20           17           10           17           16           20
    EAI/BS Atka Mackerel..........           20           17           10           17           16           20
    Yellowfin Sole................           29           25            8            5            5           28
    Rock Sole.....................           10           20           10           20           20           20
    BS Greenland Turbot...........           16           25           14            1           20           24
    AI Greenland Turbot...........           18           18            5           14           26           19
    Flathead Sole.................           20           20           10           15           15           20
    Other Flatfish................           20           20           10           15           15           20
    BS Pacific Ocean Perch........           20           17           10           17           16           20
    WAI Pacific Ocean Perch.......           20           17           10           17           16           20
    CAI Pacific Ocean Perch.......           20           17           10           17           16           20
    EAI Pacific Ocean Perch.......           20           17           10           17           16           20
    BS Other Red Rockfish.........           20           17           10           17           16           20
    AI Sharpchin/Northern.........           20           17           10           17           16           20
    AI Shortraker/Rougheye........           17           20            9           17           18           19
    BS Other Rockfish.............           16           20            8           18           19           19
    BS Other Rockfish.............           16           20            8           18           19           19
Prohibited Species:                                                                                             
    Zone 1 Red King Crab..........           19           21            9           15           15           21
    Zone 1 Bairdi Tanner Crab.....           24           25            7            9            9           26
    Zone 2 Bairdi Tanner Crab.....           24           25            7            9            9           26
    Opilio Tanner Crab............           26           23            9            8            8           26
    Pacific Halibut...............           20           22            8           13           14           23
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                                           Allocations for 1998 only                                            
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    Arrowtooth Flounder...........           19           21            9           15           15           21
    Squid.........................           19           18           10           17           16           20
    Other Species.................           19           22            9           14           14           22
    Chinook Salmon................           21           21            9           13           13           23
    Non-chinook Salmon............           23           23            8           11           11          24 
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Note:                                                                                                           
APICDA--Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association.                                             
BBEDC--Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation.                                                            
CBSFA--Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association.                                                              
NSEDC--Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation.                                                           
YDFDA--Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association.                                                           
BS--Bering Sea.                                                                                                 
AI--Aleutian Islands.                                                                                           
WAI--Western Aleutian Islands.                                                                                  
CAI--Central Aleutian Islands.                                                                                  
EAI--Eastern Aleutian Islands.                                                                                  

    Dated: September 9, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24725 Filed 9-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P