[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 6, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 823-828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-219]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 981204297-8297-01; I.D. 110698B]
RIN 0648-AK21


Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Fisheries; Amendment 5

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 5 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish of the 
Western Pacific Region (FMP). Amendment 5 would establish a permanent 
limited access program for the Mau Zone Bottomfish fishery in the 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). The intent of this action is to 
conserve and to support the long-term productivity of the bottomfish 
stocks by preventing the potential for excessive harvest capacity and 
to improve the low economic returns in the fishery.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule must be received on or before 
February 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposed rule or Amendment 5 should be sent 
to Alvin Katekaru, Fishery Management Specialist, Pacific Islands Area 
Office (PIAO), NMFS, 2570 Dole Street, Room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-
2396. Copies of these documents are available from, Kitty Simonds, 
Executive Director, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 
Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813. Send comments on the 
modifications to approved collection-of-information requirements to 
PIAO, NMFS, 2570 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI, 96822 and to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), Washington, D.C. 20503 (ATTN: NOAA Desk Officer).


[[Page 824]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alvin Katekaru, NMFS, at 808-973-2985 
or Kitty M. Simonds at 808-522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is proposing this rule to implement 
Amendment 5, as recommended by the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Amendment 5 
would establish a limited access program for the Mau Zone bottomfish 
fishery in the NWHI. The Mau Zone, which was established in 1989 as an 
open access zone adjacent to the Ho'omalu bottomfish limited access 
zone, is located north of Kauai between 161 deg.20' W. and 165 deg.00' 
W. longitude in the U.S. exclusive economic zone around the Hawaiian 
Islands. The amendment is intended to prevent biological overfishing 
and improve poor economic returns that are plaguing the open access 
bottomfish fishery in the Mau Zone.
    In January 1989, a permit system for the NWHI bottomfish fishery 
was implemented for the open access Mau Zone and limited access 
Ho'omalu Zone. Two years later, on December 17, 1991, the Council 
established a control date putting vessel owners on notice that if they 
were issued a Mau Zone permit after the control date they may be 
ineligible for continued participation in the fishery if the Council 
decided to limit access to the fishery based on historic participation 
(56 FR 67598, December 31, 1991). Although the fishery in the Ho'omalu 
Zone was stabilized, the fishery in the Mau Zone showed signs of 
instability as evidenced in the species mix of the catch and high 
turnover rate of permitted vessels in the Mau Zone. Between 1994 and 
1996, the average Mau Zone vessel suffered a net return of minus $1,186 
per trip (-$7,827 per season) and as a result was not able to cover 
annual costs. Also, in 1994 and 1995, bottomfish landings from the zone 
exceeded the maximum sustainable yield, which is estimated to be 
131,210 lb (59,516 kg). Although it is difficult to estimate and 
interpret biological parameters from catch and effort data due to the 
instability and unpredictability of the number of vessels participating 
in the Mau Zone fishery year to year, the Council was concerned about 
the future biological condition of the bottomfish resources in the Mau 
Zone. The Council was also concerned that the declining bottomfish 
resources in the main Hawaiian Islands and the State's enforcement of 
the bottomfish fishing closed areas around the main Hawaiian Island 
would force additional fishermen from the main Hawaiian Islands to move 
to the Mau Zone fishery. On March 27, 1997, the Council established a 
2-year moratorium on the issuance of new Mau Zone permits (62 FR 8637, 
February 26, 1997).
    Amendment 5 would: (1) restrict participation in the Mau Zone 
bottomfish fishery to vessel owners who hold limited access permits; 
(2) adopt, based on biological and economic factors, a long-term target 
number of 10 vessels that would be allowed to fish for bottomfish in 
the Mau Zone; (3) establish qualifying criteria for allocating initial 
limited access permits based on historic participation in the fishery 
(December 17, 1991, control date) and landing of bottomfish from the 
Mau Zone up to December 31, 1996; (4) prohibit the transfer, lease, 
charter, or sale of permits to reduce the number of vessels in the 
fishery in order to achieve the target number; (5) revoke limited 
access permits issued to partnerships or corporations upon a change in 
more than 50 percent ownership in the vessel, partnership or 
corporation; (6) limit the amount of time a permit holder may register 
a limited access permit for use with a leased or chartered vessel; (7) 
limit the length of replacement vessels to 60 ft (18.3 m); (8) require 
permit holders to make a minimum of five landings of at least 500 lb 
(227 kg) each of bottomfish management unit species each year from the 
Mau Zone to qualify for permit renewal; (9) require the Council to 
undertake a 5-year comprehensive review of the limited access program 
to determine its effectiveness in meeting the objectives of the FMP; 
(10) require the Council to develop criteria to allow new entry into 
the Mau Zone when the number of permitted vessels falls below 10; and 
(11) reserve 20 percent of the long-term target number of limited 
access permits, i.e., two permits, for a Western Pacific Community 
Development Program (CDP). The above measures and other requirements, 
such as establishing a fee for processing Mau Zone permits, specifying 
an appeals process for permit actions, and prohibiting the retention of 
incidentally-caught bottomfish in the Mau Zone without a limited access 
permit are described in Amendment 5.
    Since March 1997, there has been a moratorium on the issuance of 
new permits for harvesting bottomfish in the Mau Zone to stabilize 
effort in the fishery while the Council developed a permanent limited 
access program (see the final rule published in the February 26, 1997, 
issue of the Federal Register at 62 FR 8637). The moratorium expires on 
March 27, 1999, at which time this proposed rule is expected to be 
implemented. Current holders of Mau Zone (open access) permits, which 
expire on December 31, 1998, and are renewable for another year, have 
been advised that if Amendment 5 is approved by the Secretary of 
Commerce (Secretary), renewed Mau Zone permits will expire 45 days 
after the date of publication of the final rule implementing Amendment 
5. Only vessel owners, including those currently holding Mau Zone open 
access permits, who apply and are eligible for Mau Zone limited access 
permits would be allowed to participate in the new Mau Zone limited 
access program. Holders of existing Mau Zone permits who make a timely 
application for a limited entry permit will be allowed to fish in the 
Mau Zone pending final agency action on their applications.
    The proposed rule also would revise certain provisions governing 
the Ho'omalu Zone limited access program for housekeeping purposes 
only, such as moving the description of ``qualifying landing'' for 
initial Ho'omalu Zone permit eligibility points and permit renewal from 
the Definitions section (Sec. 660.12) of subpart B (Western Pacific 
Fisheries - General) to subpart E (Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish 
Fisheries).
    The proposed rule also contains provisions for an appeal process 
involving the granting, denial, conditioning, or suspension of Ho'omalu 
and Mau Zone permits. Appeals would be made to the NMFS Southwest 
Region Administrator who, in consultation with the Council, would 
decide the appeal in accordance with the FMP and implementing 
regulations. The appeals process would allow for informal hearings 
before a hearing officer.
    Section 660.67(d)(3) of the current bottomfish regulations refers 
to 1985 and 1986 ``control dates'' for limiting access to the fisheries 
off the NWHI, Guam, and American Samoa. As a housekeeping action, NMFS 
proposes to remove this paragraph from the regulations because it is 
very unlikely the Council and NMFS will use such old control dates. 
With the establishment of a limited access program for the Mau Zone 
under Amendment 5, the entire NWHI bottomfish fishery would be under 
limited access regimes. The Ho'omalu Zone, the other bottomfish zone in 
the NWHI, was established as a limited access program in 1989. Under 
section 305(a)(2)(B)(iii) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Council may 
establish a CDP to provide access to a fishery for

[[Page 825]]

a community consisting of residents descended from the aboriginal 
people indigenous to the area. Under Amendment 5, the Council would set 
aside two Mau Zone limited access permits for a CDP. Initially 
reserving 2 permits of the target number of Mau Zone permits (10) for a 
CDP is consistent with the estimated 20 percent of Hawaii's population 
descended from the indigenous people of Hawaii. This proposed rule 
would not implement the Western Pacific CDP or assign Mau Zone permits 
to a community. A community development plan must be prepared by an 
eligible community and be approved by the Council and the Secretary 
before the two reserved permits could be issued by NMFS. This 
description is provided here for background information only.
    On June 3, 1998, a notice of availability of draft Amendment 5 was 
published in the Federal Register (63 FR 30180). At its 97th meeting 
held in July 1998, the Council approved draft Amendment 5 for 
submission to the Secretary for review and approval. On November 18, 
1998, a notice of availability of Amendment 5, inviting comments from 
the public, was published in the Federal Register (63 FR 64033).

Classification

    At this time, NMFS has not determined that Amendment 5 that this 
rule would implement is consistent with the national standards of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws. NMFS, in making that 
determination, will take into account the data, views, and comments 
received during the comment period.
    This proposed rule has been determined to be not significant for 
the purposes of E.O. 12866.
    The Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Regulation of the 
Department of Commerce made the following certification to the Chief 
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration that this 
proposed rule, if adopted, would not have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities as follows:

    NMFS considers an impact to be significant if it results in a 
reduction in annual gross revenues by more than 5 percent, an 
increase in annual compliance costs of greater than 5 percent, 
compliance costs at least 10 percent higher for small entities than 
for large entities, compliance costs that require significant 
capital expenditures, or the likelihood that 2 percent of the small 
entities would be forced out of business. NMFS considers a 
``substantial number'' of small entities to be more than 20 percent 
of those entities affected by the regulation engaged in the fishery.
    Sixteen vessels have participated in this fishery during the 
past 5 years (1994-mid 1998), all of which are small entities. This 
rule would impact these vessels differently, depending on whether or 
not they qualify for a limited entry permit. Initially, 14 of these 
16 vessels will qualify for permits. If any of these vessels does 
not continue to actively participate in the fishery, it will lose 
its permit. NMFS anticipates that through such attrition the limited 
entry system will eventually include only 10 vessels.
    NMFS anticipates that the impacts, if any, on the permitted 
vessels would be positive in that they would be able to continue 
fishing, but future influx of effort would be prohibited, and 
eventually capacity would be reduced. With an expected attrition 
rate of 10 percent per year, annual gross revenues per vessel are 
forecast to increase 29 percent by the year 2004 when the long-term 
target number of 10 vessels is reached. Two of the vessels that have 
participated in this fishery during the last 5 years would be 
excluded. The change in potential annual gross revenues for excluded 
vessels ranges from a loss of 64 percent, if no successful effort is 
exerted to replace Mau Zone catches, to a gain of up to 29 percent 
if these vessels replace their potential Mau Zone effort with 
pelagic handlining around Hawaii's seamounts.
    As a variety of alternative fisheries are available to excluded 
vessels (including pelagic trolling, longlining, and handlining, as 
well as bottomfishing around the main Hawaiian Islands), no operator 
will be forced to cease business operations as a result of this 
action. There are no additional compliance costs (capital 
investments, operating costs, or recordkeeping requirements) 
associated with this action.
    If the proposed rule is adopted, 2 (12.5 percent) of the 16 
vessels that participated in this fishery during the past 5 years 
could experience significant economic impacts. In accordance with 
the standard adopted by NMFS on ``substantial number'' for purposes 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, because less than 20 percent of 
fishery participants may be negatively impacted, I have determined 
that this proposed rule will not have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities. As a result, a regulatory 
flexibility analysis was not prepared.

    This proposed rule contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to review and approval by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA). These requirements have been submitted to OMB for approval. The 
public reporting burden for these requirements is estimated to be 45 
minutes for a Mau Zone limited access permit application, 2 hours for a 
permit appeal submission, and 1 hour for permit renewal exemption 
request per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. 
This proposed rule also restates information collection requirement 
already approved by OMB under control number 0648-0204. An application 
for a Ho'omalu Zone limited access permit is estimated to take 2 hours 
for an initial application and 1 hour for an application for renewal.
    Public comment is sought regarding: whether this proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the agency, including whether the information has 
practical utility; the accuracy of the burden estimate; ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information, including through 
use of automated collection of techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements 
of the PRA unless that collection of information displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660

    Administrative practice and procedure, American Samoa, Fisheries, 
Fishing, Guam, Hawaiian Natives, Indians, Northern Mariana Islands, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: December 30, 1998.
Andrew A. Rosenberg,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is 
proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 660 - FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES AND IN THE WESTERN 
PACIFIC

    1. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    2. Section 660.12 is amended by removing the definitions of 
``Pacific Area Office'', and ``Qualifying landing'', revising the 
definition of ``Owner'' and adding a definition of ''Pacific Islands 
Area Office'', to read as follows:


Sec. 660.12  Definitions.

* * * * *
     Owner, as used in subparts C and D of this part and 
Sec. 660.61(i)-(m), means a person who is identified as the current 
owner of the vessel as described in the Certificate of Documentation 
(Form CG-1270) issued by the USCG for a documented vessel, or in a 
registration certificate issued by a state or territory

[[Page 826]]

or the USCG for an undocumented vessel. As used in subpart F of this 
part and Sec. 660.61(c)-(h), the definition of ``owner'' in Sec. 600.10 
of this chapter continues to apply.
    Pacific Islands Area Office means the Pacific Islands Area Office, 
Southwest Region, NMFS (PIAO), located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The address 
and phone number may be obtained from the Regional Administrator, whose 
address is in Table 1 to Sec. 600.502.
* * * * *
    3. Section 660.13 is amended by revising paragraphs (f), (g), and 
(i) to read as follows:


Sec. 660.13  Permits and fees.

* * * * *
    (f) Fees. (1) PIAO will not charge a fee for a permit issued under 
subpart D or F of this part, or for a Ho'omalu Zone limited access 
permit issued under Sec. 660.61.
    (2) PIAO will charge a fee for each application for a Hawaii 
longline limited access permit (including permit transfers and permit 
renewals) and Mau Zone limited access permit (including permit 
renewals). The amount of the fee is calculated in accordance with the 
procedures of the NOAA Finance Handbook, available from the Regional 
Administrator, for determining the administrative costs of each special 
product or service. The fee may not exceed such costs and is specified 
with each application form. The appropriate fee must accompany each 
application. Failure to pay the fee will preclude issuance of a Hawaii 
longline or Mau Zone limited access permit.
    (g) Expiration. (1) Permits issued under subparts C, D, and F of 
this part are valid for the period specified on the permit unless 
transferred, revoked, suspended, or modified under 15 CFR part 904.
    (2) Permits issued under subpart E of this part expire on 2400 
local time on December 31.
* * * * *
    (i) Transfer. An application for a permit transfer under 
Sec. 660.21(h), Sec. 660.41(e), or Sec. 660.61(e), or for registration 
of a permit for use with a replacement vessel under Sec. 660.61(k), 
must be submitted to the PIAO as described in paragraph (c) of this 
section.
* * * * *
    4. Section 660.61 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 660.61  Permits.

    (a) Applicability. (1) The owner of any vessel used to fish for 
bottomfish management unit species in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 
Subarea must have a permit issued under this section and the permit 
must be registered for use with the vessel.
    (2) The PIAO will not register a single vessel for use with a 
Ho'omalu Zone permit and a Mau Zone permit at the same time.
    (3) Mau Zone permits issued before the effective date of this rule 
become invalid 45 days after the date of publication of the final rule 
implementing Amendment 5, except that a permit issued to a person who 
submitted a timely application under paragraph (i) of this section is 
valid until the permit holder either receives a Mau Zone limited entry 
permit or until final agency action is taken on the permit holder's 
application. The Ho'omalu Zone and the Mau Zone limited entry systems 
described in this section are subject to abolition, modification, or 
additional effort limitation programs.
    (b) Submission. (1) An application for a permit required under this 
section must be submitted to the PIAO as described in Sec. 660.13.  (2) 
Ho'omalu Zone limited access permit. In addition to an application 
under Sec. 660.13(c), each applicant for a Ho'omalu Zone permit must 
also submit a supplementary information sheet provided by the PIAO, 
which must be signed by the vessel owner or a designee and include the 
following information:
    (i) The qualification criterion that the applicant believes he or 
she meets for issuance of a limited access permit;
    (ii) Copies of landings receipts or other documentation, with a 
certification from a state or Federal agency that this information is 
accurate, to demonstrate participation in the NWHI bottomfish fishery; 
and
    (iii) If the application is filed by a partnership or corporation, 
the names of each of the individual partners or shareholders and their 
respective percentages of ownership of the partnership or corporation.
    (3) Mau Zone limited access permit. The PIAO will not accept 
applications for a new Mau Zone permit more than 45 days  following the 
publication date of the final rule implementing Amendment 5. In 
addition to an application under Sec. 660.13(c), each applicant for a 
Mau Zone permit must also submit a supplementary information sheet 
provided by the PIAO, which must
    be signed by the vessel owner or a designee and include the 
following information:
    (i) The qualification criterion that the applicant believes he or 
she meets for issuance of a limited access permit;
    (ii) Copy of State of Hawaii catch report(s) to demonstrate that 
the permitted vessel had made qualifying landings of bottomfish from 
the Mau Zone; and
    (iii) If the application is filed by a partnership or corporation, 
the names of each of the individual partners or shareholders and their 
respective percentage of ownership of the partnership or corporation.
    (c) Sale or transfer of Ho'omalu limited access permits to new 
vessel owners.
    (1) A Ho'omalu zone permit may not be sold or otherwise transferred 
to a new owner.
    (2) A Ho'omalu zone permit or permits may be held by a partnership 
or corporation. If 50 percent or more of the ownership of the vessel 
passes to persons other than those listed in the original application, 
the permit will lapse and must be surrendered to the Regional 
Administrator.
    (d) Transfer of Ho'omalu Zone limited access permits to replacement 
vessels.
    (1) Upon application by the owner of a permitted vessel, the 
Regional Administrator will transfer that owner's permit to a 
replacement vessel owned by that owner, provided that the replacement 
vessel does not exceed 60 ft (18.3 m) in length. The replacement vessel 
must be put into service no later than 12 months after the owner 
applies for the transfer, or the transfer shall be void.
    (2) An owner of a permitted vessel may apply to the Regional 
Administrator for transfer of that owner's permit to a replacement 
vessel greater than 60 ft (18.3 m) in length. The Regional 
Administrator may transfer the permit upon determining, after 
consultation with the Council and considering the objectives of the 
limited access program, that the replacement vessel has catching power 
that is comparable to the rest of the vessels holding permits for the 
fishery, or has catching power that does not exceed that of the 
original vessel, and that the transfer is not inconsistent with the 
objectives of the program. The Regional Administrator shall consider 
vessel length, range, hold capacity, gear limitations, and other 
appropriate factors in making determinations of catching power 
equivalency and comparability of the catching power of vessels in the 
fishery.
    (e) Ho'omalu Zone limited access permit renewal. (1) A qualifying 
landing for Ho'omalu Zone permit renewal is a landing of at least 2,500 
lb (1,134 kg) of bottomfish management unit species from the Ho'omalu 
Zone or a landing of at least 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of fish from

[[Page 827]]

the Ho'omalu Zone, of which at least 50 percent by weight was 
bottomfish management unit species. A permit is eligible for renewal 
for the next calendar year if the vessel covered by the permit made 
three or more qualifying landings during the current calendar year.
    (2) The owner of a permitted vessel that did not make three or more 
qualifying landings of bottomfish in a year may apply to the Regional 
Administrator for waiver of the landing requirement. If the Regional 
Administrator finds that failure to make three landings was due to 
circumstances beyond the owner's control, the Regional Administrator 
may renew the permit. A waiver may not be granted if the failure to 
make three landings was due to general economic conditions or market 
conditions, such that the vessel operations would not be profitable.
    (f) Issuance of new Ho'omalu Zone limited access permits. The 
Regional Administrator may issue new Ho'omalu Zone limited access 
permits under Sec. 660.13 if the Regional Administrator determines, in 
consultation with the Council, that bottomfish stocks in the Ho'omalu 
Zone are able to support additional fishing effort.
    (g) Eligibility for new Ho'omalu Zone limited access permits. When 
the Regional Administrator has determined that new permits may be 
issued, they shall be issued to applicants based upon eligibility, 
determined as follows:
    (1) Point system. (i) Two points will be assigned for each year in 
which the applicant was owner or captain of a vessel that made three or 
more of any of the following types of landings in the NWHI:
    (A) Any amount of bottomfish management unit species, regardless of 
weight, if made on or before August 7, 1985;
    (B) At least 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of bottomfish management unit 
species, if made after August 7, 1985; or
    (C) At least 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of any fish lawfully harvested 
from the NWHI, of which at least 50 percent by weight was bottomfish, 
if made after August 7, 1985.
    (ii) One point will be assigned for each year in which the 
applicant was owner or captain of a vessel that landed at least 6,000 
lb (2,722 kg) of bottomfish from the main Hawaiian Islands.
    (iii) For any one year, points will be assigned under either 
paragraph (g)(1)(i) or (g)(1)(ii) of this section, but not under both 
paragraphs.
    (iv) Before the Regional Administrator issues an Ho'omalu zone 
permit to fish for bottomfish under this section, the primary operator 
and relief operator named on the application form must have completed a 
protected species workshop conducted by NMFS.
    (2) Restrictions. 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.
    (3) Order of issuance. New permits shall be awarded to applicants 
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 permits shall be awarded by the Regional Administrator through 
a lottery.
    (4) Notification. The Regional Administrator shall place a notice 
in the Federal Register and shall use other means to notify prospective 
applicants of the opportunity to file applications for new permits 
under this program.
    (h) Eligibility for new Mau Zone limited access permits (1) The 
PIAO will issue an initial Mau Zone permit to a vessel owner who 
qualifies for at least three points under the following point system:
    (i) An owner who held a Mau Zone permit on or before December 17, 
1991, and whose permitted vessel made at least one qualifying landing 
of bottomfish management unit species on or before December 17, 1991, 
shall be assigned 1.5 points.
    (ii) An owner whose permitted vessel made at least one qualifying 
landing of bottomfish management unit species during 1991, shall be 
assigned 0.5 point.
    (iii) An owner whose permitted vessel made at least one qualifying 
landing of bottomfish management unit species during 1992, shall be 
assigned 1.0 point.
    (iv) An owner whose permitted vessel made at least one qualifying 
landing of bottomfish management unit species during 1993, shall be 
assigned 1.5 points.
    (v) An owner whose permitted vessel made at least one qualifying 
landing of bottomfish management unit species during 1994, shall be 
assigned 2.0 points.
    (vi) An owner whose permitted vessel made at least one qualifying 
landing of bottomfish management unit species during 1995, shall be 
assigned 2.5 points.
    (vii) An owner whose permitted vessel made at least one qualifying 
landing of bottomfish management unit species during 1996, shall be 
assigned 3.0 points.
    (viii) Before the PIAO issues a Mau Zone permit to fish for 
bottomfish under this section, the primary operator and relief operator 
named on the application form must have completed a protected species 
workshop conducted
    by NMFS.
    (2) For purposes of this paragraph Sec. 660.61(h), a ``qualifying 
landing'' means any amount of bottomfish management unit species 
lawfully harvested from the Mau Zone and offloaded for sale. No points 
shall be assigned to an owner for any qualifying landings reported to 
the State of Hawaii more than 1 year after the landing.
    (3) More than one Mau Zone permit may be issued to an owner of two 
or more vessels providing each of the owner's vessels for which a 
permit will be registered for use has made the required qualifying 
landings for the owner to be assigned at least three eligibility 
points.
    (4) A Mau Zone permit holder who does not own a vessel at the time 
initial permits are issued must register the permit for use with a 
vessel owned by the permit holder within 12 months from the date the 
permit was issued. In the interim, the permit holder may register the 
permit for use with a leased or chartered vessel. If within 12 months 
of initial permit issuance, the permit holder fails to apply to the 
PIAO to register the permit for use with a vessel owned by the permit 
holder, then the permit expires.
    (5) For each subparagraph of paragraph (h)(1) of this section, the 
PIAO shall assign points based on the landings of one permitted vessel 
to only one owner if the vessel did not have multiple owners during the 
time frame covered by the subparagraph. If a vessel had multiple owners 
during a time frame covered by one of the subparagraphs of paragraph 
(h)(1) of this section (including joint owners, partners, or 
shareholders of a corporate owner), the PIAO will assign the points for 
that subparagraph to a single owner if only one owner submits an 
application with respect to the landings of that vessel during that 
time frame. If multiple owners submit separate applications with 
respect to the same landings of the same vessel during the same time 
frame, then the PIAO shall:
    (i) Adhere to any written agreement between the applicants with 
respect to who among them shall be assigned the aggregate point(s) 
generated by landings during such time frame(s), or
    (ii) If there is no agreement:
    (A) Shall issue the applicants a joint permit provided the vessel's 
landings during such time frames generate at least three points, or
    (B) In the event the vessel's landings during such time frame(s) 
generated less than three points, shall not assign any

[[Page 828]]

points generated by the vessel's landings during such time frame(s).
    (i) Ownership requirements and registration of Mau Zone limited 
access permits for use with other vessels. (1) A Mau Zone permit may be 
held by an individual, partnership, or corporation. No more than 49 
percent of the underlying ownership interest in a Mau Zone permit may 
be sold, leased, chartered, or otherwise transferred to another person 
or entity. If more than 49 percent of the underlying ownership of the 
permit passes to persons or entities other than those listed in the 
original permit application supplemental information sheet, then the 
permit expires and must be surrendered to the PIAO.
    (2) A Mau Zone permit holder may apply under Sec. 660.13 to the 
PIAO to register the permit for use with another vessel if that vessel 
is owned by the permit holder, and is no longer than 60 ft (18.3 m).
    (3) If a Mau Zone permit holder sells the vessel, for which the 
permit is registered for use, the permit holder must within 12 months 
of the date of sale apply to the PIAO to register the permit for use 
with a vessel owned by the permit holder. If the permit holder has not 
applied to register a replacement vessel within 12 months, then the 
permit expires.
    (4) If a permitted vessel owned by the permit holder is sold or 
becomes unseaworthy, the Mau Zone permit with which the vessel was 
registered may be registered for use with a leased or chartered vessel 
for a period not to exceed 12 months from the date of registration of 
the leased or chartered vessel. If by the end of that 12-month period 
the permit holder fails apply to the PIAO to register the permit for 
use with a vessel owned by the permit holder, then the permit expires.
    (j)  Mau Zone limited access permit renewal. (1) A Mau Zone permit 
will be eligible for renewal if the vessel for which the permit is 
registered for use made at least five separate fishing trips with 
landings of at least 500 lb (227 kg) of bottomfish management unit 
species per trip during the calender year. Only one landing of 
bottomfish management unit species per fishing trip to the Mau Zone 
will be counted toward the landing requirement.
    (2) If the vessel for which the permit is registered for use
    fails to meet the landing requirement of paragraph (j)(1) of this 
section, the owner may apply to the Regional Administrator for a waiver 
of the landing requirement. Grounds for a waiver are limited to captain 
incapacitation, vessel breakdowns, and the loss of the vessel at sea if 
the event prevented the vessel from meeting the landing requirement. 
Unprofitability is not sufficient for waiver of the landing 
requirement.
    (3) Failure of the permit holder to register a vessel for use under 
the permit does not exempt a permit holder from the requirements 
specified in Sec. 660.61(j).
    (k) Appeals of permit actions. (1) Except as provided in subpart D 
of 15 CFR part 904, any applicant for a permit or a permit holder may 
appeal the granting, denial, or revocation of his or her permit to the 
Regional Administrator.
    (2) In order to be considered by the Regional Administrator, such 
appeal must be in writing, must state the action appealed, and the 
reasons therefore, and must be submitted within 30 days of the appealed 
action. The appellant may request an informal hearing on the appeal.
    (3) The Regional Administrator, in consultation with the Council, 
will decide the appeal in accordance with the FMP and implementing 
regulations and based upon information relative to the application on 
file at NMFS and the Council, and any additional information, the 
summary record kept of any hearing and the hearing officer's 
recommended decision, if any, and any other relevant considerations.
    (4) If a hearing is requested, or if the Regional Administrator 
determines that one is appropriate, the Regional Administrator may 
grant an informal hearing before a hearing officer designated for that 
purpose. The applicant or permit holder may appear personally or be 
represented by counsel at the hearing and submit information and 
present arguments as determined appropriate by the hearing officer. 
Within 30 days of the last day of the hearing, the hearing officer 
shall recommend in writing a decision to the Regional Administrator.
    (5) The Regional Administrator may adopt the hearing officer's 
recommended decision, in whole or in part, or may reject or modify it. 
The Regional Administrator's decision on the application is the final 
administrative decision of the Department of Commerce, and is effective 
on the date the Administrator signs the decision.
    5. Section 660.62 is amended by revising paragraph (b), removing 
paragraph (c), and redesignating paragraphs (d) through (f) as 
paragraphs (c) through (e), respectively to read as follows:


Sec. 660.62  Prohibitions.

* * * * *
    (b) Fish for or retain on board a vessel, bottomfish management 
unit species in the Ho'omalu Zone or Mau Zone without the appropriate 
permit, registered for use with that vessel, issued under Sec. 660.13.
* * * * *
    6. Section 660.67 is amended by removing paragraph (d)(3) and 
adding new paragraph (e) to read as follows:


Sec. 660.67  Framework for regulatory adjustments.

* * * * *
    (e) Five-year review. The Council will conduct a comprehensive 
review on the effectiveness of the Mau Zone limited access program 5 
years following implementation of the program. The Council will 
consider the extent to which the FMP objectives have been met and 
verify that the target number of vessels established for the fishery is 
appropriate for current fishing activity levels, catch rates, and 
biological condition of the stocks. The Council may establish a new 
target number based on the 5-year review.
[FR Doc. 99-219 Filed 1-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F