[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51737-51738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24879]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 083199B]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Availability of a Limited Access Permit

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

ACTION: Availability of a limited access permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Acting Regional Administrator (Regional Administrator), 
Southwest Region, notifies all potential applicants that one permit is 
available for the Ho'omalu Zone limited access bottomfish fishery in 
the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). Applications are being 
accepted and NMFS will issue a Ho'omalu permit to a qualifying vessel 
owner in accordance with the Fishery Management Plan for Bottomfish and 
Seamount Groundfish Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FMP).

DATES: Applications must be filed no later than November 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Applications may be obtained from, and completed 
applications must be sent to, the Pacific Islands Area Office, 
Southwest Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 
96814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alvin Katekaru, NMFS, (808) 973-2935 
ext 207.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) meeting held on July 15 - 18, 1999, the Administrator 
of the Pacific Islands Area Office, NMFS, (PIAO Administrator) informed 
the Council that a Ho'omalu Zone permit holder was determined to be 
ineligible for permit renewal during calendar year 1999. The permit was 
lost under the Ho'omalu Zone's limited access program ``use it or lose 
it'' requirement when the permit holder's vessel failed to make the 
minimum number of annual bottomfish landings to be eligible for permit 
renewal. The Regional Administrator, in consultation with the Council, 
has determined that the Ho'omalu Zone fishery can still support seven 
bottomfishing vessels at this time.

[[Page 51738]]

The Regional Administrator will issue one permit to an eligible 
applicant to maintain the current total.
    Any prospective applicant may file an application for a Ho'omalu 
Zone permit. Forms will be provided by the Pacific Islands Area Office, 
Southwest Region, NMFS (See ADDRESSES). In accordance with 50 CFR 
660.61 (g)(1) a permit will be awarded based on a point system as 
follows:
    (1) Two points will be assigned for each year in which the 
applicant was owner or captain of a vessel that made three or more 
qualifying landings of bottomfish in the NWHI. A qualifying landing is: 
(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 legally 
harvested from the NWHI, of which at least 50 percent by weight was 
bottomfish, if made after August 7, 1985.
    (2) 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.
    (3) For any one year, points will be assigned for bottomfish landed 
from either the NWHI or the main Hawaiian Islands, but not for a 
combination of both areas.
    Applicants must maintain their own files or 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 or to a vessel owner whose permit was not renewed for the 1999 
permit year. Also, in considering applications for a Ho'omalu Zone 
permit the Regional Administrator will follow the guidance recommended 
by the Council at its 91st meeting, November 18-21, 1996: (1) No State 
of Hawaii fish catch reports used to document eligibility points will 
be accepted that are more than 1 year delinquent; (2) only State of 
Hawaii fish catch reports will be accepted by NMFS to validate accrued 
qualifying points demonstrating historical participation in the 
Hawaiian Islands bottomfish fishery; (3) the cutoff date for 
applications is 45 days after publication of this notice of 
availability 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 will 
be used for assigning qualifying points.

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

    Dated: September 17, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-24879 Filed 9-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F