[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 1, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9856-9869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3788]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 902

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 041117321-5035-02; I.D. 110904D]
RIN 0648-AS37


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Proposed 
Information Collection; Comment Request; Aleutian Islands Subarea 
Directed Pollock Fishery

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues a final rule that implements Amendment 82 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands Management Area (FMP). Amendment 82 establishes a framework for 
the management of the Aleutian Islands subarea (AI) directed pollock 
fishery. This action is necessary to implement provisions of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 that require the AI directed 
pollock fishery to be allocated to the Aleut Corporation for the 
purpose of economic development in Adak, Alaska. This action is 
intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the 
FMP, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, and other applicable 
laws.
    The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and 
other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed 
and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Effective February 24, 2005.
    Written comments on the renewal of collection-of-information must 
be submitted on or before May 2, 2005.

[[Page 9857]]


ADDRESSES: Copies of the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact 
Review (EA/RIR) prepared for the proposed rule (69 FR 70589, December 
7, 2004), the 2000 FMP level biological opinion, and the 2001 
biological opinion and its June 2003 supplement for the Steller sea 
lion protection measures may be obtained by mail from NMFS Alaska 
Region, P. O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Lori Durall, or 
from the NMFS Alaska Region website at www.fakr.noaa.gov.
    Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other 
aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this 
final rule may be submitted to NMFS, Alaska Region.
    Direct all written comments regarding the renewal of collection-of-
information to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, 
Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Brown, 907-586-7228 or 
[email protected]. Requests for additional information or copies 
of the information collection instrument and instructions should be 
directed to Patsy A. Bearden, 907-586-7008 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fisheries in the exclusive 
economic zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area 
(BSAI) are managed under the FMP. The North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq. Regulations implementing the FMP 
appear at 50 CFR part 679. General regulations governing U.S. fisheries 
also appear at 50 CFR part 600.
    The Council submitted Amendment 82 for review by the Secretary of 
Commerce. A notice of availability of the amendment was published in 
the Federal Register on November 16, 2004 (69 FR 67107), with comments 
invited through January 18, 2005. The proposed rule for Amendment 82 
was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2004 (69 FR 
70589), with comments invited through January 21, 2005. Five letters of 
comments were received on the notice of availability and the proposed 
rule. Comments are summarized and responded to under Comments and 
Responses, below. Amendment 82 was approved by the Secretary of 
Commerce on February 09, 2005.

Background

    The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public Law (Pub. L.) 
108-199) was signed into law on January 23, 2004. Section 803 of this 
law allocates the AI directed pollock fishery to the Aleut Corporation 
for economic development in Adak, Alaska. Throughout this preamble, the 
term ``Aleut Corporation'' will mean the Aleut Corporation or its 
authorized agent(s) for purposes of describing activities required for 
managing the AI directed pollock fishery.
    Public Law 108-199 requires the Aleut Corporation's selection of 
participants in the AI directed pollock fishery and limits 
participation to American Fisheries Act (AFA) (Pub. L. 105-277, Title 
II of Division C) qualified entities and vessels 60 feet (18.3 m) or 
less in length overall (LOA) with certain endorsements. Section 803(b) 
of Pub. L. 108-199 restricts the annual harvest of pollock in the AI 
directed pollock fishery by vessels 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA or less to 
less than 25 percent of the annual allocation until 2009, and to less 
than 50 percent of the annual allocation prior to 2013. These vessels 
must receive 50 percent of the annual directed pollock fishery 
allocation starting in 2013 and beyond. Amendment 82 includes the 
measures necessary to manage the AI directed pollock fishery.
    The Council adopted Amendment 82 in June 2004 and clarified a 
portion of its action in October 2004. Amendment 82 revises the FMP to 
establish the management framework for the AI directed pollock fishery. 
This final rule implements the following management provisions for the 
AI directed pollock fishery:
    1. Restrictions on the harvest specifications for the AI directed 
pollock fishery, including limits on the size of the annual AI pollock 
total allowable catch (TAC), limits on the A season harvest of TAC, 
allocation requirements for vessels 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA or less, and 
reallocation provisions for unharvested amounts of the AI pollock 
allocations;
    2. Provisions for fishery monitoring, including the Aleut 
Corporation's selection and NMFS's approval of vessels and processors 
participating in the AI directed pollock fishery, restrictions on 
possession of pollock from the AI and either the Bering Sea subarea 
(BS) or the Gulf of Alaska on a vessel at one time, scale requirements, 
catch monitoring control plans (CMCPs) for shoreside and stationary 
floating processors, and Aleut Corporation's and participants' 
responsibility for ensuring the harvest does not exceed the AI directed 
pollock fishery allocation;
    3. Reporting requirements; and
    4. A new AI Chinook salmon prohibited species catch limit that, 
when reached, closes the directed pollock fishery in the existing 
Chinook salmon savings areas in the AI.
    Prior to Pub. L. 108-199, the AI directed pollock fishery was 
managed pursuant to the AFA. The AFA allocated the AI directed pollock 
fishery to specific harvesters and processors identified in the AFA and 
specified in regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Public Law 108-199 
supersedes portions of the AFA and allocates all the AI directed 
pollock fishery to the Aleut Corporation. Implementation of Pub. L. 
108-199 requires the amendment of AFA provisions in the FMP and in the 
regulations at 50 CFR part 679 to provide for the allocation of the AI 
directed pollock fishery to the Aleut Corporation and for the 
management of this fishery.
    The allocation of pollock to the AFA directed pollock fisheries 
under section 206(b) of the AFA now only pertains to the BS pollock TAC 
given that Pub. L. 108-199 fully allocates the AI directed pollock 
fishery to the Aleut Corporation. Thus, AFA restrictions associated 
with the directed pollock fishery, including excessive harvesting and 
processing shares under section 210(e) of the AFA, now apply only to 
the AFA allocations of BS pollock.
    Similarly, AFA groundfish sideboard provisions under section 211 of 
the AFA do not apply to AFA entities while those entities are 
participating in the AI directed pollock fishery. Groundfish species 
taken incidental to the AI directed pollock fishery are deducted from 
the relevant TACs for those species, and fisheries for those species 
are managed by NMFS accordingly.

Comments and Responses

    Twelve unique comments from one e-mail regarding Amendment 82 and 
one e-mail and three letters regarding the proposed rule were received. 
The comments are summarized and responded to below.
    Comment 1: The comment period for the proposed rule should be 
extended by 120 days.
    Response: The commentor provided no reason for the comment period 
extension. Because the commentor offered no justification for extending 
the comment period, and because NMFS considers the comment period 
adequate, the comment period remained 45 days.
    Comment 2: All quotas should be cut by 50 percent this year and 10 
percent

[[Page 9858]]

each succeeding year. Marine sanctuaries must be established.
    Response: This action establishes the management provisions for the 
AI directed pollock fishery and does not specify groundfish harvest 
levels. The harvest specifications are established by separate 
rulemaking at the beginning of each year. NMFS encourages the commentor 
to submit comments on the proposed harvest specifications when they are 
published in the Federal Register for public comment in approximately 
December of each year.
    Additionally, this action does not address the creation of marine 
sanctuaries. The January 2004 draft environmental impact statement 
(EIS) for essential fish habitat discusses the effects of fishing on 
sensitive habitat features and evaluates a range of options for 
minimizing adverse effects, such as closing areas of rockfish habitat 
to bottom trawling. Further information on this draft EIS may be found 
at the NMFS Alaska Region website at www.fakr.noaa.gov.
    Comment 3: The Pew Foundation and United Nations (UN) reports on 
overfishing are incorporated into the comments from this commentor.
    Response: This action raises no issues related to overfishing. NMFS 
manages the groundfish fisheries on a sustainable basis, and notes that 
no overfishing is occurring for groundfish stocks off Alaska. The 
current condition of groundfish stocks is detailed in the Stock 
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation reports which are available on the 
NMFS Alaska Region website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/SAFE/SAFE.htm. The commentor's specific concerns and their relationship to 
these reports are not identified. Because no further details are 
provided by the commentor, NMFS is unable to respond further to this 
comment.
    Comment 4: The commentor provided a November 18, 2004, Associated 
Press article regarding the UN recommendations for banning of high seas 
bottom trawling. The commentor was concerned that money influences 
Council recommendations which allow the use of fishery resources that 
are owned by all of the people of the nation.
    Response: This action establishes management provisions for the AI 
directed pollock fishery. Pollock is harvested using pelagic trawl 
gear, which does not have as much of an impact on the ocean bottom as 
bottom trawling gear. The AI directed pollock fishery is authorized by 
this final rule in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off Alaska and not 
in the high seas that extend beyond the EEZ. The commentor did not 
provide further information regarding the relationship between the UN 
high seas bottom trawling ban article and this action.
    Even though for-profit entities work with the Council in developing 
recommendations for management of Alaska groundfish harvest, only the 
Department of Commerce has the approval authority for Council 
recommendations. Decisions are made considering the long term 
conservation and sustainability of the resource for the benefit of the 
nation.
    Comment 5: The commentor disapproves of, objects to, and opposes 
the proposed rule. It does not promote the Magnuson-Stevens Act. 
Economic development can change an area to resemble an urban area in 
the United States. The economic development in Adak, Alaska is not 
needed. Adak's economic development should not be supported by 
overfishing.
    Response: Public Law 108-199 requires that, if a directed pollock 
fishery is open in the AI, all of the quota would go to the Aleut 
Corporation for economic development in Adak, Alaska. This is a 
statutory mandate that cannot be changed by NMFS. The nature of the 
economic development will be decided by the Aleut Corporation and is 
unlikely to resemble large urban areas of the United States, 
considering the Aleut culture and the remote location of Adak. No 
overfishing is occurring in the groundfish stocks off Alaska and 
therefore, the AI directed pollock fishery will not result in 
overfishing supporting economic development.
    Comment 6: The commentor opposes NMFS' action because it will 
result in seals, sea lions, and other marine life being starved or 
destroyed.
    Response: NMFS analyzed the effects of this action on the human 
environment in the EA/RIR for this action (see ADDRESSES) and found no 
significant impacts. NMFS recognizes that the AI directed pollock 
fishery may have impacts on marine mammals and other sea life, but 
these effects were found to be insignificant. Pollock is harvested 
using pelagic trawl gear which has less adverse effect on the 
environment than other types of gear. The pollock fishery has a 
relatively small rate of bycatch of other marine organisms compared to 
other groundfish fisheries, and the pollock fishery will be managed in 
accordance with the Steller sea lion protection measures. Fishing will 
be conducted 20 nautical miles from shore in almost all of the AI, 
thereby reducing potential interaction with marine mammals and other 
organisms in this sensitive, near-shore marine habitat. The pollock 
harvest amounts will be at or well below the acceptable biological 
catch (ABC), reducing the potential for competition for prey with 
marine mammals.
    Comment 7: The inseason management flexibility to raise and lower 
the incidental catch allowance (ICA) needs to be included in the 
regulations for the AI directed pollock fishery.
    Response: NMFS has implemented this provision in the final rule. 
Section 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(1)(ii) provides for the Regional 
Administrator to determine the amount of pollock that is needed as 
incidental catch in other groundfish fisheries in the AI and to deduct 
that amount from the annual allocation of AI pollock. The Regional 
Administrator should be able to reallocate the AI ICA during the 
fishing year if the ICA is not expected to be fully taken in the same 
manner as provided for in the BS fishery under Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1). The provisions in Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1) 
allow the Regional Administrator to reallocate pollock either to or 
from the directed fishing allowance and the ICA by publication in the 
Federal Register.
    Without a mechanism to reallocate unharvested ICA, the potential 
exists that the unused pollock quota may be forgone. NMFS agrees that 
the regulations should provide for the full harvest of pollock quota 
established through the harvest specifications and avoid constraints on 
other groundfish fisheries from inadequate amounts of pollock ICA. 
Therefore, NMFS adds text to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii) to 
authorize the Regional Administrator to reallocate anticipated unused 
ICA to the AI directed pollock fishery or to reallocate pollock from 
the directed pollock fishery to the ICA during the fishing year by 
publication in the Federal Register.
    Comment 8: The Regional Administrator's seasonal apportionment of 
the ICA should be provided for in the regulations for Amendment 82.
    Response: NMFS has implemented this provision in the final rule. 
Proposed Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(3)(i), limits the harvest of AI 
pollock in the A season to no more than 40 percent of the ABC. This 
harvest includes the directed pollock fishery, Community Development 
Quota (CDQ) directed fishing allowance, and the ICA. To establish the A 
season directed pollock fishery allocation within the seasonal limit, 
the Regional Administrator must determine the amount of ICA that will 
be necessary to support other groundfish fisheries during the A season. 
Therefore, the final rule is changed from the proposed rule by 
including a provision in Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2) for the Regional

[[Page 9859]]

Administrator to determine the seasonal apportionment of the ICA.
    Comment 9: The Regional Administrator should have the discretion to 
reapportion amounts of the ICA between seasons, as provided for the 
directed pollock fishery.
    Response: NMFS has made changes from the proposed rule in the final 
rule to implement this provision. Because the Regional Administrator 
may not be able to accurately predict the amount of ICA needed in the A 
and B seasons, the Regional Administrator should have discretion to 
reapportion the ICA to the B season, if needed. The final rule will 
authorize the Regional Administrator to adjust seasonal apportionments 
of the ICA to ensure other groundfish fisheries are not constrained by 
a lack of ICA in the B season. Therefore, Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(3)(iv) is added to authorize the seasonal 
reapportionment of the ICA.
    Comment 10: Non-AFA qualified catcher/processors and motherships 
should be allowed to participate in the AI directed pollock fishery. 
The Council's recommendation that all catcher/processors and 
motherships be AFA qualified goes beyond the requirements specified in 
Pub. L. 108-199, which restricted only the harvest of pollock to AFA 
qualified vessels greater than 60 feet (18.3 m) in length overall 
(LOA). No justification or rationale was provided by the Council for 
why catcher/processors and motherships should be AFA qualified.
    Requiring all catcher/processors and motherships to be AFA 
qualified hinders the economic development of Adak, Alaska. The head-
and-gut fleet operating in the AI have several catcher/processors that 
could be available to process pollock. The inclusion of these vessels 
in the directed pollock fishery would provide the Aleut Corporation 
additional alternatives for processing their pollock allocation, 
particularly for the small vessel fleet. Small catcher vessels could 
pass pollock harvests to the non-AFA qualified catcher/processors for 
processing. Allowing non-AFA qualified catcher/processors would provide 
additional locations for processing small vessel fleet pollock. 
Additional processing locations for the small vessel fleet have 
important safety and economic considerations based on: (1) the limited 
areas for fishing due to the Steller sea lion protection measures, (2) 
the severe winter weather in the AI, and (3) the potential for 
harvested pollock to be stranded on the catcher vessel if AFA qualified 
catcher/processors or motherships are engaged in the BS pollock 
fishery.
    Response: The Council recommended that all catcher/processors and 
motherships participating in the AI directed pollock fishery be AFA 
qualified to ensure adequate monitoring provisions are used for the 
management of this quota-based fishery. These vessels are required to 
maintain AFA pollock monitoring requirements if they are used to 
participate in the AI directed pollock fishery. The Council 
recommendations do not conflict with the provisions of Pub. L. 108-199. 
NMFS has determined that the Council's recommendation is necessary to 
ensure accurate monitoring and verification of the harvest of the AI 
directed pollock fishery allocation. Vessels within the head-and-gut 
fleet are not required to meet the same monitoring requirements as AFA-
qualified catcher/processors and motherships, and therefore, do not 
meet the monitoring needs to ensure effective management of the 
directed pollock fishery allocation.
    NMFS agrees that special considerations will be needed for the 
small vessel fleet participating in this fishery. We also are concerned 
about the safety for small vessels in offshore waters during the winter 
and about the monitoring of catch from such vessels. This will be 
particularly important when the small vessel fleet is allocated 50 
percent of the directed pollock fishery starting in 2013. NMFS will 
continue to work with the Council and industry to review the 
effectiveness of the provisions for the AI directed pollock fishery and 
will seek ways to balance the economic, safety, and monitoring concerns 
of this program.
    Comment 11: Non-AFA qualified stationary floating processors should 
not be required to have a CMCP, as required for shoreside processors. 
Catcher/processors acting as motherships should have to meet the AFA 
mothership standards for observer coverage. Requiring a CMCP for non-
AFA qualified catcher/processors is completely unreasonable.
    Response: Under Sec.  679.4 (b) and (f), Federal fisheries permits 
may be issued for catcher vessels, catcher/processors, and motherships 
for groundfish harvest, and Federal processor permits may be issued for 
shoreside processors and stationary floating processors. Stationary 
floating processors are vessels of the United States operating as 
processors in the Alaska State waters that remain anchored or otherwise 
remain stationary in a single geographic location while receiving or 
processing groundfish harvested in the GOA or BSAI. A catcher/processor 
cannot be used as a stationary floating processor unless it meets the 
permitting and single geographic location requirements of a stationary 
floating processor. NMFS agrees that all catcher/processors and 
motherships processing pollock from the AI directed pollock fishery 
should meet AFA observer requirements. CMCPs are required only for 
shoreside processors and stationary floating processors to ensure that 
all catch is sorted and weighed and to ensure the facilities and 
practices to support an observer are provided. The practices used for 
processing pollock at shoreside processors and stationary floating 
processors are similar, and therefore, the CMCP requirement is applied 
to both types of processing facilities.
    Comment 12: The December 2004 allocation of groundfish in the BSAI 
resulted in an increase of 4,460 mt for BS pollock and a reduction of 
non-pollock fisheries by the same amount to ensure the 2 million mt 
optimum yield is not exceeded. The Council policy requires funding the 
AI pollock allocation by reducing the BS pollock allocation. By 
increasing the BS pollock allocation in the harvest specifications and 
subsequently reducing the non-pollock fisheries allocations, the non-
pollock fisheries are funding the AI pollock allocation. Any unused AI 
pollock should be returned to the BS fisheries in proportion to the 
funding, approximately 75 percent for the BS pollock fishery and 25 
percent for the non-pollock fisheries. This may be accomplished by 
reallocating the unused AI pollock funded from the non-pollock 
fisheries into a non-specified reserve available to the non-pollock 
fisheries.
    Response: The proposed BS pollock initial TAC was 1,327,005 mt (69 
FR 70974, December 8, 2004), and the final initial TAC recommended by 
the Council is 1,330,650 mt. The Council has recommended a final 
initial pollock TAC 3,645 mt higher than the proposed initial TAC for 
BS pollock. NMFS has not yet published final initial TACs for the 
groundfish fisheries, but is aware that the sum of the harvest levels 
must not exceed the 2 million mt optimum yield maximum.
    Each year, NMFS considers the Council's harvest recommendations for 
the groundfish fisheries. The Council's policy for funding the AI 
directed pollock fishery from the BS pollock fishery is specified in 
Amendment 82 to the FMP. The Council recommended that all unharvested 
AI pollock be reallocated to the BS pollock fishery because the intent 
is to restore the pollock harvest to the BS pollock fishery. Thus, the 
Council has recommended that unused AI pollock

[[Page 9860]]

be reallocated to the BS pollock fishery rather than attempting 
complicated proportional reallocations. NMFS approved this policy as a 
provision of Amendment 82.

Regulatory Amendments and Changes from the Proposed Rule in the Final 
Rule

    Detailed descriptions of the regulatory amendments required to 
implement the management provisions for the AI directed pollock fishery 
pursuant to Amendment 82 and Pub. L. 108-199 were published in the 
proposed rule for this action (69 FR 70589, December 7, 2004). Several 
changes are made in the final rule from the proposed rule, as detailed 
below.

Section 679.4 Permits

    Proposed Sec.  679.4(m)(2) specifies the information that the Aleut 
Corporation would have been required to submit to NMFS in the 
application for approval of each participant in the AI directed pollock 
fishery. For stationary floating processors and shoreside processors 
this information would have included an approved CMCP (proposed Sec.  
679.4(m)(2)(iii)). NMFS has determined that submission of the CMCP at 
the time of application for participant approval is an unwarranted 
burden, and therefore, does not implement proposed Sec.  
679.4(m)(2)(iii) in this final rule. However, submission and approval 
of a CMCP is nevertheless required as proposed before a shoreside 
processor or a stationary floating processor may lawfully process 
pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock fishery (see Sec. Sec.  
679.7(l)(3)(iii) and 679.28(g)(2)).

Section 679.20 General Limitations

    Based on comments received, three changes are made to the proposed 
provisions for the management of the incidental catch allowance (ICA) 
in paragraph (a)(5)(iii) which establishes the AI pollock allocations 
and seasonal apportionments. See the responses to Comments 7, 8 and 9 
above for details.

Section 679.21 Prohibited Species Bycatch Management

    The proposed rule included a separate Chinook salmon prohibited 
species catch (PSC) limit of 700 fish for the AI directed pollock 
fishery. If the amount of Chinook salmon bycatch in the AI subarea were 
to exceed the 700 fish limit, only the AI portion of the Chinook salmon 
savings areas would be closed (area 1 on Figure 8 to 50 CFR part 679).
    Under paragraph (e)(1)(i), 7.5 percent of each PSC amount is 
allocated to the CDQ fisheries. PSC restrictions for the CDQ program 
are based on the portions of the PSC amounts allocated to the CDQ 
program. Because the CDQ sector will be harvesting pollock in the AI, a 
portion of the salmon PSC limit must be allocated to the CDQ sector to 
ensure that CDQ participants also will be subject to the salmon area 
closure based on the PSC limit established for the CDQ sector. 
Therefore, NMFS revises paragraph (e)(1)(i) accordingly.

Section 679.60 Authority and Related Regulations

    The citation for the Department of Transportation regulations that 
implement provisions of the AFA is corrected in the final rule to 46 
CFR part 356.

Section 679.63 Catch Weighing Requirements for Vessels and Processors

    The proposed rule revised paragraph (c) to remove references to AI 
pollock for AFA inshore processors' requirements for catch weighing, 
observer coverage, and prior notification. AI pollock likely will not 
be processed by any inshore facilities in 2005. The only inshore 
facilities that may be able to process AI pollock are AFA qualified 
facilities in Dutch Harbor. These facilities already meet AFA catch 
weighing and observer requirements for all pollock received and can 
easily provide the same for any AI pollock that may be delivered. To 
ensure consistency in the monitoring of pollock landed at AFA 
facilities, NMFS has determined that maintaining the same level of 
catch weighing and observer requirements for all pollock delivered at 
AFA inshore processors is necessary. Thus, NMFS has determined that the 
revisions to this section are not necessary and has removed them in the 
final rule.
    NMFS is further considering catch monitoring and observer 
provisions for non-AFA qualified shoreside and stationary floating 
processors that may process AI pollock and intends to consider 
additional rulemaking in the future. The level of monitoring and 
verification for a quota-based program such as the AI directed pollock 
fishery should be similar to that implemented for AFA fisheries to 
enhance accurate quota management. Current provisions in this final 
rule do not provide for all AI pollock delivered to shoreside and 
stationary floating processors to be observed during catch weighing and 
sorting. Because neither non-AFA shoreside processors nor stationary 
floating processors are likely to be used for the AI directed pollock 
fishery in the immediate future, NMFS has determined that this is not a 
significant monitoring or enforcement concern at this time.

Classification

    The Regional Administrator determined that Amendment 82 is 
necessary for the conservation and management of the BSAI groundfish 
fishery and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and 
other applicable laws.
    The AI directed pollock fishery will remain closed until the 
effective date of the final rule. The Council made final 
recommendations for this program in October 2004, and NMFS commenced 
the rulemaking process as soon as possible after receiving the 
recommendations. Pollock harvested in the early part of the year 
usually bears roe which is one of the most valuable components of the 
total pollock harvest in the year. In 2005, the pollock roe is maturing 
at a faster rate than anticipated and is likely to reach peak maturity 
at the end of February.
    All of the participants in the AI directed pollock fishery are AFA 
vessels which also are used in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. These 
participants have completed negotiating their contracts for Bering Sea 
and AI pollock harvest for the year. Because pollock is more valuable 
during the roe producing season Bering Sea pollock fishery, a short 
window of opportunity exists in late February and early March for the 
Aleut Corporation to harvest AI pollock. Industry representatives have 
stated that they are ready to participate in the AI directed pollock 
fishery on February 28, 2005. They will be moving their vessels from 
the Bering Sea to the AI in preparation for the AI directed pollock 
fishery. A delay in the effectiveness of the rule would result in 
severe economic impact on the AI directed pollock fishery participants. 
The participants would be unable to harvest AI pollock during the roe 
season, would lose money in moving the vessels to the AI without the 
opportunity to harvest in the AI at the time period that they are 
available, and the lost revenue cannot be recovered by pollock 
harvested at a later time in the year due to less valuable fish being 
available.
    The potential loss in revenue would prevent the Aleut Corporation 
from meeting the statutory goal of economic development in Adak, Alaska 
for this year. Moreover, the Aleut Corporation has worked closely with 
NMFS and the Council in the development of this rule and is aware of 
its general requirements and is prepared to meet them. In addition, the 
directed pollock fishery in the AI has been closed since 1999; 
consequently, no current participants

[[Page 9861]]

exist who might require time to conform ongoing fishing activities to 
the requirements of this final rule. For these reasons, the Assistant 
Administrator for Fisheries finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay 
in effectiveness for the final rule and makes its provisions effective 
upon filing with the Office of the Federal Register.
    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for the 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration during the proposed rule stage that this action would 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. No comments were received regarding this certification. As a 
result, a regulatory flexibility analysis was not required and none was 
prepared.
    This final rule contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and which have been 
approved on February 18, 2005, by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
under a request for emergency clearance. Public reporting burden per 
response for these requirements are listed by OMB control number.

OMB Control No. 0648-0206

    Federal fisheries permit application, 21 minutes; Federal processor 
permit application, 21 minutes.

OMB Control No. 0648-0213

    Weekly production reports, 17 minutes; check-in/check-out report, 
shoreside processor, 8 minutes; check-in/check-out report, mothership 
or catcher/processor, 7 minutes; daily production report, 11 minutes; 
buying station report, 23 minutes; catcher vessel trawl gear daily 
fishing logbook (DFL), 18 minutes; catcher vessel longline or pot gear 
DFL, 28 minutes; shoreside processor daily cumulative production 
logbook (DCPL), 31 minutes; mothership DCPL, 31 minutes; catcher/
processor longline and pot gear DCPL, 41 minutes; and catcher/processor 
trawl gear DCPL, 30 minutes.

OMB Control No. 0648-0330

    Inshore processor catch monitoring and control plan, 40 hours.

OMB control No. 0648-0334

    LLP permit, 1 hour.

OMB Control No. 0648-0393

    AFA inshore processor permit application, 2 hours; AFA catcher 
vessel permit application, 2 hours; AFA mothership, 2 hours; and AFA 
catcher/processor permit application, 0 hours.

OMB Control No. 0648-0401

    Catcher vessel cooperative pollock catch report, 5 minutes; 
shoreside processor electronic logbook report, 35 minutes.

OMB Control No. 0648-0513

    List of participating harvestors and processors in the AI directed 
pollock fishery, 32 hours; copy of NMFS' approval to participants, 4 
hours; and appeals of NMFS' disapproval of participating harvestors or 
processors, 4 hours. This information collection has been approved for 
six months through an emergency request, and will be re-submitted for 
approval for a full three-year period.
    Response times include the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection-of-information. 
Send comments regarding these burden estimates or any other aspect of 
this data collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to 
NMFS (see ADDRESSES).
    Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection-of-
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection-of-information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection-of-information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of 0648-0513; they also 
will become a matter of public record.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, and no person shall 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.
    Consultation under the Endangered Species Act was concluded for 
Amendment 82 on October 22, 2004. As a result of the consultation, the 
Regional Administrator determined that fishing activities under this 
rule are not likely to adversely affect endangered or threatened 
species or their critical habitat. Pollock is an important prey species 
for the endangered and threatened Steller sea lion populations. The 
Steller sea lion protection measures evaluated in the 2000 and 2001 
Biological Opinions (see ADDRESSES) were considered in the development 
of the management provisions of Amendment 82. The protection measures 
for Steller sea lions include spatial and temporal dispersion of 
pollock harvest. The pollock fishing closure areas in the AI would 
remain unchanged under Amendment 82 to ensure spatial dispersion of 
fishing effort. To temporally disperse harvest of prey species, the 
Steller sea lion protection measures apportion 40 percent of pollock 
harvest in the BSAI to the A season and 60 percent to the B season. 
Amendment 82 would continue to temporally disperse pollock harvest with 
no more than 40 percent of the ABC permitted to be harvested in the A 
season. The total harvest of pollock in the BS, including any 
reallocation of unharvested AI pollock, also will remain well below the 
ABC so that overall harvest would be in proportion to biomass and less 
likely to compete with Steller sea lions for prey.

List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 902 and 50 CFR Part 679

    Alaska, Fisheries, Recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

    Dated: February 22, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

0
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 15 CFR part 902, chapter IX, 
is amended as follows:

15 CFR Chapter IX

PART 902--NOAA INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE 
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OMB CONTROL NUMBERS

0
1. The authority citation for part 902 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

0
2. In Sec.  902.1, the table in paragraph (b) is amended by adding 
under 50 CFR the following entries in numerical order:


Sec.  902.1  OMB control numbers assigned pursuant to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *

[[Page 9862]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Current OMB control number
 CFR part or section where the information     (All numbers begin with
     collection requirement is located                  0648-)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                * * * * *
 
50 CFR                                       ...........................
                                * * * * *
679.4(m)(2)                                  -0513
679.4(m)(4)                                  -0513
                                * * * * *
679.5(q)                                     -0513
                                * * * * *
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------


0
For reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 679 is amended as 
follows:

50 CFR Chapter VI

PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

0
3. The authority citation for part 679 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1540(f); 1801 et seq.; 1851 
note; 3631 et seq.

0
4. In Sec.  679.1, paragraph (k) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  679.1  Purpose and scope.

* * * * *
    (k) American Fisheries Act and AI directed pollock fishery 
measures. Regulations in this part were developed by NMFS and the 
Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the American Fisheries Act 
(AFA), and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 to govern 
commercial fishing for BSAI pollock according to the requirements of 
the AFA and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004. This part also 
governs payment and collection of the loan, under the AFA, the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, 
made to all those persons who harvest pollock from the directed fishing 
allowance allocated to the inshore component under section 206(b)(1) of 
the AFA.

0
5. In Sec.  679.2, the definitions for ``AFA catcher/processor,'' ``AFA 
catcher vessel,'' ``AFA crab processing facility,'' ``AFA entity,'' 
``AFA inshore processor,'' ``AFA mothership,'' ``designated primary 
processor,'' ``fishery cooperative or cooperative,'' ``license 
limitation groundfish,'' ``listed AFA catcher/processor,'' and 
``unlisted AFA catcher/processor,'' are revised, and the definitions 
for ``AI directed pollock fishery,'' ``Aleut Corporation,'' ``Aleut 
Corporation entity,'' and ``designated contact for the Aleut 
Corporation'' are added in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec.  679.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    AFA catcher/processor means a catcher/processor permitted to 
harvest BS pollock under Sec.  679.4(l)(2).
    AFA catcher vessel means a catcher vessel permitted to harvest BS 
pollock under Sec.  679.4(l)(3).
    AFA crab processing facility means a processing plant, catcher/
processor, mothership, floating processor or any other operation that 
processes any FMP species of BSAI crab, and that is affiliated with an 
AFA entity that processes pollock harvested by a catcher vessel 
cooperative operating in the inshore or mothership sectors of the BS 
pollock fishery.
    AFA entity means a group of affiliated individuals, corporations, 
or other business concerns that harvest or process pollock in the BS 
directed pollock fishery.
    AFA inshore processor means a shoreside processor or stationary 
floating processor permitted to process BS pollock under Sec.  
679.4(l)(5).
    AFA mothership means a mothership permitted to process BS pollock 
under Sec.  679.4(l)(5).
* * * * *
    AI directed pollock fishery means directed fishing for pollock in 
the AI under the allocation to the Aleut Corporation authorized at 
Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii).
* * * * *
    Aleut Corporation means the Aleut Corporation incorporated pursuant 
to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
    Aleut Corporation entity means a harvester or processor selected by 
the Aleut Corporation and approved by NMFS to harvest or process 
pollock in the AI directed pollock fishery.
* * * * *
    Designated contact for the Aleut Corporation means an individual 
who is designated by the Aleut Corporation for the purpose of 
communication with NMFS regarding the identity of selected AI directed 
pollock fishery participants and weekly reports required by Sec.  
679.5.
* * * * *
    Designated primary processor means an AFA inshore processor that is 
designated by an inshore pollock cooperative as the AFA inshore 
processor to which the cooperative will deliver at least 90 percent of 
its BS pollock allocation during the year in which the AFA inshore 
cooperative fishing permit is in effect.
* * * * *
    Fishery cooperative or cooperative means any entity cooperatively 
managing directed fishing for BS pollock and formed under section 1 of 
the Fisherman's Collective Marketing Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 521). In 
and of itself, a cooperative is not an AFA entity subject to excessive 
harvest share limitations, unless a single person, corporation or other 
business entity controls the cooperative and the cooperative has the 
power to control the fishing activity of its member vessels.
* * * * *
    License limitation groundfish means target species and the ``other 
species'' category, specified annually pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(2), 
except that demersal shelf rockfish east of 140[deg] W. longitude, 
sablefish managed under the IFQ program, and pollock allocated to the 
Aleutian Islands directed pollock fishery and harvested by vessels 60 
feet (18.3 m) LOA or less, are not considered license limitation 
groundfish.
* * * * *
    Listed AFA catcher/processor means an AFA catcher/processor 
permitted to harvest BS pollock under Sec.  679.4(l)(2)(i).
* * * * *
    Unlisted AFA catcher/processor means an AFA catcher/processor 
permitted to harvest BS pollock under Sec.  679.4(l)(2)(ii).
* * * * *

0
6. In Sec.  679.4, paragraphs (l)(1)(i), (l)(5)(iii), (l)(6)(ii)(B), 
(l)(6)(ii)(C)(2), (l)(6)(ii)(D)(1)(ii), (l)(6)(ii)(D)(2)(i), and 
(l)(6)(ii)(D)(2)(ii) are revised and paragraph (m) is added to read as 
follows:


Sec.  679.4  Permits.

* * * * *
    (l) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (i) Applicability. In addition to any other permit and licensing 
requirements set out in this part, any vessel used to engage in 
directed fishing for a non-CDQ allocation of pollock in the BS and any 
shoreside processor, stationary floating processor, or mothership that 
receives pollock harvested in a non-CDQ directed pollock fishery in the 
BS must have a valid AFA permit onboard the vessel or at the facility 
location at all times while non-CDQ pollock is being harvested or 
processed. In addition, the owner of any vessel that is a member of a 
pollock cooperative in the BS must also have a valid AFA permit for 
every vessel that is a member of the cooperative, regardless of whether 
or not the vessel actually engages in

[[Page 9863]]

directed fishing for pollock in the BS. Finally, an AFA permit does not 
exempt a vessel operator, vessel, or processor from any other 
applicable permit or licensing requirement required under this part or 
in other state or Federal regulations.
* * * * *
    (5) * * *
    (iii) Single geographic location requirement. An AFA inshore 
processor permit authorizes the processing of pollock harvested in the 
BS directed pollock fishery only in a single geographic location during 
a fishing year. For the purpose of this paragraph, ``single geographic 
location'' means:
    (A) Shoreside processors. The physical location at which the land-
based shoreside processor first processed pollock harvested from the BS 
subarea directed pollock fishery during a fishing year.
    (B) Stationary floating processors. A location within Alaska state 
waters that is within 5 nm of the position in which the stationary 
floating processor first processed pollock harvested in the BS subarea 
directed pollock fishery during a fishing year.
* * * * *
    (6) * * *
    (ii) * * *
    (B) Designated cooperative processor. The name and physical 
location of an AFA inshore processor that is designated in the 
cooperative contract as the processor to whom the cooperative has 
agreed to deliver at least 90 percent of its BS pollock catch;
    (C) * * *
    (2) The cooperative contract requires that the cooperative deliver 
at least 90 percent of its BS pollock catch to its designated AFA 
processor; and
* * * * *
    (D) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (ii) LLP permit. The vessel must be named on a valid LLP permit 
authorizing the vessel to engage in trawling for pollock in the Bering 
Sea subarea. If the vessel is more than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA, the 
vessel must be named on a valid LLP permit endorsed for the AI to 
engage in trawling for pollock in the AI; and
* * * * *
    (2) * * *
    (i) Active vessels. The vessel delivered more pollock harvested in 
the BS inshore directed pollock fishery to the AFA inshore processor 
designated under paragraph (l)(6)(ii)(B) of this section than to any 
other shoreside processor or stationary floating processor during the 
year prior to the year in which the cooperative fishing permit will be 
in effect; or
    (ii) Inactive vessels. The vessel delivered more pollock harvested 
in the BS inshore directed pollock fishery to the AFA inshore processor 
designated under paragraph (l)(6)(ii)(B) of this section than to any 
other shoreside processor or stationary floating processor during the 
last year in which the vessel delivered BS pollock harvested in the BS 
directed pollock fishery to an AFA inshore processor.
* * * * *
    (m) Participation in the AI directed pollock fishery--(1) 
Applicability. Harvesting pollock in the AI directed pollock fishery 
and processing pollock taken in the AI directed pollock fishery is 
authorized only for those harvesters and processors that are selected 
by the Aleut Corporation and approved by the Regional Administrator to 
harvest pollock in the AI directed pollock fishery or to process 
pollock taken in the AI directed pollock fishery.
    (2) Annual selection of participants by the Aleut Corporation. Each 
year and at least 14 days before harvesting pollock in the AI directed 
pollock fishery or processing pollock harvested in the AI directed 
pollock fishery, a participant must be selected by the Aleut 
Corporation and the following information for each participant must be 
submitted by the designated contact to the Regional Administrator:
    (i) Vessel or processor name;
    (ii) Federal fisheries permits number issued under paragraph (b) of 
this section or Federal processor permit issued under paragraph (f) of 
this section; and
    (iii) The fishing year which participation approval is requested.
    (3) Participant approval. (i) Participants must have:
    (A) A valid Federal fisheries permit or Federal processing permit, 
pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (f) of this section, respectively;
    (B) A valid fishery endorsement on the vessel's U.S. Coast Guard 
documentation for the vessel's participation in the U. S. fishery; and
    (C) A valid AFA permit under: paragraph (l)(2) of this section for 
all catcher/processors, paragraph (l)(3) of this section for all 
catcher vessels greater than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA, or paragraph (l)(4) of 
this section for all motherships.
    (ii) Each participant selected by the Aleut Corporation that meets 
the conditions under paragraph (m)(3)(i) of this section will be 
approved by the Regional Administrator for participation in the AI 
directed pollock fishery.
    (iii) The Regional Administrator will provide to the designated 
contact for the Aleut Corporation the identity of each approved 
participant and the date upon which participation in the AI directed 
pollock fishery may commence. The Aleut Corporation shall forward to 
the approved participants a copy of NMFS's approval letter before 
harvesting or processing occurs.
    (iv) A copy of NMFS' approval letter for participating in the AI 
directed pollock fishery during the fishing year must be on site at the 
shoreside processor or stationary floating processor, or on board the 
vessel at all times and must be presented for inspection upon the 
request of any authorized officer.
    (4) Participant disapproval. (i) The Regional Administrator shall 
disapprove any participant that does not meet the conditions under 
paragraph (m)(3)(i) of this section. The Regional Administrator will 
notify in writing the Aleut Corporation and the selected participant of 
the disapproval. The selected participant will have 30 days in which to 
submit proof of meeting the requirements to participate in the AI 
directed pollock fishery.
    (ii) The Regional Administrator will prepare and send an initial 
administrative determinations (IAD) to the selected participant 
following the expiration of the 30-day evidentiary period if the 
Regional Administrator determines that the information or evidence 
provided by the selected participant fails to support the participant's 
claims and is insufficient to rebut the presumption that the 
disapproval for participation in the AI directed pollock fishery is 
correct or if the additional information or evidence is not provided 
within the time period specified in the letter that notifies the 
applicant of his or her 30-day evidentiary period. The IAD will 
indicate the deficiencies in the information required, including the 
evidence submitted in support of the information. The IAD also will 
indicate which claims cannot be approved based on the available 
information or evidence. A participant who receives an IAD may appeal 
under the appeals procedures set out at Sec.  679.43. A participant who 
avails himself or herself of the opportunity to appeal an IAD will 
receive an interim approval from NMFS authorizing participation in the 
AI directed pollock fishery. An interim approval based on claims 
contrary to the final determination will expire upon final agency 
determination.

0
7. In Sec.  679.5, paragraphs (a)(7)(xv)(F), (h)(1)(i), (h)(1)(ii)(I), 
and (q) are added to read as follows:

[[Page 9864]]

Sec.  679.5  Recordkeeping and reporting (R&R).

    (a)* * *
    (7) * * *
    (xv) * * *

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Indicate
                                        yes and
  If harvest made under ... program     record          Reference
                                        the ...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                * * * * *
                                       ........
(F) AIP                                     n/a  Subpart F to part 679
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *
    (h) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (i) Check-in report (BEGIN message). Except as indicated in 
paragraph (h)(1)(iii) of this section, the operator or manager must 
submit a check-in report according to the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Submit a separate BEGIN message                       Within this time
             for ...               If you are a ...          limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) Each reporting area of        (1) C/P using       Before gear
 groundfish harvest, except 300,   trawl gear.         deployment
 400, 550, or 690
                                  (2) C/P using       Before gear
                                   longline or pot     deployment. May
                                   gear.               be checked in to
                                                       more than one
                                                       area
                                                       simultaneously.
                                  (3) MS, SS, SFP...  Before receiving
                                                       groundfish. May
                                                       be checked in to
                                                       more than one
                                                       area
                                                       simultaneously.
                                  (4) MS............  Must check-in to
                                                       reporting area(s)
                                                       where groundfish
                                                       were harvested.
(B) COBLZ or RKCSA                (1) C/P using       Prior to fishing.
                                   trawl gear.         Submit one check-
                                                       in for the COBLZ
                                                       or RKCSA and
                                                       another check-in
                                                       for the area
                                                       outside the COBLZ
                                                       or RKCSA.
                                  (2) MS, SS, SFP...  Before receiving
                                                       groundfish
                                                       harvested with
                                                       trawl gear,
                                                       submit one check-
                                                       in for the COBLZ
                                                       or RKCSA and
                                                       another check-in
                                                       for the area
                                                       outside the COBLZ
                                                       or RKCSA.
(C) Gear Type                     (1) C/P...........  If in the same
                                                       reporting area
                                                       but using more
                                                       than one gear
                                                       type, prior to
                                                       fishing submit a
                                                       separate check-in
                                                       for each gear
                                                       type.
                                  (2) MS, SS, SFP...  If harvested in
                                                       the same
                                                       reporting area
                                                       but using more
                                                       than one gear
                                                       type, prior to
                                                       receiving
                                                       groundfish submit
                                                       a separate check-
                                                       in for each gear
                                                       type.
(D) CDQ                           (1) C/P...........  If in the same
                                                       reporting area
                                                       but using more
                                                       than one gear
                                                       type, prior to
                                                       fishing submit a
                                                       separate check-in
                                                       for each gear
                                                       type.
                                  (2) MS, SS, SFP...  Prior to receiving
                                                       groundfish CDQ.
                                                       If receiving
                                                       groundfish under
                                                       more than one CDQ
                                                       number, use a
                                                       separate check-in
                                                       for each number.
(E) Exempted or Research Fishery  (1) C/P...........  If in an exempted
                                                       or research
                                                       fishery, prior to
                                                       fishing submit a
                                                       separate check-in
                                                       for each type.
                                  (2) MS, SS, SFP...  If receiving
                                                       groundfish from
                                                       an exempted or
                                                       research fishery,
                                                       prior to
                                                       receiving submit
                                                       a separate check-
                                                       in for each type.
(F) Processor Type                C/P, MS...........  If a catcher/
                                                       processor and
                                                       functioning
                                                       simultaneously as
                                                       a mothership in
                                                       the same
                                                       reporting area,
                                                       before
                                                       functioning as
                                                       either processor
                                                       type.
(G) Change of fishing year        C/P, MS, SS, SFP..  If continually
                                                       active through
                                                       the end of one
                                                       fishing year and
                                                       at the beginning
                                                       of a second
                                                       fishing year,
                                                       submit a check-in
                                                       for each
                                                       reporting area to
                                                       start the year on
                                                       January 1.
(H) AIP                           (1)C/P............  Prior to AI
                                                       pollock fishing.
                                  (2) MS, SS, SFP...  Before receiving
                                                       AI pollock.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (ii) * * *

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Submit a separate BEGIN message                       Within this time
             for ...               If you are a ...          limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(I) AIP                           (1) C/P...........  Within 24 hours
                                                       after completion
                                                       of gear retrieval
                                                       for AI pollock.
                                  (2) SS, SFP.......  Within 48 hours
                                                       after the end of
                                                       the applicable
                                                       weekly reporting
                                                       period that a
                                                       shoreside
                                                       processor or SFP
                                                       ceases to receive
                                                       or process AI
                                                       pollock for the
                                                       fishing year.
                                  (3) MS............  Within 24 hours
                                                       after receipt of
                                                       AIP pollock has
                                                       ceased.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *
    (q) AI directed pollock fishery catch reports--(1) Applicability. 
The Aleut Corporation shall provide NMFS the identity of its designated 
contact for the Aleut Corporation. The Aleut Corporation shall submit 
to the Regional Administrator a pollock catch report containing 
information required by paragraph (q)(3) of this section.
    (2) Time limits and submittal. (i) The Aleut Corporation must 
submit its AI directed pollock fishery catch reports by one of the 
following methods:
    (A) An electronic data file in a format approved by NMFS; or
    (B) By fax.
    (ii) The AI directed pollock fishery catch reports must be received 
by the Regional Administrator by 1200 hours, A.l.t. on Tuesday 
following the end of the applicable weekly reporting period, as defined 
at Sec.  679.2.
    (3) Information required. The AI directed pollock fishery catch 
report must contain the following information:

[[Page 9865]]

    (i) Catcher vessel ADF&G number;
    (ii) Federal fisheries or Federal processor permit number;
    (iii) Delivery date;
    (iv) Pollock harvested:
    (A) For shoreside and stationary floating processors and 
motherships, the amount of pollock (in lb for shoreside and stationary 
floating processors and in mt for motherships) delivered, including the 
weight of at-sea pollock discards; and
    (B) For catcher/processors, the amount of pollock (in mt) harvested 
and processed, including the weight of at-sea pollock discards; and
    (v) ADF&G fish ticket number.

0
8. In Sec.  679.7, paragraphs (k)(3)(i), (k)(3)(iii), (k)(3)(iv), 
(k)(4)(i), (k)(5), (k)(6), and (k)(7) are revised, and paragraph (l) is 
added to read as follows:


Sec.  679.7  Prohibitions.

* * * * *
    (k) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) Permit requirement. Use a shoreside processor or stationary 
floating processor to process pollock harvested in a non-CDQ directed 
fishery for pollock in the BS without a valid AFA inshore processor 
permit at the facility or on board vessel.
* * * * *
    (iii) Restricted AFA inshore processors. Use an AFA inshore 
processor holding a restricted AFA inshore processor permit to process 
more than 2,000 mt round weight of non-CDQ pollock harvested in the BS 
directed pollock fishery in any one calendar year.
    (iv) Single geographic location requirement. Use an AFA inshore 
processor to process pollock harvested in the BS directed pollock 
fishery at a location other than the single geographic location defined 
as follows:
    (A) Shoreside processors. The physical location at which the land-
based shoreside processor first processed BS pollock harvested in the 
BS directed pollock fishery during a fishing year.
    (B) Stationary floating processors. A location within Alaska State 
waters that is within 5 nm of the position in which the stationary 
floating processor first processed BS pollock harvested in the BS 
directed pollock fishery during a fishing year.
* * * * *
    (4) * * *
    (i) Permit requirement. Use a catcher vessel to engage in directed 
fishing for non-CDQ BS pollock for delivery to any AFA processing 
sector (catcher/processor, mothership, or inshore) unless the vessel 
has a valid AFA catcher vessel permit on board that includes an 
endorsement for the sector of the BS pollock fishery in which the 
vessel is participating.
* * * * *
    (5) AFA inshore fishery cooperatives--(i) Overages by vessel. Use 
an AFA catcher vessel listed on an AFA inshore cooperative fishing 
permit, or under contract to a fishery cooperative under Sec.  
679.62(c), to harvest non-CDQ BS pollock in excess of the fishery 
cooperative's annual allocation of pollock specified under Sec.  
679.62.
    (ii) Overages by fishery cooperative. An inshore pollock fishery 
cooperative is prohibited from exceeding its annual allocation of BS 
pollock TAC.
    (6) Excessive harvesting shares. It is unlawful for an AFA entity 
to harvest, through a fishery cooperative or otherwise, an amount of BS 
pollock that exceeds the 17.5 percent excessive share limit specified 
under Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6). The owners and operators of the 
individual vessels comprising the AFA entity that harvests BS pollock 
will be held jointly and severally liable for exceeding the excessive 
harvesting share limit.
    (7) Excessive processing shares. It is unlawful for an AFA entity 
to process an amount of BS pollock that exceeds the 30-percent 
excessive share limit specified under Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7). The 
owners and operators of the individual processors comprising the AFA 
entity that processes BS pollock will be held jointly and severally 
liable for exceeding the excessive processing share limit.
* * * * *
    (l) Prohibitions specific to the AI directed pollock fishery--(1) 
Catcher/processors. (i) Use a catcher/processor vessel to harvest 
pollock in the AI directed pollock fishery or process pollock harvested 
in the AI directed pollock fishery without a copy of NMFS' approval 
letter on board pursuant to Sec.  679.4(m).
    (ii) Process any pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock 
fishery without complying with catch weighing and observer sampling 
station requirements set forth at paragraphs (k)(1)(vi) and (k)(1)(vii) 
of this section, respectively.
    (iii) Use a catcher/processor to harvest pollock in the AI directed 
pollock fishery or process pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock 
fishery without a valid AFA catcher/processor permit on board the 
vessel.
    (2) Motherships. (i) Use a mothership to process pollock harvested 
in the AI directed pollock fishery without a copy of NMFS' approval 
letter on board pursuant to Sec.  679.4(m).
    (ii) Process any pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock 
fishery without complying with catch weighing and observer sampling 
station requirements set forth at paragraphs (k)(2)(iii) and (k)(2)(iv) 
of this section, respectively.
    (iii) Use a mothership to process pollock harvested in the AI 
directed pollock fishery without a valid AFA mothership permit on board 
the vessel.
    (3) Shoreside and stationary floating processors. (i) Use a 
shoreside processor or stationary floating processor to process pollock 
harvested in the in AI directed pollock fishery without a copy of NMFS' 
approval letter on location pursuant to Sec.  679.4(m).
    (ii) Process any pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock 
fishery without complying with catch weighing requirements set forth at 
paragraph (k)(3)(v) of this section.
    (iii) Take deliveries of pollock harvested in the AI directed 
pollock fishery or process pollock harvested in the AI pollock fishery 
without following an approved CMCP as described in Sec.  679.28(g). A 
copy of the CMCP must be maintained on the premises and made available 
to authorized officers or NMFS-authorized personnel upon request.
    (4) Catcher vessels. (i) Use a catcher vessel to harvest pollock in 
the AI directed pollock fishery without a copy of NMFS' approval letter 
on board pursuant to Sec.  679.4(m).
    (ii) Have on board at any one time pollock harvested in the AI 
directed pollock fishery and pollock harvested from either the Bering 
Sea subarea or the Gulf of Alaska.
    (iii) Use a catcher vessel to deliver pollock harvested in the AI 
directed pollock fishery:
    (A) To a shoreside or stationary floating processor that does not 
have an approved CMCP pursuant to Sec.  679.28(g) and is not approved 
by NMFS to process pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock 
fishery, or
    (B) To a catcher/processor or mothership that is not approved by 
NMFS to process pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock fishery.
    (iv) Use a catcher vessel greater than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA to 
harvest pollock in the AI directed pollock fishery unless the vessel 
has a valid AFA catcher vessel permit on board.
    (5) AI directed pollock fishery overages. (i) Use a catcher vessel 
selected by the Aleut Corporation and approved by NMFS to participate 
in the AI directed pollock fishery under Sec.  679.4(m) to harvest 
pollock in the AI directed pollock fishery in excess of the Aleut 
Corporation's annual or seasonal allocations of pollock or in excess of 
the

[[Page 9866]]

vessel allocation specified under Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii).
    (ii) The Aleut Corporation is prohibited from exceeding its annual 
and seasonal allocations of AI pollock TAC or from exceeding the 
allocation to vessels, as specified in Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii).

0
9. In Sec.  679.20, paragraph (a)(5)(iii) is redesignated as paragraph 
(a)(5)(iv); paragraph (a)(5)(iii) is added, and paragraphs 
(a)(5)(i)(B)(1), (a)(5)(ii), newly redesignated paragraph (a)(5)(iv)(B) 
introductory text, and paragraph (a)(6)(i) are revised to read as 
follows:


Sec.  679.20  General limitations.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (5) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (B) BSAI seasonal allowances for AFA and CDQ--(1) Inshore, catcher/
processor, mothership, and CDQ components. The portions of the BS 
subarea pollock directed fishing allowances allocated to each component 
under sections 206(a) and 206(b) of the AFA and the CDQ allowance in 
the BSAI will be divided into two seasonal allowances corresponding to 
the two fishing seasons set out at Sec.  679.23(e)(2), as follows: A 
season, 40 percent; and B season, 60 percent.
    (2) * * *
* * * * *
    (ii) Bogoslof District. If the Bogoslof District is open to 
directed fishing for pollock by regulation, then the pollock TAC for 
this district will be allocated according to the same procedure 
established for the Bering Sea subarea at paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this 
section. If the Bogoslof District is closed to directed fishing for 
pollock by regulation, then the entire TAC for this district will be 
allocated as an incidental catch allowance.
    (iii) AI. (A) If a directed fishery for pollock in the AI is not 
specified under paragraph (c) of this section, then the entire TAC for 
this subarea will be allocated as an incidental catch allowance.
    (B) If the AI is open to directed fishing for pollock under 
paragraph (c) of this section, then the pollock TAC for this subarea 
will be specified, allocated, seasonally apportioned, and reallocated 
as follows:
    (1) AI annual TAC limitations. When the AI pollock ABC is less than 
19,000 mt, the annual TAC will be no greater than the ABC. When the AI 
pollock ABC equals or exceeds 19,000 mt, the annual TAC will be equal 
to 19,000 mt.
    (2) Allocations--(i) CDQ Directed fishing allowance. 10 percent of 
the annual TAC will be allocated to the CDQ pollock reserve established 
under Sec.  679.31(a)(2).
    (ii) Incidental catch allowance. The Regional Administrator will 
determine the amount of the pollock incidental catch necessary to 
support an incidental catch allowance in the AI during the fishing year 
for each season. This amount of pollock will be deducted from the 
annual TAC. If during a fishing year, the Regional Administrator 
determines that the incidental catch allowance is excessive or 
inadequate, the Regional Administrator may reallocate the excess of the 
incidental catch allowance to the directed pollock fishery, or may 
reallocate pollock from the directed pollock fishery to the incidental 
catch allowance as necessary to support incidental catch of pollock in 
AI groundfish fisheries, by publication in the Federal Register.
    (iii) Directed Pollock Fishery. The amount of the TAC remaining 
after subtraction of the CDQ directed fishing allowance and the 
incidental catch allowance will be allocated to the Aleut Corporation 
as a directed pollock fishery allocation.
    (3) Seasonal apportionment. The seasonal harvest of pollock in the 
AI directed pollock fishery shall be:
    (i) A season. No greater than the lesser of the annual initial TAC 
plus any A season CDQ pollock directed fishery allowance or 40 percent 
of the AI pollock ABC. The total A season apportionment, including the 
AI directed pollock fishery allocation, the CDQ pollock directed 
fishery seasonal allowance, and the incidental catch amount, shall not 
exceed 40 percent of the ABC.
    (ii) B season. The B season apportionment of the AI directed 
pollock fishery shall equal the annual initial TAC minus the A season 
directed pollock fishery apportionment under paragraph 
(a)(5)(iii)(B)(3)(i) of this section and minus the incidental catch 
amount under paragraph (a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii) of this section.
    (iii) Inseason adjustments for the directed pollock fishery. During 
any fishing year, the Regional Administrator may add any under harvest 
of the A season directed pollock fishery apportionment to the B season 
directed pollock fishery apportionment by inseason notification 
published in the Federal Register if the Regional Administrator 
determines that the harvest capacity in the B season is sufficient to 
harvest the adjusted B season apportionment.
    (iv) Inseason adjustments for the incidental catch allowance. 
During any fishing year, the Regional Administrator may add any under 
harvest of the A season incidental catch allowance apportionment to the 
B season incidental catch allowance apportionment by publication in the 
Federal Register if the Regional Administrator determines that the 
additional B season incidental catch allowance is necessary to support 
other groundfish fisheries.
    (4) Reallocation of the annual AI directed pollock fishery and AI 
CDQ allocations. As soon as practicable, if the Regional Administrator 
determines that vessels participating in either the AI directed pollock 
fishery or the AI CDQ directed pollock fishery likely will not harvest 
the entire AI directed pollock fishery or CDQ pollock directed fishing 
allowance, the Regional Administrator may reallocate some or all of the 
projected unused directed pollock fishery allocation to the Bering Sea 
subarea directed pollock fishery or AI CDQ pollock directed fishing 
allowance to the Bering Sea subarea CDQ pollock directed fishing 
allowance by inseason notification published in the Federal Register.
    (5) Allocations to small vessels. The annual allocation for vessels 
60 feet (18.3 m) LOA or less participating in the AI directed pollock 
fishery will be:
    (i) No more than 25 percent of the AI directed pollock fishery 
allocation through 2008;
    (ii) No more than 50 percent of the AI directed pollock fishery 
allocation from 2009 through 2012; and
    (iii) 50 percent of the AI directed pollock fishery allocation in 
2013 and beyond.
    (iv) * * *
    (B) GOA Western and Central Regulatory Areas seasonal 
apportionments. Each apportionment established under paragraph 
(a)(5)(iv)(A) of this section will be divided into four seasonal 
apportionments corresponding to the four fishing seasons specified in 
Sec.  679.23(d)(2) as follows: * * *
    (C) * * *
    (6) * * *
    (i) GOA pollock. The apportionment of pollock in all GOA regulatory 
areas for each seasonal allowance described in paragraph (a)(5)(iv) of 
this section will be allocated entirely to vessels harvesting pollock 
for processing by the inshore component in the GOA after subtraction of 
an amount that is projected by the Regional Administrator to be caught 
by, or delivered to, the offshore component in the GOA incidental to 
directed fishing for other groundfish species.
* * * * *

[[Page 9867]]


0
10. In Sec.  679.21, paragraphs (e)(1)(i), (e)(1)(vii), and 
(e)(7)(viii) are revised and paragraph (e)(1)(ix) is added to read as 
follows:


Sec.  679.21  Prohibited species bycatch management.

* * * * *
    (e) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (i) PSQ reserve. 7.5 percent of each PSC limit set forth in 
paragraphs (e)(1)(ii) through (v), and (e)(1)(vii) through (e)(1)(ix) 
of this section is allocated to the groundfish CDQ program as PSQ 
reserve. The PSQ reserve is not apportioned by gear or fishery.
* * * * *
    (vii) Chinook salmon. The trawl closures identified in paragraph 
(e)(7)(viii) of this section will take effect when the Regional 
Administrator determines that the PSC limit of 29,000 Chinook salmon 
caught while harvesting pollock in the BS between January 1 and 
December 31 is attained.
* * * * *
    (ix) AI Chinook salmon. The trawl closures identified in paragraph 
(e)(7)(viii) of this section will take effect when the Regional 
Administrator determines that the AI PSC limit of 700 Chinook salmon 
caught while harvesting pollock in the AI between January 1 and 
December 31 is attained.
* * * * *
    (7) * * *
    (viii) Chinook salmon. If, during the fishing year, the Regional 
Administrator determines that catch of Chinook salmon by vessels using 
trawl gear while directed fishing for pollock in the BSAI will reach 
the annual limits, as identified in paragraphs (e)(1)(vii) and 
(e)(1)(ix) of this section, NMFS, by notification in the Federal 
Register will close the Chinook Salmon Savings Areas, as defined in 
Figure 8 to this part, to directed fishing for pollock with trawl gear 
as follows:
    (A) For the BS Chinook salmon PSC limit under paragraph (e)(1)(vii) 
of this section, area 1 and area 2 in Figure 8 to this part will be 
closed on the following dates:
    (1) From the effective date of the closure until April 15, and from 
September 1 through December 31, if the Regional Administrator 
determines that the annual limit of BS Chinook salmon will be attained 
before April 15.
    (2) From September 1 through December 31, if the Regional 
Administrator determines that the annual limit of BS Chinook salmon 
will be attained after April 15.
    (B) For the AI Chinook salmon limit under paragraph (e)(1)(ix) of 
this section, area 1 in Figure 8 to this part will be closed on the 
following dates:
    (1) From the effective date of the closure until April 15, and from 
September 1 through December 31, if the Regional Administrator 
determines that the annual limit of AI Chinook salmon will be attained 
before April 15.
    (2) From September 1 through December 31, if the Regional 
Administrator determines that the annual limit of AI Chinook salmon 
will be attained after April 15.
* * * * *

0
11. In Sec.  679.23, paragraph (e)(2) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  679.23  Seasons.

* * * * *
    (e) * * *
    (2) Directed fishing for pollock in the Bering Sea subarea by 
inshore, offshore catcher/processor, and mothership components, in the 
AI directed pollock fishery, and pollock CDQ fisheries. Subject to 
other provisions of this part, directed fishing for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component, catcher/
processors in the offshore component, and motherships in the offshore 
component in the Bering Sea subarea, directed fishing for pollock in 
the AI directed pollock fishery, or directed fishing for CDQ pollock in 
the BSAI is authorized only during the following two seasons:
    (i) A season. From 1200 hours, A.l.t., January 20 through 1200 
hours, A.l.t., June 10; and
    (ii) B season. From 1200 hours, A.l.t., June 10 through 1200 hours, 
A.l.t., November 1.
* * * * *

0
12. In Sec.  679.28, paragraph (g)(2) and the first sentence of 
paragraph (g)(3) are revised to read as follows:


Sec.  679.28  Equipment and operational requirements.

* * * * *
    (g) * * *
    (2) Who is required to prepare and submit a CMCP for approval? The 
owner and manager of an AFA inshore processor or the owner and manager 
of a shoreside or stationary floating processor processing pollock 
harvested in the AI directed pollock fishery are required to prepare 
and submit a CMCP which must be approved by NMFS prior to the receipt 
of pollock harvested in the BSAI directed pollock fisheries.
    (3) How is a CMCP approved by NMFS? NMFS will approve a CMCP if it 
meets all the requirements specified in paragraph (g)(7) of this 
section. * * *
* * * * *

0
13. In Sec.  679.50, paragraphs (c)(2)(i), (c)(5) paragraph heading, 
and (e)(1) are revised and paragraph (c)(5)(i)(C) is added to read as 
follows:


Sec.  679.50  Groundfish Observer Program applicable through December 
31, 2007.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (i) Pollock fishery. In a retained catch of pollock that is greater 
than the retained catch of any other groundfish species or species 
group that is specified as a separate groundfish fishery under this 
paragraph (c)(2) and in a retained catch of pollock harvested in the AI 
directed pollock fishery.
* * * * *
    (5) AFA and AI directed pollock fishery catcher/processors and 
motherships.
    (i) * * *
    (C) AI directed pollock fishery catcher/processors and motherships. 
A catcher/processor participating in the AI directed pollock fishery or 
a mothership processing pollock harvested in the AI directed pollock 
fishery must have on board at least two NMFS-certified observers, at 
least one of which must be certified as a lead level 2 observer, for 
each day that the vessel is used to harvest, process, or take 
deliveries of groundfish. More than two observers are required if the 
observer workload restriction at paragraph (c)(5)(ii) of this section 
would otherwise preclude sampling as required under Sec.  679.63(a)(1).
* * * * *
    (e) * * *
    (1) Any vessel, shoreside processor, or stationary floating 
processor required to comply with observer coverage requirements under 
paragraphs (c) or (d) of this section or under Sec.  679.7(f)(4) or a 
catcher vessel less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA that is participating in 
the AI directed pollock fishery must use, upon written notification by 
the Regional Administrator, NMFS' staff or an individual authorized by 
NMFS to satisfy observer coverage requirements as specified in 
paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section or for other conservation and 
management purpose.
* * * * *

0
14. In subpart F, the subpart heading is revised to read as follows:

Subpart F--American Fisheries Act and Aleutian Island Directed 
Pollock Fishery Management Measures

0
15. Section 679.60 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  679.60  Authority and related regulations.

    (a) Regulations under this subpart were developed by the National 
Marine

[[Page 9868]]

Fisheries Service and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to 
implement the American Fisheries Act (AFA) (Div. C, Title II, Subtitle 
II, Public Law 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681 (1998)) and the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-199, Sec. 803). Additional 
regulations in this part that implement specific provisions of the AFA 
and Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 are set out at Sec. Sec.  
679.2 Definitions, 679.4 Permits, 679.5 Recordkeeping and reporting (R 
&R), 679.7 Prohibitions, 679.20 General limitations, 679.21 Prohibited 
species bycatch management, 679.28 Equipment and operational 
requirements, 679.31 CDQ reserves, and 679.50 Groundfish Observer 
Program.
    (b) Regulations developed by the Department of Transportation to 
implement provisions of the AFA are found at 46 CFR part 356.

0
16. In Sec.  679.61, paragraphs (b), (d)(3), and (g) are revised to 
read as follows:


Sec.  679.61  Formation and operation of fishery cooperatives.

* * * * *
    (b) Who must comply this section? Any fishery cooperative formed 
under section 1 of the Fisherman's Collective Marketing Act 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 521) for the purpose of cooperatively managing directed fishing 
for BS subarea pollock must comply with the provisions of this section. 
The owners and operators of all the member vessels that are signatories 
to a fishery cooperative are jointly and severally responsible for 
compliance with the requirements of this section.
* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (3) What is the deadline for filing? The contract or renewal letter 
and supporting materials must be received by NMFS and by the Council at 
least 30 days prior to the start of any fishing activity conducted 
under the terms of the contract. In addition, an inshore cooperative 
that is also applying for an allocation of BS subarea pollock under 
Sec.  679.62 must file its contract, any amendments hereto, and 
supporting materials no later than December 1 of the year prior to the 
year in which fishing under the contract will occur.
* * * * *
    (g) Landing tax payment deadline. You must pay any landing tax owed 
to the State of Alaska under section 210(f) of the AFA and paragraph 
(e)(1)(v) of this section before April 1 of the following year, or the 
last day of the month following the date of publication of statewide 
average prices by the Alaska State Department of Revenue, whichever is 
later. All members of the cooperative are prohibited from harvesting 
pollock in the BS subarea directed pollock fishery after the payment 
deadline if any member vessel has failed to pay all required landing 
taxes from any landings made outside the State of Alaska by the landing 
deadline. Members of the cooperative may resume directed fishing for 
pollock once all overdue landing taxes are paid.

0
17. In Sec.  679.62, the introductory text in paragraph (a), and 
paragraphs (a)(2), (a)(3), (b)(2)(i), (b)(2)(ii), and (b)(3) are 
revised to read as follows:


Sec.  679.62  Inshore sector cooperative allocation program.

    (a) How will inshore sector cooperative allocations be made? An 
inshore catcher vessel cooperative that applies for and receives an AFA 
inshore cooperative fishing permit under Sec.  679.4(l)(6) will receive 
a sub-allocation of the annual BS subarea inshore sector directed 
fishing allowance. Each inshore cooperative's annual allocation 
amount(s) will be determined using the following procedure:
* * * * *
    (2) Conversion of individual vessel catch histories to annual 
cooperative quota share percentages. Each inshore pollock cooperative 
that applies for and receives an AFA inshore pollock cooperative 
fishing permit will receive an annual quota share percentage of pollock 
for the BS subarea that is equal to the sum of each member vessel's 
official AFA inshore cooperative catch history for the BS subarea 
divided by the sum of the official AFA inshore cooperative catch 
histories of all inshore-sector endorsed AFA catcher vessels. The 
cooperative's quota share percentage will be listed on the 
cooperative's AFA pollock cooperative permit.
    (3) Conversion of quota share percentage to TAC allocations. Each 
inshore pollock cooperative that receives a quota share percentage for 
a fishing year will receive an annual allocation of pollock that is 
equal to the cooperative's quota share percentage multiplied by the 
annual inshore BS subarea pollock allocation. Each cooperative's annual 
pollock TAC allocation may be published in the interim, and final BSAI 
TAC specifications notices.
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (i) Member vessels. All pollock caught by a member vessel while 
engaged in directed fishing for pollock in the BS subarea unless the 
vessel is under contract to another cooperative and the pollock is 
assigned to another cooperative.
    (ii) Contract vessels. All pollock contracted for harvest and 
caught by a vessel under contract to the cooperative under paragraph 
(c) of this section while the vessel was engaged in directed fishing 
for pollock in the BS subarea.
    (3) How must cooperative harvests be reported to NMFS? Each inshore 
pollock cooperative must report its BS subarea pollock harvest to NMFS 
on a weekly basis according to the recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements set out at Sec.  679.5(o).
* * * * *

0
18. In Sec.  679.64, introductory paragraph of (a), paragraphs 
(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(ii), (a)(4)(i), (a)(4)(ii), introductory paragraph of 
(b), and introductory paragraph of (b)(3) are revised to read as 
follows:


Sec.  679.64  Harvesting sideboard limits in other fisheries.

    (a) Harvesting sideboards for listed AFA catcher/processors. The 
Regional Administrator will restrict the ability of listed AFA catcher/
processors to engage in directed fishing for non-pollock groundfish 
species to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from 
adverse effects resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in 
the BS subarea directed pollock fishery.
    (1) * * *
    (i) Except for Aleutian Islands pollock, the Regional Administrator 
will establish annual AFA catcher/processor harvest limits for each 
groundfish species or species group in which a TAC is specified for an 
area or subarea of the BSAI as follows:
* * * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) If the amount of Pacific ocean perch calculated under 
paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section is determined by the Regional 
Administrator to be insufficient to meet bycatch needs of AFA catcher/
processors in other directed fisheries for groundfish, the Regional 
Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for Aleutian Islands 
Pacific ocean perch by AFA catcher/processors and establish the 
sideboard amount equal to the amount of Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean 
perch caught by AFA catcher/processors incidental to directed fishing 
for other groundfish species.
* * * * *
    (4) * * *
    (i) Except as provided for in paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) through (a)(3) 
of this section, the harvest limit for each BSAI groundfish species or 
species group will be equal to the 1995 through 1997 aggregate retained 
catch of that

[[Page 9869]]

species by catcher/processors listed in paragraphs 208(e)(1) through 
(e)(20) and section 209 of the AFA in non-pollock target fisheries 
divided by the sum of the catch of that species in 1995 through 1997 
multiplied by the TAC of that species available for harvest by catcher/
processors in the year in which the harvest limit will be in effect.
    (ii) If the amount of a species calculated under paragraph 
(a)(4)(i) of this section is determined by the Regional Administrator 
to be insufficient to meet bycatch needs for AFA catcher/processors in 
other directed fisheries for groundfish, the Regional Administrator 
will prohibit directed fishing for that species by AFA catcher/
processors and establish the sideboard amount equal to the amount of 
that species caught by AFA catcher/processors incidental to directed 
fishing for other groundfish species.
* * * * *
    (b) Harvesting sideboards for AFA catcher vessels. The Regional 
Administrator will restrict the ability of AFA catcher vessels to 
engage in directed fishing for other groundfish species to protect 
participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects 
resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the BS subarea 
directed pollock fishery.
* * * * *
    (3) How will groundfish sideboard limits be calculated? Except for 
Aleutian Islands pollock, the Regional Administrator will establish 
annual AFA catcher vessel harvest limits for each groundfish species or 
species group in which a TAC is specified for an area or subarea of the 
GOA and BSAI as follows:
* * * * *

0
19. In Sec.  679.65, paragraphs (a) and (b) are revised to read as 
follows:


Sec.  679.65  Crab processing sideboard limits.

    (a) What is the purpose of crab processing limits? The purpose of 
crab processing sideboard limits is to protect processors not eligible 
to participate in the BS subarea directed pollock fishery from adverse 
effects as a result of the AFA and the formation of fishery 
cooperatives in the BS subarea directed pollock fishery.
    (b) To whom do the crab processing sideboard limits apply? The crab 
processing sideboard limits in this section apply to any AFA inshore or 
mothership entity that receives pollock harvested in the BS directed 
pollock fishery by a fishery cooperative established under Sec.  679.61 
or Sec.  679.62.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 05-3788 Filed 2-24-05; 2:55 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S