[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 135 (Friday, July 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40987-40988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13895]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 070605A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Prohibited 
Species Donation Program

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

ACTION: Notice; selection of an authorized distributor.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the renewal of permits to SeaShare (formerly 
Northwest Food Strategies) authorizing this organization to distribute 
Pacific salmon (salmon) and Pacific halibut (halibut) to economically 
disadvantaged individuals under the prohibited species donation (PSD) 
program. Salmon and halibut are caught incidentally during directed 
fishing for groundfish with trawl gear off Alaska. This action is 
necessary to comply with provisions of the PSD program and is intended 
to promote the goals and objectives of the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council.

DATES: Effective August 15, 2005, through August 15, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the PSD permits for salmon and halibut may be 
obtained from the Sustainable Fisheries Division, NMFS, Alaska Region, 
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-21668, Attn: Lori Durall.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie N. Brown, phone: 907-586-7228 
or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in the exclusive economic 
zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) and 
Gulf of Alaska (GOA) is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Management Area and the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the 
Gulf of Alaska (FMPs). These FMPs were prepared by the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.). Regulations 
governing the Alaska groundfish fisheries appear at 50 CFR parts 600 
and 679. Fishing for halibut in waters in and off Alaska is governed by 
the Convention between the United States and Canada for the 
Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the North Pacific Ocean and 
Bering Sea and by regulations adopted by the International Pacific 
Halibut Commission (IPHC) and approved by the Secretary of State of the 
United States pursuant to section 4 of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act 
(16 U.S.C. 773-773k). Regulations of the IPHC are published as annual 
management measures in the Federal Register each year pursuant to 
regulations at 50 CFR 300.62.
    Amendments 26 and 29 to the BSAI and GOA FMPs, respectively, were 
approved by NMFS on July 10, 1996, and implemented a salmon donation 
program. These amendments were superseded by Amendments 50 and 50 to 
the FMPs that were approved by NMFS on May 6, 1998, and authorize the 
PSD program for salmon and halibut. A final rule implementing 
Amendments 50 and 50 was published in the Federal Register on June 12, 
1998 (63 FR 32144). A full description of, and background information 
on, the PSD program may be found in the preamble to the proposed rules 
for Amendments 26 and 29, and Amendments 50 and 50 (May 16, 1996, 61 FR 
24750 and March 4, 1998, 63 FR 10583, respectively).
    Regulations at Sec.  679.26 authorize the voluntary distribution of 
salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the groundfish trawl fisheries 
off Alaska to economically disadvantaged individuals by tax-exempt 
organizations through an authorized distributor. The Administrator, 
Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), may select one or more 
tax-exempt organizations to be authorized distributors, as defined by 
Sec.  679.2, based on the information submitted by applicants under 
Sec.  679.26. After review of qualified applicants, NMFS must announce 
the selection of authorized distributor(s) in the Federal Register and 
issue the selected distributor(s) PSD permits.
    On April 7, 2005, the Regional Administrator received applications 
from SeaShare to renew its August 16, 2002, PSD permits (67 FR 47352, 
July 18, 2002). These permits authorize SeaShare to participate in the 
PSD program through August 16, 2005.
    The Regional Administrator reviewed the applications and determined 
that they are complete and that SeaShare continues to meet the 
requirements for a PSD program authorized distributor. As required by 
Sec.  679.26(b)(2), the Regional Administrator based his selection on 
the following criteria:
    1. The number and qualifications of applicants for PSD permits. As 
of the date of this notice, only SeaShare has submitted completed 
applications that were approved by NMFS to distribute salmon and 
halibut taken incidentally in the Alaska groundfish trawl fisheries. 
SeaShare has been coordinating the distribution of salmon taken 
incidentally in trawl fisheries since 1993, and of halibut taken 
incidentally since 1998, under exempted fishing permits and the PSD 
program. SeaShare employs independent seafood quality control experts 
to ensure product quality is maintained by cold storage facilities and 
common carriers servicing the areas where salmon and halibut donations 
will take place.
    2. The number of harvesters and the quantity of fish that 
applicants can effectively administer. For salmon, 3 shoreside 
processors, 17 catcher/processor vessels, and 36 catcher vessels 
currently participate in the PSD program administered by SeaShare. 
Three shoreside processors participate in the halibut donation program. 
SeaShare has the capacity to receive and distribute salmon and halibut 
from as many as 40 processors and their associated catcher vessels.
    In 2002, 2003, and 2004, SeaShare received 102,551 pounds (46.5 
mt), 248,333 pounds (112.6 mt), and 463,138 pounds (210.1 mt), 
respectively, of salmon for distribution to food bank organizations. 
During these same years, SeaShare received 33,976 pounds (15.4 mt), 
18,275 pounds (8.3 mt), and 15,508 pounds (7.0 mt), respectively, of 
halibut for distribution to food bank organizations. NMFS does not have 
information to convert accurately the salmon and halibut weights to 
numbers of salmon and numbers of halibut.
    3. The anticipated level of salmon and halibut incidental catch 
based on salmon and halibut incidental catch from previous years. The 
incidental catch of salmon and incidental catch mortality of halibut in 
the GOA and BSAI trawl fisheries are shown in the following table:

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              Area Fishery                     2003            2004
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BSAI Trawl Chinook Incidental Catch      54,989 fish      62,407 fish
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[[Page 40988]]

 
BSAI Trawl Other Salmon Incidental       197,091 fish     465,650 fish
 Catch
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GOA Trawl Chinook Incidental Catch       15,652 fish      17,798 fish
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BSAI Trawl Halibut Mortality             3,278 mt         3,185 mt
                                         (7,226,679 lb)   (7,021,651 lb)
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GOA Trawl Halibut Mortality              2,080 mt         2,248 mt
                                         (4,585,568 lb)   (4,955,941 lb)
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    Halibut incidental catch amounts are constrained by an annual 
prohibited species catch limit in the BSAI and GOA. Future halibut 
incidental catch levels likely will be similar to those experienced in 
2003 and 2004. Salmon prohibited species incidental catch limits are 
established for the BSAI pollock fisheries that when attained, result 
in the closure of specified fishing grounds for a specified period of 
time. Salmon incidental catch limits are not established for the GOA. 
In general, salmon incidental catch amounts tend to be variable between 
years, making accurate prediction of future incidental take amounts 
difficult.
    4. The potential number of vessels and processors participating in 
the groundfish trawl fisheries. In 2004, 14 shoreside processors were 
permitted to process catch from trawl vessels. Also, in 2004, 217 trawl 
catcher vessels, 58 trawl catcher/processors, and 59 motherships and 
stationary floating processors were permitted for the Alaska groundfish 
trawl fisheries.
    The PSD permits are issued to SeaShare for a 3-year period unless 
suspended or revoked. They may not be transferred; however, they may be 
renewed following the application procedures in Sec.  679.26.
    If the authorized distributor modifies any information on the PSD 
permit application submitted under Sec.  679.26(b)(1)(xi) or 
(b)(1)(xiii), the authorized distributor must submit a modified list of 
participants or a modified list of delivery locations to the Regional 
Administrator.
    These permits may be suspended, modified, or revoked under 15 CFR 
part 904 for noncompliance with terms and conditions specified in the 
permit or for a violation of this section or other regulations in 50 
CFR part 679.

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec.  679.26.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et seq., and 3631 et seq.

    Dated: July 8, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-13895 Filed 7-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S