[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 66350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21872]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 102005B]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Notice of 
Crab Rationalization Program Public Workshop

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

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will present a public workshop on the new Crab 
Rationalization Program (Program) for participants in the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) king and Tanner crab fisheries. At this 
workshop, NMFS will review the Program, discuss the key Program 
elements, provide information on the application process, and answer 
questions. This workshop is specifically intended to address issues 
related to the Arbitration System portion of the Program. NMFS is 
conducting this public workshop to assist participants comply with the 
requirements of this new Program.

DATES: Workshop will be held November 18, 2005, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
Pacific standard time.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the Qwest Field and Event 
Center, Room C3, 800 Occidental Ave. South, Seattle, WA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glenn Merrill, 907-586-7228 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 2, 2005, NMFS published a final 
rule implementing the Program as Amendments 18 and 19 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs 
(70 FR 10174). The final rule was effective on April 2, 2005.
    NMFS has conducted six public workshops on key Program elements. 
Four of those workshops were conducted in March and April of 2005 in 
Alaska, Oregon, and Washington to assist fishery participants comply 
with the requirements of the Program. At these workshops, NMFS reviewed 
the Program, discussed the key Program elements, and provided 
information on the application process. The remaining two workshops 
were held in Seattle, Washington in May and September of 2005, and 
focused on the Arbitration System.
    The November 18, 2005 workshop is also intended to focus on the 
Arbitration System. One issue not previously addressed in the May and 
September workshops will be the focus. Specifically, NMFS will provide 
an overview of existing regulatory requirements which create timing 
conflicts related to the start of the crab fishing season, the deadline 
for the initiation of binding arbitration, and the deadline for 
initiating share matching under the Arbitration System (see 50 CFR 
680.20(h)(3)(iv) for more details). NMFS will review this timing 
conflict and provide an opportunity for public comments. Program 
elements related to economic data collection, monitoring and 
enforcement, electronic reporting, quota share and individual fishing 
quota application and transfer provisions, the appeals process, fee 
collection, and the loan program may be addressed secondarily. 
Additionally, NMFS will answer questions from workshop participants. 
For further information on the Program, please visit the NMFS Alaska 
Region Internet site at www.fakr.noaa.gov.

Special Accommodations

    This workshop is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for special accommodations should be directed to Glenn Merrill 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) by November 10, 2005.

    Dated: October 27, 2005.
Anne M. Lange,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-21872 Filed 11-1-05; 8:45 am]
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