[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3429-3434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-594]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 120805C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North 
Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery 
Program

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

ACTION: Notification of standard prices.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service publishes IFQ standard 
prices for the Individual Fishing Quota(IFQ) Cost Recovery Program in 
the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. NMFS 
published a standard price notice for 2005 on December 15, 2005. NMFS 
subsequently discovered calculation errors in the published standard 
prices. This notice corrects the calculation errors and replaces the 
December 15, 2005, Federal Register document. This action is intended 
to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits information to 
calculate the payments required for IFQ cost recovery fees due by 
January 31, 2006.

DATES: Effective January 23, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Troie Zuniga, Fee Coordinator, 907-
586-7231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NMFS, Alaska Region, administers the halibut and sablefish IFQ 
programs in the North Pacific. The IFQ programs are limited access 
systems authorized by section 303(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Northern 
Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. Fishing under the IFQ programs began in 
March 1995. Regulations implementing the IFQ program are set forth at 
50 CFR part 679.
    In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act was amended by Public Law 104-297 
to, among other things, require the Secretary of Commerce to ``collect 
a fee to recover the actual costs directly related to the management 
and enforcement of any . . . individual fishing quota program'' 
(section 304(d)(2)(A)). Section 304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act 
specifies an upper limit on these fees, when the fees must be 
collected, and where the fees

[[Page 3430]]

must be deposited. Section 303(d)(4) allows NMFS to reserve up to 25 
percent of the fees collected for use in an IFQ loan program to aid in 
financing the purchase of IFQ or quota share (QS) by entry-level and 
small-vessel fishermen.
    On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations implementing the IFQ 
Cost Recovery Program (65 FR 14919), which are set forth at 50 CFR 
679.45. Under the regulations, an IFQ permit holder incurs a cost 
recovery fee liability for every pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish 
that is landed on his or her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is 
responsible for self-collecting the fee liability for all IFQ halibut 
and IFQ sablefish landings on his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit 
holder is also responsible for submitting a fee liability payment to 
NMFS on or before the due date of January 31 following the year in 
which the IFQ landings were made. The dollar amount of the fee due is 
determined by multiplying the annual IFQ fee percentage (3 percent or 
less) by the ex-vessel value of each IFQ landing made on a permit and 
summing the totals of each permit (if more than one).

Standard Prices

    The fee liability is based on the sum of all payments of monetary 
worth made to fishermen for the sale of the fish during the year. This 
includes any retro-payments (e.g., bonuses, delayed partial payments, 
post-season payments) made to the IFQ permit holder for previously 
landed IFQ halibut or sablefish.
    For purposes of calculating IFQ cost recovery fees, NMFS 
distinguishes between two types of ex-vessel value: ``actual ex-vessel 
value'' and ``standard ex-vessel value.'' ``Actual ex-vessel value'' is 
the amount of all compensation, monetary or non-monetary, that an IFQ 
permit holder received as payment for his or her IFQ fish sold. 
``Standard ex-vessel value'' is the default value on which to base fee 
liability calculations. However, IFQ permit holders have the option of 
using ``actual ex-vessel value'' if they can satisfactorily document 
those values.
    Regulations at Sec.  679.45(c)(2)(i) require the Regional 
Administrator to publish IFQ standard prices during the last quarter of 
each calendar year. These standard prices are used, along with 
estimates of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings, are used to 
calculate standard values. The standard prices are described in U.S. 
dollars, per IFQ equivalent pound, for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish 
landings made during the year. IFQ equivalent pound(s) means the 
weight, recorded in pounds for an IFQ landing. For sablefish, the IFQ 
poundage is calculated as round weight. For halibut, the IFQ equivalent 
poundage is calculated as the headed and gutted (``net'') weight.
    NMFS calculates the standard prices to reflect, as closely as 
possible, by month and port or port-group, the variations in the actual 
ex-vessel values of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings. NMFS 
published a standard price notice for 2005 at 70 FR 74208 on December 
15, 2005. NMFS subsequently discovered calculation errors in the 
published standard prices. This notice corrects the calculation errors 
and replaces the original notice at 70 FR 74208. The corrected standard 
prices for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish are listed in the following 
table. Data from ports are combined as necessary to protect 
confidentiality of data submissions.

 REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2005
                               IFQ SEASON
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            SABLEFISH
 LANDING LOCATION    PERIOD ENDING    HALIBUT STANDARD    STANDARD EX-
                                       EX-VESSEL PRICE    VESSEL PRICE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORDOVA            March 31           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.88             $1.97
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.08             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.08             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.08             --
========================================================================
DUTCH HARBOR       March 31           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.82             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $2.87             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $2.89             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $2.95             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $2.95             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $2.95             --
========================================================================
HOMER              March 31           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 3431]]

 
                   April 30           $3.01             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $3.04             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $3.02             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $3.07             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.19             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.19             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.19             --
========================================================================
KETCHIKAN          March 31           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.96             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $3.04             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        --                --
========================================================================
KODIAK             March 31           $2.99             $1.87
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           $2.84             $1.87
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.80             $2.00
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.86             $2.05
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $2.86             $1.89
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $2.91             $2.22
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.00             $2.32
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.00             $2.32
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.00             $2.32
========================================================================
PETERSBURG         March 31           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.90             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $3.11             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $3.02             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.06             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.06             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.06             --
========================================================================
SEWARD             March 31           $3.26             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 3432]]

 
                   April 30           $2.95             $2.00
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        --                --
========================================================================
SITKA              March 31           $3.34             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           $3.04             $2.05
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.95             $2.10
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.98             $2.30
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $3.02             $2.36
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $3.02             $2.43
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.03             $2.57
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.03             $2.57
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.03             $2.57
========================================================================
YAKUTAT            March 31           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           $2.70             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $3.00             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.68             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $2.80             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.07             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.07             --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.07             --
------------------------------------------------------------------------


  REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY PORT GROUP FOR 2005 IFQ
                                 SEASON
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            SABLEFISH
    PORT GROUP       PERIOD ENDING    HALIBUT STANDARD    STANDARD EX-
                                       EX-VESSEL PRICE    VESSEL PRICE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BERING SEA\1\      March 31           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           --                --
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.83             $1.85
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.87             $2.09
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $2.91             $2.07
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $2.91             $2.22
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $2.95             $2.10
                  ------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 3433]]

 
                   October 31         $2.95             $2.10
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $2.95             $2.10
========================================================================
CENTRAL GULF\2\    March 31           $3.20             $1.97
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           $2.92             $1.97
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.87             $2.01
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.96             $2.16
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $2.98             $2.14
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $3.27             $2.50
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.05             $2.40
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.05             $2.40
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.05             $2.40
========================================================================
SOUTHEAST\3\       March 31           $3.27             $2.10
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           $3.43             $1.97
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.82             $2.09
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.98             $2.22
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $3.07             $2.62
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $3.11             $2.39
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.10             $2.44
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.10             $2.44
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.10             $2.44
========================================================================
ALL\4\             March 31           $3.22             $1.99
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   April 30           $3.13             $1.95
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   May 31             $2.85             $2.02
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   June 30            $2.95             $2.17
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   July 31            $2.99             $2.27
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   August 31          $3.12             $2.40
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   September 30       $3.04             $2.40
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   October 31         $3.04             $2.40
                  ------------------------------------------------------
                   November 30        $3.04             $2.40
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Landing locations Within Port Group - Bering Sea: Adak, Akutan,
  Akutan Bay, Atka, Bristol Bay, Chefornak, Dillingham, Captains Bay,
  Dutch Harbor, Egegik, Ikatan Bay, Hooper Bay, King Cove, King Salmon,
  Kipnuk, Mekoryuk, Naknek, Nome, Quinhagak, Savoonga, St. George, St.
  Lawrence, St. Paul, Togiak, Toksook Bay, Tununak, Beaver Inlet,
  Ugadaga Bay, Unalaska.
2. Landing Locations Within Port Group - Central Gulf of Alaska: Anchor
  Point, Anchorage, Alitak, Chignik, Cordova, Eagle River, False Pass,
  West Anchor Cove, Girdwood, Chinitna Bay, Halibut Cove, Homer,
  Kasilof, Kenai, Kenai River, Alitak, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski,
  Ninilchik, Old Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia, Resurrection Bay,
  Seward, Valdez, Whittier.
3. Landing Locations Within Port Group - Southeast Alaska: Angoon,
  Baranof Warm Springs, Craig, Edna Bay, Elfin Cove, Excursion Inlet,
  Gustavus, Haines, Hollis, Hoonah, Hyder, Auke Bay, Douglas, Tee
  Harbor, Juneau, Kake, Ketchikan, Klawock, Metlakatla, Pelican,
  Petersburg, Portage Bay, Port Alexander, Port Graham, Port Protection,
  Point Baker, Sitka, Skagway, Tenakee Springs, Thorne Bay, Wrangell,
  Yakutat.
4. Landing Locations Within Port Group - All: For Alaska: All landing
  locations included in 1, 2, and 3. For California: Eureka, Fort Bragg,
  Other California. For Oregon: Astoria, Aurora, Lincoln City, Newport,
  Warrenton, Other Oregon. For Washington: Anacortes, Bellevue,
  Bellingham, Nagai Island, Edmonds, Everett, Granite Falls, Ilwaco, La
  Conner, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Ranier, Fox Island,
  Mercer Island, Seattle, Standwood, Other Washington. For Canada: Port
  Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver, Haines Junction, Other
  Canada.



[[Page 3434]]

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

    Dated: January 11, 2006.
John H. Dunnigan,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-594 Filed 1-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S