[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 80 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20836-20837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7935]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 070416085-7085-01; I.D. 040907A]


Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher 
Processor Subsector of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Non-
Pollock Groundfish Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice of BSAI Non-Pollock Groundfish Longline Catcher 
Processor Subsector reduction payment tender.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to inform the public about tendering 
reduction payments under the longline catcher processor subsector of 
the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) non-pollock groundfish fishery. 
The Freezer Longline Conservation Cooperative (FLCC) conducted the 
offer and selection process, submitted the reduction plan, and accepted 
four offers to remove groundfish license limitation program (LLP) 
licenses. A successful referendum approved the reduction loan repayment 
fees of $35 million. Accordingly, NMFS is preparing to tender reduction 
payments to accepted offerors.

DATES: The public has until May 29, 2007 to inform NMFS of any holding, 
owning, or retaining claims that conflict with the representations of 
offers as presented by the FLCC.

ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to Leo Erwin, Chief, 
Financial Services Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leo Erwin, (301) 713-2390.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 219(e) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 
established the BSAI non-pollock groundfish longline catcher processor 
subsector fishing capacity reduction program (program). The program was 
implemented after the proposed rule was published in the Federal 
Register on August 11, 2006 (71 FR 46364) and the final rule on 
September 29, 2006 (71 FR 57696). Persons wanting further program 
details should refer to these rules.
    The program's objectives include promoting sustainable fishery 
management and maximum sustained reduction of fishing capacity from the 
longline catcher processor subsector at the least cost. This is a 
voluntary program in which, in return for reduction payments, offerors 
permanently relinquish their fishing licenses, surrender the fishing 
histories upon which those licenses' issuance were based, and 
permanently withdraw vessels from fishing.
    NMFS finances the program's $35 million cost, which post-reduction 
BSAI non-pollock groundfish longline catcher processors repay over a 
30-year term. The fee amount, expressed in cents per pound rounded up 
to the next one-tenth of a cent, will be based upon the annual 
principal and interest due on the loan and could be up to 5 percent of 
longline subsector BSAI Pacific cod landings. In the event that the 
total principal and interest due exceeds 5 percent of the ex-vessel 
Pacific cod revenues, an additional fee of one penny per pound will be 
assessed for pollock, arrowtooth flounder, Greenland turbot, skate, 
yellowfin sole and rock sole.
    The FLCC received member offers and subsequently voted to accept 
four offers. The FLCC used the reduction contracts

[[Page 20837]]

NMFS published in the Federal Register (71 FR 57701). The FLCC 
submitted a fishing capacity reduction plan (plan) subsequently 
approved by NMFS. A referendum concerning the fees necessary for 
repayment of the $35 million loan followed the offer and acceptance 
process. Approval of the industry fee system required at least two-
thirds of the votes cast in the referendum to be in favor before the 
program could be implemented and payment tendered.

II. Present Status

    NMFS mailed ballots to 39 qualified referendum voters on March 21, 
2007, after approving the plan. The voting period opened on March 21, 
2007, and closed on April 6, 2007. NMFS received 34 timely and valid 
votes. All of the votes approved the fees. This exceeded the two-thirds 
minimum required for industry fee system approval. Consequently, this 
referendum was successful and approved the industry fee system. 
Accordingly, the reduction contracts are in full force and effect and 
NMFS is now preparing to tender and disburse reduction payments to 
selected offerors.

III. Purpose

    NMFS publishes this notification to inform the public before 
tendering reduction payments to the four accepted offers. NMFS will 
tender reduction payments on May 29, 2007. When NMFS tenders a 
reduction payment to a selected offeror, the selected offeror must 
permanently stop all further fishing with each reduction license and 
reduction privilege vessel the offeror has relinquished. NMFS will 
then:
    (a) Permanently revoke the groundfish reduction permit and any 
other reduction permit(s);
    (b) Notify the National Vessel Documentation Center to permanently 
revoke the reduction privilege vessel's fisheries trade endorsement;
    (c) Notify the U.S. Maritime Administration to make the reduction 
privilege vessel permanently ineligible for the approval of requests to 
place the vessel under a foreign country's authority; and
    (d) Record that the reduction fishing history represented by any 
documented harvest fishing history accrued on, under, or as a result of 
the operation of the reduction privilege vessel and/or reduction 
fishing vessel, the groundfish reduction permit, and the reduction 
permit(s) which could ever qualify the offeror for any future limited 
access fishing license, fishing permit, or any other harvesting 
privilege of any kind shall never again be available to anyone for any 
fisheries purpose.
    The selected offeror has, in accordance with the reduction contract 
agreed to notify all creditors or other parties with interests in the 
reduction privilege vessel and/or any of the reduction permit(s) 
specified in the reduction contract that the selected offeror has 
entered into the reduction contract with respect to such vessel and 
permit(s).
    This notice provides the public (including creditors or other 
parties) 30 days from May 29, 2007 to advise NMFS in writing of any 
holding, owning, or retaining claims that conflict with the 
representations of offers as presented by the FLCC.

IV. Selected Offerors, Vessels, and Licenses

    The table below establishes:
    (a) The names of the selected offerors;
    (b) The names and official numbers of the reduction privilege 
vessels whose worldwide fishing privileges the selected offerors 
relinquished; and
    (c) The area endorsements and license numbers of the reduction 
permits the selected offerors relinquished.

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                                                        Vessel Name and Official
                  Selected Offeror                               Number                       Area Endorsements                   License Number
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Northern Aurora Fisheries, Inc.                            Northern Aurora, 596308                    BSAI groundfish, CPHAL         LLG 2678, FFP 1613
Horizon Fisheries, LLC                                             Horizon, 586183                    BSAI groundfish, Central Gulf        LLG 3843, LLC 3844, FFP 1301
                                                                                               groundfish, Western Gulf
                                                                                                           groundfish, CPHAL, BSAI Opilio crab
Western Queen Fisheries, LLC                                 Western Queen, 284906                    BSAI groundfish, CPHAL          LLG 3936,FFP 2647
Ocean Prowler, LLC - Inactive License only                          Not Applicable                    BSAI groundfish, Cental Gulf             LLG 3961
                                                                                                           groundfish, CPHAL
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Authority

    The authority for this action is 5 U.S.C. 561, 16 U.S.C. 1801, 16 
U.S.C. 1861a(b) through (e), 46 App. U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g, section 
144(d) of Division B of Pub. L. 106-554, section 2201 of Pub. L. 107-
20, section 205 of Pub. L. 107-117, Pub. L. 107-206, Pub. L. 108-7, 
Pub. L. 108-199, and Pub. L. 108-447.

    Dated: April 20, 2007.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistanat Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-7935 Filed 4-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S