[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 150 (Monday, August 6, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43625-43626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15207]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XB47


Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish Fishery

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

ACTION:  Notice of fee rate adjustment.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS issues this notice to increase the fee rate for the 
Oregon pink shrimp fee-share fishery to repay the $2,228,845 sub-loan 
of the $35,662,471 reduction loan to finance the Pacific Coast 
groundfish fishing capacity reduction program.

DATES:  The Pacific Coast groundfish program fee rate increase for 
Oregon pink shrimp will begin on September 5, 2007.

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

    Sections 312(b) through (e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(b)through (e)) general 
authorizes fishing capacity reduction programs. In particular, section 
312(d) authorizes industry fee systems for repaying reduction loans 
which finance reduction program costs.
    Subpart L of 50 CFR part 600 is the framework rule generally 
implementing section 312(b) through (e).
    Sections 1111 and 1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. 
U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g) generally authorizes reduction loans.
    Enacted on February 20, 2003, section 212 of Division B, Title II, 
of Public Law 108-7 (section 212) specifically authorizes a fishing 
capacity reduction program for that portion of the limited entry trawl 
fishery under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan 
whose permits, excluding those registered to whiting catcher-processors 
are endorsed for trawl gear operation (reduction fishery).
    The groundfish reduction program's objective was to reduce the 
number of vessels and permits endorsed for the operation of groundfish 
trawl gear. The program also involved corollary fishing capacity 
reduction in the California, Oregon, and Washington fisheries for 
Dungeness crab and pink shrimp (fee-share fisheries).
    All post-reduction fish landings from the reduction fishery and the 
six fee-share fisheries are subject to the groundfish program's fee.
    NMFS proposed the implementing notice on May 28, 2003 (68 FR 31653) 
and published the final notice on July 18, 2003 (68 FR 42613).
    NMFS allocated the $35,662,471 reduction loan to the reduction 
fishery

[[Page 43626]]

and to each of the six fee-share fisheries as follows:
    1. Reduction fishery, $28,428,719; and
    2. Fee-share fisheries:
    a. California coastal Dungeness crab fishery, $2,334,334,
    b. California pink shrimp fishery, $674,202,
    c. Oregon coastal Dungeness crab fishery, $1,367,545,
    d. Oregon pink shrimp fishery, $2,228,845,
    e. Washington coastal Dungeness crab fishery, $369,426, and
    f. Washington pink shrimp fishery, $259,400.
    Each of these allocations became a reduction loan subamount 
repayable by fees from the applicable fishery.
    NMFS published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR 
40225), the final rule to implement the industry fee system for 
repaying the groundfish program's reduction loan. The regulations 
implementing the program are located at Sec.  600.1012 of 50 CFR part 
600's subpart M.
    On August 8, 2005, NMFS published in the Federal Register (70 FR 
45695) a notice of the fee effective date and established September 8, 
2005 as the effective date when fee collection and loan repayment 
began.

II. Purpose

    The purpose of this notice is to adjust, in accordance with the 
framework rule's Sec.  600.1013(b), the fee rate for the Oregon pink 
shrimp fee-share fishery. Section 600.1013(b) directs NMFS to 
recalculate the fee rate that will be reasonably necessary to ensure 
reduction loan repayment within the specified 30 year term.
    NMFS has determined that the current fee rate of 3.75 percent for 
the Oregon pink shrimp fishery is inadequate to service the loan. 
Therefore, NMFS is increasing the fee rate to 4.70 percent which NMFS 
has determined is necessary to ensure timely loan repayment.
    To provide more accessible services, streamline collections, and 
save taxpayer dollars, fish buyers may disburse collected fee deposits 
to NMFS by using a secure Federal system on the Internet known as 
Pay.gov. Pay.gov enables fish buyers to use their checking accounts to 
electronically disburse their collected fee deposits to NMFS. Fish 
buyers who have access to the Internet should consider using this quick 
and easy collected fee disbursement method. Fish buyers may access 
Pay.gov by going directly to Pay.gov's Federal website at: http://www.pay.gov/paygov/.
    Fish buyers who do not have access to the Internet or who simply do 
not wish to use the Pay.gov electronic system, may continue to disburse 
their collected fee deposits to us by sending their checks to our 
lockbox. Our lockbox's address is:
    NOAA Fisheries Pacific Coast Groundfish Buyback
    P O Box 979059
    St. Louis, MO 63197 9000
    Fish buyers must not forget to include with their disbursements the 
fee collection report applicable to each disbursement. The fee 
collection report tells NMFS how much of the disbursement it must apply 
to the reduction fishery and six fee share fisheries subamounts. Fish 
buyers using Pay.gov will find an electronic fee collection report form 
to receive information and accompany electronic disbursements. Fish 
buyers who do not use Pay.gov must include a hard copy fee collection 
report with each of their disbursements. Fish buyers not using Pay.gov 
may also access the NMFS website for an Excel spreadsheet version of 
the fee collection report at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mb/financial_services/buyback.htm.

III. Notice

    The new fee rate for the Oregon pink shrimp fishery will begin on 
September 5, 2007].
    From and after this date, all groundfish program fish sellers 
paying fees on the Oregon pink shrimp fee-share fishery shall begin 
paying groundfish program fees at the revised rate.
    From and after this date, all fees received by NMFS for the Oregon 
pink shrimp fee-share fishery shall be subject to the new fee rates 
regardless of the applicable fee month.
    Fee collection and submission shall follow previously established 
methods in Sec.  600.1013 of the framework rule and in the final fee 
rule published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2005 (70 FR 40225).
    The revised fees applicable to the groundfish program's reduction 
fishery and to each of its six fee-share fishery are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                CURRENT FEE    NEW FEE
                    FISHERY                         RATE         RATE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Groundfish                          5.00%        5.00%
           CA Coastal Dungeness Crab                  1.24%        1.24%
                CA Pink Shrimp                        5.00%        5.00%
           OR Coastal Dungeness Crab                  0.55%        0.55%
                OR Pink Shrimp                        3.75%        4.70%
           WA Coastal Dungeness Crab                  0.16%        0.16%
                WA Pink Shrimp                        1.50%        1.50%
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    Authority: The authority for this action is Pub. L. 107 206, 
Pub. L. 108 7, 16 U.S.C. 1861a (b) through (e), and 50 CFR 600.1000 
et seq.

    Dated: July 31, 2007.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-15207 Filed 8-3-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S >