[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 136 (Monday, July 16, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41754-41755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17255]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC073


Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Southeast Alaska Purse 
Seine Salmon Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice of industry fee collection system effective date.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to establish the effective date of 
fees to repay the $13,133,030 reduction loan to finance a fishing 
capacity reduction program in the Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon 
fishery. NMFS conducted a referendum to approve the reduction loan 
repayment fees of $13,133,030 to remove 64 permits, which post-
reduction harvesters will repay over a 40-year period. NMFS has 
tendered reduction payments to the selected bidders.

DATES: Fee payment collection will begin on July 22, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments about this notice to Paul Marx, Chief, 
Financial Services Division, NMFS, Attn: SE Alaska Purse Seine Salmon 
Buyback, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (see FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael A. Sturtevant at (301) 427-
8799, fax (301) 713-1306, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon fishery is a commercial 
fishery in Alaska State waters and adjacent Federal waters. It 
encompasses the commercial taking of salmon with purse

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seine gear, and participation is limited to fishermen designated by the 
Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC).
    NMFS published proposed program regulations on May 23, 2011 (76 FR 
29707), and final program regulations on October 6, 2011 (76 FR 61985), 
to implement the reduction program. Subsequently, the Southeast 
Revitalization Association submitted a capacity reduction plan to NMFS. 
NMFS approved the plan on February 24, 2012. NMFS published the list of 
eligible voters on March 1, 2012 (77 FR 12568) and the notice of 
referendum period on March 29, 2012 (77 FR 19004). Interested persons 
should review these for further program details.
    NMFS conducted a referendum to determine the industry's willingness 
to repay a fishing capacity reduction loan to purchase the permits 
identified in the reduction plan. NMFS mailed ballots to 379 permanent 
permit holders in the fishery designated as S01A by CFEC who were 
eligible to vote in the referendum. The voting period opened on March 
30, 2012, and closed on April 30, 2012. NMFS received 269 timely and 
valid votes. Two hundred and fifteen of the permit holders voted in 
favor of the program and the reduction loan repayment fees. This 
exceeded the majority of permit holders (190) required for industry fee 
system approval.
    On May 7, 2012, NMFS published another Federal Register document 
(77 FR 26744) advising the public that NMFS would tender the program's 
reduction payments to the 64 selected bidders who would permanently 
stop fishing with the permits they had relinquished in return for 
reduction payments. Subsequently, NMFS disbursed $13,133,030 in 
reduction payments to the 64 selected bidders.

II. Purpose

    This document's purpose is to establish the reduction loan 
repayment fee's effective date in accordance with subpart M to 50 CFR 
600.1107.

III. Notice

    Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon program fee payment and 
collection will begin on July 22, 2012. Starting on this date, all 
harvesters of Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon (designated as S01A 
by CFEC) must pay the fee in accordance with the applicable 
regulations. All fish buyers of Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon 
must collect the fee in accordance with the applicable regulations.
    The initial fee applicable to the Southeast Alaska purse seine 
salmon program's reduction fishery is 3.00% of landed value and any 
subsequent bonus payments. Fish sellers and fish buyers must pay and 
collect the fee in the manner set out in 50 CFR 600.1107 and the 
framework rule. Consequently, all harvesters and fish buyers should 
read subpart L to 50 CFR 600.1013 to understand how fish harvesters 
must pay and fish buyers must collect the fee.

    Dated: July 10, 2012.
Cherish Johnson,
Acting Director, Office of Management and Budget, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-17255 Filed 7-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P