[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 172 (Thursday, September 5, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 54629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-21617]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC848


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; American 
Fisheries Act, Amendment 80 Program, Western Alaska Community 
Development Quota Program, Freezer Longline Cooperative; 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 announces a workshop to solicit input from participants 
in the pollock fishery in the Bering Sea authorized under the American 
Fisheries Act (AFA), the Aleutian Islands pollock fishery, the 
Amendment 80 trawl fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, 
the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program, and the 
hook-and-line catcher/processor (freezer longline) Pacific cod fishery 
in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The workshop will address: (1) 
The applicability of cost recovery fees mandated under section 
304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) to the AFA, Aleutian Islands pollock 
fishery, Amendment 80 Program, CDQ Program, and the freezer longline 
Pacific cod fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; (2) an 
overview of the potential impacts of cost recovery programs; and (3) an 
overview of proposed regulatory approaches to implement cost recovery 
programs. The meeting is open to the public, but NMFS is particularly 
seeking participation by people who are knowledgeable about the AFA, 
Aleutian Islands pollock fishery, Amendment 80, CDQ Program, and the 
freezer longline Pacific cod fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands and who can discuss with NMFS the potential impacts of cost 
recovery programs and proposed regulatory approaches.

DATES: The workshop will be held on Friday, September 20, 2013, from 9 
a.m. to 12 p.m. Pacific daylight savings time.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the Nordby Conference Center, 
3919 18th Avenue, Fishermen's Terminal, Seattle, WA 98199.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Darrell Brannan, 352-562-4388, or 
Glenn Merrill, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting will address several issues 
regarding the proposed cost recovery fee that are of interest to 
stakeholders and will provide an opportunity for those individuals to 
comment. Issues to be addressed include:
     Why the cost recovery fee would be implemented and under 
what authority;
     Why these fisheries would be included in the proposed 
program and not others;
     How costs would be determined, how they would be used, and 
what they are estimated to be, given current information;
     What landings would be subject to a cost recovery fee;
     How the standard ex-vessel price would be determined for 
each species subject to the fee;
     Who would be responsible for payment of the fee liability;
     The timeframe for implementation; and
     The role of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) in this process.
    NMFS plans to present a draft analysis of the potential effects of 
cost recovery fee programs to the Council at its meeting scheduled from 
September 30 through October 8 in Anchorage, AK. The workshop will 
provide stakeholders information before the Council meeting so that 
they have the opportunity to present any concerns to the Council and 
NMFS. Input from the public received at these workshops and the Council 
will help inform NMFS as it prepares proposed regulations pursuant to 
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    This meeting is open to the public, but NMFS is particularly 
seeking participation by people who are knowledgeable about the AFA, 
Aleutian Islands pollock fishery, Amendment 80 Program, CDQ Program, 
and the freezer longline Pacific cod fishery in the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting will be physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Glenn Merrill, 907-586-7228, at 
least 10 workdays prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: August 30, 2013.
Kelly Denit,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-21617 Filed 9-4-13; 8:45 am]
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