[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10746-10747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03054]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF187


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 unsuccessful referendum.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 10747]]

SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to inform persons of the unsuccessful 
referendum for a second fishing capacity reduction loan in the 
Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery, effective January 17, 
2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael 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 seine gear, and 
participation is limited to fishermen designated by the Alaska 
Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC). Congress authorized a 
$23.5 million loan to finance a fishing capacity reduction program in 
the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery. NMFS published 
proposed program regulations on May 23, 2011 (76 FR 29707), and final 
program regulations on October 6, 2011 (76 FR 61986), to implement the 
reduction program.
    In 2012, NMFS conducted a referendum to determine the remaining 
fishermen's willingness to repay a $13.1 million fishing capacity 
reduction loan to remove 64 permits. After a majority of permit holders 
approved the loan, NMFS disbursed payments to the successful bidders 
and began collecting fees to repay the loan.
    In August 2016, the Southeast Revitalization Association (SRA) 
submitted a second capacity reduction plan to NMFS and NMFS approved 
the second plan in October 2016. Since only $13.1 million was expended 
from the total loan amount, $10.4 remains available. Approval of this 
second referendum would have resulted in a second loan of $5.8 million 
and permanently retired an additional 22 permits from the fishery. The 
final regulations required NMFS to provide public notice before 
conducting a referendum to determine the industry's willingness to 
repay a second fishing capacity reduction loan to purchase the permits 
identified in the second reduction plan.
    Comments on the proposed referendum were accepted until 5 p.m. EST 
December 7, 2016. Between November 14 and November 17, 2016, NMFS held 
a series of public meetings with Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon 
permit holders and interested individuals. The meetings were held in 
Sitka, AK, Ketchikan, AK, Petersburg, AK, and Seattle, WA.

II. Present Status

    As of October 21, 2016, there were 315 permits in the fishery 
designated as S01A by CFEC. These permanent permit holders were 
eligible to vote in this second referendum. NMFS mailed referendum 
information, voting instructions, and a referendum ballot to each of 
the permit owners. The referendum voting period commenced December 13, 
2016 and ended on January 13, 2017. Any votes received by NMFS after 5 
p.m. on January 13, 2017, were not counted. NMFS issued 315 ballots. 50 
CFR 600.1107 (e)(3)(ii), states that ``a successful referendum by a 
majority of the Permit Holders in the Reduction Fishery shall bind all 
parties and complete the reduction process,'' Therefore, a minimum of 
158 ballots in favor of the buyback program was necessary to approve 
the new fees. NMFS received 180 (57%) timely and valid ballots. 132 
were for approving the proposed buyback. As a result, the proposed 
buyback referendum was not successful and the second buyback loan was 
not approved.

    Dated: February 8, 2017.
Brian T. Pawlak,
CFO/Director, Office of Management and Budget, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03054 Filed 2-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P