[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60379-60382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27336]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF877


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North 
Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery 
Programs

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

ACTION: Notice of standard prices and fee percentage.

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SUMMARY: NMFS publishes the individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard 
prices and fee percentage for cost recovery for the IFQ Program for the 
halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific (IFQ Program). The 
fee percentage for 2017 is 2.2 percent. This action is intended to 
provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2017 
standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment 
for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2018.

DATES: Valid on December 20, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl Greene, Fee Coordinator, 907-586-
7105.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    NMFS Alaska Region administers the IFQ Program in the North 
Pacific. The IFQ Program is a limited access system authorized by the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. Fishing 
under the IFQ Program began in March 1995. Regulations implementing the 
IFQ Program are set forth at 50 CFR part 679.
    In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act was amended to, among other 
purposes, require the Secretary of Commerce to ``collect a fee to 
recover the actual costs directly related to the management and 
enforcement of any . . . individual quota program.'' This requirement 
was further amended in 2006 to include collection of the actual costs 
of data collection, and to replace the reference to ``individual quota 
program'' with a more general reference to ``limited access privilege 
program'' at section 304(d)(2)(A). Section 304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act also specifies an upper limit on these fees, when the fees 
must be collected, and where the fees must be deposited.
    On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations in Sec.  679.45 
implementing cost recovery for the IFQ Program (65 FR 14919). Under the 
regulations, an IFQ permit holder must pay a cost recovery fee for 
every pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish that is landed on his or 
her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is responsible for self-
collecting the fee for all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings on 
his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also responsible for 
submitting IFQ fee payment(s) to NMFS on or before the due date of 
January 31 of the year following the year in which the IFQ landings 
were made. The total dollar amount of the fee due is determined by 
multiplying the NMFS published fee percentage by the ex-vessel value of 
all IFQ landings made on the permit(s) during the IFQ fishing year. As 
required by Sec.  679.45(d)(1) and (d)(3)(i), NMFS publishes this 
notice of the fee percentage for the halibut and sablefish IFQ 
fisheries in the Federal Register during or before the last quarter of 
each year.

Standard Prices

    The fee is based on the sum of all payments made to fishermen for 
the sale of the fish during the year. This includes any retro-payments 
(e.g., bonuses, delayed partial payments, post-season payments) made to 
the IFQ permit holder for previously landed IFQ halibut or sablefish.
    For purposes of calculating IFQ cost recovery fees, NMFS 
distinguishes between two types of ex-vessel value: Actual and 
standard. Actual ex-vessel value is the amount of all compensation, 
monetary or non-monetary, that an IFQ permit holder received as payment 
for his or her IFQ fish sold. Standard ex-vessel value is the default 
value used to calculate the fee. IFQ permit holders have the option of 
using actual ex-vessel value if they can satisfactorily document it; 
otherwise, the standard ex-vessel value is used.
    Section 679.45(b)(3)(iii) requires the Regional Administrator to 
publish IFQ standard prices during the last quarter of each calendar 
year. These standard prices are used, along with estimates of IFQ 
halibut and IFQ sablefish landings, to calculate standard ex-vessel 
values. The standard prices are described in U.S. dollars per IFQ 
equivalent pound for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made during 
the year. According to Sec.  679.2, IFQ equivalent pound(s) means the 
weight amount, recorded in pounds, and calculated as round weight for 
sablefish and headed and gutted weight for halibut, for an IFQ landing. 
The weight of halibut in pounds landed as guided angler fish is 
converted to IFQ equivalent pound(s) as

[[Page 60380]]

specified in Sec.  300.65(c) of this title. NMFS calculates the 
standard prices to closely reflect the variations in the actual ex-
vessel values of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings by month and 
port or port-group. The standard prices for IFQ halibut and IFQ 
sablefish are listed in the tables that follow the next section. Data 
from ports are combined as necessary to protect confidentiality.

Fee Percentage

    NMFS calculates the fee percentage each year according to the 
factors and methods described at Sec.  679.45(d)(2). NMFS determines 
the fee percentage that applies to landings made in the previous year 
by dividing the total costs directly related to the management, data 
collection, and enforcement of the IFQ Program (management costs) 
during the previous year by the total standard ex-vessel value of IFQ 
halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made during the previous year 
(fishery value). NMFS captures the actual management costs associated 
with certain management, data collection, and enforcement functions 
through an established accounting system that allows staff to track 
labor, travel, contracts, rent, and procurement. NMFS calculates the 
fishery value as described under the section, Standard Prices.
    Using the fee percentage formula described above, the estimated 
percentage of management costs to fishery value for the 2017 calendar 
year is 2.2 percent of the standard ex-vessel value, which is below the 
3.0 maximum fee percentage allowed under section 304(d)(2)(B) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act. An IFQ permit holder is to use the fee percentage 
of 2.2 percent to calculate his or her fee for IFQ equivalent pound(s) 
landed during the 2017 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing season. An IFQ 
permit holder is responsible for submitting the 2017 IFQ fee payment to 
NMFS on or before January 31, 2018. Payment must be made in accordance 
with the payment methods set forth in Sec.  679.45(a)(4). NMFS no 
longer accepts credit card information by phone or in-person for fee 
payments. NMFS has determined that the practice of accepting credit 
card information by phone or in-person no longer meets agency standards 
for protection of personal financial information (81 FR 23645, April 
22, 2016).
    The 2017 fee percentage of 2.2 percent is lower than the 2016 fee 
percentage of 3.1 percent, which was capped at 3.0 percent (81 FR 
89900, December 13, 2016). The change can be attributed to an estimated 
9.8 percent increase in the value of the IFQ Program fisheries from 
2016 to 2017, along with a corresponding 21.2% drop in management costs 
over the same period.

       Table 1--Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for the 2017 IFQ Season \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Halibut        Sablefish
              Landing location                          Period ending              standard  ex-   standard  ex-
                                                                                   vessel  price   vessel  price
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homer......................................  March 31...........................  ..............  ..............
                                             April 30...........................            6.49            4.38
                                             May 31.............................            6.58            4.51
                                             June 30............................            6.52  ..............
                                             July 31............................            6.60            4.52
                                             August 31..........................            6.40  ..............
                                             September 30.......................            5.91            5.00
                                             October 31.........................            5.91            5.00
                                             November 30........................            5.91            5.00
Ketchikan..................................  March 31...........................  ..............  ..............
                                             April 30...........................            6.71  ..............
                                             May 31.............................            6.57            4.93
                                             June 30............................            6.59  ..............
                                             July 31............................            6.53  ..............
                                             August 31..........................            6.49  ..............
                                             September 30.......................            6.63  ..............
                                             October 31.........................            6.63  ..............
                                             November 30........................            6.63  ..............
Kodiak.....................................  March 31...........................            6.53  ..............
                                             April 30...........................            6.44            4.59
                                             May 31.............................            6.51            4.53
                                             June 30............................            6.41            4.75
                                             July 31............................            6.30            5.10
                                             August 31..........................            6.14            4.94
                                             September 30.......................            5.88            5.13
                                             October 31.........................            5.88            5.13
                                             November 30........................            5.88            5.13
Petersburg.................................  March 31...........................  ..............  ..............
                                             April 30...........................            6.64  ..............
                                             May 31.............................  ..............  ..............
                                             June 30............................            6.53  ..............
                                             July 31............................  ..............  ..............
                                             August 31..........................            6.69  ..............
                                             September 30.......................  ..............  ..............
                                             October 31.........................  ..............  ..............
                                             November 30........................  ..............  ..............
Seward.....................................  March 31...........................            6.75  ..............
                                             April 30...........................            6.48  ..............
                                             May 31.............................  ..............  ..............
                                             June 30............................  ..............  ..............
                                             July 31............................  ..............  ..............
                                             August 31..........................  ..............  ..............

[[Page 60381]]

 
                                             September 30.......................  ..............  ..............
                                             October 31.........................  ..............  ..............
                                             November 30........................  ..............  ..............
                                             Sitka..............................  ..............  ..............
                                             March 31...........................            6.57  ..............
                                             April 30...........................  ..............  ..............
                                             May 31.............................            6.55            5.21
                                             June 30............................  ..............  ..............
                                             July 31............................  ..............  ..............
                                             August 31..........................  ..............  ..............
                                             September 30.......................  ..............  ..............
                                             October 31.........................  ..............  ..............
                                             November 30........................  ..............  ..............
Port Group Bering Sea \2\..................  March 31...........................  ..............  ..............
                                             April 30...........................            5.71            3.93
                                             May 31.............................            6.04            4.03
                                             June 30............................            6.15            4.69
                                             July 31............................            5.96            4.86
                                             August 31..........................            5.73            4.70
                                             September 30.......................            5.94            4.58
                                             October 31.........................            5.94            4.58
                                             November 30........................            5.94            4.58
Port Group Central Gulf \3\................  March 31...........................            6.66            4.69
                                             April 30...........................            6.45            4.62
                                             May 31.............................            6.49            4.61
                                             June 30............................            6.46            4.67
                                             July 31............................            6.46            4.87
                                             August 31..........................            6.33            4.79
                                             September 30.......................            5.96            4.93
                                             October 31.........................            5.96            4.93
                                             November 30........................            5.96            4.93
Port Group Southeast \4\...................  March 31...........................            6.77            4.80
                                             April 30...........................            6.57            4.77
                                             May 31.............................            6.52            5.07
                                             June 30............................            6.54            5.18
                                             July 31............................            6.58            5.15
                                             August 31..........................            6.64            5.36
                                             September 30.......................            6.46            5.30
                                             October 31.........................            6.46            5.30
                                             November 30........................            6.46            5.30
All-Alaska \5\.............................  March 31...........................            6.72            4.70
                                             April 30...........................            6.48            4.65
                                             May 31.............................            6.47            4.71
                                             June 30............................            6.44            4.84
                                             July 31............................            6.34            4.94
                                             August 31..........................            6.24            4.88
                                             September 30.......................            6.08            5.01
                                             October 31.........................            6.08            5.01
                                             November 30........................            6.08            5.01
All \6\....................................  March 31...........................            6.72            4.70
                                             April 30...........................            6.48            4.65
                                             May 31.............................            6.47            4.71
                                             June 30............................            6.44            4.84
                                             July 31............................            6.34            4.94
                                             August 31..........................            6.24            4.88
                                             September 30.......................            6.08            5.01
                                             October 31.........................            6.08            5.01
                                             November 30........................            6.08            5.01
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Note: In many instances prices have not been reported to comply with confidentiality guidelines that prevent
  price reports when there are fewer than three processors operating in a location during a month.
\2\ Landing locations Within Port Group--Bering Sea: Adak, Akutan, Akutan Bay, Atka, Bristol Bay, Chefornak,
  Dillingham, Captains Bay, Dutch Harbor, Egegik, Ikatan Bay, Hooper Bay, King Cove, King Salmon, Kipnuk,
  Mekoryuk, Naknek, Nome, Quinhagak, Savoonga, St. George, St. Lawrence, St. Paul, Togiak, Toksook Bay, Tununak,
  Beaver Inlet, Ugadaga Bay, Unalaska.
\3\ Landing Locations Within Port Group--Central Gulf of Alaska: Anchor Point, Anchorage, Alitak, Chignik,
  Cordova, Eagle River, False Pass, West Anchor Cove, Girdwood, Chinitna Bay, Halibut Cove, Homer, Kasilof,
  Kenai, Kenai River, Alitak, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski, Ninilchik, Old Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia,
  Resurrection Bay, Seward, Valdez, Whittier.
\4\ Landing Locations Within Port Group--Southeast Alaska: Angoon, Baranof Warm Springs, Craig, Edna Bay, Elfin
  Cove, Excursion Inlet, Gustavus, Haines, Hollis, Hoonah, Hyder, Auke Bay, Douglas, Tee Harbor, Juneau, Kake,
  Ketchikan, Klawock, Metlakatla, Pelican, Petersburg, Portage Bay, Port Alexander, Port Graham, Port
  Protection, Point Baker, Sitka, Skagway, Tenakee Springs, Thorne Bay, Wrangell, Yakutat.

[[Page 60382]]

 
\5\ Landing Locations Within Port Group--All: For Alaska: All landing locations included in 2, 3, and 4. For
  California: Eureka, Fort Bragg, Other California. For Oregon: Astoria, Aurora, Lincoln City, Newport,
  Warrenton, Other Oregon. For Washington: Anacortes, Bellevue, Bellingham, Nagai Island, Edmonds, Everett,
  Granite Falls, Ilwaco, La Conner, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Rainier, Fox Island, Mercer
  Island, Seattle, Standwood, Other Washington. For Canada: Port Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver,
  Haines Junction, Other Canada.


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

    Dated: December 14, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-27336 Filed 12-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P