[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 232 (Monday, December 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62308-62309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26207]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG641


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 decrease the fee rate to 4.0 
percent for the Pacific Coast Groundfish fee-share fishery to repay the 
$28,428,719 groundfish sub-loan of the $35,662,471 reduction loan that 
financed the Pacific Coast Groundfish fishing capacity reduction 
program. NMFS annually recalculates 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 4.5 percent for the groundfish fishery is projected to collect more 
than the annual amortization amount needed for 2019.

DATES: The fee rate decrease for The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
program will begin on landings starting January 1, 2019. The first due 
date for fee payments with the decreased rate will be February 14, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to Michael A. Sturtevant, 
Acting Chief, Financial Services Division, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Saiz, (301) 427-8752 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Sections 312(b) through (e) of 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1861a(b) through (e)) generally authorizes fishing capacity reduction 
programs. In particular, section 312(d) authorizes industry fee systems 
for repaying reduction loans that finance reduction program. 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 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 objective of the reduction program 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 and the sub-loans for these state fisheries have all been 
repaid.
    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 
disbursed a $28,428,719 reduction loan

[[Page 62309]]

repayable by fees from the groundfish 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 program's reduction 
loan. The regulations implementing the program are located at Sec.  
600.1012 of 50 CFR part 600 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 Sec.  
600.1013(b), the fee rate for the groundfish 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 4.5 percent for the groundfish fishery is projected to collect more 
than the annual amortization amount needed for 2019. Therefore, NMFS is 
decreasing the fee rate to 4.0 percent for all landings beginning 
January 1, 2019. As of November 16, 2018, the outstanding balance on 
the groundfish fishery sub-loan was $21,075,537.
    Fish buyers may continue to disburse collected fee deposits to NMFS 
by using www.pay.gov (http://www.pay.gov) or mail payments to NOAA 
Fisheries Pacific Coast Groundfish Buyback, P.O. Box 979059, St. Louis, 
MO 63197-9000. Fish buyers must include the fee collection report with 
the fee payment. Fish buyers using www.pay.gov (http://www.pay.gov will 
find an electronic fee collection report form. Fish buyers not using 
www.pay.gov may also access the NMFS website for a copy of the fee 
collection report at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/funding-and-financial-services/pacific-coast-groundfish-buyback.

III. Notice

    The new 4.0 percent fee rate for the groundfish fishery will begin 
for all landings starting January 1, 2019. After this date, all 
groundfish-program fish sellers paying fees fishery shall begin paying 
groundfish program fees at the revised rate. After this date, all fees 
received by NMFS for the groundfish fishery shall be subject to the new 
fee rates regardless of the applicable fee month. The first due date 
for fee payments with the decreased rate will be February 14, 2019.
    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).

    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: November 28, 2018.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-26207 Filed 11-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P