[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 1071]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00679]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG642


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 revised referendum voting period.

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SUMMARY: On December 3, 2018, NMFS issued a notice to announce the 
voting period for the proposed second fishing capacity reduction 
program loan in the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery and 
inform persons of their eligibility to vote. This notice informs the 
public of the revised referendum voting period due to the lapse in 
appropriations. The referendum, if approved, will result in a loan of 
$10.1 million and permanently retire an additional 36 permits from the 
fishery.

DATES: The referendum voting period will now start on February 4, 2018 
and end on March 6, 2019. Any votes not received by NMFS by 5 p.m. on 
March 6, 2019, will not be counted.

ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to Michael A. Sturtevant, 
Acting 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: Elaine Saiz at (301) 427-8752, 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. Interested persons should review these documents for 
further program details.
    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. Since only $13.1 million 
was expended from the total loan amount, $10.4 million remains 
available. This referendum, if approved, will result in a loan of $10.1 
million and permanently retire an additional 36 permits from the 
fishery.
    In June, 2018, the Southeast Revitalization Association submitted a 
capacity reduction plan to NMFS and NMFS approved the plan in November, 
2018. As of November 16, 2018, there are 315 permits in the fishery 
designated as S01A by CFEC. In accordance with the final regulations, 
NMFS published the notice on December 3, 2018 (83 FR 62302). The 
original voting period was to start January 15, 2019 and end on 
February 14, 2019. Due to the lapse in appropriations we have revised 
voting period to the new dates.

II. Referendum Voting Period

    The referendum voting period will start February 4, 2019, and end 
on March 6, 2019. Any votes not received by NMFS by 5 p.m. on March 6, 
2019, will not be counted.

    Dated: January 29, 2019.
Brian T. Pawlak,
CFO/Director, Office of Management and Budget, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-00679 Filed 1-31-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P