[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 70064-70072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27244]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 191212-0112]
RIN 0648-BJ02


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod 
Management in the Groundfish Fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands and the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 120 to the 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Management Area (BSAI FMP) and Amendment 108 to 
the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) (GOA FMP). Amendment 
120 and this final rule limit the number of catcher/processors (C/Ps) 
eligible to operate as motherships receiving and processing Pacific cod 
from catcher vessels (CVs) directed fishing in the BSAI non-Community 
Development Quota Program Pacific cod trawl fishery. Amendment 120, 
Amendment 108, and this final rule prohibit replaced Amendment 80 C/Ps 
from receiving and processing Pacific cod harvested and delivered by 
CVs directed fishing for Pacific cod in the BSAI and GOA. This final 
rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 
Amendments 120 and 108, the BSAI and GOA FMPs, and other applicable 
laws.

DATES: This rule is effective on January 20, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of Amendment 120 to the BSAI FMP, 
Amendment 108 to the GOA FMP, the Regulatory Impact Review (RIR; also 
referred to as the Analysis) and the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) Categorical Exclusion evaluation document may be obtained from 
www.regulations.gov. Electronic copies of Amendments 61, 80, 85, and 97 
to the BSAI FMP, and the Environmental Assessments (EAs)/RIRs or 
Environmental Impact Statements prepared for those actions may be 
obtained from https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/sustainable-fisheries-alaska.
    Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other 
aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this 
rule may be submitted by mail to NMFS Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, 
Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Glenn Merrill; in person at NMFS Alaska 
Region, 709 West 9th Street, Room 401, Juneau, AK; by email to 
[email protected]; or by fax to 202-395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bridget Mansfield, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule implements Amendment 120 
BSAI FMP and Amendment 108 to the GOA FMP, collectively referred to as 
Amendments 120/108. The Council submitted Amendments 120/108 for review 
by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), and a Notice of Availability 
of Amendments 120/108 was published in the Federal Register on August 
21, 2019 with comments invited through October 21, 2019 (84 FR 43576). 
The Secretary approved Amendments 120/108 on November 19, 2019. The 
proposed rule to implement Amendments 120/108 published in the Federal 
Register on September 27, 2019 (84 FR 51092) with comments invited 
through October 28, 2019. NMFS received six comment letters containing 
nine individual comments from six unique individuals during the comment 
periods for Amendments 120/108 and the proposed rule. The six 
commenters consisted of one association representing shoreside 
processors, one individual representing five communities in one Alaskan 
Borough, and four companies representing C/Ps. A summary of these 
comments and the responses by NMFS are provided under the heading 
``Comments and Responses'' below.
    A detailed review of the provisions of Amendments 120/108, the 
proposed regulations to implement Amendments 120/108 (84 FR 51092, 
September 27, 2019), and the rationale for this action is provided in 
the preamble to the proposed rule and is briefly summarized in this 
final rule. This preamble uses specific terms (e.g., Amendment 80 
sector, directed fishing) that are described in regulation and in the 
preamble to the proposed rule. We refer the reader to the preamble to 
the proposed rule for additional detail.

Background

    NMFS manages the BSAI Pacific cod fishery under a total allowable 
catch (TAC) limit with portions of the TAC allocated to the Western 
Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program, the Amendment 80 
sector, and the BSAI trawl limited access sector, which, in part, 
includes the American Fisheries Act (AFA) and the BSAI trawl catcher 
vessel sectors. CVs directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod 
trawl CV fishery deliver to shoreside processors and motherships 
offshore. A ``mothership'' is defined as a vessel that receives and 
processes groundfish from other vessels (see definition at 50 CFR 
679.2).
    The BSAI Pacific cod trawl CV fishery has seen rapid increases in 
CV and mothership participation from 2016 through 2018 as compared to 
fishery participation patterns prior to 2016 (i.e., from 2003 through 
2015, as described in Section 2.7.1 of the Analysis). This increase in 
trawl CVs delivering Pacific cod to an increased number of C/Ps 
operating as motherships has resulted in a corresponding decrease in 
Pacific cod landings at BSAI shoreside processing facilities. Also 
since 2016, the BSAI Pacific cod TAC has been more fully harvested and 
the fishing season has grown shorter as the TAC has been reached 
earlier. Section 2.7.1 of the Analysis prepared for this action notes 
that the potential exists for up to 40 additional Amendment 80 C/Ps and 
AFA C/Ps to participate as motherships in the fishery, providing 
processing capacity for additional CVs, which would put greater fishing 
pressure on the fishery.
    The Council determined, and NMFS agrees, that limiting access to 
the BSAI Pacific cod fishery by motherships receiving and processing 
Pacific cod from CVs directed fishing using trawl gear is needed, given 
the expectation of additional capacity entering the fishery. The 
Council adopted its preferred alternative for Amendments 120/108 at its 
April 2019 meeting.

[[Page 70065]]

    This final rule balances the need to limit the number of C/Ps 
operating as motherships in the fishery with the need to provide 
continued access and benefits from the fishery for long-time 
participants with sustained activity, given the increasing number of 
participants in the fishery and shorter fishing seasons. This final 
rule promotes stability in the fishery by reducing the risk of a race 
for fish, stabilizing the length of the fishing season, and creating a 
safer, more predictable fishery. That stability will also minimize the 
potential for increased prohibited species catch (PSC) rates, 
particularly for halibut. Regulations at Sec.  679.21(b)(4)(i)(B) 
require NMFS to close BSAI trawl limited access fisheries when halibut 
PSC limits are reached. Regulations at Sec.  679.7(o)(7) prohibit 
Amendment 80 cooperatives from exceeding PSC halibut caps. These 
closures and caps could limit the ability of harvesters to fully 
harvest the TAC.
    This final rule establishes the requirement that a C/P used to 
receive and process Pacific cod harvested and delivered by CVs directed 
fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV fishery must be 
designated on a groundfish License Limitation Program (LLP) license 
with a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement. This final rule 
also establishes the eligibility criteria and issuance process for this 
new endorsement. C/Ps not designated on groundfish LLP licenses that 
receive the endorsement are prohibited from receiving and processing 
Pacific cod delivered by a CV directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl CV fishery. This final rule does not preclude any 
vessel from delivering BSAI Pacific cod to a shoreside processor. This 
final rule also does not preclude a C/P without a BSAI Pacific cod 
trawl fishery mothership endorsement from receiving and processing 
incidental catch of Pacific cod that is caught by a CV while directed 
fishing for other species. This final rule does not preclude a vessel 
from participating as a C/P and processing its own catch in the BSAI 
non-CDQ Pacific cod fishery. Finally, true motherships (i.e., vessels 
that only receive catch from other vessels and that do not operate as 
C/Ps), other at-sea processors, and shoreside processors are not 
restricted by this action.
    Under this action, NMFS will issue a BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
mothership endorsement to a groundfish LLP license with Bering Sea or 
Aleutian Islands area and C/P operation endorsements if the groundfish 
LLP license is credited with receiving and processing at least one 
legal mothership trip target landing of Pacific cod in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl CV fishery in each year of the qualifying period 
(2015 through 2017). NMFS anticipates that a total of two groundfish 
LLP licenses will receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl fishery mothership 
endorsement under this final rule, resulting in up to two vessels that 
have also operated as C/Ps being eligible to receive and process 
Pacific cod delivered by a CV directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl CV fishery. Under this action, NMFS will also 
prohibit Amendment 80 sector C/Ps not designated on an Amendment 80 
Quota Share (QS) permit and an Amendment 80 LLP license, or not 
designated on an Amendment 80 LLP/QS license, from receiving and 
processing Pacific cod harvested by vessels directed fishing for 
Pacific cod in the BSAI and GOA.

Overview of Measures Implemented by This Rule

    This final rule limits access to the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl 
CV fishery by motherships receiving and processing Pacific cod 
harvested and delivered by CVs directed fishing in that fishery to 
those C/Ps designated on a groundfish LLP license with a BSAI Pacific 
cod trawl mothership endorsement.
    In order to implement Amendment 120, this final rule--

 Authorizes receiving and processing of BSAI Pacific cod 
harvested and delivered by CVs directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl CV fishery by only those C/Ps designated on a 
groundfish LLP license with a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsement.
 Includes the provisions that are necessary for a groundfish 
LLP license to qualify for and receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
mothership endorsement.
 Prohibits a vessel endorsed to operate as a C/P from receiving 
and processing of BSAI Pacific cod harvested and delivered by CVs 
directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV fishery 
without a copy of a valid LLP license with a BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
mothership endorsement.
 Lists those groundfish LLP licenses that NMFS has determined 
are eligible, will be credited with qualifying landings, and will 
receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement under this 
final rule.
 Establishes the process for notifying groundfish LLP license 
holders of eligibility for a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsement.
 Establishes the process for the issuance of revised groundfish 
LLP licenses with a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement.
 Establishes an administrative adjudicative process to 
challenge NMFS's determinations on eligibility for a BSAI Pacific cod 
trawl mothership endorsement.
 Prohibits Amendment 80 sector C/Ps not designated on an 
Amendment 80 QS permit and an Amendment 80 LLP license, or not 
designated on an Amendment 80 LLP/QS license, from receiving and 
processing Pacific cod harvested by vessels directed fishing for 
Pacific cod in the BSAI.

    In order to implement Amendment 108, this final rule--

 Prohibits Amendment 80 sector C/Ps not designated on an 
Amendment 80 QS permit and an Amendment 80 LLP license, or not 
designated on an Amendment 80 LLP/QS license, from receiving and 
processing Pacific cod harvested by vessels directed fishing for 
Pacific cod in the GOA.

    Additional detail about the rationale for and effect of the 
regulatory changes in this rule is provided in the preamble to the 
proposed rule (84 FR 51092, September 27, 2019) and in the Analysis for 
this action.

Summary of Regulatory Changes

    The following provides a brief summary of the regulatory changes 
made by this final rule.

Revisions to Permits at Sec.  679.4

    This final rule adds Sec.  679.4(k)(15) to include the provisions 
that are necessary to qualify for and receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
mothership endorsement. Section 679.4(k)(15) establishes a notification 
process for holders of groundfish LLP licenses eligible and ineligible 
for a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement. This section also 
establishes an administrative adjudicative process to challenge NMFS's 
determinations on eligibility for a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsement.

Revisions to Prohibitions at Sec.  679.7

    This final rule adds Sec.  679.7(i)(12) to prohibit the receiving 
and processing by a C/P operating as a mothership of Pacific cod 
harvested and delivered by a CV directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl CV fishery unless that C/P has a legible copy on 
board of a valid groundfish LLP license with endorsements for (1) the 
Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands area, (2) C/P operation type, and (3) 
BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership operation.

[[Page 70066]]

    This final rule also adds Sec.  679.7(o)(3)(v) to prohibit the use 
of an Amendment 80 C/P to receive and process Pacific cod harvested by 
vessels directed fishing for Pacific cod in the BSAI or GOA, if that C/
P is not designated on an Amendment 80 QS permit and an Amendment 80 
LLP license or on an Amendment 80 LLP/QS license.

Revisions to Tables to Part 679

    This final rule adds Table 57 to part 679 to list those groundfish 
LLP licenses that NMFS has determined are eligible, will be credited 
with qualifying receipts of legal mothership trip targets, and will 
receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement under this 
final rule.

Comments and Responses

    NMFS received six comment letters containing nine individual 
comments from six unique commenters during the comment periods for 
Amendments120/108 and the proposed rule. The six commenters consisted 
of one association representing shoreside processors, one individual 
representing five communities in one Alaskan Borough, and four 
companies representing C/Ps. Seven of the nine individual comments 
supported this action. One comment did not support the action. One 
comment from three separate commenters suggested a clarification to the 
proposed regulatory language to support the intent of the action as 
described in the preamble to the proposed rule.
    In the following responses to these comments, reference to the 
phrase ``Amendment 120 or 108'', unless otherwise noted, means 
Amendment 120 or 108 and this final rule implementing Amendments 120/
108.
    Comment 1: NMFS received five comment letters that supported this 
action. Commenters noted that the action is consistent with the 
Council's purpose and need statement, which recognized that the 
negative impacts on historical participants arising from a management 
problem that has been building for several years warrants action. 
During the development of the Amendment 80 Program, the Council was 
silent on the ability of Amendment 80 C/Ps to act as motherships in 
limited access fisheries. However, there has been substantial growth in 
BSAI offshore Pacific cod deliveries by CVs to Amendment 80 C/Ps 
utilizing excess offshore processing capacity realized through the 
rationalized fishery. This has resulted in shifting processing effort 
away from historical, predominantly shoreside processors. The ability 
of motherships to operate close to the fishing grounds and provide 
quick turnaround for CVs, the decline in Pacific cod TAC, and the 
increased effort and catch per unit effort in the CV trawl fishery have 
led to an intensified race for fish, shorter fishing seasons, greater 
instability for historic participants and Alaska communities, and 
diminished ability to promote conservation. As the race for fish 
intensifies, Pacific cod flood the docks and are rushed through the 
factory to facilitate quick turnaround, and thus the race for fish 
negatively impacts vessel safety and fish quality, and global markets 
are flooded by large volumes of lower quality cod oversaturating the 
market.
    The commenters state that the Council weighed all relevant 
information before recommending this action. The commenters state that 
this action addresses the need to limit the offshore processing 
capacity (specifically C/Ps acting as motherships) in the BSAI trawl CV 
Pacific cod fishery, while reducing the negative impacts on the two C/
Ps with long-term participation as motherships by accommodating their 
continued participation. The commenters state that this action is an 
important step toward providing stability in the fishery and will 
provide conservation and management benefits to the fishery by slowing 
the pace of the fishery, ensuring the wise use of the resource, and 
improving safety-at-sea. Adoption of this rule will promote the goals 
and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    Response: NMFS acknowledges the comment in support of Amendments 
120/108. As noted in the Analysis (Section 2.8.1), this action has the 
potential to address impacts from C/Ps that have recently changed their 
fishing practices as a benefit of previously implemented 
rationalization programs. This action is intended to limit the offshore 
processing capacity in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV fishery in 
order to avoid further negative impacts on long-term participants in 
the fishery, including C/Ps operating as motherships, shoreside 
processors, and communities with local economies dependent on shoreside 
processing of Pacific cod. This action is also intended to allow more 
flexibility in fishing operations by ensuring predictable levels of 
competition. That flexibility may help reduce prohibited species catch 
in the fishery and improve vessel safety, by allowing vessels to 
implement fishing practices known to reduce PSC and improve vessel 
safety.
    Comment 2: One commenter stated that many fishing communities 
across the state depend on tax revenue from raw fish delivered across 
the dock to shoreside plants. The recent escalation of C/Ps acting as 
motherships has resulted in a dramatic increase in the amount of 
deliveries to motherships offshore in recent BSAI Pacific cod seasons, 
at the expense of shore-based processing plants and communities who 
have historically processed a majority of the Pacific cod. This loss of 
shore-based processed cod is exacerbated by the recent lower Pacific 
cod TACs. The commenters state that this action will help our Pacific 
cod-dependent communities, and will have meaningful impacts for 
shoreside processors and coastal communities, that have relied heavily 
on volume fisheries like pollock and cod for decades. Though Alaska's 
shoreside processors rely on a diverse portfolio of species, high 
volume fisheries like pollock and Pacific cod are the foundation of the 
sector's economic success. Larger volumes of Pacific cod delivered 
shoreside allows for longer fishing seasons, a near year-round 
processing workforce, and increased economic activity. Significant 
investments have been made to expand markets, increase value, and 
increase capacity to serve the fishing fleets. Closing this regulatory 
loophole, which currently allows C/Ps to use the excess processing 
capacity realized through the benefits of their rationalization 
programs in order to act as motherships in the unrationalized trawl CV 
fishery, is critically important to Bering Sea shoreside processors 
historically dependent on Pacific cod and to the communities in which 
the shoreside processors operate. The increase in this mothership 
activity, starting in 2016 and increasing each year since, severely 
erodes shoreside Pacific cod landings, which have historically 
comprised almost the entire fishery, and erodes tax and other support 
service benefits from this fishery on which coastal Alaska communities 
depend.
    Response: NMFS acknowledges this comment, and as noted in the 
response to Comment 1, the Analysis (Section 2.8.1) concluded that this 
action has the potential to prevent increased participation by C/Ps 
operating as motherships from reducing the benefits that the fishery 
provides to long-term, consistent participants in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl CV fishery, including shoreside processors and 
communities with local economies dependent on shoreside processing of 
Pacific cod.
    Comment 3: This action is consistent with the Council's purpose and 
need statement and final action to reduce the excess processing 
capacity resulting

[[Page 70067]]

from rationalization under Amendment 80 and corresponding Amendment 80 
vessel replacement. The proposed rule for this action noted that the 
final rule implementing Amendment 80 had anticipated that a future 
regulatory amendment may be needed, depending on whether the use of C/
Ps as motherships would increase due to the Amendment 80 Program and 
result in adverse impacts on existing shoreside processors. This action 
addresses those issues directly by including a prohibition on using 
replaced Amendment 80 vessels as motherships to receive and process 
Pacific cod harvested by vessels directed fishing for Pacific cod in 
the BSAI or GOA. (Current regulations already prevent this for AFA 
CPs.)
    Response: This action prohibits replaced Amendment 80 C/Ps from 
acting as a mothership in the BSAI or GOA fisheries. Section 2.8.1 of 
the Analysis notes that there is no indication to date that this has 
occurred, but implementing a prohibition in this action eliminates the 
opportunity for this to occur in the future. The intent of the vessel 
replacement provision in Amendment 80 was to allow older, less 
efficient vessels to be replaced by more efficient vessels. The intent 
of the regulations was not to provide new opportunities for the 
replaced vessel in fisheries that are already fully utilized.
    Comment 4: This action is consistent with the Council's intent for 
how the qualification for a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsement should be calculated and applied. This calculation includes 
using targeted Pacific cod landings because the action is intended to 
only regulate C/Ps that receive and process Pacific cod harvested by 
CVs engaged in directed fishing, and not regulate the receiving and 
processing of incidental catch of Pacific cod. In addition, this action 
uses weekly production reports to determine which C/Ps received 
deliveries of targeted Pacific cod during the qualifying period, 
similar to the Council's approach in other actions, and was a range of 
qualifying years that honors the control date previously set by the 
Council and that encompasses years directly before and after 
significant new entry. This action does not prevent any Amendment 80 C/
Ps acting as motherships from retaining incidental catch of Pacific cod 
delivered by CVs in their target flatfish fisheries, as is currently 
the practice. This action will not place any additional limit on 
incidental catch, beyond the maximum retainable amounts already in 
place, which are applied at the trip level. In addition, Amendment 80 
C/Ps have full access to their exclusive, rationalized C/P allocations 
of BSAI Pacific cod, yellowfin sole, flathead sole, rock sole, Atka 
mackerel, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch fisheries. 
Similarly, AFA C/Ps that target pollock fisheries remain unaffected. 
This action only limits the ability of Amendment 80 and AFA C/Ps to act 
as motherships that receive and process Pacific cod delivered by CVs 
directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV fishery, 
unless they have documented mothership processing history in this 
fishery as required by the Council's preferred alternative.
    Response: NMFS concurs that this action, as noted in the preamble 
to the proposed rule, limits Amendment 80 and AFA C/Ps' ability to 
operate as a mothership in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV 
fishery based on qualification for an endorsement to participate. This 
action also prohibits Amendment 80 vessels not designated on an 
Amendment 80 QS permit and an Amendment 80 LLP license or an Amendment 
80 LLP/QS license from operating as a mothership by receiving and 
processing Pacific cod harvested by vessels directed fishing in the GOA 
and BSAI. It does not impose additional limits on incidental catch of 
Pacific cod in other fisheries beyond existing regulatory requirements. 
This action does not change Amendment 80 C/Ps' access to their 
allocations of BSAI Pacific cod, yellowfin sole, flathead sole, rock 
sole, Atka mackerel, and Aleutian Islands POP fisheries. This action 
does not affect AFA C/P pollock fisheries.
    Comment 5: If the two C/Ps that have history prior to Amendment 80 
and are allowed to continue offshore processing under this action 
choose to expand their capacity in the future, the Council could 
consider a sideboard in the future.
    Response: As noted in Section 2.8.1 of the Analysis, the Council 
and NMFS considered setting harvesting limits (commonly known as 
sideboards) on the C/Ps eligible for a BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
mothership endorsement. The Council and NMFS did not include a 
sideboard limitation due to the consistent trends in delivery patterns 
to these two C/Ps, the relatively limited amount of catch processed by 
these vessels, and the challenges in effectively monitoring and 
managing a sideboard. (See Sections 2.7.3.2 and 2.10 of the Analysis 
for additional detail.) The Council and NMFS may consider sideboard 
limitations under a future action, if appropriate.
    Comment 6: Three commenters requested that NMFS review its proposed 
regulatory language in both the permit section (50 CFR 679.4) and the 
prohibitions section (50 CFR 679.7) to ensure that it does not exclude 
processing operations, such as operations of true motherships, floating 
processors, or shoreside processors which were not intended to be 
restricted under this action. The commenters expressed concern that the 
regulatory language could be interpreted as unintentionally precluding 
true motherships, floating processors, or shoreside processors from 
receiving and processing Pacific cod harvested by CVs directed fishing 
in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV fishery.
    Response: NMFS concurs that the proposed regulatory text might be 
interpreted to be overly broad and exclude some processors, such as 
floating processors and true motherships, which were never intended to 
be precluded from receiving and processing Pacific cod harvested by CVs 
directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ trawl CV fishery. The preamble to 
the proposed rule, and Section 2.4.2 of the Analysis clearly state that 
floating processors and true motherships are not intended to be 
precluded from receiving and processing Pacific cod in the BSAI under 
this rule. Therefore, the regulatory text has been revised in this 
final rule to clarify that floating processors and true motherships are 
not precluded from receiving and processing Pacific cod in the BSAI 
under this rule. This revision is discussed further in the Changes from 
the Proposed Rule section of this final rule.
    Comment 7: We understand the rationale for NMFS and the Council 
curtailing the recent increase in offshore deliveries to entering 
Amendment 80 and AFA C/Ps. We also appreciate their decision to allow 
the fishing vessel (F/V) Seafreeze Alaska to continue to operate as a 
mothership in the fishery in recognition of its long-term participation 
and dependence on this fishery. We note that the preamble to the 
proposed rule identified a single Amendment 80 C/P, the F/V Seafreeze 
Alaska, as taking mothership deliveries prior to the final rule for 
Amendment 80 in 2008. The preamble suggests that the history of the F/V 
Seafreeze Alaska was one reason for the final rule allowing Amendment 
80 C/Ps to operate as motherships. The proposed rule recognizes that 
history and dependence by allowing the F/V Seafreeze Alaska to continue 
to participate in the fishery. Our business depends on the ability of 
our CVs to continue to deliver Pacific cod offshore. The proposed rule 
limits the continued participation of some of our C/Ps in the Pacific 
cod fishery. We

[[Page 70068]]

understand the rationale for those limitations. We are thankful that 
the rule also recognizes the unique long-term dependence of the F/V 
Seafreeze Alaska on the offshore fishery, and we support implementation 
of a rule allowing that activity to continue.
    Response: NMFS acknowledges this comment. However, NMFS also 
clarifies that the data analyzed for this action include data from 2003 
forward. While there may have been other Amendment 80 C/Ps that 
received and processed Pacific cod delivered by CVs prior to 2003, NMFS 
determined the eligibility of the LLP license on which the F/V 
Seafreeze Alaska is designated based on criteria established by the 
Council, consistent with its intent to recognize sustained 
participation in the fishery.
    Comment 8: Three commenters who support this proposed rule urged 
swift implementation prior to the upcoming 2020 BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
CV fishery A season in January. The commenters state that the purpose 
and need statement and the analysis identified that further delays to 
this action will undoubtedly lead to increased growth in offshore 
deliveries of Pacific cod. The commenters urged no further delays in 
action, since additional delays will result in a continued exponential 
shift away from historic Pacific cod processing efforts.
    Response: NMFS appreciates the desire for timely implementation of 
this rulemaking.
    Comment 9: We do not support the proposed rule for this action. Our 
company operates two Amendment 80 trawl C/Ps that took deliveries of 
BSAI non-CDQ trawl CV Pacific cod in two of the three years in the 
Council's selected qualifying period of 2015 through 2017. These C/Ps 
will not be eligible to mothership under these proposed regulations 
because they did not take qualifying deliveries in all three of the 
years in the qualifying period. The proposed rule states that the 
Council's rationale for not choosing the suboptions for one- or two-
year participation requirements was that either option would have 
allowed participation in a manner that is not reflective of the 
historical harvest patterns in the fishery prior to the recent increase 
in Amendment 80 C/Ps acting as motherships. We disagree. Qualifying our 
vessels would be reflective of the historical harvest patterns in the 
fishery. Our history clearly shows participation of these two C/Ps as 
cod motherships prior to any privileges being received in the multi-
species groundfish fishery through the Amendment 80 rationalization 
program. Our C/Ps have history operating as motherships for CVs 
delivering BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod during the Amendment 80 qualifying 
years in addition to our recent participation in the fishery. However, 
these previous years of participation were not included in the 
Council's analysis, because that analysis included only data beginning 
with 2003. The Amendment 80 qualifying years of 1998 through 2004 are 
critical to understanding the historical modes of operation and harvest 
patterns of our fleet, including the dynamics of mothership activity 
pre- and post-rationalization. Without the inclusion of these years in 
the Analysis, the Council does not have a comprehensive understanding 
of the historical harvest patterns in the fishery and cannot justify 
the exclusion of these two vessels.
    Response: NMFS disagrees. The Council expressed its intent, and 
Section 2.6.10 of the Analysis specifies, that qualification for a C/P 
to operate as a mothership should be based on the history of that 
vessel receiving deliveries of targeted non-CDQ BSAI Pacific cod 
harvested by CVs using trawl gear during each year in the three-year 
qualifying period (2015 through 2017). The qualifying period used in 
this final rule places emphasis on the years directly before, 
including, and after 2016, which was the year that five additional 
Amendment 80 C/Ps entered the fishery as motherships, more than 
doubling the number of participating C/Ps operating as motherships in 
the fishery. The increase in Amendment 80 C/Ps operating as motherships 
resulted in the Council expressing concern about the increased amount 
of BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod delivered offshore in the fishery, and the 
corresponding decrease in the amount delivered to shoreside processors.
    The Council considered including participation in the fishery prior 
to 2015, but determined that participation for the years prior to 2015 
was stable and represented sustained effort. Further, the Council and 
NMFS considered the proposed action's consistency with the relatively 
stable conditions of the fishery under the Amendment 80 Program. The 
establishment of the Amendment 80 Program fundamentally changed the 
dynamics of the BSAI non-pollock trawl fisheries by establishing a 
framework under which exclusive rights to non-pollock target species 
allocations, including Pacific cod, were granted in part to improve 
stability in those fisheries. The post-Amendment 80 stability in the 
BSAI Pacific cod trawl fishery was maintained until 2016, when 
additional Amendment 80 C/Ps began receiving and processing Pacific 
cod. The Council's intent in recommending this action is to regain the 
stability in the fishery seen during the post-Amendment 80 and pre-2016 
period, particularly in light of the dramatic decline in Pacific cod 
TACs. The preamble to the proposed rule provides additional details on 
the rationale for selecting the qualifying years.
    Further, for reasons explained in Section 2.5.1 of the Analysis, 
NMFS is not able to reliably compare historical data prior to 2003 to 
the current catch accounting system that includes data from 2003 
forward. NMFS believes that consideration of fishing patterns up to 
twelve years prior to the first year of the qualifying period (2015) is 
sufficient to establish sustained participation in the fishery. Catch 
history prior to 2003 is not likely to be representative of current 
fishing patterns or demonstrative of sustained participation in a 
fishery.

Changes From the Proposed Rule

    In response to public comment, NMFS has modified the regulatory 
text at Sec. Sec.  679.4(k)(15)(i), (k)(15)(ii)(B), and (k)(15)(iii)(B) 
and 679.7(i)(12) to clarify that true motherships and floating 
processors are not excluded from receiving and processing Pacific cod 
in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod CV trawl directed fishery. Regulatory 
language in the proposed rule was ambiguous and these clarifying 
changes are intended to ensure that the language cannot be 
misinterpreted to exclude those entities from processing Pacific cod in 
the fishery.
    At the proposed Sec.  679.4(k)(15)(i) the sentence that indicates 
that a vessel must be designated on a groundfish LLP license with a 
BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement in order to receive and 
process Pacific cod delivered by CVs directed fishing using trawl in 
the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod fishery as specified in Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A) is revised to indicate that a C/P must be 
designated on a groundfish LLP license with a BSAI mothership Pacific 
cod trawl mothership endorsement in order to receive and process 
Pacific cod delivered by a CV directed fishing using trawl gear in that 
fishery.
    At the proposed Sec.  679.4(k)(15)(ii)(B) the sentence that 
indicates that a groundfish LLP license that had a vessel designated on 
it that received and processed at least one legal mothership trip 
target of Pacific cod delivered by a CV directed fishing using trawl 
gear in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod fishery as specified in Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A) in each of the three years of the qualifying period 
of 2015 through 2017 is eligible

[[Page 70069]]

to receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement has been 
revised to indicate that a groundfish LLP license that had a C/P 
designated on it that received and processed at least one legal 
mothership trip target of Pacific cod delivered by a CV directed 
fishing using trawl gear in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod fishery as 
specified in Sec.  679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A) in each of the three years of 
the qualifying period of 2015 through 2017 is eligible to receive a 
BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement.
    At the proposed Sec.  679.4(k)(15)(iii)(B) the sentence that 
indicates that NMFS will credit a groundfish LLP license with a legal 
mothership trip target of Pacific cod if that groundfish LLP license 
was the only one on which the vessel that received and processed legal 
mothership trip targets was designated from 2015 through 2017 has been 
revised to replace the word ``vessel'' with the term ``catcher/
processor''.
    At the proposed Sec.  679.7(i)(12) in the Prohibitions section, the 
sentence that stipulates that it is prohibited to receive and process 
Pacific cod harvested and delivered by a CV directed fishing using 
trawl gear in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod fishery without a legible 
copy on board of a valid groundfish LLP license with the appropriate 
endorsements, including a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsement, has been revised to stipulate that it is prohibited to use 
a C/P to receive and process Pacific cod harvested and delivered by a 
CV directed fishing using trawl gear in that fishery without a legible 
copy on board of a valid groundfish LLP license with the appropriate 
endorsements.
    In addition, the name of the fishery has been edited for 
consistency at Sec. Sec.  679.4(k)(15)(i), (k)(15)(ii)(B), and 
(k)(15)(v)(B) and 679.7(i)(12).

Classification

    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, determined that BSAI FMP 
Amendment 120 and GOA FMP Amendment 108 are necessary for the 
conservation and management of the BSAI and GOA Pacific cod fisheries 
and that they are consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other 
applicable laws.
    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for the 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    This final rule is not an Executive Order 13771 regulatory action 
because this action is not significant under Executive Order 12866.

Small Entity Compliance Guide

    Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 
Act of 1996 states that, for each rule or group of related rules for 
which an agency is required to prepare a final regulatory flexibility 
analysis, the agency shall publish one or more guides to assist small 
entities in complying with the rule, and shall designate such 
publications as ``small entity compliance guides.'' The agency shall 
explain the actions a small entity is required to take to comply with a 
rule or group of rules. The preambles to the proposed rule and this 
final rule include a detailed description of the actions necessary to 
comply with this rule, and as part of this rulemaking process NMFS 
included on its website a summary of compliance requirements that 
serves as the small entity compliance guide: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-120-fmp-groundfish-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-and-amendment-108-fmp. This action does not 
require any additional compliance from small entities that is not 
described in the preambles to the proposed rule and this final rule. 
Copies of the proposed rule and this final rule are available from the 
NMFS website at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)

    This FRFA incorporates the initial regulatory flexibility analysis 
(IRFA), a summary of the significant issues raised by the public 
comments in response to the IRFA, NMFS' responses to those comments, 
and a summary of the analyses completed to support this action.
    Section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) requires that, 
when an agency promulgates a final rule under section 553 of Title 5 of 
the U.S. Code, after being required by that section or any other law to 
publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking, the agency shall 
prepare a FRFA. Section 604 describes the required contents of a FRFA: 
(1) A statement of the need for and objectives of the rule; (2) a 
statement of the significant issues raised by the public comments in 
response to the IRFA, a statement of the assessment of the agency of 
such issues, and a statement of any changes made to the proposed rule 
as a result of such comments; (3) the response of the agency to any 
comments filed by the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration (SBA) in response to the proposed rule, and a detailed 
statement of any change made to the proposed rule in the final rule as 
a result of the comments; (4) a description of and an estimate of the 
number of small entities to which the rule will apply or an explanation 
of why no such estimate is available; (5) a description of the 
projected reporting, recordkeeping, and other compliance requirements 
of the rule, including an estimate of the classes of small entities 
that will be subject to the requirement and the type of professional 
skills necessary for preparation of the report or record; and (6) a 
description of the steps the agency has taken to minimize the 
significant economic impact on small entities consistent with the 
stated objectives of applicable statutes, including a statement of the 
factual, policy, and legal reasons for selecting the alternative 
adopted in this final rule, and why each of the other significant 
alternatives considered by the agency was rejected.
    A description of this final rule and the need for and objectives of 
this rule are contained in the preamble to this final rule and the 
preamble to the proposed rule (84 FR 51092, September 27, 2019), and 
are not repeated here.
Public and Chief Counsel for Advocacy Comments on the IRFA
    NMFS published the proposed rule on September 27, 2019 (84 FR 
51092). An IRFA was prepared and summarized in the Classification 
section of the preamble to the proposed rule. The comment period for 
the proposed rule closed on October 28, 2019. The comment period for 
the notice of availability for Amendments 120/108 closed on October 21, 
2019. NMFS received six letters of public comment on the proposed rule 
and Amendments 120/108. The Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA did 
not file any comments on the proposed rule. NMFS received no public 
comments specifically on the IRFA.
Number and Description of Small Entities Regulated by This Final Action
    This final rule directly regulates the owners and operators of 
certain Amendment 80 and AFA C/Ps operating as motherships when 
receiving Pacific cod in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV directed 
fishery. This final rule also directly regulates the owners of current 
Amendment 80 C/Ps and Amendment 80 C/Ps that have been replaced under 
BSAI Amendment 97 (77 FR 59852, October 1, 2012) and that are not 
designated on an Amendment 80 QS permit and an Amendment 80 LLP 
license, or are not designated on an Amendment 80 LLP/QS license, by 
prohibiting replaced Amendment 80 vessels from operating as a 
mothership in the BSAI or GOA Pacific cod fisheries. Based on the best 
available and most recent complete data from 2003 through 2018, 40 
groundfish LLP

[[Page 70070]]

license holders will be directly regulated by this action.
    For RFA purposes only, NMFS has established a small business size 
standard for businesses, including their affiliates, whose primary 
industry is commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 200.2). A business primarily 
engaged in commercial fishing (NAICS code 11411) is classified as a 
small business if it is independently owned and operated, is not 
dominant in its field of operation (including its affiliates), and has 
combined annual receipts not in excess of $11 million for all its 
affiliated operations worldwide.
    The RFA requires consideration of affiliations between entities for 
the purpose of assessing whether an entity is classified as small. The 
AFA pollock and Amendment 80 cooperatives are types of affiliation 
between entities. All of the AFA and Amendment 80 cooperatives have 
gross annual revenues that are substantially greater than $11 million. 
Therefore, NMFS considers members in these cooperatives affiliated 
large (i.e., they are not small) entities for RFA purposes.
    Of the 40 groundfish LLP license holders directly regulated by this 
action, 21 were members of an AFA cooperative and 19 were members of an 
Amendment 80 cooperative in 2018. All of the groundfish LLP licenses 
with designated C/Ps that received and processed Pacific cod delivered 
by a CV directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV 
fishery from 2003 through 2018 were affiliated with either an AFA or an 
Amendment 80 cooperative in 2018. NMFS therefore considers these LLP 
license holders to be affiliated large (i.e., they are not small) 
entities for RFA purposes.
Recordkeeping, Reporting, and Other Compliance Requirements.
    Therefore, this final rule does not directly regulate any small 
entities.
    This final rule does not add additional reporting or recordkeeping 
requirements for the vessels that choose to submit an appeal. An appeal 
process exists for LLP license endorsement issuance. No small entity is 
subject to reporting requirements that are in addition to or different 
from the requirements that already apply to all directly regulated 
entities. No unique professional skills are needed for the LLP license 
or vessel owners or operators to comply with the reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements associated with this final rule. This final 
rule does not implement or increase any fees that NMFS collects from 
directly regulated entities. The Analysis identifies no operational 
costs of the endorsement (see ADDRESSES).
Description of Significant Alternatives Considered to the Final Action 
That Minimize Adverse Impacts on Small Entities
    Under this final rule, C/Ps acting as motherships that receive and 
process Pacific cod harvested by CVs directed fishing in the BSAI non-
CDQ Pacific cod trawl CV fishery will be limited to two vessels, and 
all remaining AFA and Amendment 80 C/Ps will not be permitted to 
operate as a mothership in this fishery even if retired from and/or 
replaced in either the AFA or Amendment 80 Programs. All of the 
directly regulated entities have been determined to be large entities 
via ownership, cooperative, or contractual affiliations. Thus there are 
no adverse impacts on directly regulated small entities.

Collection-of-Information Requirements

    This final rule contains a collection-of-information requirement 
subject to review and approval by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This requirement has 
been submitted to OMB for approval under a new control number.
    The public reporting burden for the collection-of-information 
requirement in this final rule is estimated to average 4 hours per 
response to submit an appeal, which includes the time for reviewing 
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information.
    Send comments on these or any other aspects of the collection of 
information to NMFS Alaska Region (see ADDRESSES) by email to 
[email protected], or by fax to (202) 395-5806.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, and no person shall be subject to penalty for failure to 
comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of 
the PRA, unless that collection of information displays a currently 
valid OMB control number. All currently approved NOAA collections of 
information may be viewed at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRASearch#.

List of Subjects 50 CFR Part 679

    Alaska, Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: December 13, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part 
679 as follows:

Title 50--Wildlife and Fisheries

PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

0
1. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.; 
Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.


0
2. In Sec.  679.4, add paragraph (k)(15) to read as follows:


Sec.  679.4  Permits.

* * * * *
    (k) * * *
    (15) BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement--(i) General. In 
addition to other requirements of this part, a catcher/processor must 
be designated on a groundfish LLP license that has a BSAI Pacific cod 
trawl mothership endorsement in order to receive and process Pacific 
cod harvested and delivered by a catcher vessel directed fishing in the 
BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl catcher vessel fishery as specified in 
Sec.  679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A). A catcher/processor designated on a 
groundfish LLP license with Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands area, 
catcher/processor operation, and BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsements may operate as a mothership, as defined at Sec.  679.2, to 
receive and process Pacific cod harvested by a catcher vessel directed 
fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl catcher vessel fishery as 
specified in Sec.  679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A).
    (ii) Eligibility requirements for a BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
mothership endorsement. A groundfish LLP license is eligible to receive 
a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement if the groundfish LLP 
license:
    (A) Has Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands area and catcher/processor 
operation endorsements;
    (B) Had a catcher/processor designated on it that received and 
processed at least one legal mothership trip target of Pacific cod 
delivered from a catcher vessel directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl catcher vessel fishery as specified in Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A) in each of the three years of the qualifying period 
of 2015 through 2017, inclusive, where a

[[Page 70071]]

mothership trip target is, in the aggregate, the groundfish species 
that is delivered by a catcher vessel to a given catcher/processor 
acting as a mothership in an amount greater than the retained amount of 
any other groundfish species delivered by the same catcher vessel to 
the same catcher/processor for a given week; and
    (C) Is credited by NMFS with receiving a legal mothership trip 
target specified in paragraph (k)(15)(ii)(B) of this section.
    (iii) Explanations for BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsement. (A) NMFS will determine whether a groundfish LLP license 
is eligible to receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement 
under paragraph (k)(15)(ii) of this section based only on information 
contained in the official record described in paragraph (k)(15)(iv) of 
this section.
    (B) NMFS will credit a groundfish LLP license with receipt of a 
legal mothership trip target specified in paragraph (k)(15)(ii)(B) of 
this section if that groundfish LLP license was the only groundfish LLP 
license on which the catcher/processor that received and processed 
legal mothership trip targets was designated from 2015 through 2017.
    (C) Mothership trip targets will be determined based on round 
weight equivalents.
    (iv) Official record of participation in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific 
cod trawl catcher vessel fishery. (A) The official record will contain 
all information used by the Regional Administrator that is necessary to 
administer the requirements described in paragraph (k)(15) of this 
section.
    (B) The official record is presumed to be correct. A groundfish LLP 
license holder has the burden to prove otherwise.
    (C) Only legal landings as defined in Sec.  679.2 and documented on 
NMFS production reports will be used to determine legal mothership trip 
targets under paragraph (k)(15)(ii)(B) of this section.
    (v) Process for issuing BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership 
endorsements. (A) NMFS will issue to the holder of each groundfish LLP 
license with Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands area and catcher/processor 
operation endorsements, and specified in Column A of Table 57 of this 
part, a notice of eligibility to receive a BSAI Pacific cod trawl 
mothership endorsement and a revised groundfish LLP license with a BSAI 
Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement.
    (B) NMFS will issue to the holder of a groundfish LLP license with 
Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands area and catcher/processor operation 
endorsements, and that is not listed in Table 57 of this part, a notice 
informing that holder that the groundfish LLP license is not eligible 
to be credited with at least one legal mothership trip target of 
Pacific cod in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl catcher vessel 
fishery for each year during the qualifying period or receive a BSAI 
Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement based on the official record, 
using the address on record at the time the notice is sent. The notice 
specified in this paragraph (k)(15)(v)(B) will inform the holder of the 
groundfish LLP license of the timing and process through which the 
holder can provide additional information or evidence to amend or 
challenge the information in the official record of this section, as 
specified in paragraphs (k)(15)(v)(C) and (D) of this section.
    (C) The Regional Administrator will specify by notice a 30-day 
evidentiary period during which an applicant may provide additional 
information or evidence to amend or challenge the information in the 
official record. A person will be limited to one 30-day evidentiary 
period. Additional information or evidence received after the 30-day 
evidentiary period specified in the letter has expired will not be 
considered for purposes of the initial administrative determination 
(IAD).
    (D) The Regional Administrator will prepare and send an IAD to the 
applicant following the expiration of the 30-day evidentiary period, if 
the Regional Administrator determines that the information or evidence 
provided by the person fails to support the person's claims and is 
insufficient to rebut the presumption that the official record is 
correct, or if the additional information, evidence, or revised 
application is not provided within the time period specified in the 
letter that notifies the applicant of his or her 30-day evidentiary 
period. The IAD will indicate the deficiencies with the information or 
evidence submitted. The IAD will also indicate which claims cannot be 
approved based on the available information or evidence. A person who 
receives an IAD may appeal pursuant to 15 CFR part 906. NMFS will issue 
a non-transferable interim license that is effective until final agency 
action on the IAD to an applicant who avails himself or herself of the 
opportunity to appeal an IAD and who has a credible claim to 
eligibility for a BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsement.
* * * * *

0
3. In Sec.  679.7, add paragraphs (i)(12) and (o)(3)(v) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  679.7  Prohibitions.

* * * * *
    (i) * * *
    (12) Prohibitions specific to directed fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ 
Pacific cod trawl catcher vessel fishery as specified at Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A). Use a catcher/processor to receive and process 
Pacific cod harvested and delivered by a catcher vessel directed 
fishing in the BSAI non-CDQ Pacific cod trawl catcher vessel fishery 
without a legible copy on board of a valid groundfish LLP license with 
Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands area, catcher/processor operation, and 
BSAI Pacific cod trawl mothership endorsements.
* * * * *
    (o) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (v) Use an Amendment 80 catcher/processor, as defined at Sec.  
679.2, to receive and process Pacific cod harvested by vessels directed 
fishing for Pacific cod in the BSAI or GOA, if that catcher/processor 
is not designated on:
    (A) An Amendment 80 QS permit and an Amendment 80 LLP license; or
    (B) An Amendment 80 LLP/QS license.
* * * * *

0
4. Add Table 57 to part 679 to read as follows:

[[Page 70072]]



    Table 57 to Part 679--Groundfish LLP Licenses With Bering Sea or
   Aleutian Islands Area and Catcher/Processor Operation Endorsements
      Eligible for a BSAI Pacific Cod Trawl Mothership Endorsement
                   [X indicates that Column A applies]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Column A                             Column B
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Is eligible under 50 CFR
The Holder of Groundfish License Number  679.4(k)(15)(ii) to be assigned
                 . . .                       a BSAI Pacific Cod Trawl
                                             Mothership Endorsement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LLG 5009...............................                 X
LLG 4692...............................                 X
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2019-27244 Filed 12-19-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P