Document headings vary by document type but may contain
                    the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document
the number of the CFR title and the number of each part
                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly
                      related to
the agency docket number / agency internal file number
the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in
                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory
                      Actions See the
                    Document Drafting Handbook
                    for more details.
 Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 060424108-6204-02; I.D. 121906B]
 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
 ACTION: Notification of standard prices and fee percentage.
 SUMMARY: NMFS publishes IFQ standard prices for the individual fishing quota (IFQ) cost recovery program in the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2006 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2007.
 DATES: Effective December 29, 2006.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Troie Zuniga, Fee Coordinator, 907-586-7231.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background NMFS Alaska Region administers the halibut and sablefish IFQ programs in the North Pacific. The IFQ programs are limited access systems authorized by section 303(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. Fishing under the IFQ programs 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 (by Public Law 104-297) to, among other things, require the Secretary of Commerce to “collect a fee to recover the actual costs directly related to the management and enforcement of any . . . individual fishing quota program” (section 304(d)(2)(A)). Section 304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies an upper limit on these fees, when the fees must be collected, and where the fees must be deposited. Section 303(d)(4) allows NMFS to reserve up to 25 percent of the fees collected for use in an IFQ loan program to aid in financing the purchase of IFQ or quota share (QS) by entry-level and small-vessel fishermen. On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations implementing the IFQ cost recovery program (65 FR 14919), which are set forth at § 679.45. Under the regulations, an IFQ permit holder incurs a cost recovery fee liability 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 liability for all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings on his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also responsible for submitting a fee liability payment to NMFS on or before the due date of January 31 following the year in which the IFQ landings were made. The dollar amount of the fee due is determined by multiplying the annual IFQ fee percentage (3 percent or less) by the ex-vessel value of each IFQ landing made on a permit and summing the totals of each permit (if more than one). Standard Prices The fee liability is based on the sum of all payments of monetary worth 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 on which to base fee liability calculations. However, IFQ permit holders have the option of using actual ex-vessel value if they can satisfactorily document them. Regulations at § 679.45(c)(2)(i) require 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 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. IFQ equivalent pound(s) is the weight (in pounds), for an IFQ landing calculated as the round weight for sablefish and headed and gutted net weight for halibut. 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 following tables. Data from ports are combined as necessary to protect confidentiality. Fee Percentage Section 304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act provides for a maximum fee of 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish harvested under an IFQ Program. NMFS annually sets a fee percentage for sablefish and halibut IFQ holders that is based on the actual annual costs associated with certain management and enforcement functions as well as the standard ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the IFQ fee for the current year. The method used by NMFS to calculate the IFQ fee percentage is described at § 679.45(d)(2)(ii). Regulations at § 679.45(d) require NMFS to publish the IFQ fee percentage for the halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries in the 
                    **Federal Register**
                     during 
                    ( print page 78384)
                    or before the last quarter of each year. For the 2006 sablefish and halibut IFQ fishing season, IFQ permit holders are to use a fee liability percentage of 1.0 percent to calculate his or her fee for landed IFQ in pounds. The IFQ permit holder is responsible for submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS on or before January 31, 2007. REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2006 IFQ SEASON
LANDING LOCATION
PERIOD ENDING
**HALIBUT**
                             STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE ($)
**SABLEFISH**
                             STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE ($)CORDOVA
February 28
-
-March 31
3.36
-April 30
3.16
2.33May 31
3.42
-June 30
3.50
2.59July 31
-
-August 31
4.08
-September 30
4.20
-October 31
4.20
-November 30
4.20
-DUTCH HARBOR
February 28
-
-March 31
-
-April 30
-
-May 31
-
-June 30
3.53
-July 31
3.38
2.71August 31
3.81
-September 30
-
-October 31
-
-November 30
-
-HOMER
February 28
-
-March 31
-
-April 30
-
-May 31
3.64
-June 30
3.64
-July 31
4.03
-August 31
4.06
-September 30
4.17
-October 31
4.17
-November 30
4.17
-KETCHIKAN
February 28
-
-March 31
-
-April 30
-
-May 31
-
-June 30
3.82
-( print page 78385)July 31
-
-August 31
-
-September 30
-
-October 31
-
-November 30
-
-KODIAK
February 28
3.40
2.31March 31
3.40
2.31April 30
3.18
2.32May 31
3.37
2.37June 30
3.47
2.48July 31
3.73
2.86August 31
3.89
2.52September 30
4.18
2.68October 31
4.18
2.68November 30
4.18
2.68PETERSBURG
February 28
-
-March 31
3.45
-April 30
3.28
-May 31
3.49
-June 30
3.55
-July 31
3.76
-August 31
4.01
-September 30
-
-October 31
-
-November 30
-
-SEWARD
February 28
3.57
2.20March 31
3.57
2.20April 30
-
-May 31
-
-June 30
-
-July 31
-
-August 31
4.10
-September 30
-
-October 31
-
-November 30
-
-SITKA
February 28
3.57
2.37( print page 78386)March 31
3.57
2.37April 30
3.19
2.36May 31
3.59
2.51June 30
3.72
2.64July 31
3.93
2.92August 31
4.02
2.64September 30
4.13
2.73October 31
4.13
2.73November 30
4.13
2.73YAKUTAT
February 28
-
-March 31
-
-April 30
3.30
-May 31
3.29
-June 30
-
-July 31
-
-August 31
-
-September 30
-
-October 31
-
-November 30
-
-
 REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY PORT GROUP FOR 2006 IFQ SEASON
PORT GROUP
PERIOD ENDING
**HALIBUT**
                             STANDARD 
                             EX -VESSEL PRICE ($)
**SABLEFISH**
                             STANDARD 
                             EX-VESSEL PRICE ($)BERING SEA1
February 28
-
-March 31
-
-April 30
-
2.24May 31
3.28
2.20June 30
3.46
2.34July 31
3.48
2.38August 31
3.78
2.21September 30
3.86
2.26October 31
3.86
2.26November 30
3.86
2.26CENTRAL GULF2
February 28
3.49
2.28March 31
3.49
2.28April 30
3.20
2.45( print page 78387)May 31
3.42
2.44June 30
3.47
2.53July 31
3.81
2.58August 31
3.97
2.52September 30
4.10
2.51October 31
4.10
2.51November 30
4.10
2.51SOUTHEAST3
February 28
3.54
2.34March 31
3.54
2.34April 30
3.34
2.38May 31
3.54
2.38June 30
3.68
2.63July 31
3.77
2.88August 31
4.01
2.67September 30
4.18
2.62October 31
4.18
2.62November 30
4.18
2.62ALL4
February 28
3.50
2.32March 31
3.50
2.32April 30
3.26
2.41May 31
3.45
2.40June 30
3.54
2.53July 31
3.71
2.58August 31
3.92
2.50September 30
4.06
2.51October 31
4.06
2.51November 30
4.06
2.511*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, Unalaska2*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, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski, Ninilchik, Old Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia, Resurrection Bay, Seward, Valdez, Whittier3*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, Yakutat4*Landing Locations Within Port Group - All:***For Alaska:**
                         All landing locations included in 1, 2, and 3. 
                        **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
 ( print page 78388)
                    Authority:
                    16 U.S.C. 1801 
                        *et seq.* Dated: December 21, 2006. Alan D. Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.


[FR Doc. 06-9917 Filed 12-22-06; 2:59 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S