Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 250 / Friday, December 29, 2006 / Rules and Regulations 78383 

upon a specific date, the tilefish TAL for 

the specific limited access category has 

been harvested and no commercial 

quota is available for harvesting tilefish 

by that category for the remainder of the 

fishing year, from within the Golden 

Tilefish Management Unit. 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined, based upon dealer reports 

and other available information, that the 

2007 tilefish TAL for the Part-time 

category has been harvested. Therefore, 

effective 0001 hr local time, December 

29, 2006, further landings of tilefish 

harvested from within the Golden 

Tilefish Management Unit by tilefish 

vessels holding Part-time category 

Federal fisheries permits are prohibited 

through October 31, 2007. The 2008 

fishing year for commercial tilefish 

harvest will open on November 1, 2007. 

Federally permitted dealers are also 

advised that, effective December 29, 

2006, they may not purchase tilefish 

from Part-time category federally 

permitted tilefish vessels who land 

tilefish harvested from within the 

Golden Tilefish Management Unit for 

the remainder of the 2007 fishing year 

(through October 31, 2007). 

Classification 

This action is required by 50 CFR part 

648 and is exempt from review under 

E.O. 12866. 

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

Dated: December 22, 2006. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 06–9918 Filed 12–26–06; 8:51 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 060424108–6204–02; I.D. 

121906B] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut 

and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota 

Cost Recovery Program 

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 retropayments (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’’ exvessel value is the amount of all 

compensation, monetary or nonmonetary, 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 portgroup. 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 MagnusonStevens 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 


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78384 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 250 / Friday, December 29, 2006 / Rules and Regulations 

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 2.33 

May 31 3.42 –

June 30 3.50 2.59 

July 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 2.71 

August 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 –


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REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2006 IFQ SEASON—

Continued 

LANDING LOCATION PERIOD ENDING 

HALIBUT 

STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE 

($) 

SABLEFISH 

STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE 

($) 

July 31 – –

August 31 – –

September 30 – –

October 31 – –

November 30 – –

KODIAK February 28 3.40 2.31 

March 31 3.40 2.31 

April 30 3.18 2.32 

May 31 3.37 2.37 

June 30 3.47 2.48 

July 31 3.73 2.86 

August 31 3.89 2.52 

September 30 4.18 2.68 

October 31 4.18 2.68 

November 30 4.18 2.68 

PETERSBURG 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 2.20 

March 31 3.57 2.20 

April 30 – –

May 31 – –

June 30 – –

July 31 – –

August 31 4.10 –

September 30 – –

October 31 – –

November 30 – –

SITKA February 28 3.57 2.37 


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REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2006 IFQ SEASON—

Continued 

LANDING LOCATION PERIOD ENDING 

HALIBUT 

STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE 

($) 

SABLEFISH 

STANDARD EX- VESSEL PRICE 

($) 

March 31 3.57 2.37 

April 30 3.19 2.36 

May 31 3.59 2.51 

June 30 3.72 2.64 

July 31 3.93 2.92 

August 31 4.02 2.64 

September 30 4.13 2.73 

October 31 4.13 2.73 

November 30 4.13 2.73 

YAKUTAT 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 – 2.24 

May 31 3.28 2.20 

June 30 3.46 2.34 

July 31 3.48 2.38 

August 31 3.78 2.21 

September 30 3.86 2.26 

October 31 3.86 2.26 

November 30 3.86 2.26 

CENTRAL GULF2 February 28 3.49 2.28 

March 31 3.49 2.28 

April 30 3.20 2.45 


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REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY PORT GROUP FOR 2006 IFQ SEASON—Continued 

PORT GROUP PERIOD ENDING 

HALIBUT 

STANDARD 

EX -VESSEL PRICE ($) 

SABLEFISH 

STANDARD 

EX-VESSEL PRICE ($) 

May 31 3.42 2.44 

June 30 3.47 2.53 

July 31 3.81 2.58 

August 31 3.97 2.52 

September 30 4.10 2.51 

October 31 4.10 2.51 

November 30 4.10 2.51 

SOUTHEAST3 February 28 3.54 2.34 

March 31 3.54 2.34 

April 30 3.34 2.38 

May 31 3.54 2.38 

June 30 3.68 2.63 

July 31 3.77 2.88 

August 31 4.01 2.67 

September 30 4.18 2.62 

October 31 4.18 2.62 

November 30 4.18 2.62 

ALL4 February 28 3.50 2.32 

March 31 3.50 2.32 

April 30 3.26 2.41 

May 31 3.45 2.40 

June 30 3.54 2.53 

July 31 3.71 2.58 

August 31 3.92 2.50 

September 30 4.06 2.51 

October 31 4.06 2.51 

November 30 4.06 2.51 

1Landing 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 2Landing 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, Whittier 3Landing 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 4Landing 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 


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78388 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 250 / Friday, December 29, 2006 / Rules and Regulations 

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 


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