[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 248 (Thursday, December 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 89667-89670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28707]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD570]


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: Notice of standard prices and fee percentage.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS publishes the individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard 
prices and fee percentage for cost recovery for the IFQ Program for the 
halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific (IFQ Program). The 
fee percentage for 2023 is 3.0 percent. This action is intended to 
provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2023 
standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment 
for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2024.

DATES: The standard prices and fee percentages are valid on December 
28, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charmaine Weeks, Fee Coordinator, 907-
586-7231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NMFS Alaska Region administers the IFQ Program in the North 
Pacific. The IFQ Program is a limited access system authorized by the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut 
Act). Fishing under the IFQ Program 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 to, among other 
purposes, require the Secretary of Commerce to collect a fee to recover 
the actual costs directly related to the management and enforcement of 
any individual quota program. This requirement was further amended in 
2006 to include collection of the actual costs of data collection and 
to replace the reference to ``individual quota program'' with a more 
general reference to ``limited access privilege program'' at section 
304(d)(2)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Section 304(d)(2) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act also specifies an upper limit on these fees, when 
the fees must be collected, and where the fees must be deposited.
    On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations at Sec.  679.45 to 
implement cost recovery for the IFQ Program (65 FR 14919, March 20, 
2000). Under the regulations, an IFQ permit holder must pay a cost 
recovery fee for every pound of IFQ halibut and sablefish that is 
landed on their IFQ permit(s), including any halibut that is landed as 
guided angler fish. The IFQ permit holder is responsible for self-
collecting the fee for all IFQ halibut and sablefish landings on their 
permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also responsible for submitting

[[Page 89668]]

IFQ fee payments(s) to NMFS on or before January 31 of the year 
following the year in which the IFQ landings were made. The total 
dollar amount of the fee is determined by multiplying the NMFS 
published fee percentage by the ex-vessel value of all IFQ landings 
made on the permit(s) during the IFQ fishing year. As required by Sec.  
679.45(d)(1) and (d)(3)(i), NMFS publishes this notice of the fee 
percentage for the IFQ halibut and sablefish fisheries in the Federal 
Register during or prior to the last quarter of each year.

Standard Prices

    The fee is based on the sum of all payments from for example, fish 
processors, 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 used to calculate the fee. IFQ permit holders have the option of 
using actual ex-vessel value if they can satisfactorily document it; 
otherwise, the standard ex-vessel value is used.
    Section 679.45(b)(3)(iii) requires 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 ex-vessel 
values. The standard prices are described in U.S. dollars per IFQ 
equivalent pound for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made during 
the 2023 year. According to Sec.  679.2, IFQ equivalent pound(s) means 
the weight amount, recorded in pounds, and calculated as round weight 
for sablefish and headed and gutted weight for halibut, for an IFQ 
landing. The weight of halibut in pounds landed as guided angler fish 
is converted to IFQ equivalent pound(s) as specified in 50 CFR 
300.65(c)(5)(ii)(E). 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 
tables that follow the next section. Data from ports are combined as 
necessary to protect confidentiality.

Fee Percentage

    NMFS calculates the fee percentage each year according to the 
factors and methods described at Sec.  679.45(d)(2). NMFS determines 
the fee percentage that applies to landings made in the previous year 
by dividing the total costs directly related to the management, data 
collection, and enforcement of the IFQ Program (management costs) 
during the previous year by the total standard ex-vessel value of 
halibut and sablefish IFQ landings made during the previous year 
(fishery value). NMFS identifies the actual management costs associated 
with certain management, data collection, and enforcement functions 
through an established accounting system that allows staff to track 
labor, travel, contracts, rent, and procurement. NMFS calculates the 
fishery value as described under the section Standard Prices.
    Using the fee percentage formula described above, NMFS determined 
that the percentage of management costs to fishery value for the 2023 
calendar year is 3.4 percent of the standard ex-vessel value; however, 
the fee percentage must not exceed 3.0 percent pursuant to Sec.  
304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Therefore, the 2023 fee 
percentage is set at 3.0 percent. An IFQ permit holder is to use the 
fee percentage of 3.0 percent to calculate their fee for IFQ equivalent 
pound(s) landed during the 2023 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing 
season. An IFQ permit holder is responsible for submitting the 2023 IFQ 
fee payment to NMFS on or before January 31, 2024. Payment must be made 
in accordance with the payment methods set forth in Sec.  
679.45(a)(4)(iv). Payment can be made using credit card, debit card, or 
electronic check via the pay.gov program. NMFS does not accept credit 
card information by phone or in-person for fee payments.
    The 2023 fee percentage of 3.0 percent is higher than the 2022 fee 
percentage of 1.9 percent (87 FR 79869, December 28, 2022). Between 
2022 and 2023 there was a net increase in management costs and a net 
decrease in fishery value. Management costs increased by approximately 
15 percent while fishery value decreased by approximately 34 percent. 
The net decrease in value was due to lower ex-vessel prices and 
landings for both halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries.

       Table 1--Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for the 2023 IFQ Season \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Halibut        Sablefish
               Landing location                           Period ending             standard ex     standard ex
                                                                                   vessel price    vessel price
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOMER:
                                                March 31........................            6.00            1.27
                                                April 30........................            6.02            1.19
                                                May 31..........................            5.48            1.02
                                                June 30.........................            6.08            3.12
                                                July 31.........................            5.87  ..............
                                                August 31.......................            5.26            2.00
                                                September 30....................            4.81            1.80
                                                October 31......................            4.81            1.80
                                                November 30.....................            4.81            1.80
                                                December 31.....................            4.81            1.80
KETCHIKAN:
                                                March 31........................  ..............  ..............
                                                April 30........................            6.60  ..............
                                                May 31..........................            6.76  ..............
                                                June 30.........................  ..............  ..............
                                                July 31.........................  ..............  ..............
                                                August 31.......................            6.16  ..............
                                                September 30....................  ..............  ..............
                                                October 31......................  ..............  ..............
                                                November 30.....................  ..............  ..............

[[Page 89669]]

 
                                                December 31.....................  ..............  ..............
KODIAK:
                                                March 31........................  ..............  ..............
                                                April 30........................            5.22            1.00
                                                May 31..........................            5.06            1.39
                                                June 30.........................            5.13            1.70
                                                July 31.........................            5.18            1.50
                                                August 31.......................            5.10            1.50
                                                September 30....................            4.42            1.15
                                                October 31......................            4.42            1.15
                                                November 30.....................            4.42            1.15
                                                December 31.....................            4.42            1.15
PETERSBURG:
                                                March 31........................  ..............  ..............
                                                April 30........................  ..............  ..............
                                                May 31..........................            5.91  ..............
                                                June 30.........................  ..............  ..............
                                                July 31.........................  ..............  ..............
                                                August 31.......................  ..............  ..............
                                                September 30....................  ..............  ..............
                                                October 31......................  ..............  ..............
                                                November 30.....................  ..............  ..............
                                                December 31.....................  ..............  ..............
SEWARD:
                                                March 31........................            6.21            1.49
                                                April 30........................            5.86            1.31
                                                May 31..........................            5.41            1.47
                                                June 30.........................  ..............  ..............
                                                July 31.........................  ..............  ..............
                                                August 31.......................  ..............  ..............
                                                September 30....................  ..............  ..............
                                                October 31......................  ..............  ..............
                                                November 30.....................  ..............  ..............
                                                December 31.....................  ..............  ..............
BERING SEA: \2\
                                                March 31........................  ..............  ..............
                                                April 30........................            5.59            1.26
                                                May 31..........................            5.41            1.48
                                                June 30.........................  ..............            1.18
                                                July 31.........................            5.39            1.04
                                                August 31.......................            5.01            1.32
                                                September 30....................            4.82            1.35
                                                October 31......................            4.82            1.35
                                                November 30.....................            4.82            1.35
                                                December 31.....................            4.82            1.35
CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA: \3\
                                                March 31........................            6.03            1.16
                                                April 30........................            5.79            1.29
                                                May 31..........................            5.32            1.45
                                                June 30.........................            5.81            1.84
                                                July 31.........................            5.74            1.60
                                                August 31.......................            5.27            1.67
                                                September 30....................            4.73            1.33
                                                October 31......................            4.73            1.33
                                                November 30.....................            4.73            1.33
                                                December 31.....................            4.73            1.33
SOUTHEAST ALASKA: \4\
                                                March 31........................            6.87            2.21
                                                April 30........................            6.22            1.90
                                                May 31..........................            5.93            1.85
                                                June 30.........................            5.86            2.06
                                                July 31.........................            5.81            2.36
                                                August 31.......................            5.75            2.57
                                                September 30....................            5.26            1.91
                                                October 31......................            5.26            1.91
                                                November 30.....................            5.26            1.91
                                                December 31.....................            5.26            1.91
ALL-ALASKA: \5\
                                                March 31........................            6.62            1.89

[[Page 89670]]

 
                                                April 30........................            6.02            1.50
                                                May 31..........................            5.63            1.58
                                                June 30.........................            5.77            1.73
                                                July 31.........................            5.68            1.59
                                                August 31.......................            5.34            1.79
                                                September 30....................            4.90            1.55
                                                October 31......................            4.90            1.55
                                                November 30.....................            4.90            1.55
                                                December 31.....................            4.90            1.55
ALL: \5\
                                                March 31........................            6.62            1.89
                                                April 30........................            6.02            1.50
                                                May 31..........................            5.63            1.58
                                                June 30.........................            5.77            1.73
                                                July 31.........................            5.68            1.59
                                                August 31.......................            5.34            1.79
                                                September 30....................            4.90            1.55
                                                October 31......................            4.90            1.55
                                                November 30.....................            4.90            1.55
                                                December 31.....................            4.90            1.55
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Note: In many instances, prices are not shown in order to comply with confidentiality guidelines when there
  are fewer than three processors operating in a location during a month. Additionally, landings at different
  harbors in the same general location (e.g. ``Juneau, Douglas, and Auke Bay'') have been combined to report
  landings to the main port (e.g., ``Juneau'').
\2\ 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, Unalaska.
\3\ 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, Alitak, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski, Ninilchik, Old Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia,
  Resurrection Bay, Seward, Valdez, Whittier.
\4\ 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, Yakutat.
\5\ 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, Ranier, Fox Island, Mercer
  Island, Seattle, Standwood, Other Washington. For Canada: Port Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver,
  Haines Junction, Other Canada.

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

    Dated: December 22, 2023.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-28707 Filed 12-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P