Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/679.42
Timestamp: 2017-07-26 20:54:49
Document Index: 460961361

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 300', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 300', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679']

50 CFR 679.42 - Limitations on use of QS and IFQ. | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
CFR › Title 50 › Chapter VI › Part 679 › Subpart D › Section 679.42 50 CFR 679.42 - Limitations on use of QS and IFQ.
§ 679.42 Limitations on use of QS and IFQ.
(a)IFQ regulatory area and vessel category.
(i) Notwithstanding § 679.4(d)(1), § 679.7(f)(4) and (f)(11), § 679.40(b)(1), (c)(3), and (e), from July 22, 2005 to November 15, 2005, all or part of the QS and IFQ specified for regulatory area 4C may be harvested in either Area 4C or Area 4D.
(ii) For the year 2006 and subsequent annual IFQ fishing seasons, all or part of the QS and IFQ specified for regulatory area 4C may be harvested in either Area 4C or Area 4D. (2) The QS or IFQ assigned to one vessel category must not be used to harvest IFQ species on a vessel of a different vessel category, except:
(i) As provided in paragraph (k) of this section (processing fish other than IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish);
(ii) As provided in § 679.41(i)(1) of this part (CDQ compensation QS exemption);
(b)Gear - (1)IFQ Fisheries. Authorized fishing gear to harvest IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish is defined in § 679.2.
(i)IFQ halibut. IFQ halibut must not be harvested with trawl gear in any IFQ regulatory area, or with pot gear in any IFQ regulatory area in the BSAI.
(ii)IFQ sablefish. IFQ sablefish must not be harvested with trawl gear in any IFQ regulatory area, or with pot-and-line gear in the GOA. A vessel operator using longline pot gear in the GOA to fish for IFQ sablefish must comply with the GOA sablefish longline pot gear requirements in paragraph (l) of this section.
(2)Seabird avoidance gear and methods. The operator of a vessel using hook-and-line gear authorized at § 679.2 while fishing for IFQ halibut, CDQ halibut, or IFQ sablefish must comply with requirements for seabird avoidance gear and methods set forth at § 679.24(e).
(c)Permit holder aboard requirement. Any individual who harvests halibut or sablefish with fixed gear must have a valid IFQ permit, and if a hired master is conducting the harvest, a valid IFQ hired master permit, and must be aboard the vessel at all times during the fishing trip and be present during the landing.
(d)Emergency waivers and medical transfers. The person authorized to fish IFQ halibut or sablefish must be aboard the vessel during fishing operations and must sign the IFQ landing report except as provided in § 679.41 and under the following circumstances:
(1)Emergency waiver. In the event of extreme personal emergency during a fishing trip involving a person authorized to fish IFQ halibut or sablefish, the requirements or paragraph (c)(1) of this section may be waived. The waiving of these requirements under this provision shall apply to IFQ halibut or IFQ sablefish retained on the fishing trip during which the emergency occurred.
(2)Medical transfers. In the event of a medical condition affecting a QS holder or an immediate family member of a QS holder that prevents the QS holder from being able to participate in the halibut or sablefish IFQ fisheries, a medical transfer may be approved for the IFQ derived from the QS held by the person affected by the medical condition.
(i)General. A medical transfer will be approved if the QS holder demonstrates that:
(A) He or she is unable to participate in the IFQ fishery for which he or she holds QS because of a medical condition that precludes participation by the QS holder; or
(B) He or she is unable to participate in the IFQ fishery for which he or she holds QS because of a medical condition involving an immediate family member that requires the QS holder's full time attendance.
(ii)Eligibility. To be eligible to receive a medical transfer, a QS holder must:
(iii)Application. A QS holder may apply for a medical transfer by submitting a medical transfer application to the Alaska Region, NMFS. A QS holder who has received an approved medical transfer from RAM may transfer the IFQ derived from his or her own QS to an individual eligible to receive IFQ. A medical transfer application is available at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov or by calling 1-800-304-4846. Completed applications must be mailed to: Restricted Access Management Program, NMFS, Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668. A complete application must include:
(E) The primary source of financing for the transfer, how the IFQ was located, and the transferee's (buyer's) relationship to the transferor (seller);
(F) A written declaration from a licensed medical doctor, advanced nurse practitioner, or primary community health aide as those persons are defined in § 679.2. The declaration must include:
(1) The identity of the licensed medical doctor, advanced nurse practitioner, or primary community health aide including his or her full name, business telephone, permanent business mailing address (number and street, city and state, zip code), and whether the individual is a licensed medical doctor, advanced nurse practitioner, or primary community health aide;
(iv)Restrictions.
(A) A medical transfer shall be valid only during the calendar year for which the permit is issued;
(B) A medical transfer will be issued only for the IFQ derived from the QS held by the applicant;
(v)Medical transfer evaluations and appeals - (A)Initial evaluation. The Regional Administrator will evaluate an application for a medical transfer submitted in accordance with paragraphs (d)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iv) of this section. An applicant who fails to submit the information specified in the application for a medical transfer will be provided a reasonable opportunity to submit the specified information or submit a revised application.
(B)Initial administrative determinations (IAD). The Regional Administrator will prepare and send an IAD to the applicant if the Regional Administrator determines that the application provided by the applicant is deficient or if the applicant fails to submit the specified information or a revised application. The IAD will indicate the deficiencies in the application, including any deficiencies with the information on the revised application. An applicant who receives an IAD may appeal under the appeals procedures set out at § 679.43.
(e)Sablefish QS Use.
(2) In the IFQ regulatory area east of 140° W. long., no person, individually or collectively, may use more than 688,485 units of sablefish QS for this area, except if the amount of a person's initial allocation of sablefish QS is greater than 688,485 units, in which case that person may not use more than the amount of the initial allocation.
(5) In the IFQ regulatory area east of 140° W. long., no CQE may hold more than 688,485 units of sablefish QS for this area on behalf of any single eligible community.
(i) 21 percent of the total QS in each regulatory area specified in § 679.41(e)(2)(i) through (e)(2)(iv) of this part for sablefish.
(ii) 15 percent of the total QS specified in § 679.41(e)(2)(v) of this part for sablefish.
(7) No individual that receives IFQ derived from sablefish QS held by a CQE may hold, individually or collectively, more than 50,000 lb (22.7 mt) of IFQ sablefish derived from any sablefish QS source.
(ii) In the Aleutian Islands subarea may lease the IFQ resulting from that QS to any person who has received an approved Application for Eligibility as described in paragraph (d) of this section prior to March 17, 2019 and only to an eligible community resident of Adak, AK, after March 17, 2019.
(f)Halibut QS use.
(i)IFQ regulatory Area 2C. 599,799 units of halibut QS, including halibut QS issued as IFQ and transferred to GAF, as defined in § 300.61 of this title.
(ii)IFQ regulatory area 2C, 3A, and 3B. 1,502,823 units of halibut QS, including halibut QS issued as IFQ and transferred to GAF, as defined in § 300.61 of this title.
(iii)IFQ regulatory area 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E. 495,044 units of halibut QS.
(2) No CQE may receive an amount of halibut QS on behalf of any single eligible community which is more than:
(i)IFQ regulatory area 2C. 599,799 units of halibut QS.
(ii)IFQ regulatory area 2C, 3A, and 3B. 1,502,823 units of halibut QS.
(iii)IFQ regulatory area 4B. 1,392,716 units of halibut QS.
(4) A CQE representing an eligible community may receive by transfer or use QS only in the IFQ regulatory areas designated for that species and for that eligible community as described in Table 21 to this part.
(i) 21 percent of the total QS in each regulatory area specified in § 679.41(e)(3)(i) through (e)(3)(iii) of this part for halibut.
(ii) 15 percent of the total QS specified in § 679.41(e)(3)(v) of this part for halibut.
(6) No individual that receives IFQ derived from halibut QS held by a CQE, including GAF as defined in § 300.61 of this title, may hold, individually or collectively, more than 50,000 pounds (22.7 mt) of IFQ halibut, including IFQ halibut received as GAF, derived from any halibut QS source.
(i) In an IFQ regulatory area specified in § 679.41(e)(3)(i) through (e)(3)(iii) of this part may lease the IFQ resulting from that QS only to an eligible community resident of the eligible community represented by the CQE.
(ii) In IFQ regulatory area 4B may lease the IFQ resulting from that QS to any person who has received an approved Application for Eligibility as described in paragraph (d) of this section prior to March 17, 2019 and only to an eligible community resident of Adak, AK, after March 17, 2019.
(g)Limitations on QS blocks - (1)Number of blocks per species. No person, individually or collectively, may hold more than two blocks of sablefish or three blocks of halibut in any IFQ regulatory area, except:
(i) A person, individually or collectively, who holds unblocked QS for a species in an IFQ regulatory area, may hold only one QS block for that species in that regulatory area; and
(ii) A CQE may hold no more than ten blocks of halibut QS in any IFQ regulatory area and no more than five blocks of sablefish QS in any IFQ regulatory area on behalf of any eligible community.
(2)Action by the Regional Administrator in Areas 3B and 4A. In Areas 3B and 4A, the Regional Administrator shall:
(i) Identify any halibut blocks that result in an allocation of more than 20,000 lb (9.1) mt of halibut IFQ, based on the 2004 TAC for fixed gear halibut in those areas and the QS pools for those areas as of January 31, 2004; and
(ii) Divide those halibut blocks into one block of 20,000 lb (9.1 mt) and the remainder unblocked, based on the 2004 TAC for fixed gear halibut in those areas and the QS pools for those areas as of January 31, 2004.
(3)Transfer of QS blocks. Notwithstanding paragraph (g)(1)(i) of this section, a person who holds more than one block of halibut QS and unblocked halibut QS as a result of the Regional Administrator's action under paragraph (g)(2) of this section may transfer unblocked QS until such time as that person transfers a halibut QS block to another person.
(4) Holding or to hold blocks of QS. For purposes of this section, “holding” or “to hold” blocks of QS means being registered by NMFS as the person who received QS by initial assignment or approved transfer.
(h)Vessel limitations - (1)Halibut. No vessel may be used, during any fishing year, to harvest more than one-half percent of the combined total catch limits of halibut for IFQ regulatory areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E, except that:
(i) In IFQ regulatory area 2C, no vessel may be used to harvest more than 1 percent of the halibut catch limit for this area.
(ii) No vessel may be used, during any fishing year, to harvest more than 50,000 lb (22.7 mt) of IFQ halibut derived from QS held by a CQE, and no vessel used to harvest IFQ halibut derived from QS held by a CQE may be used to harvest more IFQ halibut than the vessel use caps specified in paragraphs (h)(1) introductory text and (h)(1)(i) of this section.
(2)Sablefish. No vessel may be used, during any fishing year, to harvest more than one percent of the combined fixed gear TAC of sablefish for the GOA and BSAI IFQ regulatory areas, except that:
(i) In the IFQ regulatory area east of 140 degrees W. long., no vessel may be used to harvest more than 1 percent of the fixed gear TAC of sablefish for this area.
(ii) No vessel may be used, during any fishing year, to harvest more than 50,000 lb (22.7 mt) of IFQ sablefish derived from QS held by a CQE, and no vessel used to harvest IFQ sablefish derived from QS and held by a CQE may be used to harvest more IFQ sablefish than the vessel use caps specified in paragraphs (h)(2) introductory text and (h)(2)(i) of this section.
(3)Excess. An IFQ permit holder who receives an approved IFQ allocation of halibut or sablefish in excess of these limitations may nevertheless catch and retain all that IFQ with a single vessel. However, two or more IFQ permit holders may not catch and retain their IFQs with one vessel in excess of these limitations.
(4)Liability. Owners and operators of vessels exceeding these limitations are jointly and severally liable with IFQ permit holders and IFQ hired master permit holders whose harvesting causes the vessel to exceed these limitations.
(i)Use of IFQ resulting from QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D by individuals. In addition to the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section, IFQ permits issued for IFQ resulting from QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D must be used only by the individual who holds the QS from which the associated IFQ is derived, except as provided in paragraph (i)(1) of this section.
(iii) Is represented on the vessel by a hired master employed by that individual and permitted in accordance with § 679.4(d)(2).
(iv)NMFS review of application for exemption - (A)Initial evaluation. The Regional Administrator will evaluate an application for a hired master submitted in accordance with paragraphs (i)(1), (i)(6), and (i)(7) of this section. An applicant who fails to submit the information specified in the application for a hired master will be provided a reasonable opportunity to submit the specified information or submit a revised application.
(B)Initial administrative determinations (IAD). The Regional Administrator will prepare and send an IAD to an individual submitting an application for a hired master submitted in accordance with paragraphs (i)(1), (i)(6), and (i)(7) of this section if the Regional Administrator determines that the information required to be submitted to NMFS is deficient or if the applicant fails to submit the required information. The IAD will indicate the deficiencies with the information submitted. An applicant who receives an IAD may appeal under the appeals procedures set out at § 679.43.
(8) Paragraphs (i)(1) and (i)(4) of this section do not apply to any QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D received by transfer by any person described in paragraph (i)(1) after February 12, 2010, except a hired master may be used to harvest IFQ derived from QS blocks that were consolidated under § 679.41(e)(2) or (e)(3) after February 12, 2010, and before December 1, 2014.
(j)Use of IFQ resulting from QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D by corporations, partnerships, or other non-individual entities.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (j)(7) of this section, a corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity that received an initial allocation of QS assigned to category B, C, or D may fish the IFQ resulting from that QS and any additional QS acquired within the limitations of this section from a vessel if that corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity:
(i) For a documented vessel, owns a minimum 20-percent interest in the vessel as shown by the U.S. Abstract of Title issued by the U.S. Coast Guard that lists the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity as an owner and, if necessary to prove the required percentage ownership, other written documentation;
(ii) For an undocumented vessel, owns a minimum 20-percent interest in the vessel as shown by a State of Alaska vessel license or registration that lists the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity as an owner and, if necessary to show the required percentage ownership interest, other written documentation; and
(2) The provision of paragraph (j)(1) of this section is not transferable and does not apply to QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D for halibut in IFQ regulatory Area 2C or for sablefish in the IFQ regulatory area east of 140° W. long. that is transferred to a corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity. Such transfers of additional QS within these areas must be to an individual pursuant to § 679.41(c) and be used pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (i) of this section.
(3) A corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity, except for a publicly held corporation, that receives an initial allocation of QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D loses the exemption provided under this paragraph (j) on the effective date of a change in the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity from that which existed at the time of initial allocation.
(i) For corporations and partnerships, the addition of any new shareholder(s) or partner(s), except that a court appointed trustee to act on behalf of a shareholder or partner who becomes incapacitated is not a change in the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity; or
(5) The Regional Administrator must be notified of a change in the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity as defined in this paragraph (j) within 15 days of the effective date of the change. The effective date of change, for purposes of this paragraph (j), is the date on which the new shareholder(s) or partner(s) may realize any corporate liabilities or benefits of the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity or, for estates, the date of the determination of a legal heir to the estate, or the date of the order for distribution of the estate.
(6) QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D and IFQ resulting from that QS held in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity that changes, as defined in this paragraph (j), must be transferred to an individual, as prescribed in § 679.41, before it may be used at any time after the effective date of the change.
(7) A corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity that received an initial allocation of QS assigned to category B, C, or D and that, prior to April 17, 1997, employed a master to fish any of the IFQ issued to that corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity may continue to employ a master to fish its IFQ on a vessel owned by the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity provided that the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity continues to own the vessel at no lesser percentage of ownership interest than that held on April 17, 1997, and provided that corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity did not acquire additional QS through transfer after September 23, 1997.
(8) A corporation, partnership, or other non-individual entity, except for a publicly held corporation, that receives an allocation of QS must provide annual updates to the Regional Administrator identifying all current shareholders, partners, or members to the individual person level and affirming the entity's continuing existence as a corporation or partnership, or other non-individual entity.
(9) The exemption provided in this paragraph (j) may be exercised by a corporation, partnership, association or other non-individual entity on a vessel owned by a person who is a shareholder in the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity, provided that the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity maintains a minimum of 20-percent interest in the vessel. For purposes of this paragraph (j), interest in a vessel is determined as the percentage of ownership in the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity by that person who is a shareholder in the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity, multiplied by the percentage of ownership in the vessel by that person who is a shareholder in the corporation, partnership, association, or other non-individual entity.
(10) Paragraphs (j)(1) and (j)(9) of this section do not apply to any QS assigned to vessel category B, C, or D received by transfer after February 12, 2010, by an entity described in paragraph (j)(1) except a hired master may be used to harvest IFQ derived from QS that were consolidated under § 679.41(e)(2) or (e)(3) after February 12, 2010, and before December 1, 2014.
(k)Sablefish vessel clearance requirements - (1)Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands.
(i)General. Any vessel operator who fishes for IFQ sablefish in the Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands must possess a transmitting VMS transmitter while fishing for IFQ sablefish.
(ii)VMS requirements.
(A) The operator of the vessel must comply with VMS requirements at § 679.28(f)(3), (f)(4), and (f)(5); and
(2)Gulf of Alaska.
(i)General. A vessel operator using longline pot gear to fish for IFQ sablefish in the Gulf of Alaska must possess a transmitting VMS transmitter while fishing for sablefish.
(l)GOA sablefish longline pot gear requirements. Additional regulations that implement specific requirements for any vessel operator who fishes for IFQ sablefish in the GOA using longline pot gear are set out under: § 300.61 Definitions, § 679.2 Definitions, § 679.5 Recordkeeping and reporting (R&R), § 679.7 Prohibitions, § 679.20 General limitations, § 679.23 Seasons, § 679.24 Gear limitations, and § 679.51 Observer requirements for vessels and plants.
(1)Applicability. Any vessel operator who fishes for IFQ sablefish with longline pot gear in the GOA must comply with the requirements of this paragraph (l). The IFQ regulatory areas in the GOA include the Southeast Outside District of the GOA, the West Yakutat District of the GOA, the Central GOA regulatory area, and the Western GOA regulatory area.
(2)General. To use longline pot gear to fish for IFQ sablefish in the GOA, a vessel operator must:
(3)Pot tags.
(i)Request for pot tags.
(A) The owner of a vessel that uses longline pot gear to fish for IFQ sablefish in the GOA must use pot tags issued by NMFS. A vessel owner may only receive pot tags from NMFS for each vessel that uses longline pot gear to fish for IFQ sablefish in the GOA by submitting a complete IFQ Sablefish Longline Pot Gear Vessel Registration and Request for Pot Gear Tags form according to form instructions. The form is located on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
(ii)Issuance of pot tags.
(A) Upon submission of a completed IFQ Sablefish Longline Pot Gear Vessel Registration and Request for Pot Gear Tags form, NMFS will assign each pot tag to the vessel specified on the form.
(iii)Request for pot tag replacement.
(A) The vessel owner may submit a request to NMFS to replace pot tags that are lost, stolen, or mutilated.
(iv)Annual vessel registration and pot tag assignment.
(A) The owner of a vessel that uses longline pot gear to fish for IFQ sablefish in the GOA must annually register the vessel with NMFS and specify the pot tags that NMFS will assign to the vessel. Pot tags must be assigned to only one vessel each year.
(4)Using pot tags.
(i) Each pot used to fish for IFQ sablefish in the GOA must be identified with a valid pot tag. A valid pot tag is:
(5)Restrictions on GOA longline pot gear deployment and retrieval - (i)General.
(A) A vessel operator must mark longline pot gear used to fish IFQ sablefish in the GOA as specified in § 679.24(a).
(B) A vessel operator must deploy and retrieve longline pot gear to fish IFQ sablefish in the GOA only during the sablefish fishing period specified in § 679.23(g)(1).
(C) The gear retrieval and removal requirements in paragraphs (l)(5)(iii) and (iv) of this section apply to all longline pot gear that is assigned to the vessel and deployed to fish IFQ sablefish and to all other fishing equipment attached to longline pot gear that is deployed in the water by the vessel to fish IFQ sablefish. All other fishing equipment attached to longline pot gear includes, but is not limited to, equipment used to mark longline pot gear as required in § 679.24(a)(3).
(ii)Pot limits. A vessel operator is limited to deploying a maximum number of pots to fish IFQ sablefish in each IFQ regulatory area in the GOA.
(iii)Gear retrieval.
(A) In the Southeast Outside District of the GOA, a catcher vessel operator must retrieve and remove from the fishing grounds all longline pot gear that is assigned to the vessel and deployed to fish IFQ sablefish when the vessel makes an IFQ landing.
(iv)Longline pot gear used on multiple vessels. Longline pot gear assigned to one vessel and deployed to fish IFQ sablefish in the GOA must be removed from the fishing grounds, returned to port, and must have only one set of the appropriate vessel-specific pot tags before being deployed by another vessel to fish IFQ sablefish in the GOA.
(6)Retention of halibut.
(i) A vessel operator who fishes for IFQ sablefish using longline pot gear must retain IFQ halibut if:
(7)Other requirements. A vessel operator who fishes for IFQ sablefish using longline pot gear in the GOA must:
(i) Complete a longline and pot gear Daily Fishing Logbook (DFL) or Daily Cumulative Production Logbook (DCPL) as specified in § 679.5(c); and
For Federal Register citations affecting § 679.42, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.fdsys.gov.
50 CFR 679.41 — Transfer of Quota Shares and IFQ.
50 CFR 300.65 — Catch Sharing Plan and Domestic Management Measures in Waters in and Off Alaska.
50 CFR 300.67 — Charter Halibut Limited Access Program.
50 CFR 679.40 — Sablefish and Halibut QS.