Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/02/03/2016-01890/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-bycatch-management-in-the-bering-sea-pollock
Timestamp: 2019-09-22 19:00:21
Document Index: 231403095

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Comments must be received no later than March 4, 2016.
5681-5702 (22 pages)
NOAA-NMFS-2015-0081
20091200 EIS FMP 91 volume2 FRIR
20091200 EIS FMP 91 volume1 FEIS
EA_RIR Final
BSAI Amend 110 Draft Environmental Assessment/Regulatory...
Amd 110 BSAI fmp amendment
Correct a Cross Reference Error in § 679.51(e)(2)
Remove “Aboard the Vessel” From § 679.51(e)(2)(iii)(B)(3)
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-01890 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-01890
NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 110 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). If approved, Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would improve the management of Chinook and chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery by creating a comprehensive salmon bycatch avoidance program. This action is necessary to minimize Chinook and chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery to the extent practicable while maintaining the potential for the full harvest of the pollock total allowable catch within specified prohibited species catch limits. Amendment 110 is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the FMP, and other applicable laws.
You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2015-0081 of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​NOAA-NMFS-2015-0081, click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Electronic copies of Amendment 110 and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/RIR/IRFA) prepared for this action (collectively the “Analysis”) may be obtained from www.regulations.gov.
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: Ellen Sebastian, Records Officer; in person at NMFS Alaska Region, 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK; and by email Start Printed Page 5682to OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or by fax to 202-395-5806.
Gretchen Harrington or Alicia Miller, 907-586-7228.
NMFS manages the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) under the FMP. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679.
Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would apply to owners and operators of catcher vessels, catcher/processors, motherships, inshore processors, and the six Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program groups participating in the pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) fishery in the Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI. Currently, pollock in the BSAI is managed in three separate geographic units: The Bering Sea subarea, the Aleutian Islands subarea, and the Bogoslof District of the Bering Sea subarea. Amendment 110 and this proposed rule only apply to management of the pollock fishery in the Bering Sea subarea. Amendment 110 would not affect the management of pollock fisheries in the Aleutian Islands or the status of pollock fishing in the Bogoslof District. Therefore, in this proposed rule, the term “pollock fishery” refers only to the Bering Sea pollock fishery, unless otherwise specified.
The pollock fishery is the largest single species fishery, by volume, in the United States. The wholesale gross value of this fishery was more than 1.329 billion dollars in 2013, the most recent year of complete wholesale value data. The pollock fishery is managed under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) (16 U.S.C. 1851 note). In October 1998, Congress enacted the AFA, which “rationalized” the pollock fishery by identifying the vessels and processors eligible to participate in the fishery and allocating pollock among those eligible participants. For more information on the AFA, please see the final rule implementing the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002).
Under the AFA, 10 percent of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) is allocated to the CDQ Program. After the CDQ Program allocation is subtracted, an amount needed for the incidental catch of pollock in other non-pollock groundfish fisheries is subtracted from the TAC. In 2015, the pollock TAC was 1,310,000 metric tons (mt). In 2015, the CDQ allocation was 131,000 mt of pollock and the incidental catch allowance was 47,160 mt. The “directed fishing allowance” is the remaining amount of pollock, after subtraction of the CDQ Program allocation and the incidental catch allowance. The directed fishing allowance is then allocated among the AFA inshore sector (50 percent), the AFA catcher/processor sector (40 percent), and the AFA mothership sector (10 percent). Annually, NMFS further apportions the pollock allocations to the CDQ Program and the AFA sectors between two seasons—40 percent to the A season (January 20 to June 10) and 60 percent to the B season (June 10 to November 1) (see § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(B)(1)).
CDQ groups typically sell or lease their pollock allocations to harvesting partners, including vessels owned, in part, by the CDQ group. Although CDQ groups are not required to partner with AFA-permitted vessels to harvest CDQ pollock, to date, the vessels harvesting CDQ pollock have also been AFA-permitted vessels. Specifically, the CDQ pollock allocations have most often been harvested by AFA catcher/processors, and to a lesser extent, AFA catcher vessels delivering to a mothership. A relatively small amount of CDQ pollock has been harvested by AFA catcher vessels delivering to inshore processing plants.
Each year, catcher vessels eligible to deliver pollock to the seven eligible AFA inshore processors may form inshore cooperatives associated with a particular inshore processor. NMFS permits the inshore cooperatives, allocates pollock to them, and manages these allocations through a regulatory prohibition against an inshore cooperative exceeding its pollock allocation. The amount of pollock allocated to each inshore cooperative is based on the member vessel's pollock catch history from 1995 through 1997, as required under section 210(b) of the Start Printed Page 5683AFA (16 U.S.C. 1851 note). These catcher vessels are not required to join an inshore cooperative. Those that do not join an inshore cooperative are managed by NMFS under the “inshore open access fishery.” For 2015, seven inshore cooperatives have been formed by AFA eligible inshore catcher vessels and their partner inshore processors.
The AFA catcher/processor sector is made up of the catcher/processors and catcher vessels eligible under the AFA to deliver to catcher/processors. Owners of the catcher/processors that are listed by name in the AFA and are still active in the pollock fishery have formed a cooperative called the Pollock Conservation Cooperative (PCC). Owners of the catcher vessels eligible to deliver pollock to the catcher/processors have formed a cooperative called the High Seas Catcher's Cooperative (HSCC). Collectively, the AFA catcher/processor sector operates as a single entity and coordinates the harvesting of its pollock allocation. All participants that harvest pollock allocated to the catcher/processor sector are members of the two cooperatives, except for one participant. Section 208(e)(21) of the AFA expressly limits the amount of harvest by the one participant in the catcher/processor sector who is not a member of a cooperative to 0.5 percent of the TAC allocated to the catcher/processor sector.
The bycatch of culturally and economically valuable species like Chinook salmon and chum salmon, which are fully allocated and, in some cases, facing conservation concerns, are categorized as prohibited species under the FMP. They are the most regulated and closely managed category of bycatch in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska, and specifically in the BS pollock fishery. In addition to Pacific salmon, other species including steelhead trout, Pacific halibut, king crab, Tanner crab, and Pacific herring are classified as prohibited species in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. As a prohibited species, fishermen must avoid salmon bycatch and any salmon caught must either be donated to the Prohibited Species Donation (PSD) Program (see regulations at § 679.26), or returned to Federal waters as soon as is practicable, with a minimum of injury, after an observer has determined the number of salmon and collected any scientific data or biological samples.
The PSD Program was established to reduce the amount of edible protein discarded under prohibited species catch (PSC) regulatory requirements (see regulations § 679.21). One reason for requiring the discard of prohibited species is that some of the fish may live if they are returned to the sea with a minimum of injury and delay. However, salmon caught incidentally in trawl nets die as a result of that capture due to damage they suffer within the nets. The PSD Program allows permitted seafood processors to retain salmon bycatch for distribution to economically disadvantaged individuals through tax-exempt hunger relief organizations. Section 4.5.6 of the Analysis provides additional detail on the PSD Program and donations received and processed through that program.
Chinook salmon taken in the pollock fishery originate from river systems in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada. Estimates vary from year to year, but on average approximately 65 percent of the Chinook salmon bycatch in the pollock fishery may be destined for western Alaska. Western Alaska includes the Bristol Bay, Kuskokwim, Yukon, and Norton Sound areas. Chinook salmon destined for elsewhere in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada comprise approximately 28 percent of the bycatch. Section 3.4 of Start Printed Page 5684the Analysis provides additional information about Chinook salmon biology, distribution, and stock assessments by river system or region (see ADDRESSES).
In 2007, NMFS implemented Amendment 84 to the FMP to enhance the effectiveness of salmon bycatch measures. The Council and NMFS were concerned that increases in Chinook salmon and non-Chinook (predominantly chum) salmon bycatch in the pollock fishery were occurring despite Chinook and chum salmon PSC limits being reached and the closures of the Chinook Salmon Savings Area and Chum Salmon Savings Area (72 FR 61070, October 29, 2007). Amendment 84 exempted pollock vessels from Chinook Salmon Savings Area and Chum Salmon Savings Area closures if they participate in an intercooperative agreement (ICA) to reduce salmon bycatch. Amendment 84 also exempted vessels participating in non-pollock trawl fisheries from Chum Salmon Savings Area closures because these Start Printed Page 5685fisheries intercept minimal amounts of salmon. In 2010, NMFS implemented Amendment 91 to the FMP to manage Chinook salmon bycatch in the pollock fishery (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010), and to remove Chinook salmon from the Amendment 84 regulations. However, Amendment 84 continues to apply to non-Chinook salmon bycatch.
The ICA allowed vessels participating in the pollock fishery to use their internal cooperative structure to reduce Chinook salmon and non-Chinook salmon bycatch using a method called the voluntary rolling hotspot system. Amendment 84 required that parties to the ICA include the AFA cooperatives; the six CDQ groups; at least one third-party group, including any organizations representing western Alaskans who depend on salmon and have an interest in salmon bycatch reduction but do not directly fish in a groundfish fishery; and at least one entity retained to facilitate bycatch avoidance behavior and information sharing. All AFA cooperatives and CDQ groups participated in the ICA and continue to do so to avoid incidentally catching non-Chinook salmon.
Amendment 91, as implemented in 2010 to manage Chinook salmon bycatch in the pollock fishery (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010), combined a limit on the amount of Chinook salmon that may be caught incidentally with a novel approach designed to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable in all years and prevent bycatch from reaching the limit in most years, while providing the fleet the flexibility to harvest the pollock TAC. Amendment 91 removed Chinook salmon from the Amendment 84 regulations, and established two Chinook salmon PSC limits for the pollock fishery—60,000 and 47,591 Chinook salmon. Under Amendment 91, the PSC limit is 60,000 Chinook salmon if some, or all, of the pollock fishery participates in an industry-developed contractual arrangement, called an incentive plan agreement (IPA). An IPA establishes an incentive program to minimize bycatch at all levels of Chinook salmon abundance. Participation in an IPA is voluntary; however, any vessel or CDQ group that chooses not to participate in an IPA is subject to a restrictive opt-out allocation (also called a backstop cap). Since Amendment 91 was implemented, all AFA vessels have participated in an IPA.
Since implementation, all the participants in the pollock fishery are currently participating in IPA agreements. There are three NMFS-approved IPA agreements currently in place: the Inshore Chinook Salmon Savings Incentive Plan Agreement, the Mothership Salmon Savings Incentive Plan Agreement, and the Catcher Processor Chinook Salmon Bycatch Reduction Incentive Plan and Agreement. Section 2.1.2.3 of the Analysis provides details on the features of the current IPA agreements.
Before each fishing year, NMFS calculates each sector's annual threshold amount. If some, but not all, members of a sector were to participate in an IPA, NMFS would reduce that Start Printed Page 5686sector's annual threshold amount by an amount equal to the sum of each non-participating vessel's portion of the applicable performance standard. At the end of each fishing year, NMFS evaluates each sector's annual bycatch against that sector's annual threshold amount. Only the bycatch of vessels or CDQ groups participating in an IPA accrue against a sector's annual threshold amount. A sector's annual threshold amount does not change when vessels from other sectors or entire sectors opt out of an IPA or if another sector exceeds its performance standard.
Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would—
Currently, Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch are managed under two different programs (Amendment 84 for chum salmon bycatch and Amendment 91 for Chinook salmon bycatch). This has created inefficiencies, as having separate programs does not allow participants in the pollock fishery the flexibility to modify harvest patterns Start Printed Page 5687and practices to effectively minimize both Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch. Adding chum salmon measures to the IPAs would increase flexibility in responding to changing conditions and provide greater incentives to reduce bycatch of both salmon species, thereby making salmon bycatch management more effective, comprehensive, and efficient. The chum salmon-specific requirements in the Amendment 84 implementing regulations sometimes prevent fishery participants from making decisions to avoid Chinook salmon when vessels encounter both chum salmon and Chinook salmon.
Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would incorporate chum salmon avoidance into the IPAs established under Amendment 91. This proposed rule would remove the Amendment 84 implementing regulations by removing § 679.21(g). However, Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would maintain the current non-Chinook salmon PSC limit of 42,000 fish and the closure of the Chum Salmon Savings Area to the pollock fishery when the 42,000 non-Chinook salmon PSC limit has been reached (see the above section Management of Salmon Bycatch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) for more detail on the existing salmon regulations). Vessels that participate in an IPA would be exempt from the Chum Salmon Savings Area closure. The purpose of maintaining the non-Chinook salmon PSC limit and the Chum Salmon Savings Area closure is to provide additional incentives for vessels to join an IPA, and to serve as back-stop chum salmon measures for those vessels that choose not to participate in an IPA.
To incorporate chum salmon into the IPAs, the proposed rule would modify the required contents of the IPAs at § 679.21(f)(12), to include the following:
Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would maintain the important chum salmon avoidance features of the Amendment 84 ICAs. Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would: (1) Ensure that the operator of each vessel governed by the IPA will manage that vessel's chum salmon bycatch to avoid areas and times where the chum salmon are likely to return to western Alaska, (2) require the use of the rolling hot spot program for salmon bycatch avoidance, and (3) require notifications of closure areas and any violations of the rolling hot spot program to at least one third party group representing western Alaskans. Because Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would require a rolling hot spot program for both Chinook and chum salmon, the notification process would apply for both species. This proposed rule would also add reporting requirements to the IPA Annual Report in regulations at § 679.21(f)(13) to require the IPA representative to describe how the IPA addresses the goals and objectives in the IPA provisions related to chum salmon. Section 3.5.2 of the Analysis provides more detail on adding elements of chum salmon management.
These new provisions would increase the incentives to reduce Chinook salmon bycatch within the IPAs. To incorporate additional incentives for Chinook salmon savings into the IPAs, the proposed rule would modify the required contents of the IPAs at § 679.21(f)(12) to include the following six provisions.
Requirement that vessels to enter a fishery‐wide in‐season salmon PSC data sharing agreement.
Restrictions or penalties targeted at vessels that consistently have Start Printed Page 5688significantly higher Chinook salmon PSC rates. To reduce the potential for a vessel to consistently maintain higher rates of Chinook salmon PSC than other vessels fishing at the same time (i.e., an outlier), Amendment 110 and this proposed rule would incorporate additional restrictions or penalties targeted at individual vessels that consistently have significantly higher PSC rates as a way for IPAs to increase their responsiveness and improve an individual vessel's performance. Restrictions or penalties targeted at the outliers have the potential to induce changes in fishing behaviors. Strong incentives will induce vessel operators to change where they fish to avoid Chinook salmon bycatch. Changes in fishing patterns can involve several different behaviors: Avoiding an area that has historically or recently had high bycatch; using and sharing more information on high-bycatch areas; and moving immediately once high bycatch has been observed. Section 3.5.3.1 of the Analysis provides more detail on this addition to the IPA requirements.
Restrictions or performance criteria to prevent significantly higher Chinook salmon PSC rates in October. The purpose of this provision is for the IPAs to implement restrictions or criteria designed to ensure that vessels do not have “excessive” bycatch late in October. Chinook salmon bycatch rates are generally higher in October. This provision would strengthen incentives to fish early in the B season and provide greater flexibility to vessels to catch their pollock quota while ensuring vessels do not have excessively high Chinook salmon bycatch late in the season. Section 3.5.3.5 of the Analysis provides more detail on this addition to the IPA requirements (see ADDRESSES).
This proposed rule would change the pollock allocation between the A and B seasons at § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(B)(1). Five percent of the pollock allocation for the B season would be reallocated to the A season for new seasonal apportionments of 45 percent in the A season and 55 percent in the B season. The proposed rule maintains the rollover of any remaining pollock from the A season to the B season. The Council recognized that shifting a limited amount of pollock to the A season would relieve some fishing pressure in the B season and allow the fleet more flexibility to change fishing practices to avoid salmon bycatch while harvesting the pollock TAC. Additionally, because pollock is more valuable in the A season, this allocation change may increase the value of pollock and offset the costs associated with avoiding salmon bycatch.
Revising the season allocation would work in conjunction with the new IPA requirements to shift effort out of the late B season and provide fishery participants more flexibility to avoid Chinook salmon PSC in the late B season. Both the research on salmon migration patterns and Chinook salmon bycatch rates show the time at which there is the greatest overlap with Chinook salmon and pollock fishing. In general, more Chinook salmon are on the grounds in the early A season and the late B season, and less Chinook salmon on the grounds during the late A season and early B season. This provision is intended to shift pollock effort away from these high overlap periods and allow for more effort during the low overlap periods. With the existing rollover provision, this adjustment in the seasonal allocation of pollock does not mandate that more Start Printed Page 5689pollock be harvested in the A season, but it does provide the flexibility for up to 5 percent more pollock to be harvested in times when salmon PSC is lower. Section 3.5.4 of the Analysis provides more detail on this addition to the IPA requirements (see ADDRESSES).
The performance standard of 33,318 Chinook salmon would function the same as the existing performance standard of 47,591 Chinook salmon under Amendment 91. The 33,318 performance standard would apply to each sector that has at least some members participating in an IPA. In each low Chinook salmon abundance year, NMFS would allocate the 33,318 performance standard as an “annual threshold amount” to the catcher/processor sector, the mothership sector, the inshore sector, and the CDQ Program. The same seasonal and sector apportionments would apply to both performance standards. Although Chinook salmon PSC allocations are made to the inshore cooperatives and the CDQ groups, the performance standard applies to the sector, not to individual inshore cooperatives or CDQ groups. In addition to participation by at least some members in an IPA, for each sector to continue to receive its allocation of the 45,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit in low Chinook salmon abundance years, the total annual Chinook salmon bycatch by all members of a sector participating in an IPA could not exceed the sector's annual threshold amount (the sector's annual portion of the performance standard) in any three years within a consecutive seven-year period. The 33,318 performance standard would also be the PSC limit in low abundance years if no IPA was approved or for a sector that had exceeded its performance standard.
If there is an approved IPA, then the PSC limit in low Chinook salmon abundance years would be 45,000 Chinook salmon. The 45,000 PSC limit would function the same as the 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit under Amendment 91. NMFS would issue allocations of the 45,000 PSC limit to the AFA catcher/processor sector, the AFA mothership sector, the AFA inshore cooperatives, and the CDQ groups using the same seasonal and sector apportionments. Separate allocations would be issued for the A season and the B season. Chinook salmon remaining from the A season could be used in the B season (“rollover”). Entities could transfer PSC allocations within a season and could also receive transfers of Chinook salmon bycatch to cover overages (“post-delivery transfers”).
Current catch handling practices on catcher vessels includes the delivery of “deckloaded” pollock to shoreside processors or stationary floating processors. Deckloading is the practice of retaining catch in the codend of the net rather than dumping the catch in refrigerated saltwater tanks (RSW). For reasons detailed in the Section 2.7 of the Analysis, NMFS has recognized deckloading as a historic and operationally important practice for Start Printed Page 5690catcher vessels participating in the pollock fishery. This proposed rule would move regulations currently at § 679.21(c) to § 679.21(f)(15), modify regulations currently at § 679.21(c)(2)(ii) to remove the requirement to store all salmon bycatch in an RSW, which is not possible when a vessel's catch exceeds the storage capacity of the RSW tanks, and add the following requirements at § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(B) to clarify catch handling, sorting, and storage requirements on board catcher vessels:
This proposed regulatory amendment will clarify the existing observer data entry and communications requirements and expand the equipment and software requirements to apply to all catcher vessels less than 125 ft LOA participating in the pollock fishery. NMFS proposes to reorganize regulations at § 679.51(e)(1)(iii) to separate the equipment requirements from the applicability paragraphs to clearly identify which vessel operators must provide a computer, software, and data transmission capabilities. As a result of this proposed action, current requirements for observer data entry equipment, software, and transmission would remain, and the computer and software requirements would be expanded to apply to catcher vessels less than 125 ft LOA participating in the pollock fishery.
Regulations at § 679.28(d)(7)(ii) require that all salmon stored in the salmon storage container on a catcher/processor or mothership must remain in view of the observer at the observer sampling station at all times during the sorting of each haul. NMFS proposes to revise the wording of this regulation to better reflect the intent that the salmon storage container (and not each individual salmon in the container) must remain in view of the observer at the observer sampling station at all times during the sorting of each haul.
Current regulations do not require that all salmon be removed from the observer sampling area and the salmon storage location at the end of each haul or each delivery. NMFS proposes to modify regulations at § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(A)(3) and § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(C)(6) to require that all salmon must be removed, in the presence of the observer, from the salmon storage container and adjacent area at the end of each haul or delivery after the observer has completed his or her data collection duties. NMFS proposes this revision to the regulations to ensure that salmon are properly accounted for between hauls and deliveries.
NMFS proposes to revise to the regulations for clarity and efficiency, as follows—
Correct a cross reference error in paragraph (6) of the definition of a fishing trip in § 679.2.
Remove the requirement to submit an application form with a proposed IPA or amended IPA at § 679.21(f)(12)(iii)(A) and § 679.21(f)(12)(v)(C);
Remove the requirement at § 679.21(f)(12)(v)(C)(2) that an amendment to the list of IPA participants be received by NMFS no later than 1700 hours, Alaska local time, on December 1;
Move and consolidate the regulations for the non-Chinook salmon PSC limit and Chum Salmon Savings Area from § 679.21(e) to § 679.21(f)(14);
Move and consolidate the regulations for Chinook salmon bycatch in the Aleutian Islands pollock fishery from § 679.21(e) to § 679.21(g);
Correct a cross reference error in § 679.51(e)(2);
Remove “aboard the vessel” from § 679.51(e)(2)(iii)(B)(3); and
However, a regulatory amendment is required to change these tables in the Start Printed Page 5691regulations. Changes to the information in these tables may become more frequent as vessels change names, ownership, or are replaced under the provisions of the recently implemented regulations for Amendment 106 (79 FR 54590, September 12, 2014). Removing these tables from regulation, and posting the necessary information on the Alaska Region Web site, would reduce inaccuracies that could exist between actual vessel characteristics and the table in regulations.
The proposed rule would correct a cross reference error in paragraph (6) of the definition of a fishing trip in § 679.2. This paragraph defines a fishing trip for purposes of implementing the post-delivery transfer provisions under Amendment 91. These provisions are described in more detail on page 14026 and 14027 of the proposed rule for Amendment 91 (75 FR 14016; March 23, 2010). The cross reference to the CDQ Program prohibition in paragraph (6) of the fishing trip definition should refer to § 679.7(d)(5)(ii)(C)(2) instead of § 679.7(d)(9).
NMFS proposes to remove the requirement at § 679.21(f)(12)(iii)(A) and § 679.21(f)(12)(v)(C) that an IPA representative submit an application form along with a proposed IPA or amended IPA based on public comment under the Paperwork Reduction Act. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, every three years NMFS is required to obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to continue to collect information authorized under previous final rules. The most recent request for public comments on renewal of the information collection authorized under the AFA (OMB Control Number 0648-0401) was published in the Federal Register on June 19, 2014 (79 FR 35150). In response to this request for comments, NMFS received a comment that the requirement to submit an application form in addition to submitting a proposed or amended IPA was duplicative with the information in the IPA itself. NMFS agrees that the application form is unnecessary and therefore proposes removing it from the regulations.
NMFS proposes to remove the requirement at § 679.21(f)(12)(v)(C)(2) that an amendment to the list of IPA participants (vessels) must be received by NMFS no later than 1700 hours, A.l.t., on December 1. In removing this requirement, NMFS proposes to add a requirement at § 679.21(f)(12)(ii)(D) that once a member of an IPA, a vessel owner or CDQ group cannot withdraw from the IPA during the fishing year. This change more directly implements the Amendment 91 requirement that IPA members cannot leave an IPA mid-year and that changes to an IPA membership must be made after the directed pollock fishery closes by regulation (after November 1 of each year).
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(1)(vii), (e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(ii), (e)(7)(vii), and (e)(7)(ix) pertain to the non-Chinook salmon PSC limit, the allocation of the non-Chinook salmon PSC to the CDQ Program, the closure of the Chum Salmon Savings Area, and the exemption to the closure for participants in an ICA. NMFS proposes to move these regulations to § 679.21(f)(14) where other salmon bycatch regulations are found because they are management measures to address salmon bycatch in the pollock fishery. NMFS does not propose any substantive changes to these regulations, except to replace the term “ICA” with “IPA” in the regulations to be consistent with the proposed revisions described earlier in this preamble.
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(1)(viii), (e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(i), and (e)(7)(viii) pertain to the Chinook salmon PSC limit for the Aleutian Islands pollock fishery, the allocation of the Aleutian Islands Chinook salmon PSC to the CDQ Program, and closure of the Aleutian Islands Chinook Salmon Savings Area. NMFS proposes to move these regulations to § 679.21(g). NMFS does not propose any substantive changes to these regulations.
The proposed rule would correct a cross reference error in § 679.51(e)(2). This paragraph describes the applicability of manager responsibilities for a shoreside processor or stationary floating processor required to maintain observer coverage. The cross reference to the observer requirements for shoreside processors and stationary floating processors should refer to § 679.51(b) instead of § 679.51(d).
Regulations at § 679.51(e)(2)(iii)(B)(3) pertain to the observer data entry and communications equipment required at a shoreside processor or stationary floating processor, some of which are not vessels. Therefore, NMFS proposes to remove the language “aboard the vessel” from this paragraph for clarity.
An IRFA was prepared for this action, as required by section 603 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). The IRFA for this proposed action describes the reasons why this action is being proposed; the objectives and legal basis for the proposed rule; the number of small entities to which the proposed rule would apply; any projected reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance requirements of the proposed rule; any overlapping, duplicative, or conflicting Federal rules; and any significant alternatives to the proposed rule that would accomplish the stated objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and any other applicable statutes, and that would minimize any significant adverse economic impacts of the proposed rule on small entities. Descriptions of the proposed action, its Start Printed Page 5692purpose, and the legal basis are contained earlier in this preamble and are not repeated here. A summary of the IRFA follows. A copy of the IRFA is available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).
The RFA requires consideration of affiliations among entities for the purpose of assessing if an entity is small. The AFA pollock cooperatives are a type of affiliation. All the non-CDQ entities directly regulated by the proposed action were members of AFA cooperatives in 2014 and, therefore, NMFS considers them “affiliated” large (non-small) entities for RFA purposes. Section 5.6 of the IRFA notes that all of the AFA cooperatives have gross annual revenues that are substantially greater than $20.5 million, the standard used by the Small Business Administration to define the annual gross revenue of a large (non-small) business engaged in finfish harvesting, such as pollock. Therefore, all the non-CDQ pollock fishery participants are defined as large (non-small) entities.
Due to their status as non-profit corporations, the six CDQ groups are identified as “small” entities for RFA purposes. This proposed action directly regulates the six CDQ groups. As described in regulations implementing the RFA (13 CFR 121.103), the CDQ groups' affiliations with other large entities do not define them as large entities.
This proposed rule would revise some existing requirements and remove some requirements. The revised requirements are those related to—
The consultation process for this action started during the Council process when the Council started developing Amendment 110. A number of tribal representatives and tribal organizations provided written public comments and oral public testimony to the Council during Council outreach meetings on Amendment 110 and at the numerous Council meetings at which Amendment 110 was discussed.Start Printed Page 5693
NMFS conducted two tribal consultations, one in December 2014 and one in April 2015, with representatives from the Tanana Chiefs Conference; the Association of Village Council Presidents; the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association; the Kawerak, Inc.; and the Bering Sea Fishermen's Association. These organizations prepared letters for the Council and requested the consultations to discuss the salmon bycatch management measures under consideration by the Council. NMFS posted reports from these consultations on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/​tribal-consultations.
a. Remove the definition for “Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement (IPA)”;
b. Revise the definitions for “Chum Salmon Savings Area of the BSAI CVOA”, and paragraph (6) of “Fishing trip”;
c. Remove the definition for “Non-Chinook salmon bycatch reduction intercooperative agreement (ICA)”;
d. Revise the definition for “PSQ reserve”; and
c. Add the definition for “Salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement (IPA)” in alphabetical order;
Chum Salmon Savings Area of the BSAI CVOA (See § 679.21(f)(14) and Figure 9 to this part).
(6) For purposes of § 679.7(d)(5)(ii)(C)(2) for CDQ groups and § 679.7(k)(8)(ii) for AFA entities, the period beginning when a vessel operator commences harvesting any pollock that will accrue against a directed fishing allowance for pollock in the BS or against a pollock CDQ allocation harvested in the BS and ending when the vessel operator offloads or transfers any processed or unprocessed pollock from that vessel.
PSQ reserve means the amount of a prohibited species catch limit established under § 679.21 that has been allocated to the CDQ Program under § 679.21.
Salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement (IPA) is a voluntary private contract, approved by NMFS under § 679.21(f)(12), that establishes incentives for participants to avoid Chinook salmon and chum salmon bycatch while directed fishing for pollock in the BS.
a. Revise paragraphs (d)(5)(ii)(B), (d)(5)(ii)(C)( 5), and (k)(8) heading;
b. Redesignate paragraph (k)(8)(iv) as (k)(8)(v); and
c. Add new paragraph (k)(8)(iv).
(B) Non-Chinook salmon. For the operator of a vessel, to use trawl gear to harvest pollock CDQ in the Chum Salmon Savings Area between September 1 and October 14 after the CDQ group's non-Chinook salmon PSQ is attained, unless the vessel is participating in an approved IPA under § 679.21(f)(12).
(5) For the operator of a catcher vessel delivering pollock CDQ catch to a Start Printed Page 5694shoreside processor or stationary floating processor to:
(i) Deliver pollock CDQ to a processor that does not have a catch monitoring and control plan approved under § 679.28(g).
(ii) Handle, sort, or discard catch without notifying the observer 15 minutes prior to handling, sorting, or discarding catch as described in § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(B)(2).
(iii) Fail to secure catch after the completion of catch handling and the collection of scientific data and biological samples as described in § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(B)(3).
(iv) Catcher vessels. (A) For the operator of a catcher vessel, to handle, sort, or discard catch without notifying the observer 15 minutes prior to handling, sorting, or discarding catch as described in § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(B)(2).
(B) For the operator of a catcher vessel to fail to secure catch after the completion of catch handling and the collection of scientific data and biological samples as described in § 679.21(f)(15)(ii)(B)(3).
4. In § 679.20, revise paragraph (a)(5)(i)(B)( 1) to read as follows:
(1) Inshore, catcher/processor, mothership, and CDQ sectors. The portions of the BS subarea pollock directed fishing allowances allocated to each sector under sections 206(a) and 206(b) of the AFA and the CDQ allowance in the BSAI will be divided into two seasonal allowances corresponding to the two fishing seasons set out at § 679.23(e)(2), as follows:
b. Remove paragraphs (e)(1)(vi), (vii), and (viii); (e)(3)(i)(A)(3); and (e)(7)(vii), (viii), and (ix); and
c. Revise paragraphs (f) and (g) to read as follows:
(f) Salmon Bycatch Management in the BS Pollock Fishery — (1) Applicability. This paragraph contains regulations governing the bycatch of salmon in the BS pollock fishery.
(i) An AFA sector will receive a portion of the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit, or, in a low Chinook salmon abundance year, the 33,318 Chinook salmon PSC limit, if—
(ii) An AFA sector will receive a portion of the 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit, or, in a low Chinook salmon abundance year, the 45,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit, if—
(3) Allocations of the Chinook salmon PSC limits—(i) Seasonal apportionment. NMFS will apportion the Chinook salmon PSC limits annually 70 percent to the A season and 30 percent to the B season, which are described in § 679.23(e)(2).
(A) Catcher/processor AFA catcher/processors and AFA catcher vessels delivering to AFA catcher/processors, all of which are permitted under § 679.4(l)(2) and (l)(3)(i)(A), respectively.
(B) Mothership AFA catcher vessels harvesting pollock for processing by AFA motherships, all of which are permitted under § 679.4(l)(3)(i)(B) and (l)(4), respectively.
(C) Inshore AFA catcher vessels harvesting pollock for processing by AFA inshore processors, all of which are permitted under § 679.4(l)(3)(i)(C).
(A) If a sector is managed under the 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit, the maximum amount of Chinook salmon PSC allocated to each sector in each season and annually is—
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(v) Allocations to inshore cooperatives and the AFA inshore open access fishery. NMFS will further allocate the inshore sector's Chinook salmon PSC allocation under paragraph (f)(3)(iii) of this section among the inshore cooperatives and the inshore open access fishery based on the percentage allocations of pollock to each inshore cooperative under § 679.62(a). NMFS will issue transferable Chinook salmon PSC allocations to inshore cooperatives. Any Chinook salmon PSC allocated to the inshore open access fishery will be as a non-transferable allocation managed by NMFS under the requirements of paragraph (f)(10) of this section.
(viii) Public release of Chinook salmon PSC information. For each year, NMFS will release to the public and publish on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/​):
(4) Reduction in allocations of the Chinook salmon PSC limit—(i) Reduction in sector allocations. NMFS will reduce the seasonal allocation of the Chinook salmon PSC limit to the catcher/processor sector, the mothership sector, the inshore sector, or the CDQ Program under paragraph (f)(3)(iii)(A) or (B) of this section, if the owner of any permitted AFA vessel in that sector, or any CDQ group, does not participate in an approved IPA under paragraph (f)(12) of this section. NMFS will subtract the amount of Chinook salmon from each sector's allocation associated with each vessel not participating in an approved IPA.
(i) Annual threshold amount. Prior to each year, NMFS will calculate each sector's annual threshold amount. NMFS will post the annual threshold amount for each sector on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/​). At the end of each Start Printed Page 5697year, NMFS will evaluate the Chinook salmon bycatch by all IPA participants in each sector against that sector's annual threshold amount.
(A) Inshore cooperatives. NMFS will issue transferable Chinook salmon PSC allocations to the inshore cooperatives permitted annually under § 679.4(l)(6). The representative and agent for service of process (see definition at § 679.2) for an inshore cooperative is the cooperative representative identified in the application for an inshore cooperative fishing permit issued under § 679.4(l)(6), unless the inshore cooperative representative notifies NMFS in writing that a different person will act as its agent for service of process for purposes of this paragraph (f). An inshore cooperative is not required to submit an application under paragraph (f)(8)(ii) of this section to receive a transferable Chinook salmon PSC allocation.
(A) Application form. The applicant must submit a paper copy of the application form with all information fields accurately filled in, including the affidavit affirming that each eligible vessel owner, from whom the applicant received written notification requesting to join the sector entity, has been allowed to join the sector entity subject to the same terms and conditions that have been agreed on by, and are applicable to, all other parties to the sector entity. The application form is available on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/​) or from NMFS at the address in paragraph (b)(6) of this section.
(F) Amendments to the sector entity. (1) An amendment to the sector entity Start Printed Page 5698contract, with no change in entity participants, may be submitted to NMFS at any time and is effective upon written notification of approval by NMFS to the entity representative. To amend a contract, the entity representative must submit a complete application, as described in paragraph (f)(8)(ii) of this section.
(iii) Entity representative. (A) The entity's representative must—
(B) Any vessel owner that is a member of an inshore cooperative, or a member of the entity that represents the catcher/processor sector or the mothership sector, may authorize the entity representative to sign a proposed IPA submitted to NMFS, under paragraph (f)(12) of this section, on his or her behalf. This authorization must be included in the contract submitted to NMFS, under paragraph (f)(8)(ii)(B) of this section, for the sector-level entities and in the contract submitted annually to NMFS by inshore cooperatives under § 679.61(d).
(iv) Agent for service of process. The entity's agent for service of process must —
(ii) Post-delivery transfers. If the Chinook salmon bycatch by an entity exceeds its seasonal allocation, the entity may receive transfers of Chinook salmon PSC to cover overages for that season. An entity may conduct transfers to cover an overage that results from Chinook salmon bycatch from any fishing trip by a vessel fishing on behalf of that entity that was completed or is in progress at the time the entity's allocation is first exceeded. Under § 679.7(d)(5)(ii)(C)(2) and (k)(8)(v)(B), vessels fishing on behalf of an entity that has exceeded its Chinook salmon PSC allocation for a season may not start a new fishing trip for pollock in the BS on behalf of that same entity for the remainder of that season.
(iii) Application for transfer of Chinook salmon PSC allocations—(A) Completed application. NMFS will process a request for transfer of Chinook salmon PSC provided that a paper or electronic application is completed, with all information fields accurately filled in. Application forms are available on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/​) or from NMFS at the address in paragraph (b)(6) of this section.
(B) Certification of transferor— (1) Non-electronic submittal. The transferor's designated representative must sign and date the application certifying that all information is true, correct, and complete. The transferor's designated representative must submit the paper application as indicated on the application.
(C) Certification of transferee— (1) Non-electronic submittal. The transferee's designated representative must sign and date the application certifying that all information is true, correct, and complete.
(10) Non-transferable Chinook salmon PSC allocations. (i) All vessels belonging to a sector that is ineligible to receive transferable allocations under paragraph (f)(8) of this section, any catcher vessels participating in an inshore open access fishery, and all vessels fishing under the opt-out allocation under paragraph (f)(5) of this section will fish under specific non-transferable Chinook salmon PSC allocations.Start Printed Page 5699
(11) Rollover of unused A season allocation— (i) Rollovers of transferable allocations. NMFS will add any Chinook salmon PSC allocation remaining at the end of the A season, after any transfers under paragraph (f)(9)(ii) of this section, to an entity's B season allocation.
(ii) Rollover of non-transferable allocations. For a non-transferable allocation for the mothership sector, catcher/processor sector, or an inshore open access fishery, NMFS will add any Chinook salmon PSC remaining in that non-transferable allocation at the end of the A season to that B season non-transferable allocation.
(12) Salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements (IPAs)— (i) Minimum participation requirements. More than one IPA may be approved by NMFS. Each IPA must have participants that represent the following:
(B) Minimum number of unaffiliated AFA entities. Parties to an IPA must represent any combination of two or more CDQ groups or corporations, partnerships, or individuals who own AFA-permitted vessels and are not affiliated, as affiliation is defined for purposes of AFA entities in § 679.2.
(E) Description of the incentive plan. The IPA must contain a description of the following—
(10) The requirement for vessels to enter a fishery‐wide in‐season salmon PSC data sharing agreement.
(G) Signatures. The names and signatures of the owner or representative for each vessel and CDQ group that is a party to the IPA. The representative of an inshore cooperative, or the representative of the entity formed to represent the AFA catcher/processor sector or the AFA mothership sector under paragraph (f)(8) of this section may sign a proposed IPA on behalf of all vessels that are members of that inshore cooperative or sector level entity.
(iv) Deadline and duration— (A) Deadline for proposed IPA. A proposed IPA must be received by NMFS no later than 1700 hours, A.l.t., on October 1 of the year prior to the year for which the IPA is proposed to be effective.
(B) Duration. Once approved, an IPA is effective starting January 1 of the year Start Printed Page 5700following the year in which NMFS approves the IPA, unless the IPA is approved between January 1 and January 19, in which case the IPA is effective starting in the year in which it is approved. Once approved, an IPA is effective until December 31 of the first year in which it is effective or until December 31 of the year in which the IPA representative notifies NMFS in writing that the IPA is no longer in effect, whichever is later. An IPA may not expire mid-year. No party may join or leave an IPA once it is approved, except as allowed under paragraph (f)(12)(v)(C) of this section.
(v) NMFS review of a proposed IPA—(A) Approval. An IPA will be approved by NMFS if it meets the following requirements:
(2) Initial Administrative Determination (IAD). If, in NMFS' review of the proposed IPA, NMFS identifies deficiencies in the proposed IPA that require disapproval of the proposed IPA, NMFS will notify the applicant in writing. The IPA representative will be provided one 30-day period to address, in writing, the deficiencies identified by NMFS. Additional information or a revised IPA received by NMFS after the expiration of the 30-day period specified by NMFS will not be considered for purposes of the review of the proposed IPA. NMFS will evaluate any additional information submitted by the applicant within the 30-day period. If the Regional Administrator determines that the additional information addresses deficiencies in the proposed IPA, the Regional Administrator will approve the proposed IPA under paragraphs (f)(12)(iv)(B) and (f)(12)(v)(A) of this section. However, if, after consideration of the original proposed IPA and any additional information submitted during the 30-day period, NMFS determines that the proposed IPA does not comply with the requirements of paragraph (f)(12) of this section, NMFS will issue an initial administrative determination (IAD) providing the reasons for disapproving the proposed IPA.
(3) Administrative Appeals. An IPA representative who receives an IAD disapproving a proposed IPA may appeal under the procedures set forth at § 679.43. If the IPA representative fails to file an appeal of the IAD pursuant to § 679.43, the IAD will become the final agency action. If the IAD is appealed and the final agency action is a determination to approve the proposed IPA, then the IPA will be effective as described in paragraph (f)(12)(iv)(B) of this section.
(vi) Public release of an IPA. NMFS will make all proposed IPAs and all approved IPAs and the list of participants in each approved IPA available to the public on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/​).
(C) An evaluation of whether incentive measures were effective in achieving salmon savings beyond levels that would have been achieved in absence of the measures, including the effectiveness of—
(14) Non-Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) limit and Chum Salmon Savings Area. (i) The PSC limit for non-Chinook salmon caught by vessels using trawl gear from August 15 through October 14 in the Catcher Vessel Operational Area, as defined under § 679.22(a)(5) and in Figure 2 to this part, is 42,000 fish.Start Printed Page 5701
(i) Salmon discard. The operator of a vessel and the manager of a shoreside processor or SFP must not discard any salmon or transfer or process any salmon under the PSD Program at § 679.26 if the salmon were taken incidental to a directed fishery for pollock in the BS until the number of salmon has been determined by the observer and the observer's collection of any scientific data or biological samples from the salmon has been completed.
(ii) Salmon retention and storage. (A) Operators of catcher/processors or motherships must—
(1) Sort and transport all salmon bycatch from each haul to an approved storage container located adjacent to the observer sampling station that allows an observer free and unobstructed access to the salmon (see § 679.28(d)(2)(i) and (d)(7)). The salmon storage container must remain in view of the observer from the observer sampling station at all times during the sorting of the haul.
(4) Ensure no salmon of any species pass the observer sample collection point, as identified in the scale drawing of the observer sample station (see § 679.28(d)(2)(i) and (d)(7)).
(B) Operators of vessels delivering to shoreside processors or stationary floating processors must—
(2) Notify the observer at least 15 minutes before handling catch on board the vessel, including, but not limited to, moving catch from one location to another, sorting, or discard of catch prior to the delivery of catch to the processor receiving the vessel's BS pollock catch. This notification requirement is in addition to the notification requirements in § 679.51(e).
(C) Shoreside processors or stationary floating processors must —
(1) Comply with the requirements in § 679.28(g)(7)(vii) for the receipt, sorting, and storage of salmon from deliveries of catch from the BS pollock fishery.
(3) Sort and transport all salmon of any species to the salmon storage container identified in the CMCP (see § 679.28(g)(7)(vi)(C) and(g)(7)(x)(F)). The salmon must remain in that salmon storage container and within the view of the observer at all times during the offload.
(iv) Discard of salmon. Except for salmon under the PSD Program at § 679.26, all salmon must be returned to the sea as soon as is practicable, following notification by an observer that the number of salmon has been determined and the collection of scientific data or biological samples has been completed.
(g) Chinook salmon bycatch management in the AI pollock fishery— (1) Applicability. This paragraph contains regulations governing the bycatch of Chinook salmon in the AI pollock fishery.
(ii) 7.5 percent of the PSC limit is allocated to the CDQ Program as a PSQ reserve.Start Printed Page 5702
6. In § 679.22, revise paragraph (a)(10) to read as follows:
(10) Chum Salmon Savings Area. Directed fishing for pollock by vessels using trawl gear is prohibited from August 1 through August 31 in the Chum Salmon Savings Area defined at Figure 9 to this part (see also § 679.21(f)(14)). Vessels directed fishing for pollock in the BS, including pollock CDQ, and operating under an approved IPA under § 679.21(f)(12) are exempt from closures in the Chum Salmon Savings Area.
7. In § 679.28, revise paragraphs (d)(7)(i), (ii), and (iii) to read as follows:
8. In § 679.51, revise paragraphs (e)(1)(iii), (e)(2) introductory text, and (e)(2)(iii)(B)( 3) to read as follows:
(iii) Communications and observer data entry—(A) Observer use of equipment. Allow an observer to use the vessel's communications equipment and personnel, on request, for the confidential entry, transmission, and receipt of work-related messages, at no cost to the observer or the United States.
Tables 47a through 47d to Part 679
9. Remove Tables 47a through 47d to part 679.
[FR Doc. 2016-01890 Filed 2-2-16; 8:45 am]