Source: https://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2018/12/12/2018-26875.html
Timestamp: 2019-07-23 11:50:45
Document Index: 620668676

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 600', '§ 600', 'art 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 679', '§ 300', '§ 679', '§ 679', 'art 679']

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs, 63834-63837 [2018-26875] :: National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration :: Department Of Commerce :: Regulation Tracker :: Justia
Justia Regulation Tracker Department Of Commerce National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs, 63834-63837 [2018-26875]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs, 63834-63837 [2018-26875]
Download as PDF 63834 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices II. Purpose DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE The purpose of this notice is to adjust the fee rate for the reduction fishery in accordance with the framework rule’s § 600.1013(b). Section 600.1013(b) directs NMFS to recalculate the fee rate that will be reasonably necessary to ensure reduction loan repayment within the specified 30 year term. NMFS has determined for the reduction fishery that the current fee rate of $0.013 per pound is less than that needed to service the A Loan. Therefore, NMFS is increasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.017 per pound which NMFS has determined is sufficient to ensure timely loan repayment. The fee rate for Loan B will remain $0.001 per pound. Subsector members may continue to use Pay.gov to disburse collected fee deposits at: http://www.pay.gov/ paygov/. Please visit the NMFS website for additional information at: https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ funding-and-financial-services/longlinecatcher-processor-subsector-bering-seaand-aleutian-islands-non-pollock. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration III. Notice The new fee rate for the non-pollock Groundfish fishery will begin on January 1, 2019. From and after this date, all subsector members paying fees on the non-pollock groundfish fishery shall begin paying non-pollock groundfish fishery program fees at the revised rate. Fee collection and submission shall follow previously established methods in § 600.1013 of the framework rule and in the final fee rule published in the Federal Register on September 24, 2007 (72 FR 54219). Authority: The authority for this action is Public Law 108–447, 16 U.S.C. 1861a (b–e), and 50 CFR 600.1000 et seq. Dated: December 3, 2018. Brian Pawlak, CFO/CAO Director, Office of Management and Budget, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–26884 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am] amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 BILLING CODE 3510–22–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:39 Dec 11, 2018 Jkt 247001 RIN 0648–XG613 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Programs National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of standard prices and fee percentage. AGENCY: 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 2018 is 2.8 percent. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2018 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2019. DATES: The standard prices and fee percentages are valid on December 12, 2018. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl Greene, Fee Coordinator, 907–586–7105. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: 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. 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). 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. PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations in § 679.45 implementing cost recovery for the IFQ Program (65 FR 14919). Under the regulations, an IFQ permit holder must pay a cost recovery fee for every pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish that is landed on his or her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is responsible for selfcollecting the fee for all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings on his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also responsible for submitting IFQ fee payment(s) to NMFS on or before the due date of January 31 of the year following the year in which the IFQ landings were made. The total dollar amount of the fee due 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 § 679.45(d)(1) and (d)(3)(i), NMFS publishes this notice of the fee percentage for the halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries in the Federal Register during or before the last quarter of each year. Standard Prices The fee is based on the sum of all payments 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 exvessel 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 year. According to § 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 E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices pounds landed as guided angler fish is converted to IFQ equivalent pound(s) as specified in § 300.65(c) of this title. 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 Table 1 that follows 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 § 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 IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made during the previous year (fishery value). NMFS captures 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, the estimated percentage of management costs to fishery value for the 2018 calendar year is 2.8 percent of the standard ex-vessel value, which is below the 3.0 maximum fee percentage allowed under section 304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. An IFQ permit holder is to use the fee percentage of 2.8 percent to calculate his or her fee for IFQ equivalent pound(s) landed during the 2018 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing season. An 63835 IFQ permit holder is responsible for submitting the 2018 IFQ fee payment to NMFS on or before January 31, 2019. Payment must be made in accordance with the payment methods set forth in § 679.45(a)(4). NMFS no longer accepts credit card information by phone or inperson for fee payments. NMFS has determined that the practice of accepting credit card information by phone or in-person no longer meets agency standards for protection of personal financial information (81 FR 23645, April 22, 2016). The 2018 fee percentage of 2.8 percent is higher than the 2017 fee percentage of 2.2 percent (82 FR 60379, December 20, 2017). Although management costs for the IFQ Program fisheries dropped 1.9 percent from 2017 to 2018, the rise in fee percentage can be attributed to an estimated 22.4 percent decrease in the value of the fisheries over the same period. TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2018 IFQ SEASON Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 IFQ Season 1 Landing location Period ending Halibut standard ex-vessel price Sablefish standard ex-vessel price CORDOVA .............................................. March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 6.37 6.02 5.74 5.74 5.74 4.72 4.89 4.87 5.68 6.18 6.44 5.65 5.65 5.65 ........................ 5.24 5.18 5.23 5.70 5.90 5.86 5.86 5.86 ........................ 4.73 4.65 5.02 5.59 5.76 5.58 5.58 5.58 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ HOMER ................................................... KETCHIKAN ............................................ amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 KODIAK ................................................... PETERSBURG ....................................... VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:39 Dec 11, 2018 Jkt 247001 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1 4.17 2.41 3.04 3.59 3.81 3.81 3.81 ........................ ........................ 2.54 3.21 3.56 3.28 3.86 3.81 3.81 3.81 ........................ ........................ ........................ 63836 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2018 IFQ SEASON— Continued Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 IFQ Season 1 Period ending Halibut standard ex-vessel price Sablefish standard ex-vessel price June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... March 31 ............................................................................................ April 30 ............................................................................................... May 31 ............................................................................................... June 30 .............................................................................................. July 31 ................................................................................................ August 31 ........................................................................................... ........................ 5.89 5.99 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 5.27 5.17 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 5.18 5.15 ........................ 4.94 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 4.75 4.53 4.60 4.53 4.75 4.95 4.95 4.95 5.19 5.08 4.89 5.40 6.12 6.47 5.58 5.58 5.58 5.19 5.18 5.10 5.21 5.84 6.00 5.88 5.88 5.88 5.18 5.12 4.94 5.26 5.76 5.82 5.51 5.51 5.51 5.18 5.12 4.94 5.26 5.76 5.82 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 3.75 3.35 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 3.38 3.92 4.09 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 2.45 2.04 2.88 2.99 3.57 3.39 3.39 3.39 3.01 3.17 3.36 3.55 3.20 3.74 3.79 3.79 3.79 3.73 3.46 3.80 3.99 4.27 4.38 4.53 4.53 4.53 3.67 3.26 3.37 3.71 3.53 3.86 4.00 4.00 4.00 3.67 3.26 3.37 3.71 3.53 3.86 Landing location SEWARD ................................................ SITKA ...................................................... PORT GROUP BERING SEA 2 .............. PORT GROUP CENTRAL GULF 3 ......... PORT GROUP SOUTHEAST 4 .............. amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 ALL-ALASKA 5 ........................................ ALL 5 ........................................................ VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:39 Dec 11, 2018 Jkt 247001 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1 63837 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices TABLE 1—REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR THE 2018 IFQ SEASON— Continued Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 IFQ Season 1 Landing location Halibut standard ex-vessel price Period ending September 30 ..................................................................................... October 31 ......................................................................................... November 30 ...................................................................................... 5.51 5.51 5.51 Sablefish standard ex-vessel price 4.00 4.00 4.00 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. 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 2, 3, and 4. For California: Eureka, Fort Bragg, other California. For Oregon: Astoria, Aurora, Lincoln City, Newport, Warrenton, other Oregon. For Washington: Anacortes, Bellevue, Bellingham, Nagai Island, Edmonds, Everett, Granite Falls, Ilwaco, La Conner, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Rainier, Fox Island, Mercer Island, Seattle, Standwood, other Washington. For Canada: Port Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver, Haines Junction, other Canada. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 7, 2018. Karen H. Abrams, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–26875 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am] The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held on January 10, February 7, and March 28, 2019. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held on January 10, January 15, February 1, February 7, March 1, and March 13, 2019. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details. DATES: BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XG605 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public workshops. AGENCY: Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in January, February, and March of 2019. Certain fishermen and shark dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and to maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:39 Dec 11, 2018 Jkt 247001 The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held in Boutte, LA; Virginia Beach, VA; and Fort Pierce, FL. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in Portsmouth, NH; Key Largo, FL; Gulfport, MS; Charleston, SC; Manahawkin, NJ; and Houston, TX. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details on workshop locations. ADDRESSES: Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops SUMMARY: gear, and who have also been issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free workshops will be conducted during 2019 and will be announced in a future notice. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Pearson by phone: (727) 824–5399. The workshop schedules, registration information, and a list of frequently asked questions regarding the Atlantic Shark ID and Safe Handling, Release, and ID workshops are posted on the internet at: https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/atlantic-sharkidentification-workshops and https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/safe-handling-releaseand-identification-workshops. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops Since January 1, 2008, Atlantic shark dealers have been prohibited from receiving, purchasing, trading, or bartering for Atlantic sharks unless a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate is on the premises of each business listed under the shark dealer permit that first receives Atlantic sharks (71 FR 58057; January 2, 2006). Dealers who attend and successfully complete a workshop are issued a certificate for each place of business that is permitted to receive sharks. These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years. Thus, certificates that were initially issued in 2016 will be expiring in 2019. Approximately 151 free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops have been conducted since January 2008. Currently, permitted dealers may send a proxy to an Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop. However, if a dealer opts to send a proxy, the dealer must designate a proxy for each place of business covered by the dealer’s permit which first receives Atlantic sharks. Only one certificate will be issued to each proxy. A proxy must be a person who is currently employed by a place of business covered by the dealer’s permit; is a primary participant in the identification, weighing, and/or first receipt of fish as they are offloaded from a vessel; and who fills out dealer reports. Atlantic shark dealers are prohibited from renewing a Federal shark dealer permit unless a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate for each business location that first receives Atlantic sharks has E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Pages 63834-63837]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26875]
RIN 0648-XG613
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 2018 is 2.8 percent. This action is intended to
provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2018
standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment
for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2019.
DATES: The standard prices and fee percentages are valid on December
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl Greene, Fee Coordinator, 907-586-
NMFS Alaska Region administers the IFQ Program in the North
Pacific. The IFQ Program is a limited access system authorized by the
Stevens Act) and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. 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). 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 in Sec.  679.45
implementing cost recovery for the IFQ Program (65 FR 14919). Under the
regulations, an IFQ permit holder must pay a cost recovery fee for
every pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish that is landed on his or
her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is responsible for self-
collecting the fee for all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings on
his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is also responsible for
submitting IFQ fee payment(s) to NMFS on or before the due date of
January 31 of the year following the year in which the IFQ landings
were made. The total dollar amount of the fee due 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 halibut and sablefish IFQ
fisheries in the Federal Register during or before the last quarter of
The fee is based on the sum of all payments 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.
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 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
[[Page 63835]]
pounds landed as guided angler fish is converted to IFQ equivalent
pound(s) as specified in Sec.  300.65(c) of this title. 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 Table 1 that follows the next section. Data
from ports are combined as necessary to protect confidentiality.
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 IFQ
halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made during the previous year
(fishery value). NMFS captures 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, the estimated
percentage of management costs to fishery value for the 2018 calendar
year is 2.8 percent of the standard ex-vessel value, which is below the
3.0 maximum fee percentage allowed under section 304(d)(2)(B) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. An IFQ permit holder is to use the fee percentage
of 2.8 percent to calculate his or her fee for IFQ equivalent pound(s)
landed during the 2018 halibut and sablefish IFQ fishing season. An IFQ
permit holder is responsible for submitting the 2018 IFQ fee payment to
NMFS on or before January 31, 2019. Payment must be made in accordance
with the payment methods set forth in Sec.  679.45(a)(4). NMFS no
longer accepts credit card information by phone or in-person for fee
payments. NMFS has determined that the practice of accepting credit
card information by phone or in-person no longer meets agency standards
for protection of personal financial information (81 FR 23645, April
22, 2016).
The 2018 fee percentage of 2.8 percent is higher than the 2017 fee
percentage of 2.2 percent (82 FR 60379, December 20, 2017). Although
management costs for the IFQ Program fisheries dropped 1.9 percent from
2017 to 2018, the rise in fee percentage can be attributed to an
estimated 22.4 percent decrease in the value of the fisheries over the
Table 1--Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for the 2018 IFQ Season
Registered Buyer Standard Ex-Vessel Prices by Landing Location for 2018 IFQ Season \1\
Halibut        Sablefish
Landing location                           Period ending            standard ex-    standard ex-
vessel price    vessel price
CORDOVA.......................................  March 31........................  ..............  ..............
April 30........................  ..............  ..............
May 31..........................  ..............  ..............
June 30.........................  ..............  ..............
July 31.........................            6.37
August 31.......................            6.02            4.17
September 30....................            5.74
October 31......................            5.74
November 30.....................            5.74
HOMER.........................................  March 31........................            4.72
April 30........................            4.89            2.41
May 31..........................            4.87            3.04
June 30.........................            5.68
July 31.........................            6.18
August 31.......................            6.44            3.59
September 30....................            5.65            3.81
October 31......................            5.65            3.81
November 30.....................            5.65            3.81
KETCHIKAN.....................................  March 31........................  ..............  ..............
April 30........................            5.24
May 31..........................            5.18
June 30.........................            5.23
July 31.........................            5.70
August 31.......................            5.90
September 30....................            5.86
October 31......................            5.86
November 30.....................            5.86
KODIAK........................................  March 31........................  ..............  ..............
April 30........................            4.73            2.54
May 31..........................            4.65            3.21
June 30.........................            5.02            3.56
July 31.........................            5.59            3.28
August 31.......................            5.76            3.86
September 30....................            5.58            3.81
October 31......................            5.58            3.81
November 30.....................            5.58            3.81
PETERSBURG....................................  March 31........................  ..............  ..............
July 31.........................            5.89  ..............
August 31.......................            5.99  ..............
September 30....................  ..............  ..............
October 31......................  ..............  ..............
November 30.....................  ..............  ..............
SEWARD........................................  March 31........................  ..............  ..............
May 31..........................            5.27            3.75
June 30.........................            5.17            3.35
July 31.........................  ..............  ..............
August 31.......................  ..............  ..............
SITKA.........................................  March 31........................            5.18  ..............
April 30........................            5.15            3.38
May 31..........................  ..............            3.92
June 30.........................            4.94            4.09
PORT GROUP BERING SEA \2\.....................  March 31........................  ..............  ..............
April 30........................            4.75            2.45
May 31..........................            4.53            2.04
June 30.........................            4.60            2.88
July 31.........................            4.53            2.99
August 31.......................            4.75            3.57
September 30....................            4.95            3.39
October 31......................            4.95            3.39
November 30.....................            4.95            3.39
PORT GROUP CENTRAL GULF \3\...................  March 31........................            5.19            3.01
April 30........................            5.08            3.17
May 31..........................            4.89            3.36
June 30.........................            5.40            3.55
July 31.........................            6.12            3.20
August 31.......................            6.47            3.74
September 30....................            5.58            3.79
October 31......................            5.58            3.79
November 30.....................            5.58            3.79
PORT GROUP SOUTHEAST \4\......................  March 31........................            5.19            3.73
April 30........................            5.18            3.46
May 31..........................            5.10            3.80
June 30.........................            5.21            3.99
July 31.........................            5.84            4.27
August 31.......................            6.00            4.38
September 30....................            5.88            4.53
October 31......................            5.88            4.53
November 30.....................            5.88            4.53
ALL-ALASKA \5\................................  March 31........................            5.18            3.67
April 30........................            5.12            3.26
May 31..........................            4.94            3.37
June 30.........................            5.26            3.71
July 31.........................            5.76            3.53
August 31.......................            5.82            3.86
September 30....................            5.51            4.00
October 31......................            5.51            4.00
November 30.....................            5.51            4.00
ALL \5\.......................................  March 31........................            5.18            3.67
\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.
\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 2, 3, and 4. For
California: Eureka, Fort Bragg, other California. For Oregon: Astoria, Aurora, Lincoln City, Newport,
Warrenton, other Oregon. For Washington: Anacortes, Bellevue, Bellingham, Nagai Island, Edmonds, Everett,
Granite Falls, Ilwaco, La Conner, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Rainier, Fox Island, Mercer
Island, Seattle, Standwood, other Washington. For Canada: Port Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver,
Haines Junction, other Canada.
[FR Doc. 2018-26875 Filed 12-11-18; 8:45 am]