[Federal Register: December 4, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 234)]
[Notices]
[Page 73908-73913]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04de08-22]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XL90
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; North
Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery
Programs
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
[[Page 73909]]
ACTION: Notification of standard prices and fee percentage.
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SUMMARY: NMFS publishes IFQ standard prices for the individual fishing
quota (IFQ) cost recovery program in the halibut and sablefish
fisheries of the North Pacific. This action is intended to provide
holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2008 standard
prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ
cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2009.
DATES: Effective December 4, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Troie Zuniga, Fee Coordinator, 907-
586-7231.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS Alaska Region administers the halibut and sablefish IFQ
programs in the North Pacific. The IFQ programs are limited access
systems authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Northern Pacific Halibut
Act of 1982. Fishing under the IFQ programs began in March 1995.
Regulations implementing the IFQ program are set forth at 50 CFR part
679.
In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act was amended (by Public Law 104-
297) to, among other things, require the Secretary of Commerce to
``collect a fee to recover the actual costs directly related to the
management and enforcement of any . . . individual quota program.''
This requirement was further amended in 2006 (by Public Law 109-479) 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). This section 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 implementing the IFQ
cost recovery program (65 FR 14919), which are set forth at Sec.
679.45. Under the regulations, an IFQ permit holder incurs a cost
recovery fee liability for every pound of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish
that is landed on his or her IFQ permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is
responsible for self-collecting the fee liability for all IFQ halibut
and IFQ sablefish landings on his or her permit(s). The IFQ permit
holder is also responsible for submitting a fee liability payment to
NMFS on or before the due date of January 31 following the year in
which the IFQ landings were made. The dollar amount of the fee due is
determined by multiplying the annual IFQ fee percentage (3 percent or
less) by the ex-vessel value of each IFQ landing made on a permit and
summing the totals of each permit (if more than one).
Standard Prices
The fee liability is based on the sum of all payments of monetary
worth made to fishermen for the sale of the fish during the year. This
includes any retro-payments (e.g., bonuses, delayed partial payments,
post-season payments) made to the IFQ permit holder for previously
landed IFQ halibut or sablefish.
For purposes of calculating IFQ cost recovery fees, NMFS
distinguishes between two types of ex-vessel value: ``actual'' and
``standard.'' ``Actual'' ex-vessel value is the amount of all
compensation, monetary or non-monetary, that an IFQ permit holder
received as payment for his or her IFQ fish sold. ``Standard'' ex-
vessel value is the default value on which to base fee liability
calculations. 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.
Regulations at Sec. 679.45(c)(2)(i) require the Regional
Administrator to publish IFQ standard prices during the last quarter of
each calendar year. These standard prices are used, along with
estimates of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings, to calculate
standard values. The standard prices are described in U.S. dollars per
IFQ equivalent pound for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings made
during the year. IFQ equivalent pound(s) is the weight (in pounds) for
an IFQ landing, calculated as the round weight for sablefish and headed
and gutted net weight for halibut. NMFS calculates the standard prices
to closely reflect the variations in the actual ex-vessel values of IFQ
halibut and IFQ sablefish landings by month and port or port-group. The
standard prices for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish are listed in the
tables that follow the next section. Data from ports are combined as
necessary to protect confidentiality.
Fee Percentage
Section 304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies a
maximum fee of 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish harvested under
an IFQ Program. NMFS annually sets a fee percentage for sablefish and
halibut IFQ holders that is based on the actual annual costs associated
with certain management and enforcement functions, as well as the
standard ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the IFQ fee for the
current year. The method used by NMFS to calculate the IFQ fee
percentage is described at Sec. 679.45(d)(2)(ii).
Regulations at Sec. 679.45(d) require NMFS to publish the IFQ fee
percentage for the halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries in the Federal
Register during or before the last quarter of each year. For the 2008
sablefish and halibut IFQ fishing season, an IFQ permit holder is to
use a fee liability percentage of 1.4 percent to calculate his or her
fee for landed IFQ in pounds. The IFQ permit holder is responsible for
submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS on or before January 31,
2009.
REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY LANDING LOCATION FOR 2008
IFQ SEASON
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SABLEFISH
HALIBUT STANDARD STANDARD EX-
LANDING LOCATION PERIOD ENDING EX -VESSEL PRICE VESSEL PRICE ($)
($)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORDOVA March 31 -- --
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April 30 -- --
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May 31 -- --
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June 30 $4.42 --
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July 31 $4.67 --
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August 31 $4.71 --
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[[Page 73910]]
September 30 $4.34 --
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October 31 $4.34 --
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November 30 $4.34 --
========================================================================
DUTCH HARBOR March 31 -- --
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April 30 -- --
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May 31 -- --
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June 30 -- --
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July 31 -- --
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August 31 -- --
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September 30 -- --
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October 31 -- --
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November 30 -- --
========================================================================
HOMER March 31 -- --
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April 30 -- --
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May 31 -- --
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June 30 $4.62 --
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July 31 $4.74 --
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August 31 $4.29 --
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September 30 -- --
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October 31 -- --
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November 30 -- --
========================================================================
KETCHIKAN March 31 -- --
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April 30 $4.28 --
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May 31 $4.41 --
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June 30 -- --
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July 31 $4.04 --
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August 31 $4.35 --
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September 30 $4.43 --
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October 31 $4.43 --
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November 30 $4.43 --
========================================================================
KODIAK March 31 $3.93 $2.66
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April 30 $4.13 $2.86
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May 31 $4.22 $2.91
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June 30 $4.23 $2.99
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July 31 $4.32 $3.06
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August 31 $4.36 $3.09
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[[Page 73911]]
September 30 $4.39 $3.13
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October 31 $4.39 $3.13
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November 30 $4.39 $3.13
========================================================================
PETERSBURG March 31 -- --
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April 30 $4.11 --
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May 31 $4.27 --
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June 30 $4.35 --
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July 31 $4.42 --
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August 31 $4.46 --
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September 30 $4.43 --
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October 31 $4.43 --
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November 30 $4.43 --
========================================================================
SEWARD March 31 -- --
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April 30 -- --
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May 31 -- --
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June 30 -- --
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July 31 -- --
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August 31 -- --
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September 30 -- --
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October 31 -- --
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November 30 -- --
========================================================================
SITKA March 31 -- --
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April 30 -- --
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May 31 -- --
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June 30 -- --
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July 31 $4.53 $4.14
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August 31 $4.28 $4.71
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September 30 -- --
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October 31 -- --
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November 30 -- --
========================================================================
YAKUTAT March 31 -- --
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April 30 -- --
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May 31 -- --
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June 30 -- --
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July 31 -- --
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August 31 -- --
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[[Page 73912]]
September 30 -- --
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October 31 -- --
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November 30 -- --
------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTERED BUYER STANDARD EX-VESSEL PRICES BY PORT GROUP FOR 2008 IFQ
SEASON
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SABLEFISH
HALIBUT STANDARD STANDARD EX-
PORT GROUP PERIOD ENDING EX -VESSEL PRICE VESSEL PRICE ($)
($)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BERING SEA\1\ March 31 -- --
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April 30 $4.06 $2.65
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May 31 $4.10 $2.82
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June 30 $4.23 $2.85
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July 31 $4.22 $3.13
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August 31 $4.30 $2.88
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September 30 $4.22 $2.87
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October 31 $4.22 $2.87
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November 30 $4.22 $2.87
========================================================================
CENTRAL GULF OF March 31 $4.10 $2.89
ALASKA\2\
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April 30 $4.30 $2.95
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May 31 $4.28 $2.98
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June 30 $4.30 $3.03
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July 31 $4.38 $3.06
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August 31 $4.38 $3.08
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September 30 $4.38 $3.26
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October 31 $4.38 $3.26
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November 30 $4.38 $3.26
========================================================================
SOUTHEAST March 31 $4.17 $3.26
ALASKA\3\
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April 30 $4.17 $3.25
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May 31 $4.27 $3.22
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June 30 $4.41 $3.30
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July 31 $4.48 $3.82
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August 31 $4.45 $3.87
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September 30 $4.49 $3.33
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October 31 $4.49 $3.33
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November 30 $4.49 $3.33
========================================================================
ALL\4\ March 31 $4.13 $3.10
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April 30 $4.25 $3.05
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May 31 $4.26 $3.03
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[[Page 73913]]
June 30 $4.32 $3.06
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July 31 $4.36 $3.25
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August 31 $4.37 $3.25
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September 30 $4.36 $3.26
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October 31 $4.36 $3.26
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November 30 $4.36 $3.26
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\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
\2\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, Kodiak, Port Bailey, Nikiski, Ninilchik,
Old Harbor, Palmer, Sand Point, Seldovia, Resurrection Bay, Seward,
Valdez, Whittier
\3\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
\4\Landing Locations Within Port Group - All: For Alaska: All landing
locations included in 1, 2, and 3. For California: Eureka, Fort Bragg,
Other California. For Oregon: Astoria, Aurora, Lincoln City, Newport,
Warrenton, Other Oregon. For Washington: Anacortes, Bellevue,
Bellingham, Nagai Island, Edmonds, Everett, Granite Falls, Ilwaco, La
Conner, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Rainier, Fox
Island, Mercer Island, Seattle, Standwood, Other Washington. For
Canada: Port Hardy, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Vancouver, Haines
Junction, Other Canada
Note In many instances prices have not been reported to comply with
confidentiality guidelines that prevent price reports when there are
fewer than three processors operating in a location during a month.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 28, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-28721 Filed 12-3-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S