[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 67719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26633]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RTID 0648-XV141
Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher
Processor Subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non Pollock
Groundfish Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment.
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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to inform the public that there will
be an increase of the fee rate required to repay the $35,000,000
reduction loan financing the non-pollock groundfish fishing capacity
reduction program. Effective January 1, 2020, NMFS is increasing the
Loan A fee rate to $0.021 per pound to ensure timely loan repayment.
The fee rate for Loan B will remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound.
DATES: The non-pollock groundfish program fee rate increase will begin
with landings on January 1, 2020. The first due date for fee payments
with the increased rate will be February 15, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Send questions about this notice to Elaine Saiz, Chief,
Financial Services Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Saiz, (301) 427-8752.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Sections 312(b)-(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.) generally authorizes
fishing capacity reduction programs. In particular, section 312(d)
authorizes industry fee systems for repaying reduction loans which
finance reduction program costs. Subpart L of 50 CFR part 600 is the
framework rule generally implementing section 312(b)-(e). Sections 1111
and 1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1279f and
1279g) generally authorize reduction loans.
Enacted on December 8, 2004, section 219, Title II, of FY 2005
Appropriations Act, Public Law 104-447 (Act) authorizes a fishing
capacity reduction program implementing capacity reduction plans
submitted to NMFS by catcher processor subsectors of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands (``BSAI'') non-pollock groundfish fishery (``reduction
fishery'') as set forth in the Act.
The longline catcher processor subsector (the ``Longline
Subsector'') is among the catcher processor subsectors eligible to
submit to NMFS a capacity reduction plan under the terms of the Act.
The longline subsector non-pollock groundfish reduction program's
objective was to reduce the number of vessels and permits endorsed for
longline subsector of the non-pollock groundfish fishery. All post-
reduction fish landings from the reduction fishery are subject to the
longline subsector non-pollock groundfish program's fee.
NMFS proposed the implementing notice on August 11, 2006 (71 FR
46364), and published the final notice on September 29, 2006 (71 FR
57696). NMFS allocated the $35,000,000 reduction loan (A Loan) to the
reduction fishery and this loan is repayable by fees from the fishery.
On September 24, 2007, NMFS published in the Federal Register (72
FR 54219), the final rule to implement the industry fee system for
repaying the non-pollock groundfish program's reduction loan and
established October 24, 2007, as the effective date when fee collection
and loan repayment began. The regulations implementing the program are
located at Sec. 600.1012.
NMFS published a final rule to implement a second $2,700,000
reduction loan (B Loan) for this fishery in the Federal Register on
September 24, 2012 (77 FR 58775). The loan was disbursed December 18,
2012 with fee collection of $0.001 per pound to begin January 1, 2013.
This fee is in addition to the A Loan fee.
II. Purpose
The purpose of this notice is to adjust the fee rate for the
reduction fishery in accordance with the framework rule's Sec.
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 $0.017 per pound is less than that needed to service the A
Loan. Therefore, NMFS is increasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.021 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/longline-catcher-processor-subsector-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-non-pollock.
III. Notice
The new fee rate for the non-pollock Groundfish fishery will begin
on January 1, 2020.
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 Sec. 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: 16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.; Pub. L. 108-447.
Dated: December 5, 2019.
Brian T. Pawlak,
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, Director, Office
of Management and Budget, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-26633 Filed 12-10-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P