Public notice of proposed rule

National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Region
7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
www.nwr.noaa.gov

PUBLIC NOTICE
For Information Contact:
Groundfish Branch (206) 526-6140
Fisheries Permit Office (206) 526-4353

NMFS-SEA-13-14
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2013

PACIFIC COAST GROUNDFISH FISHERY

A proposed rule, the Program Improvement and Enhancement Rule (PIE 2) is available
for public comment
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
announces the publication of a proposed rule,
the Program Improvement and Enhancement
Rule (PIE 2), in the Federal Register that
proposes revisions to the Pacific coast
groundfish trawl rationalization program
(program), a catch share program, and includes
clarifications of regulations that affect the
limited entry trawl and limited entry fixed gear
sectors managed under the Pacific Coast
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
This proposed action would include the
following, by category of a) implementation of
original program, b) increasing flexibility or
efficiency, and c) minor revisions/clarifications:
(A) Implementation of Original Program
1. Establish quota share (QS) permit
application and QS transfer regulations,
(B) Increasing Flexibility or Efficiency
2. Clarify exceptions for lenders from
control rules,
3. Change the opt-out requirement for
quota pound (QP) deficits,
4. Eliminate double filing of co-op reports
(November and March),
5. Revise first receiver site license
requirements (FRSL), including site
inspection and expiration date,
6. Remove end of the year ban on QP
transfers between vessel accounts,
(C) Minor Revisions/Clarifications

7. Remove the term “permit holder” from
groundfish regulations and replace with
“vessel owner”, “permit owner”, or
“owner of a vessel registered to a
limited entry permit” as applicable,
8. Revise the process for a permit holder
(vessel owner) to change their vessel
ownership,
9. Clarify that the processor obligation
may be to more than one mothership
(MS) permit,
10. Revise the mothership catcher vessel
(MS/CV) endorsement restriction
given severability,
11. Clarify sorting requirement for full
retention so “predominant species”
means only one species,
12. Clarify the accumulation limits
calculation for compliance with the
annual QP vessel limit in vessel
accounts,
13. Add a prohibition against failing to
establish a new vessel account,
following a change in vessel
ownership, prior to fishing in the
Shorebased IFQ program, and
14. Add a prohibition against landing fish
from an IFQ trip to a first receiver
without a valid FRSL.
The Federal Register notice for this proposed
rule published on July 19, 2013, and is available

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on the NMFS Northwest Region website at:
http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish_t
rawl_catch_share/groundfish_trawl_catch_share
_program.html
NMFS solicits written public comments on the
proposed PIE 2 rule. Comments must be
received by NMFS no later than 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on August 19, 2013.
You may submit comments on this document,
identified by NOAA-NMFS-2013-0086, by any
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-2013-0086, click the “Comment Now!”
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.

you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file
formats only.
Paperwork Reduction Act
NMFS is requesting, from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), a revision and
three-year extension of a previously approved
information collection, OMB Control No. 06480620. This collection includes applications and
registrations for all sectors of the trawl
rationalization program. NMFS is soliciting
written public comments on the collection as
part of the public comment process on the PIE 2
rulemaking. To submit a comment on this
collection of information, please follow the PIE
2 instructions for public comment discussed in
this public notice.

Groundfish E‐mail Group 
•Mail: Submit written comments to William W.
Stelle, Jr., Regional Administrator, Northwest
Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE,
Seattle, WA 98115-0070; Attn: Ariel Jacobs.
•Fax: 206-526-6736; Attn: Ariel Jacobs.
Comments sent by any other method, to any
other address or individual, or received after the
end of the comment period, may not be
considered by NMFS. All comments received
are a part of the public record and will generally
be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All
personal identifying information (e.g., name,
address, etc.), confidential business information,
or otherwise sensitive information submitted
voluntarily by the sender will be publicly
accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter "N/A" in the required fields if

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