Northwest Region, Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Cost Recovery

This request is for a revision and extension of the current information collection pursuant to proposed rule (RIN 0648-BO02). This change will revise the information collected under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Cost Recovery Program to include new information collected under the Primary Sablefish Fishery Cost Recovery Program currently being implemented and by changing the title from "Northwest Region, Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Trawl Rationalization Cost Recovery Program" to "West Coast Region, Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Cost Recovery" to better align the title with the fisheries subject to the information collection. One additional form will be added to the existing information collection to allow vessels in this sablefish primary fishery to make cost recovery payments. This rule includes management measures that would apply to vessels registered to limited entry fixed gear (LEFG) endorsed permits and LEFG permit owners in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. Specifically, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to: 1) add flexibility to the LEFG permits’ gear endorsements; 2) remove the base permit designation of LEFG permits; 3) remove the start and end times (i.e., hours of the day) for the open dates of the primary sablefish season; and 4) develop a cost recovery program for the LEFG primary sablefish fishery. The purpose of this rule is to provide increased flexibility to LEFG participants while reducing administrative burdens, and to develop a cost recovery program to meet the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) . Beginning in January 2011, NMFS implemented a trawl rationalization program, a type of a catch share program or limited access privilege program, for the Pacific coast groundfish fishery’s trawl fleet. The Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Program (Trawl Program) was adopted through Amendment 20 to the Pacific coast groundfish fishery management plan (FMP). It consists of a Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program (including whiting and non-whiting fisheries); and cooperative (Co-op) programs for the at-sea Mothership (MS) Co-op Program and Catcher/Processor (C/P) Co-op Program trawl fleets (whiting only). Beginning in January 2001, the NMFS implemented a sablefish rationalization program, a type of a catch share program or limited access privilege program, for the Pacific coast sablefish fishery fleet. The limited entry sablefish tier stacking program (Tier Program) was adopted through Amendment 14 to the Pacific coast groundfish fishery management plan (FMP). As a type of limited access privilege program (LAPP), the MSA requires the agency to recover part of the costs of management, data collection, and enforcement for the Trawl and Sablefish Programs, up to three percent of the ex-vessel value [16 U.S.C. 1853a MSA §303A and §304(d)(2)]. This is called a cost recovery program. The cost recovery program for the Trawl Program (Cost Recovery Program) covers all three sectors in the Trawl Program: the Shorebased IFQ Program, the MS Co-op Program, and the C/P Co-op Program. Additionally, the non-trawl Sablefish Primary Fishery Cost Recovery Program (Sablefish Cost Recovery Program) covers vessels fishing in the sablefish primary sablefish fishery. In the Pacific coast groundfish fishery regulations, the Trawl Cost Recovery Program is codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 660.115 . NMFS is developing a Sablefish Cost Recovery Program which will be codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 660.231.

The latest form for Northwest Region, Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery: Cost Recovery expires 2029-07-31 and is listed under ICR 202607-0648-013.

Trawl Rationalization Cost Recovery Fee Collection Reports (IFQ,MS,C/P)

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