Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Consolidate Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements

SUMMARY: NMFS proposes to remove and to consolidate several sections of

regulations in parts 672 and 675; to simplify and streamline the

remaining regulations, including the recordkeeping and reporting

requirements; to consolidate area descriptions and coordinates into

maps and tables; to consolidate codes, values, and descriptions into

tables; and to correct errors and clarify vague text. These actions are

intended to facilitate management of the groundfish fisheries and the

enforcement of groundfish regulations. They are necessary to promote

the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and the Groundfish Fishery of

the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (BSAI).

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 10, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries

Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK

99802, Attn: Lori J. Gravel, or be delivered to Federal Building,

Fourth Floor, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. Comments on the

collection-of-information requirements may be sent to the Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) (0648-AG54), Washington, DC 20503 (Attn: NOAA Desk

Officer), and to Patsy A. Bearden, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668,

Juneau, AK 99802.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patsy A. Bearden, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in

the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the BSAI and the GOA is managed by

NMFS according to the FMPs for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and the

Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands Area. The FMPs

were prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council)

under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson

Act) and are implemented by regulations governing the U.S. groundfish

fisheries at 50 CFR parts 672 and 675. General regulations that also

pertain to the U.S. fisheries appear at 50 CFR part 620.

This action proposes amendments to regulations as follows: (1)

Consolidate Sec. 675.2 into Sec. 672.2; Sec. 675.3 into Sec. 672.3;

Sec. 675.4 into Sec. 672.4; and Sec. 675.5 into Sec. 672.5; (2) remove

the requirement for the groundfish utilization survey at Sec. 672.5(d)

and (e) and other outdated requirements; (3) update and replace

Secs. 672.2, 672.3, 672.4 (including the Federal Fisheries Permit

Application), and 672.5 (including logbooks, reports, and forms); (4)

amend Secs. 672.7, 675.27, and Sec. 677.4; (5) revise the scientific

term for steelhead trout at Secs. 672.20(e)(1) and 675.20(c)(1); (6)

place all tables and figures currently found in part 675 in part 672,

revised and renumbered, and add new tables and figures; (7) revise and

insert references to tables and figures within the text of parts 672

and 675; (8) revise and insert paragraph titles to several paragraphs

in parts 672 and 675; (9) revise the time citation ``00:01 a.m.'' to

read ``0001 hours'' in Secs. 672.20(a), 675.20(a), 672.23(f), and

675.23(d); (10) revise GOA reporting area codes from 61, 62, 63, 64, 65

to read 610, 620, 630, 640, and 650; (11) revise and insert references

to GOA reporting areas; (12) add new GOA reporting area code 690 and

new BSAI reporting area codes 300, 400, and 550; (13) place all

reporting area codes and coordinates in maps and tables; and (14)

divide most reporting areas into Alaska state waters and Federal waters

for reporting purposes. A description of, and reasons for, these

actions follow.

I. Consolidation of Regulations

Although the GOA and BSAI have separate FMPs, much of the

regulatory text for the two management areas is the same. NMFS proposes

to remove duplicate text that is found also in part 672 (GOA management

area) from several sections of part 675 (BSAI management area) and to

replace the removed text with a cross reference to part 672. This

action will shorten the regulations as well as simplify and clarify the

text. Those sections affected would be: Section 675.2 into Sec. 672.2

(Definitions); Sec. 675.3 into Sec. 672.3 (Relation to other laws);

Sec. 675.4 into Sec. 672.4 (Permits); and Sec. 675.5 into Sec. 672.5

(Recordkeeping and reporting).

II. Removal of Existing Regulations

NMFS would remove outdated regulations that no longer apply to the

groundfish fisheries. This action would shorten the regulatory text and

create a simpler, more pertinent body of regulations.

A. Groundfish Utilization Surveys

NMFS proposes to remove regulations at Sec. 672.5(d) and (e) that

require completion of an annual groundfish utilization survey. The

original purpose of the survey was to estimate domestic annual

processing (DAP) groundfish utilization each year for purposes of

allocating groundfish among foreign fishing, DAP, and joint-venture

processing (JVP) operations. Since 1990, the groundfish fisheries have

been fully domesticated, and foreign fishing and JVP operations have

been discontinued. Groundfish utilization surveys are no longer needed.

The time spent on the labor-intensive surveys by industry provides no

useful guidance for annual projections of DAP harvest and production

activity.

B. Text Within 675.27(g)

NMFS proposes to remove regulations at Sec. 675.27(g), regarding

the Western Alaska Community Development Program, Community Development

Quota (CDQ) requirements, that are entitled ``CDQ fishing

requirements,'' since these regulations are found in recordkeeping and

reporting requirements at Sec. 672.5.

C. Logbooks

1. Duration of Set or Trawl. NMFS proposes to remove recordkeeping

and reporting requirements at Sec. 672.5 for Catcher Vessels and

Catcher/Processors to record duration of set or trawl in the Catcher

Vessel Daily Fishing Logbook (DFL) and Catcher/Processor Daily

Cumulative Production Logbook (DCPL), respectively. This information

can be obtained from the logbook through calculations of start and end

times.

2. Joint-venture Operation. The requirement to record in a DFL

whether delivery by a Catcher Vessel was made to a foreign processor

vessel in a joint-venture operation would be removed, since joint-

venture operations for groundfish no longer occur in the EEZ off

Alaska.

3. Number of Days Fishing Activity. The requirement to record the

number of days that fishing activity was conducted and when fish were

received would be removed from the weekly

[[Page 46937]]

production report. This information, originally thought to provide

effort information, did not result in useful information.

III. Revision of Regulations

The need for existing recordkeeping and reporting requirements was

discussed in the preamble to the proposed rule for Amendments 13 and 18

to the FMPs (54 FR 36333, September 1, 1989). The recordkeeping and

reporting requirements implemented under Amendments 13 and 18 (54 FR

50386, December 6, 1989) subsequently were revised to repeal monthly

product value reporting requirements (55 FR 34933, August 27, 1990).

Additional revisions were published for public comment and implemented

under a 1991 interim final rule (56 FR 9636, March 7, 1991). No

comments were received on the interim final rule during the public

review period.

NMFS proposes to incorporate recommendations from the groundfish

industry, NMFS management staff, and enforcement staff to reduce the

reporting burden; to improve the format of the logbooks, reports, and

forms; and to create a more effective, timely, and comprehensive

collection of information to facilitate management of the groundfish

fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska.

A. Revisions to Statistical and Reporting Areas

1. Coordinates. The codes and coordinates for GOA and BSAI

statistical and reporting areas would be presented in maps and tables

(see Figures 1 and 3). This action would provide easy access to these

data by allowing the reader to refer to one source for all statistical

and reporting area coordinates.

2. Three-digit GOA statistical and reporting area codes. Two-digit

statistical and reporting area designations in the GOA would be changed

to 3-digit designations by adding a zero to existing area numbers

(e.g., reporting areas 61 through 65 would be designated as areas 610

through 650, respectively) (see Figure 3). Since existing statistical

and reporting areas associated with the BSAI are designated by 3-digit

codes, revision of the GOA-associated designations to 3-digit

statistical and reporting area codes would provide a uniform coding

system for incorporation into computer databases.

3. Bogoslof District, BSAI. A final rule implementing Amendment 17

to the FMP for the Groundfish Fishery of the BSAI (57 FR 10430, March

26, 1992) established Statistical Area 518 (the Bogoslof District) for

purposes of managing the Aleutian Basin pollock stock. The coordinates

published for the new area were incorrectly specified in the final

rule. NMFS proposes to correct the error in the coordinates of

Statistical Area 518 (see Figure 1).

4. Division between BSAI and GOA Reporting Areas. The division

between reporting areas associated with BSAI and GOA would be described

in coordinates along the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands (see

Figures 1 and 3). Lack of this information has caused problems in

groundfish catch reporting and in enforcement of regulations.

5. New Reporting Areas. Generally, a reporting area includes a

statistical area plus adjacent Alaska State waters and is identified by

the same number used to identify the statistical area. NMFS proposes to

add six reporting areas that do not follow that scheme (see Figures 1

and 3).

Two reporting areas would be added that are completely within

Alaska State waters. Reporting area 649 (Prince William Sound) and

reporting area 659 (inside waters of Southeast Alaska) would be

established to allow inseason managers to differentiate reported

sablefish and demersal shelf rockfish harvests that are managed under

Alaska State groundfish quotas.

Four additional reporting areas would be added that are completely

outside the EEZ off Alaska--300, 400, 550, and 690--to allow

differentiation of fish harvested in areas outside the EEZ.

6. Corrections to Existing Statistical Areas. NMFS proposes that a

code correction be made for two statistical areas, 511 and 522, that

had already been assigned to two non-contiguous areas. This duplication

was the result of the subdivision of a large area into smaller areas

and inadvertence by not renumbering those areas. Statistical areas 508

and 509 would replace the two areas 511, and statistical areas 523 and

524 would replace the two areas 522. This action would result in more

precise identification of the location of groundfish harvested in the

BSAI.

7. Distinction between Federal and State Portions of a Reporting

Area. NMFS proposes to distinguish between Federal waters (statistical

areas) and Alaska State waters in any reporting area. Two questions

would be added in the DFL, Buying Station Daily Cumulative Logbook

(DCL), DCPLs, Weekly Production Report (WPR), Daily Production Report

(DPR), Buying Station Check-in/Check-out, and Mothership or Catcher/

Processor Check-in/Check-out Reports to request that the reader

distinguish between Federal waters or Alaska State waters within any

reporting area. This action would accommodate fee assessment of

landings under the North Pacific Fisheries Research Plan (Research

Plan) authorized by the Magnuson Act. Research Plan fee assessments

would not apply to fish, except Pacific halibut, caught in Alaska State

waters.

B. Figures and Tables

NMFS proposes to clarify coordinates and descriptions of areas in

various sections of parts 672 (GOA management area) and 675 (BSAI

management area) and to use maps and tables. Existing figures and

tables from both the GOA and BSAI would be renumbered, revised, and

placed after the text of part 672. In-text tables would be removed from

paragraph 672.24(d), presented in Figure 5b, and relocated after the

text of part 672; in-text tables would be removed from paragraph

672.24(e), presented in Table 6, and relocated after the text of part

672. This action would codify and improve access to information needed

for compliance with recording and reporting requirements in the

following figures and tables:

Figure 1--BSAI statistical and reporting areas; a--map, b--

coordinates of reporting areas;

Figure 2--BSAI Catcher Vessel Operational Area (map includes

coordinates);

Figure 3--GOA statistical and reporting areas; a--map, b--

coordinates of reporting areas;

Figure 4--Herring Savings Areas in the BSAI; a--map, b--coordinates

of reporting areas and effective dates;

Figure 5--Kodiak Island areas closed to trawls other than pelagic

trawl gear; a--map, b--coordinates of reporting areas;

Figure 6--Length overall of a vessel; and

Figure 7--Location of trawl test areas in the GOA and the BSAI (map

includes coordinates).

Table 1--Product codes (new table; these codes were formerly

referred to in the Product Recovery Rate (PRR) tables at Secs. 672.20

and 675.20). The various products that may be made from groundfish are

described here and are assigned a 2-digit product code. Product codes

also are used to describe various types of discard; these often are

referred to as discard products;

Table 2--Species codes (new table). The various species of

groundfish are listed in Table 2;

Table 3--Product recovery rates for groundfish species

(renumbered);

Table 4--Bering Sea Subarea Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas

(moved from text);

[[Page 46938]]

Table 5--Aleutian Islands Subarea Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas

(moved from text);

Table 6--Gulf of Alaska Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas (moved

from text);

Table 7--Communities determined to be eligible to apply for

Community Development Quotas (renumbered);

Table 8--Harvest Zone Codes for Use with Product Transfer Reports

and Vessel Activity Reports (new table);

Table 9--Required Logbooks, Reports, and Forms (new table);

Table 10--Gulf of Alaska, Retainable Percentages (renumbered); and

Table 11--Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area,

Retainable Percentages (renumbered).

C. Revisions to Logbooks, Reports, and Forms

NMFS proposes to improve the format of existing logbooks, reports,

and forms and to add a new logbook for Buying Stations, in addition to

the following revisions:

1. Metric tons. The required weight units used to record amounts of

landings, product, and discards of groundfish and herring would be

revised from ``pounds (lb) or nearest 0.1 metric ton (mt)'' to ``pounds

(lb) or nearest 0.01 metric ton (mt)'' on all forms and logbooks. This

change would allow NMFS to obtain catch data from processors that

traditionally have smaller landings. Finer resolution in the database

would increase the accuracy of inseason quota management actions.

2. Daily Fishing Logbook (DFL). Recording the delivery date under

Catch Delivery Information in the DFL would be required for use by NMFS

Enforcement personnel. Other revisions to the DFL are proposed to

improve the format of the logsheet and to record CDQ information.

At-sea discard information would be required from Catcher Vessels,

without increasing the paperwork burden, through the use of an

additional blue sheet in the DFL that the operator turns in to the

processor with the harvest.

3. Daily Cumulative Production Logbook (DCPL)--a. Mothership or

Catcher/Processor. The Catcher/Processor and Mothership DCPLs would be

revised to improve the format of the logsheet and to record CDQ

information.

b. Shoreside Processor. The Shoreside Processor DCPL would be

divided into two parts identified as Part I and Part II, to allow for a

greater number of daily entries, particularly in the product section.

This action would allow flexibility in the use of the logbook by

different types and sizes of Shoreside Processors. Part I would include

four subparts: Processor identification information, Catcher Vessel

delivery information, landings information, and discarded species

information.

Part II would be used to record product information by week-ending

date, management area, and species and product codes. Data would be

recorded on one page for up to 3 weeks. This action would result in a

more efficient page layout and a reduced reporting burden, since

groundfish products would not be reported for separate reporting areas

or gear types.

Other revisions are proposed to improve the format of the logsheet

and to record CDQ information.

4. Buying Station Daily Cumulative Logbook (DCL). The operator or

manager of a Buying Station would be required to maintain a DCL to

record data about Catcher Vessel delivery and discards as well as

Buying Station discards that occur after acceptance of the delivery

from the Catcher Vessel and prior to delivery to a Mothership or

Shoreside Processor. The proposed requirements for a Buying Station DCL

would provide a defined procedure for a Mothership or Shoreside

Processor to obtain data and report to NMFS any Catcher Vessel harvest

and discard that is received, sorted, and delivered by a Buying

Station.

5. Product Transfer Report (PTR). The name of the Product Transfer

Logbook (PTL) would be changed to Product Transfer Report (PTR) to give

the form a more accurate name, because it is not a logbook. An addition

would be made to the PTR to indicate whether the form is an original or

revised report; this information would improve data entry speed and

accuracy.

a. Mothership or Catcher/Processor PTR. Each Mothership or Catcher/

Processor would be required to record the U.S. Coast Guard document

number of the vessel on a PTR and collect additional identification

information concerning transfer handling, destination, or receipt. The

PTR would indicate whether a particular transfer forms the beginning or

end of an audit period; whether a transfer is a complete or partial

offload; and what amount and type of products remain on board after the

transfer. These revisions are needed to simplify and improve the

accuracy of audits of Motherships or Catcher/Processors by NMFS

Enforcement personnel.

A harvest zone designation (distinct from reporting or statistical

area, see Table 8) would be added to the PTR to indicate whether

groundfish were harvested in or outside of the EEZ off Alaska. This

information is needed to complete requests for statistical reports from

members of Congress and other Government officials. NMFS Enforcement

and Management personnel would use the information recorded on the PTR

to determine ownership of a product from its place of origin to its

first destination.

b. Shoreside Processor. The Shoreside Processor PTR would be

revised to collect additional information concerning transfer handling,

destination, or receipt.

6. Check-in/Check-out Report--a. Mothership or Catcher/Processor.

This form would be revised to determine intended primary and secondary

target species. This information would provide fishery managers with an

estimate of fishing effort for individual species in each reporting

area and would enable them to better project fishery closures.

Regulations also would be clarified to allow operators of Catcher/

Processors using hook-and-line or pot gear to be ``checked into''

several reporting areas if their gear is simultaneously fishing in

those areas.

A requirement would be added to record processor type, because

vessels can function in more than one category. This information is

needed by fishery managers for quota management purposes.

Other revisions are proposed to improve the format of the form and

to record CDQ information.

b. Shoreside Processor. A Check-in/Check-out report would be

required; it would supersede the existing requirement for a Shoreside

Processor to check in through submittal of its first WPR. Each

Shoreside Processor would submit a Check-in report before receipt of

groundfish, either at the beginning of the fishing year or after

submission of a Check-out report.

Products from groundfish often are stored at the Shoreside

Processor premises for a long time, along with stored products

resulting from non-groundfish fisheries. Fish products that are not

intended for storage are transferred from a Shoreside Processor

directly to trucks. An accurate on-site groundfish product inventory

and audit is therefore difficult to conduct. The Shoreside Processor

Check-in/Check-out Report would be revised to record the amount of fish

product held or stored at the time the Check-in report is filed.

Enforcement personnel would be able to use this information to

calculate product on hand at any time from records in the shoreside

DCPL and PTRs.

Other revisions are proposed to improve the format of the form and

to record CDQ information.

[[Page 46939]]

c. Buying Station. Each operator or manager of a Buying Station

would be required to submit a Check-in Report prior to receipt of

groundfish from Catcher Vessels; a Check-out Report would be required

upon completion of delivery of all groundfish to a Mothership or

Shoreside Processor. A separate Check-in or Check-out Report would be

required from the Buying Station operator or manager for each Shoreside

Processor or Mothership with which the Buying Station is associated.

The proposed Buying Station Check-in/Check-out Report would yield

additional effort information needed for quota management.

7. Weekly Production Report (WPR). The current WPR would be

replaced with two similar WPR forms, one for use by Shoreside

Processors and another for use by Motherships or Catcher/Processors.

a. Mothership or Catcher/Processor. Each Mothership or Catcher/

Processor would be required to record the fisheries permit number and

the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) processor code, because

both are necessary to identify a processor; a requirement is proposed

to report the number of crew members at the end of each weekly

reporting period--this information is needed by NMFS economists for

national statistical reports; and a requirement is proposed to add the

preprinted ADF&G fish ticket numbers that were issued to Catcher

Vessels for each delivery made during the weekly reporting period. This

information is needed by NMFS to make comparisons of processor-reported

Federal and State data for reporting accuracy.

Intended target information would be requested for the next weekly

reporting period. This information would be used by NMFS to improve

fishing effort projection for individual species.

Two additions would be made to the WPR to improve data entry speed

and accuracy, the first to indicate whether the form is an original or

revised report, and the second to indicate the date the WPR is

prepared.

All references to ``retained products'' would be revised to read

``product''. Other revisions are proposed to improve the format of the

form and to record CDQ information.

b. Shoreside Processor. Each Shoreside Processor would be required

to record product data by management area (BSAI or GOA) rather than by

reporting area. This would be used for enforcement purposes and for the

collection of economic data for national statistical reports.

8. Daily Production Report (DPR). NMFS would be authorized to

require, through publication in the Federal Register, submittal of

DPRs. The DPR is used when a fishery is expected to be of too short

duration to be managed based on weekly reports. The product reporting

section of the DPR would be revised to create separate sections for

responses from Shoreside Processors or Motherships and Catcher/

Processors. The Shoreside Processor would report landings, as weighed

before processing, in a section entitled, ``Shoreside Only Landings''.

The Mothership and Catcher/Processor would report weight of products in

a section entitled, ``Processor Vessel Only Products''. Within these

columns, the following information would be recorded for each product:

The product code; indication of ancillary, primary, or reprocessed

product type; and weight in metric tons. Other revisions would be made

to indicate whether a given DPR is an original or revised report and to

record the date the form was prepared. This information is needed to

ensure an accurate and complete database. Several questions would be

added to request additional information about the processor's

representative. Other revisions to the DPR are proposed to improve the

format of the form and to record CDQ information.

9. U.S. Vessel Activity Report (VAR). Existing regulations at 50

CFR 299.5 require U.S. vessels fishing in the Russian economic zone

(EZ) in joint ventures to submit a VAR prior to crossing the seaward

boundary of the EEZ. The applicability of the VARs currently required

under Sec. 299.5 would be expanded to require vessels to submit a VAR

report to the Regional Director immediately prior to crossing the

seaward boundary of the EEZ off Alaska or immediately prior to crossing

the U.S./Canada international boundary between Alaska and British

Columbia. The VAR would be used to augment existing recordkeeping and

reporting requirements and would not replace the Check-in/Check-out

reports or WPRs required under Sec. 672.5.

NMFS has observed increased landings in U.S. ports of undocumented

fish allegedly harvested from waters seaward of the EEZ off Alaska.

NMFS is concerned that some portion of these landings may consist of

fish illegally harvested in the EEZ off Alaska. Although the VAR

requirements under Sec. 299.5 address this concern for U.S. vessels

fishing in the Russian EZ, NMFS believes that better information must

be obtained concerning U.S. fishing activities in waters outside the

EEZ off Alaska in order to document the origin and quantity of fish

that are brought into the EEZ.

In light of the new requirements for distinguishing between

groundfish fishing activity in state or Federal waters as well as

pending international regulations for migratory species such as

swordfish, the VAR would assist NMFS in tracking U.S. fishing vessels

entering or leaving fishing grounds off Alaska from the coterminous

United States and/or Hawaii.

10. Designated Representative. Each owner, operator, or manager of

each Catcher Vessel, Catcher/Processor, Mothership, Shoreside

Processor, or Buying Station participating in, or receiving groundfish

from, a groundfish fishery would be required to identify a contact

person or representative prior to commencement of fishing or processing

activities. Although the representative may complete the logbooks, the

required reports and forms, or both, the owner, operator, and manager

would remain responsible for accurate and timely completion of all

reporting requirements. The operator or manager is not always present

or available to complete the recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

In some instances the logbooks are maintained on board a vessel while

the reports and forms are submitted to NMFS by a person in an office

hundreds of miles away. Identifying a representative prior to

commencement of fishing activity ensures a smooth data flow between the

industry and NMFS, allowing quota management to be accurate and timely.

The name of the representative would be required to be reported on

each logbook, WPR, DPR, PTR, Check-in/Check-out Report, and VAR (if

applicable) and that the telephone number and facsimile number for that

person also be provided. Proposed revisions to the recordkeeping

requirements would standardize the text on all forms and logbooks to

refer to that person as the representative.

D. Maintenance and Retention of Records

NMFS proposes the following requirements for the benefit of

Enforcement officers conducting audits of Catcher Vessels, Motherships,

Catcher/Processors, Shoreside Processors, and Buying Stations. In order

to conduct a thorough audit of fish products on board or on site, paper

copies of all groundfish transactions must be accessible for

inspection.

1. Three-year retention period. The original (white) copy of all

logbooks and a paper copy of all reports and forms submitted to NMFS

required under amended Secs. 672.5 and 675.5 would be

[[Page 46940]]

required to be retained for 3 years after the end of the fishing year

during which the records were made. In addition, the Mothership and

Shoreside Processor would be required to retain the original (white)

copy of all DCLs from associated Buying Stations for 3 years, and the

Buying Station would be required to retain the pink copy of all DCLs

for 3 years.

2. Retention during fishing year. The original (white) copy of all

logbooks, a paper copy of all reports and forms submitted to NMFS, and

the blue DFL logsheet received from Catcher Vessels required under

amended Secs. 672.5 and 675.5 would be required to be kept on board a

vessel or on site a Shoreside Processor or Buying Station until the end

of the fishing year during which the records were made and for as long

thereafter as fish or fish products recorded in the logbook, reports,

and forms are retained.

3. Inspection. The logbooks, reports, and forms required under

amended Secs. 672.5 and 675.5 would be required to be made available

for inspection upon the request of an authorized officer.

4. Weekly reporting periods. As set out in regulations at

Secs. 672.2 and 675.2, the current definition of a weekly reporting

period is the period from 0001 hours Monday morning until 2359 hours

the following Sunday night, Alaska local time (A.l.t.). NMFS has

determined that this weekly reporting period does not allow sufficient

time to obtain, process, and summarize weekly observer reports in the

subsequent week. A reporting period from Sunday-through-Saturday would

provide an additional day to process observer data, integrate these

data with the WPRs received from the industry, and produce weekly catch

reports. Therefore, the definition of the weekly reporting period would

be changed to 0001 hours, A.l.t., Sunday morning until 2359 hours,

A.l.t., the following Saturday night. The deadline for receipt of WPRs

from Motherships, Catcher/Processors, and Shoreside Processors would

remain Tuesday at 1200 hours, A.l.t.

5. Inactive and active periods. The operator or manager would be

required to account for each day of the fishing year by indicating

active and inactive periods on the Catcher Vessel DFL, Catcher/

Processor DCPL, Mothership DCPL, Buying Station DCL, and Shoreside

Processor DCPL. A single logbook page could be used to account for

inactive periods of more than one day within a quarter.

6. CDQ Information. The DFL, DCL, and DCPL would be used to account

for groundfish harvested under the CDQ Program through the addition of

questions on those logbooks, as well as on WPRs, DPRs, and Check-in/

Check-out reports to indicate CDQ information. The CDQ information

would be transferred from the logbook by the manager or operator of a

Mothership, Catcher/Processor, or Shoreside Processor to WPRs, DPRs,

and Check-in/Check-out reports. This information is needed because CDQ

quotas are managed on an individual basis, and because CDQ harvest

information must be kept separate from other types of management

quotas.

7. Scientific name for steelhead trout. The scientific name for

steelhead trout would be revised to read, ``Oncorhynchus mykiss'' in

Secs. 672.20(e) and 675.20(c). The scientific community currently

prefers this new term as a more precise description of steelhead trout.

8. Time. The time citation ``00:01 a.m.'' in Secs. 672.20(a),

675.20(a), 672.23, and 675.23 would be changed to read ``0001 hours''

to conform with the revised definition of fishing year.

Classification

This proposed rule contains collection-of-information requirements

subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. OMB approval for the majority

of this information has been obtained under OMB control numbers 0648-

0206 and 0213; additions and revisions to the collection have been

submitted to OMB for approval. Additional burden would result from the

requirements set forth for the new Buying Station DCL and Check-in/

Check-out report, and also from revisions to existing reports.

An estimated additional response time for compliance with these new

forms is expected to be between 25 minutes and 2.0 hours annually for

the operator or manager of each processor or Buying Station and 27

minutes for each Catcher Vessel operator. The additional annual burden

to Shoreside Processors and Buying Stations to comply with requirements

for Check-in/Check-out reports is estimated to average about 8 minutes

and 6 minutes, respectively, for each Check-in or Check-out report.

Revisions to the format of other logbooks and/or additions to

information collected by logbooks are minimal and are not anticipated

to significantly increase reporting burden to the industry. The

requirements include: The U.S. Vessel Activities Report, 15 minutes;

Weekly Production Report, 18 minutes; Daily Production Report, 10

minutes; Processor Product Transfer Report, 11 minutes; and the Catcher

Vessel Logbook, 15 minutes.

The Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Regulation of the

Department of Commerce certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of

the Small Business Administration that this proposed rule, if adopted,

would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of

small entities. NMFS proposes to consolidate several sections of

regulations in parts 672 and 675 by correcting errors, clarifying vague

text, removing outdated requirements, as well as simplifying and

streamlining the remaining regulations, including the recordkeeping and

reporting requirements. All of the recommended revisions are designed

to make the regulations easier for the public to use and to enhance the

ability of NMFS to collect more accurate and timely groundfish data and

to improve the management of the groundfish fisheries. To the extent

that there will be additional burden for the industry, it will be minor

when compared with the increased ease of use resulting from

clarification, simplification, and streamlining.

Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of

this collection-of-information, including suggestions for reducing this

burden, to NMFS and to OIRA, OMB (see ADDRESSES).

This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes

of E.O. 12866.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Parts 672 and 675

Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: August 15, 1995.

Gary Matlock,

Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR parts 672 and 675

are proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 672--GROUNDFISH OF THE GULF OF ALASKA

1. The authority citation for part 672 continues to read as

follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Subpart A--General

2. In Sec. 672.1, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:

Sec. 672.1 Purpose and scope.

(a) Regulations in this part, along with parts 602, 620, 676, and

677 of this chapter, implement the Fishery Management Plan for

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.

* * * * *

3. Section 672.2 is revised to read as follows:

[[Page 46941]]

Sec. 672.2 Definitions.

In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson Act and in

Sec. 620.2 of this chapter, the terms used in this part have the

following meanings:

Active/inactive periods--(1) Active periods--(i) Catcher Vessel. An

active period for a Catcher Vessel means a period of time when the

Catcher Vessel is in a reporting area (except 300, 400, 550, or 690) or

gear remains on the grounds in a reporting area (except 300, 400, 550,

or 690) regardless of the vessel location.

(ii) Shoreside Processor, Mothership, Catcher/Processor, and Buying

Station. An active period for a Shoreside Processor, Mothership,

Catcher/Processor, and Buying Station means a period of time when

checked-in.

(2) Inactive periods--(i) Catcher Vessel. An inactive period for a

Catcher Vessel means any period which does not qualify as an active

period.

(ii) Shoreside Processor, Mothership, Catcher/Processor, or Buying

Station. An inactive period for a Shoreside Processor, Mothership,

Catcher/Processor, or Buying Station means a period of time when not

checked-in.

ADF&G means the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Alaska local time (A.l.t.) means the current Alaska time, either

daylight savings time or standard time.

Alaska State waters means waters shoreward of the exclusive

economic zone (EEZ) off Alaska.

Aleutian Islands Subarea (AI) of the BSAI means that portion of the

EEZ contained in Statistical Areas 541, 542, and 543 (see Figure 1 of

this part).

Authorized fishing gear means hook-and-line, jig, longline,

longline pot, nonpelagic trawl, nontrawl, pelagic trawl, pot-and-line,

and trawl; defined as follows:

(1) Hook-and-line means a stationary, buoyed, and anchored line

with hooks attached, or the taking of fish by means of such a device;

(2) Jig means a single non-buoyed, non-anchored line with hooks

attached, or the taking of fish by means of such a device;

(3) Longline means a stationary, buoyed, and anchored line with

hooks or two or more groundfish pots attached, or the taking of fish by

means of such a device (see Sec. 672.24(b) or Sec. 675.24(b) of this

chapter);

(4) Longline pot means a stationary, buoyed, and anchored line with

two or more pots attached, or the taking of fish by means of such a

device;

(5) Nonpelagic trawl means a trawl other than a pelagic trawl;

(6) Nontrawl means hook-and-line, jig, longline, and pot-and-line

gear;

(7) Pelagic trawl means a trawl that:

(i) Has no discs, bobbins, or rollers;

(ii) Has no chafe protection gear attached to the foot rope or

fishing line;

(iii) Except for the small mesh allowed under paragraph (7)(ix) of

this definition:

(A) Has no mesh tied to the fishing line, head rope, and breast

lines with less than 20 inches (50.8 cm) between knots, and has no

stretched mesh size of less than 60 inches (152.4 cm) aft from all

points on the fishing line, head rope, and breast lines and extending

past the fishing circle for a distance equal to or greater than one

half the vessel's length overall; or

(B) Has no parallel lines spaced closer than 64 inches (162.6 cm),

from all points on the fishing line, head rope, and breast lines and

extending aft to a section of mesh, with no stretched mesh size of less

than 60 inches (152.4 cm), extending aft for a distance equal to or

greater than one half the vessel's length overall;

(iv) Has no stretched mesh size less than 15 inches (38.1 cm) aft

of the mesh described in paragraph (7)(iii) of this definition for a

distance equal to or greater than one half the vessel's length overall;

(v) Contains no configuration intended to reduce the stretched mesh

sizes described in paragraphs (7)(iii) and (iv) of this definition;

(vi) Has no flotation other than floats capable of providing up to

200 lb (90.7 kg) of buoyancy to accommodate the use of a net-sounder

device;

(vii) Has no more than one fishing line and one foot rope for a

total of no more than two weighted lines on the bottom of the trawl

between the wing tip and the fishing circle;

(viii) Has no metallic component except for connectors (e.g.,

hammerlocks or swivels) or net-sounder device aft of the fishing circle

and forward of any mesh greater than 5.5 inches (14.0 cm) stretched

measure;

(ix) May have small mesh within 32 ft (9.8 m) of the center of the

head rope as needed for attaching instrumentation (e.g., net-sounder

device); and

(x) May have weights on the wing tips;

(8) Pot-and-line means a stationary, buoyed line with a single pot

attached, or the taking of fish by means of such a device; and

(9) Trawl means a conical-shaped net that is towed through the

water for catching fish or other organisms. The net accumulates its

catch in the closed, small end (usually called the cod end). This

definition includes, but is not limited to, Danish and Scottish seines

and otter trawls.

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) means the

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands subareas (see Figure 1 of this part).

Bering Sea Subarea (BS) of the BSAI means that portion of the EEZ

contained in Statistical Areas 508, 509, 512, 513, 514, 516, 517, 518,

519, 521, 523, 524, and 530 (see Figure 1 of this part).

Bogoslof District means that part of the Bering Sea Subarea

contained in Statistical Area 518 (see Figure 1 of this part).

Breast line means the rope or wire running along the forward edges

of the side panels of a net, or along the forward edge of the side rope

in a rope trawl.

Buying Station means a person or vessel that receives unprocessed

groundfish from a vessel for delivery at a different location to a

Shoreside Processor or Mothership and that does not process those fish.

Bycatch Limitation Zone 1 (Zone 1) means that part of the Bering

Sea Subarea that is contained within the boundaries of Statistical

Areas 508, 509, 512, and 516 (see Figure 1 of this part).

Bycatch Limitation Zone 2 (Zone 2) means that part of the Bering

Sea Subarea that is contained within the boundaries of Statistical

Areas 513, 517, and 521 (see Figure 1 of this part).

Catcher/Processor means a vessel that is used for catching fish and

processing that fish.

Catcher Vessel means a vessel that is used for catching fish and

that does not process on board.

Catcher Vessel Operational Area (CVOA) (see Figure 2 of this part

and Sec. 675.22(g) of this chapter).

Central Aleutian District means that part of the Aleutian Islands

Subarea contained in Statistical Area 542 (see Figure 1 of this part).

Community Development Plan (CDP) (applicable through December 31,

1995) means a plan for a specific Western Alaska community or group of

communities approved by the Governor of the State of Alaska and

recommended to NMFS under Sec. 675.27 of this chapter.

Community Development Quota (CDQ) (applicable through December 31,

1995) means a Western Alaska community development quota for pollock

assigned to an approved CDP. All CDQs, in the aggregate, equal one-half

of 15 percent of the total allowable catch specified for pollock that

is placed in reserve under Sec. 675.20(a)(3) of this chapter.

Community Development Quota Program (CDQ program) (applicable

through December 31, 1995) means the Western Alaska Community

[[Page 46942]]

Development Program implemented under Sec. 675.27 of this chapter.

Community Development Quota Reserve (CDQ reserve) (applicable

through December 31, 1995) means one-half of 15 percent of the total

allowable catch specified for pollock in each subarea or district that

is placed in reserve under Sec. 675.20(a)(3) of this chapter.

Daily reporting period or day is the period from midnight until the

following midnight using Alaska local time (A.l.t.).

Directed fishing means any fishing activity that results in the

retention of an amount of a species or species group on board a vessel

that is greater than the maximum retainable by catch amount for that

species or species group as calculated under Sec. 672.20 (g) and (h)

and Sec. 675.20 (h) and (i) of this chapter.

Donut Hole means international waters of the Bering Sea outside the

limits of the EEZ and Russian economic zone as depicted on the current

edition of NOAA chart INT 813 Bering Sea (Southern Part).

Eastern Aleutian District means that part of the Aleutian Islands

Subarea contained in Statistical Area 541 (see Figure 1 of this part).

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (see Sec. 620.2 of this chapter).

Federal waters means waters within the EEZ off Alaska.

Fish product weight means the weight of the fish product in pounds

or to at least the nearest hundredth of a metric ton (0.01 mt). Fish

product weight is based upon the number of production units and the

weight of those units. Production units include pans, cartons, blocks,

trays, cans, bags, and individual fresh or frozen fish. The weight of a

production unit is the average weight of representative samples of the

product, and may include additives but not packaging. Any allowance for

water added cannot exceed 5 percent of the gross product weight (fish,

additives, and water).

Fishing activity (see definition for fishing in Sec. 620.2 of this

chapter).

Fishing circle means the circumference of a trawl intersecting the

center point on a fishing line, and that is perpendicular to the long

axis of a trawl.

Fishing day (see part 676 of this chapter).

Fishing line means a length of chain or wire rope in the bottom

front end of a trawl to which the webbing or lead ropes are attached.

Fishing month (see Sec. 672.26 or Sec. 675.26 of this chapter).

Fishing trip: (1) For purposes of directed fishing calculations,

see Sec. 672.20(h)(2) and Sec. 675.20(i)(2) of this chapter.

(2) For purposes of pollock roe retention, see Sec. 672.20(i)(4)

and Sec. 675.20(j)(5) of this chapter.

Fishing year means the period of time beginning at 0001 hours,

A.l.t., on January 1 and ending at 2359 hours, A.l.t., on December 31

(see Sec. 672.23(a) and Sec. 675.23(a) of this chapter).

Foot rope means a chain or wire rope attached to the bottom front

end of a trawl and attached to the fishing line.

Gear Deployment: (1) For trawl gear means where the trawl gear

reaches the fishing level and begins to fish.

(2) For jig/troll, hook-and-line, or longline gear means where the

gear enters the water.

(3) For pot-and-line gear means where the first pot enters the

water.

Gear Retrieval--(1) For trawl gear, gear retrieval means where

retrieval of trawl cable commences.

(2) For jig/troll gear, gear retrieval means where the jig/troll

gear leaves the water.

(3) For hook-and-line or longline pot gear, gear retrieval means

where the last hook-and-line or longline pot gear of a set leaves the

water, regardless of where the majority of the haul or set took place.

(4) For pot-and-line gear, gear retrieval means where the last pot

of a set leaves the water.

Governor means the Governor of the State of Alaska.

Groundfish means target species and the ``other species'' category,

specified annually pursuant to Sec. 672.20(a)(1) or Sec. 675.20(a)(1)

of this chapter.

Gulf of Alaska (GOA) means that portion of the EEZ contained in

Statistical Areas 610, 620, 630, 640, and 650 (see Figure 3 of this

part).

Head rope means a rope bordering the top front end of a trawl.

Herring Savings Area means any of three areas in the BSAI presented

in Figure 4 of this part (see also Sec. 675.21(c)(2) of this chapter

for additional closure information):

Inshore component (applicable through December 31, 1995) means that

part of the U.S. groundfish fishery off Alaska that includes:

(1) All shoreside processing operations;

(2) All processor vessels that process, on a daily average during

any weekly reporting period, less than 18 mt of Pacific cod harvested

in the GOA and pollock in aggregate round weight equivalents, and are

less than 125 ft (38.1 m) in length overall; and

(3) All processor vessels in Alaska State waters (waters adjacent

to the State of Alaska and shoreward of the EEZ) that process, at a

single geographic location during a fishing year, pollock harvested in

a directed fishery for pollock, or Pacific cod harvested in a directed

fishery for Pacific cod in the GOA, and that submit a Check-in notice

and weekly production report as required at Sec. 672.5(c). For purposes

of this definition, a single geographic location will be determined by

the geographic coordinates reported on a Check-in report submitted by

the vessel operator when that vessel engages in a directed fishery for

Pacific cod in the GOA or pollock for the first time in a fishing year.

IPHC means International Pacific Halibut Commission (see part 301

of this title).

Joint venture processing (JVP) (see Sec. 611.2 of this chapter).

Landing means off-loading fish.

Length overall (LOA) of a vessel means the horizontal distance,

rounded to the nearest foot, between the foremost part of the stem and

the aftermost part of the stern, excluding bowsprits, rudders, outboard

motor brackets, and similar fittings or attachments (see Figure 6 of

this part).

Logbook means Daily Cumulative Production Logbook (DCPL), Daily

Cumulative Logbook (DCL), or a Daily Fishing Logbook (DFL) required by

Sec. 672.5.

Manager, with respect to any Shoreside Processor or Buying Station,

means the individual responsible for the operation of the Shoreside

Processor operation or Buying Station.

Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) (see part 602 of this chapter).

Mothership means a vessel that receives and processes groundfish

from other vessels.

Net-sounder device means a sensor used to determine the depth from

the water surface at which a fishing net is operating.

nm means nautical mile.

Non-allocated or nonspecified species means those fish species,

other than prohibited species, for which a TAC has not been specified

(e.g., grenadier, prowfish, lingcod).

Observer means any person certified under the NMFS Observer Plan

(see part 676 of this chapter).

Offshore component (applicable through December 31, 1995) means all

processor vessels in the U.S. groundfish fisheries off Alaska not

included in the definition of ``inshore component.''

Optimum yield (OY) (see Sec. 672.20 and Sec. 675.20 of this

chapter).

``Other species'' is a category that consists of groundfish species

in each management area that are not specified

[[Page 46943]]

as target species (see Sec. 672.20 and Sec. 675.20 of this chapter).

Processing, or to process, means the preparation of fish to render

it suitable for human consumption, industrial uses, or long-term

storage, including but not limited to cooking, canning, smoking,

salting, drying, freezing, or rendering into meal or oil, but does not

mean icing, bleeding, heading, or gutting.

Processor vessel means, unless otherwise restricted, any vessel

that has been issued a Federal fisheries permit and that can be used

for processing groundfish.

Quarter or quarterly reporting period means one of four successive

3-month periods during a calendar year, which begin at 0001 hours,

A.l.t., on the first day of each quarter, and end at 2359 hours,

A.l.t., on the last day of each quarter. The four quarters for each

year are specified as follows:

1st quarter:January 1 through March 31

2nd quarter:April 1 through June 30

3rd quarter:July 1 through September 30

4th quarter:October 1 through December 31

Regional Director means Director, Alaska Region, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

Regulatory area means any of three areas of the EEZ in the GOA (see

Figure 3 of this part) described as follows:

(1) Eastern Regulatory Area means Statistical Areas 640 and 650.

(2) Central Regulatory Area means Statistical Areas 620 and 630.

(3) Western Regulatory Area means Statistical Area 610.

Reporting area means any of the areas described in Figures 1 and 3

of this part.

Resident fisherman (see Sec. 675.27(d)(7) of this chapter).

Round-weight equivalent means the weight of fish calculated by

dividing the weight of the primary product made from that fish by the

standard product recovery rate for that primary product as listed in

Sec. 672.20(j), or, if not listed, the weight of fish calculated by

dividing the weight of a primary product by the standard product

recovery rate as determined using the best available evidence on a

case-by-case basis.

Set means a string of pots or hook-and-line gear or a group of pots

that are deployed in a similar location with similar soak time.

Shoreside Processor or shoreside processing operation, means any

person or vessel that receives unprocessed groundfish, except Catcher/

Processors, Motherships, Buying Stations, restaurants, or persons

receiving groundfish for use as bait or personal consumption.

Southeast Outside District of the GOA means that part of the

Eastern Regulatory Area contained in Statistical Area 650 (see Figure 3

of this part).

Statistical area means the part of any reporting area defined in

Figures 1 and 3 of this part, contained in the EEZ.

Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas (for BSAI, see Tables 4 and 5 of

this part, Sec. 672.24(e), Sec. 227.12 of this title, and

Sec. 675.24(f) of this chapter); for GOA, see Table 6 of this part).

Stem means the foremost position of a vessel; a section of timber

or cast, forged or rolled metal to which the sides of a vessel are

united at the fore end with the lower end scarfed to the keel and the

bowsprit, if one is present, resting on the upper end.

Stern means the aftermost part of the vessel.

Stretched mesh size means the distance between opposite knots of a

four-sided mesh when opposite knots are pulled tautly to remove slack.

Support vessel means any vessel that is used in support of other

vessels regulated under this part and part 675 of this chapter,

including, but not limited to, supplying a fishing vessel with water,

fuel, provisions, fishing equipment, fish processing equipment or other

supplies, or transporting processed fish. The term ``support vessel''

does not include processor vessels or tender vessels.

Target species are those species or species groups, except the

``other species'' category, for which a TAC is specified pursuant to

Sec. 672.20(a) and Sec. 675.20(a) of this chapter.

Tender Vessel means a vessel that is used to transport unprocessed

fish received from another vessel to a Shoreside Processor, Mothership,

or Buying Station.

Total allowable catch (TAC) (see Sec. 672.20(a)(2) and

Sec. 675.20(a)(2) of this chapter).

Transfer includes any loading, offloading, shipment or receipt of

any groundfish product, including quantities transferred inside or

outside the EEZ, within any state's territorial waters, within the

internal waters of any state, at any Shoreside Processor, or any

offsite meal reduction plant.

Trawl test areas (see Figure 7 of this part and Sec. 672.24(f) and

Sec. 675.24(g) of this chapter).

Vessel Activity Report (VAR) (see Sec. 672.5(c)(5)).

Vessel operations category (see Sec. 672.4).

Walrus Protection Areas (see Sec. 675.22(f) of this chapter).

Weekly reporting period means a time period, which begins at 0001

hours, A.l.t., Sunday morning (except during the first week of each

year, when it starts on January 1) and ends at 2359 hours, A.l.t., the

following Saturday night (except during the last week of each year when

it ends on December 31).

West Yakutat District of the GOA means that part of the Eastern

Regulatory Area of the GOA contained in Statistical Area 640 (see

Figure 3 of this part).

Western Aleutian District means that part of the Aleutian Islands

Subarea contained in Statistical Area 543 (see Figure 1 of this part).

Wing tip means the point where adjacent breast lines intersect or

where a breast line intersects with the fishing line.

4. In Sec. 672.3, paragraphs (a) and (c) are revised to read as

follows:

Sec. 672.3 Relation to other laws.

(a) Foreign fishing. Regulations governing foreign fishing for

groundfish in the GOA are set forth at Sec. 611.92 of this chapter.

Regulations governing foreign fishing for groundfish in the BSAI are

set forth at Sec. 611.93 of this chapter. Regulations governing U.S.

nationals fishing in the Russian fisheries are set forth in part 299 of

this title.

* * * * *

(c) Domestic fishing for groundfish. Regulations governing the

conservation and management of groundfish in the GOA for vessels of the

United States are set forth at this part and parts 620, 676, and 677 of

this chapter. Regulations governing the conservation and management of

groundfish in the BSAI are set forth in this part and parts 620, 675,

676, and 677 of this chapter.

* * * * *

5. Section 672.4 is revised to read as follows:

Sec. 672.4 Fisheries permit.

(a) General. (1) No vessel of the United States may be used to fish

for groundfish in the GOA or in the BSAI unless the owner first obtains

a Federal fisheries permit for the vessel issued under this part,

except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section. A Federal

fisheries permit is effective only until December 31 of the year in

which it is issued. Fisheries permits are issued without charge.

(2) Vessels of the United States that fish in the GOA or BSAI for

any non-groundfish species, including but not limited to, halibut,

crab, salmon, scallops, and herring, and that do not retain any bycatch

of groundfish are not required to obtain a Federal fisheries permit

issued under this part.

(b) Federal Fisheries Permit Application--(1) Request for

[[Page 46944]]

application and permit. A person may obtain an application for a

Federal fisheries permit required under paragraph (a) of this section

from: National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK

99802-1668, fax number: 907-586-7465.

(2) Completed application. (i) A person may obtain the Federal

fisheries permit required under paragraph (a) of this section by

submitting a written permit application to the address given in

paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(ii) The owner or operator of a vessel must answer each question on

the permit application in the manner set forth in paragraph (c) of this

section.

(iii) The owner or operator must mail completed forms to the

address given in paragraph (b)(1) of this section or fax completed

forms to: (907)586-7313.

(iv) The owner or operator must complete a separate application for

each vessel or processor and must retain a copy of each completed or

revised application.

(v) The owner or operator must type or print legibly the

information requested on the application.

(3) Application deficiency. Upon receipt of an incomplete or

improperly completed fisheries permit application, the Regional

Director will notify the applicant of the deficiency in the permit

application. If the applicant fails to correct the deficiency, the

permit will not be issued. No permit will be issued to an applicant

until a complete application is received.

(c) Permit application contents. The owner or operator must record:

(1) If application is for an amended permit, the current Federal

Fisheries Permit number and information that has changed.

(2) If for a vessel, the complete name and homeport (city and

state) of the vessel; the ADF&G vessel number; the U.S. Coast Guard

documentation number or Alaska registration number; the vessel's length

overall and registered net tonnage; and the telephone, fax, and COMSAT

(satellite communication) numbers used on board the vessel.

(3) Shoreside processor information. If a shoreside processor,

refer to Sec. 677.4(b) of this chapter.

(4) Owner information. The owner of the vessel or shoreside

processor must record the owner's name, permanent business mailing

address, telephone and fax numbers; and the name of any company (other

than the owner) that manages the operations of the vessel or shoreside

processor.

(5) Federal fisheries permit information. The owner must record:

(i) The fishery or fisheries and the vessel operations category for

which the permit would apply as set forth under paragraph (e) of this

section and Sec. 672.2;

(ii) If a Catcher Vessel or Catcher/Processor, the gear type(s)

used for groundfish operations;

(iii) If a Catcher Vessel, whether groundfish is retained only as

bycatch from halibut, crab, or salmon fisheries; and whether sablefish

(black cod) is the only groundfish targeted in the GOA.

(6) Signature. The owner must sign and date the application.

(d) Fisheries permit issuance. (1) Except as provided in subpart D

of 15 CFR part 904, upon receipt of a properly completed permit

application, the Regional Director will issue a fisheries permit

required by paragraph (a) of this section.

(2) The Regional Director will send the fisheries permit to the

applicant along with the appropriate logbooks as provided under

Sec. 672.5.

(e) Vessel operations category. (1) A fisheries permit issued under

paragraph (d)(1) of this section authorizes a vessel to conduct

operations as a Catcher Vessel, Catcher/Processor, Mothership, Tender

Vessel, or Support Vessel.

(2) A vessel may be issued a fisheries permit as a support vessel

or as any combination of the other four categories (Catcher Vessel,

Catcher/Processor, Mothership, Tender Vessel). A vessel permitted as a

Catcher Vessel, Catcher/Processor, Mothership, or Tender Vessel may

also conduct all operations authorized for a support vessel.

(f) Amended permit. (1) An owner or operator who applied for and

received a fisheries permit under this section must notify the Regional

Director, in writing, of any change in the information provided under

paragraph (c) of this section within 10 days of the date of that

change.

(2) An application for an amended permit must be made on the permit

application as set forth in paragraph (c) of this section.

(3) If the application is for an amended fisheries permit required

under paragraph (a) of this section and designates a change or addition

of a vessel operations category, the amended permit must be on board

the vessel before the new type of operations begins.

(g) Duration. (1) A fisheries permit remains in effect through

December 31 of the year for which it is issued unless it is revoked,

suspended, or modified under 15 CFR part 904 (Civil Procedures), or

unless it is surrendered or invalidated.

(2) A fisheries permit is surrendered when the original permit is

submitted to and received by NMFS Enforcement Office in Juneau.

(h) Alteration. No person may alter, erase, or mutilate any

fisheries permit issued under paragraph (a) of this section. Any

fisheries permit that is intentionally altered, erased, or mutilated is

invalid.

(i) Transfer. A Fisheries permit issued under paragraph (a) of this

section is not transferable or assignable and is valid only for the

vessel for which it is issued.

(j) Inspection. (1) An original fisheries permit issued under

paragraph (a) of this section must be carried on board the vessel

whenever the vessel is fishing. Photocopied or faxed copies are not

considered originals.

(2) A permit issued under paragraph (a) of this section must be

presented for inspection upon the request of any authorized officer.

(k) Sanctions. Procedures governing permit sanctions and denials

are found at subpart D of 15 CFR part 904.

(l) Condition. No person may use a vessel for which the Regional

Director has issued a permit under paragraph (a) of this section to

fish in the Donut Hole, or to possess fish in the EEZ that were caught

in the Donut Hole, during the fishing year for which the permit is

issued.

(m) Moratorium permit. In addition to the Federal fisheries permit

required by paragraph (a) of this section and any other permits that

may be required by Federal or Alaska state regulations, a moratorium

permit may be required by part 676 of this chapter for a vessel of the

United States if the vessel is used to conduct directed fishing for

moratorium groundfish species, as defined at Sec. 676.2 of this

chapter, in the Gulf of Alaska or Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

management area.

6. Section 672.5 is revised to read as follows:

Sec. 672.5 Recordkeeping and reporting.

(a) Applicability and general requirements--(1) Applicability. (i)

Except as otherwise provided, this section applies to:

(A) Any Catcher Vessel, Mothership, Catcher/Processor, or Tender

Vessel, 5 net tons or larger, which is required to have a fisheries

permit under Sec. 672.4; and

(B) Any Shoreside Processor, Mothership, or Buying Station that

receives groundfish from vessels required to have a fisheries permit

under Sec. 672.4.

(ii) A Shoreside Processor, Mothership, or Buying Station subject

to recordkeeping and reporting requirements must report all groundfish

and prohibited species received, including:

[[Page 46945]]

(A) Fish received from vessels not required to have a fisheries

permit;

(B) Fish received under contract for handling or processing for

another processor.

(2) Responsibility. The operator of a Catcher Vessel, Catcher/

Processor, Mothership, or Buying Station delivering to a Mothership

(hereafter referred to as the operator) and the manager of a Shoreside

Processor or Buying Station delivering to a Shoreside Processor

(hereafter referred to as the manager) are each responsible for

compliance with the applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements

of this section. In addition, the owner of a vessel, Shoreside

Processor, or Buying Station must ensure that the operator, manager, or

designated representative (see paragraph (b) of this section) complies

with these requirements and is responsible for compliance.

(3) Groundfish logbooks and forms. The Regional Director will

prescribe and provide logbooks and forms required under this section as

shown in Table 9 of this part. The operator or manager must use these

logbooks and forms or obtain approval from the Regional Director to use

electronic versions of the logbooks and forms.

(4) Participant identification information. The operator or manager

must record on all required records, reports, and logbooks:

(i) The name of the Catcher Vessel, Catcher/Processor, Mothership,

Shoreside Processor, or Buying Station as displayed in official

documentation;

(ii) If a vessel, the Federal Fisheries Permit number and ADF&G

vessel number (if applicable);

(iii) If a processor, the Federal Processor Permit number and ADF&G

processor number;

(iv) If a Buying Station, the name and ADF&G vessel number (if

applicable) of the Buying Station; the name, ADF&G processor number,

and Federal Processor Permit number of associated processor;

(v) If a Shoreside Processor or land-based Buying Station, the

geographic location of operations.

(5) Representative identification. The name, daytime business

telephone number (including area code), fax or TELEX number, and the

COMSAT number (if applicable) of the representative;

(6) Maintenance of records--(i) General. The operator or manager

must maintain all records, reports, and logbooks in a legible, timely,

and accurate manner; in English; if handwritten, in indelible ink; if

computer-generated, a printed, paper copy; and based on Alaska local

time.

(ii) When applicable, the operator or manager must record in each

report, form, and logbook the following information:

(A) Page number. Number the pages in each logbook consecutively,

beginning with page one and continuing throughout the logbook for the

remainder of the fishing year, except that the manager of a Shoreside

Processor must number the DCPL pages within Part I and Part II

separately beginning with page one, etc.;

(B) Date, presented as month-day-year;

(C) Time, in military format to the nearest hour, A.l.t.;

(D) Position Coordinates, latitude and longitude to the nearest

second;

(E) Reporting Area codes, given in Figures 1 and 3 of this part;

(F) Species codes, each target species, the ``other species''

category, and prohibited species (see Secs. 672.20(e) and 675.20(c) of

this chapter), using the species codes given in Table 2 of this part;

(G) Original/Revised Report. If a report is the first one submitted

to the Regional Director for a given date, gear type, and reporting

area, ``ORIGINAL REPORT''. If report is a correction to a previously

submitted report for a given date, gear type, and reporting area,

``REVISED REPORT'';

(H) Metric tons. The required weight units used to record amounts

of landings, product, and discards of groundfish and herring must be

recorded in pounds (lb) or to the nearest 0.01 mt on all forms and

logbooks.

(7) Active and inactive periods. The operator or manager must, in

the DFL, DCL, or DCPL:

(i) Account for each day of the fishing year by indicating active

and inactive periods, as defined in Sec. 672.2;

(ii) Use a separate logbook page for each day of an active period;

(iii) Indicate on one page the first and last day of an inactive

period;

(iv) Fishing activity. The operator or manager must indicate all

fishing activity, which is defined as follows:

(A) If a Catcher Vessel, harvest or discard of groundfish;

(B) If a Catcher/Processor, harvest, discard, or processing of

groundfish;

(C) If a Mothership or Shoreside Processor, receipt, discard, or

processing of groundfish;

(D) If a Buying Station, receipt, discard, or delivery of

groundfish;

(v) If in an active period and there is fishing activity, the

operator or manager must record:

(A) The gear type used to harvest the groundfish. If a Catcher

Vessel or Catcher/Processor and using hook-and-line longline gear, the

average number of hooks per skate;

(B) The reporting area code where gear retrieval was completed;

whether gear retrieval was in Federal or Alaska State waters;

(C) If a Catcher Vessel, whether a NMFS-certified observer is on

board the vessel. If a Catcher/Processor, Mothership, or Shoreside

Processor, the number of NMFS-certified observers on board or on site;

(D) The number of crew, except certified observer;

(E) Whether harvest is under a CDQ program; if yes, the CDQ number;

(F) If a Catcher Vessel or Buying Station, the name and ADF&G

processor number of the Mothership or Shoreside Processor to which

groundfish deliveries were made;

(vi) If in an active period and there is no harvesting, discard,

receipt, or processing of groundfish, the operator or manager must

indicate ``NO FISHING ACTIVITY'' and briefly describe the reason.

(8) Landings information. The manager of a Shoreside Processor

must:

(i) Record and report groundfish landings by species codes and

product codes as defined in Tables 1 and 2 of this part for each

reporting area, whether in Alaska State waters or Federal waters, gear

type, and CDQ number;

(ii) Record in the DCPL each day on the day such landings occur,

the following additional information:

(A) The daily combined scale weight of landings retained for

processing from a Catcher Vessel or any associated Buying Station, in

pounds or to at least the nearest 0.01 mt;

(B) If more than one page is used during a weekly reporting period,

the total amount of landings carried forward from the previous page;

(C) At the end of each weekly reporting period, the cumulative

total weight, calculated by adding the daily totals and total carried

forward for that week;

(iii) Summarize the DCPL for each weekly reporting period on a WPR

or for each day on a DPR (if applicable). If there were no landings

during a reporting period, write ``NO LANDINGS'' on the first row of

the WPR landings section or under the DPR landings column for that day.

(9) Product information. The operator or manager of a Catcher/

Processor, Mothership, or Shoreside Processor must, where required:

(i) Record and report groundfish products by species codes, product

codes, and product designations as

[[Page 46946]]

defined in Tables 1 and 2 of this part for each reporting area, whether

in Alaska State waters or Federal waters, gear type, and CDQ number;

(ii) Record in the DCPL each day on the day such production occurs,

the daily total, balance brought forward (except for Shoreside

Processor), and cumulative total fish product weight (see Sec. 672.2)

for each product of groundfish in pounds or to at least the nearest

0.01 mt;

(iii) Summarize the DCPL for each weekly reporting period on a WPR

or for each day on a DPR (if applicable). If there was no production

during a weekly reporting period, indicate ``NO PRODUCTION'' on the

first row of the WPR production section or under the DPR products

column for that day.

(10) Discarded/donated species information. The manager or operator

must, where required:

(i) Record and report discards and donations by species codes and

discard product codes as defined in Tables 1 and 2 of this part for

each reporting area, whether in Alaska State waters or Federal waters,

gear type, and CDQ number;

(ii) Record the estimated daily total, balance brought forward, and

cumulative total round fish weight in the DFL, DCL, or DCPL each day on

the day such discards occur for each discard of groundfish species,

groundfish species groups, and Pacific herring in pounds or to at least

the nearest 0.01 mt;

(iii) Record the estimated daily total, balance brought forward,

and cumulative total numbers in the DFL, DCL, or DCPL each day on the

day such discards occur for each discard of Pacific salmon, steelhead

trout, Pacific halibut, king crab, and Tanner crab;

(iv) Summarize the DCPL for each weekly reporting period on a WPR

or for each day on a DPR (if applicable). If there were no discards

during a reporting period, write ``NO DISCARDS'' on the first row of

the WPR discard section or under the DPR discard column for that day.

(v) Catcher Vessel discards/donations. (A) The operator must record

in the DFL discards that occur prior to and during harvest and must

submit the blue DFL logsheets (discards copy) to the Buying Station,

Mothership, or Shoreside Processor receiving the harvest at the end of

the weekly reporting period;

(B) If a Catcher Vessel discards fish from an unsorted codend prior

to delivery to a processor, the operator of the vessel must estimate

and record in the DFL the amount and species composition of the

discards made at sea (discard code 98);

(vi) Buying Station discards/donations. (A) The operator or manager

must record in the DCL on a daily basis on the day such discard occurs,

all discards that occur after receipt of harvest from a Catcher Vessel

and prior to delivery to a Mothership or Shoreside Processor;

(B) If a blue DFL logsheet is received from a Catcher Vessel and

contains reports of discards, the operator or manager must record in

the DCL the discards on the day the DFL logsheet is received from the

Catcher Vessel;

(vii) Catcher/Processor discards/donations. The operator must

record in the DCPL on the day such discard occurs all discards that

occur prior to harvest, during harvest, and during processing;

(viii) Mothership or Shoreside Processor discards/donations. (A)

The operator or manager must record into the DCPL on a daily basis on

the day such discard occurs, all discards that occur on site after

receipt of groundfish, and all discards that occur during processing of

groundfish;

(B) If a blue DFL logsheet is received from a Catcher Vessel and

discards are reported, the operator or manager must record in the DCPL

the discards on the day the DFL logsheet is received from the Catcher

Vessel;

(C) If a yellow DCL logsheet is received from a Buying Station and

discards are reported, the operator or manager must record in the DCPL

the discards on the day the DCL logsheet is received from the Buying

Station;

(11) Contract processing. (i) The manager of a Shoreside Processor

or operator of a Mothership who receives groundfish to be handled or

processed under contract for another processor or business entity must

report these fish to the Regional Director consistently throughout a

fishing year using one of two methods:

(A) Record landings (if applicable), discards, and products of

contract-processed groundfish routinely in the DCPL without separate

identification; or

(B) Record landings (if applicable), discards, and products of

contract-processed groundfish in a separate DCPL identified by the

name, Federal Processor permit number, Federal Fisheries permit number

(if applicable), and ADF&G Processor code of the associated business

entity;

(ii) If contract-processed groundfish records are kept separate

from the routine DCPL, the operator or manager of the Mothership or

Shoreside Processor must summarize and report that information on a WPR

identified by the name, Federal Processor permit number, Federal

Fisheries permit number (if applicable), and ADF&G Processor code of

the associated business entity.

(12) Alteration of records. (i) The operator, manager, or any other

person may not alter or change any entry or record in a logbook except

that an inaccurate or incorrect entry or record may be corrected by

lining out the original and inserting the correction, provided that the

original entry or record remains legible.

(ii) No person except an authorized officer may remove any original

page of any logbook.

(13) Inspection of records. The operator or manager of a Catcher

Vessel, Catcher/Processor, Mothership, or Shoreside Processor, must

make all logbooks, reports, and forms required under paragraph (a)(3)

of this section available for inspection upon the request of an

authorized officer.

(14) Submittal of logbooks, reports and forms--(i) Quarterly

submittal of logbook. (A) The operator of a Catcher Vessel, Catcher/

Processor, Mothership, or the manager of a Shoreside Processor must

submit the yellow logsheets on a quarterly basis to: NMFS Alaska

Fisheries Science Center, Logbook Program, 7600 Sand Point Way NE,

Building 4, Seattle, WA 98115.

(B) The operator or manager must submit the yellow logsheets as

follows: First quarter, by May 1 of that year; second quarter, by

August 1 of that year; third quarter, by November 1 of that year; and

fourth quarter, by February 1 of the following year.

(ii) Submittal of reports and forms. Reports and forms may be

submitted by the operator or manager by:

(A) Using the NMFS printed form and faxing it to the fax number on

the form; or

(B) Transmitting a data file with required information and forms to

NMFS by modem or satellite (specifically INMARSAT standards A, B, or

C).

(15) Record retention--(i) Original copy. (A) The operator of a

Catcher Vessel, Catcher/Processor, or Mothership and the manager of a

Shoreside Processor must retain the original (white) copy of all

logbooks and a paper copy of all reports and forms, including those

reports and forms that were originally submitted electronically:

(1) On site until the end of the fishing year during which the

records were made and for as long thereafter as fish or fish products

recorded in the logbook, reports, and forms are retained;

(2) For 3 years after the end of the fishing year during which the

records were made;

[[Page 46947]]

(B) The operator or manager of a Buying Station must retain the

original (white) copy of all DCLs required under paragraph (a)(2) of

this section on site until the Buying Station has concluded receiving

groundfish for a Shoreside Processor or Mothership and for as long as

fish and fish products recorded in the DCL are retained by the Buying

Station;

(ii) Yellow DCL logsheet. When the operator of a Mothership or the

manager of a Shoreside Processor submits on a quarterly basis to NMFS,

the yellow DCL logsheets received from associated Buying Stations per

paragraph (a)(14) of this section, the operator or manager must retain

a photocopy of the yellow DCL logsheets until the original DCL is

received from the associated Buying Station operator or manager.

(iii) Blue DFL logsheet. The operator of a Mothership and the

manager of a Shoreside Processor must retain the blue DFL logsheets

(discard reports) through the last day of the fishing year during which

the records were made.

(iv) Pink DCL logsheet. The operator or manager of a Buying Station

must retain the pink DCL logsheets for 3 years after the end of the

fishing year during which the records were made.

(16) Integration of Buying Station records. (i) The operator or

manager of a Buying Station must maintain a separate DCL for each

Shoreside Processor or Mothership to which the Buying Station delivers

groundfish during a fishing year.

(ii) The operator or manager of a Buying Station must submit upon

delivery of catch, the yellow DCL logsheets, to the Shoreside Processor

or Mothership to which it delivers groundfish, along with the blue DFL

logsheets and ADF&G fish tickets or catch receipts for that delivery.

(iii) Upon conclusion of receiving groundfish for a Shoreside

Processor or Mothership, the Buying Station operator or manager must

submit the original DCL to the Shoreside Processor manager or

Mothership operator to which deliveries were made.

(iv) If the Mothership operator or the Shoreside Processor manager

receives fish from a Buying Station, the operator or manager must

incorporate all of the DCL information into the DCPL.

(b) Designated representative. The operator or manager of a Catcher

Vessel, Mothership, Catcher/Processor, Shoreside Processor or Buying

Station must identify one person to fill out and sign the logbook,

complete the recordkeeping and reporting forms, or both, and to

identify who will be the contact person for inquiries from NMFS.

Designation of a representative under this paragraph does not relieve

the owner, operator, or manager of responsibility for compliance with

this part.

(c) Catcher Vessel DFL and Catcher/Processor DCPL--(1) Requirement.

(i) The operator of each Catcher Vessel or Catcher/Processor subject to

this part must:

(A) Answer each question on the DFL or DCPL in the manner set forth

under paragraphs (c) (3) through (7) of this section; and

(B) Submit the DFL or DCPL in the manner set forth under paragraphs

(c)(2) and (a)(14), respectively, of this section.

(ii) Pair trawl. If two Catcher Vessels are dragging a trawl

between them (pair trawl), a separate DFL must be maintained by each of

the vessels. Each vessel operator must log the amount of the catch

retained by that vessel and any fish discarded by the vessel.

(2) Time limit and submittal. (i) The operator must record in the

DFL or DCPL, the time, position, and estimated groundfish catch weight

within 2 hours after gear retrieval;

(ii) The operator must record all other information required in the

DFL or DCPL by noon of the day following gear retrieval if a Catcher

Vessel or by noon of the day following completion of production if a

Catcher/Processor;

(iii) The operator of a Catcher Vessel must submit the blue DFL

logsheets with delivery of the harvest to the operator or manager of

the Buying Station, Mothership, or Shoreside Processor;

(iv) Notwithstanding other time limits, the operator of a Catcher

Vessel must record all information required in the DFL within 2 hours

after the vessel's catch is offloaded;

(3) The operator must record on each page:

(i) Page number as defined at paragraph (a)(6)(i) of this section;

(ii) The date;

(iii) If a Catcher Vessel, the vessel name and ADF&G vessel

registration number. If a Catcher/Processor, the name, ADF&G processor

number, and Federal Processor number of the Catcher/Processor;

(iv) The operator's signature;

(v) Active/inactive period. Whether Catcher Vessel or Catcher/

Processor is in an active or inactive period as defined at paragraph

(a)(7) of this section.

(4) The operator must record the following for each haul or set:

(i) Gear deployment. The number of haul or set, by sequence; begin

time and position coordinates of gear deployment; average sea depth and

average gear depth, recorded to the nearest meter or fathom.

(ii) Gear retrieval. The date, time, and position coordinates of

gear retrieval. If the vessel is using longline hook-and-line gear, the

number of skates set. If the vessel is using longline pot or single pot

gear, the total number of pots set.

(iii) The estimated total round fish weight of the groundfish

catch; and

(iv) The species code of the intended target species from Table 2

of this part.

(5) The operator must record discard/donation information as

defined at paragraph (a)(10) of this section.

(6) If a Catcher Vessel, the operator must record:

(i) The date of delivery.

(ii) The name, ADF&G processor code, and ADF&G fish ticket

number(s) provided by the manager or operator of the Mothership,

Shoreside Processor, or Buying Station.

(7) If a Catcher/Processor, the operator must record product

information as set forth at paragraph (a)(9) of this section.

(d) Buying station DCL--(1) Requirement. The operator or manager of

each Buying Station subject to this part must:

(i) Answer each question on the DCL in the manner set forth under

paragraphs (d)(3) through (5) of this section; and

(ii) Submit the DCL in the manner set forth under paragraphs (d)(2)

and (a)(14), respectively, of this section.

(2) Time limits. (i) The operator or manager must record entries in

the DCL as to Catcher Vessel delivery information within 2 hours after

completion of receipt of the groundfish.

(ii) All other information required in the DCL must be recorded by

noon of the day following the day the receipt of groundfish was

completed or discard occurred.

(3) The operator or manager must record for each page:

(i) Page number as defined at paragraph (a)(6)(i) of this section;

(ii) The date;

(iii) The Buying Station name and, if a vessel, the ADF&G vessel

number;

(iv) The operator's or manager's signature.

(v) Active/inactive period. Whether Buying Station is in an active

or inactive period as defined at paragraph (a)(7) of this section.

(vi) The name and ADF&G processor code of the Mothership or

Shoreside Processor to which groundfish deliveries were made;

(vii) The number of crew;

(4) The operator or manager must record the following information

for each delivery of groundfish:

(i) The ADF&G fish ticket number issued to each Catcher Vessel

delivering groundfish. If a fish ticket was not

[[Page 46948]]

issued, the catch receipt number of the transaction;

(ii) Whether blue DFL logsheets were received from Catcher Vessel;

(iii) The time when receipt of groundfish catch was completed;

(iv) The name and ADF&G vessel registration number of the Catcher

Vessel delivering the groundfish;

(v) The total groundfish delivery weight.

(5) The operator or manager must record discard/donation

information as defined at paragraph (a)(10) of this section.

(e) Mothership DCPL--(1) Requirement. The operator of each

Mothership subject to this part must:

(i) Answer each question on the DCPL in the manner set forth under

paragraphs (e) (3) through (6) of this section; and

(ii) Submit the DCPL in the manner set forth under paragraphs

(e)(2) and (a)(14), respectively, of this section.

(2) Time limits. (i) The operator must record entries in the DCPL

as to Catcher Vessel or Buying Station delivery information within 2

hours after completion of the groundfish receipt.

(ii) All other information required in the DCPL must be recorded by

noon of the day following the day the catch receipt, discard, or

production occurred.

(3) The operator must record on each page:

(i) Page number as defined at paragraph (a)(6) of this section;

(ii) The date;

(iii) The name, ADF&G processor number, and Federal Processor

number;

(iv) The operator's signature.

(v) Whether Mothership is in an active or inactive period as

defined at paragraph (a)(7) of this section.

(4) The operator must record for each delivery:

(i) Whether delivery is from a Catcher Vessel or a Buying Station;

(ii) The name and ADF&G vessel registration number (if applicable)

of the Catcher Vessel or Buying Station delivering the groundfish;

(iii) The time and position coordinates of the Mothership when

groundfish catch is received;

(iv) The estimated total round fish weight of the groundfish catch;

(v) The ADF&G fish ticket number issued to each Catcher Vessel

delivering groundfish. If a fish ticket is not issued, record the catch

receipt number of the transaction.

(5) The operator must record discard/donation information as

defined at paragraph (a)(10) of this section.

(6) The operator must record product information as defined at

paragraph (a)(9) of this section.

(f) Shoreside Processor DCPL--(1) Requirement. The manager of each

Shoreside Processor subject to this part must:

(i) Answer each question on the DCPL in the manner set forth under

paragraphs (f) (3) through (7) of this section;

(ii) Submit the DCPL in the manner set forth under paragraphs

(f)(2) and (a)(14), respectively, of this section.

(2) Time limits--(i) The manager must record in the DCPL all

Catcher Vessel or Buying Station delivery information within 2 hours

after completion of the groundfish receipt.

(ii) All other information required in the DCPL must be recorded by

noon of the day following the day the catch receipt, discard, or

production occurred.

(3) Part I. The operator must record on each page:

(i) Page number. If page is for an individual day, the date. If

page is for 1 week, week-ending date. See also paragraph (a)(6)(i) of

this section.

(ii) Participant identification information as defined at paragraph

(a)(4) of this section.

(iii) The signature of the manager.

(iv) Whether the Shoreside Processor is in an active or inactive

period as defined at paragraph (a)(7) of this section.

(4) Delivery information. The manager must record the following

information for each delivery:

(i) Date and time when receipt of groundfish catch was completed;

(ii) Whether delivery is from Catcher Vessel or Buying Station;

(iii) Whether blue DFL logsheets were submitted by Catcher Vessel;

(iv) The name and ADF&G vessel registration number (if applicable)

of the Catcher Vessel or Buying Station delivering the groundfish;

(v) The total scale weight of groundfish delivery in pounds or to

the nearest 0.01 mt;

(vi) The ADF&G fish ticket number issued to the Catcher Vessel

delivering groundfish. If a fish ticket is not issued, record the catch

receipt number of the transaction.

(5) Landings information (Part IC). The manager must record:

(i) The date next to the appropriate day of the week (SUN through

SAT);

(ii) Landings information as defined at paragraph (a)(8) of this

section.

(6) Discarded/donated species information (Part ID). The manager

must record:

(i) The date next to the appropriate day of the week (SUN through

SAT);

(ii) Discard information as defined at paragraph (a)(10) of this

section.

(7) Part II. The manager must record:

(i) Page numbers must be consecutive within Part II, beginning with

page one for the first day product was produced after the start of the

fishing year and continuing throughout the section for the remainder of

the fishing year;

(ii) The name, ADF&G processor code number, and Federal Processor

number of Shoreside Processor;

(iii) The signature of the manager.

(iv) Product information. (A) The week-ending date;

(B) The management area (BSAI or GOA);

(C) The date next to the appropriate day of the week (SUN through

SAT);

(D) Product information as defined at paragraph (a)(9) of this

section.

(g) Groundfish product transfer report (PTR)--(1) Requirement. (i)

The operator of a Mothership or Catcher/Processor or the manager of a

Shoreside Processor must record each transfer of groundfish product on

a separate PTR.

(ii) The operator or manager must answer each question on the PTR

in the manner set forth under paragraphs (g) (3) through (6) of this

section for each transfer of groundfish or groundfish product and must

submit the PTR in the manner set forth under paragraph (g)(2) of this

section.

(iii) Shoreside Processor transfer to offsite meal reduction plant.

The manager of a Shoreside Processor must report on a PTR those fish

products which are subsequently transferred to an offsite meal

reduction plant;

(iv) Transfer of groundfish for bait. The operator or manager must

report on a PTR, daily sales or transfer of groundfish to vessels for

bait. Individual sales of groundfish for bait purposes during a day may

be aggregated when recording the amount of product leaving a facility

that day.

(2) Time limits and submittal. The operator or manager must:

(i) Record all product transfer information on a PTR within 2 hours

of the completion of the transfer;

(ii) Submit a copy of each PTR to the Regional Director to fax

number 907-586-7313 within 24 hours of completion of transfer.

(3) The operator or manager must record on each page:

(i) Whether an original or revised report, as defined at paragraph

(a)(6) of this section;

(ii) Page numbers must be numbered sequentially, with the first

transfer of the fishing year as page 1 and continuing throughout the

remainder of the fishing year;

(iii) If product (including raw fish) is received, ``RECEIPT''. If

product (including raw fish) is offloaded from a Mothership or Catcher/

Processor,

[[Page 46949]]

``OFFLOAD''. If product (including raw fish) is shipped from a

Shoreside Processor, ``SHIPMENT'';

(iv) Representative identification information, as defined at

paragraph (a)(5) of this section;

(v) If a Catcher/Processor or Mothership, the participant

identification information as defined at paragraph (a)(4) of this

section and Coast Guard Documentation number. If a Shoreside Processor,

the participant identification information as defined at paragraph

(a)(4) of this section.

(4) Transfer information. The operator or manager must record the

following information for each transfer:

(i) If another vessel is involved with the transfer, the name and

call sign of the vessel receiving or delivering groundfish or

groundfish products;

(ii) If a Mothership or Catcher/Processor and the transfer takes

place in port, the port of landing and country if a foreign location;

(iii) If transfer is made to an agent, the agent's name. For

purposes of this part, agent is defined as the transport company, the

buyer, or the distributor;

(iv) Intended first destination of product. (A) If an offload or

shipment, the intended destination of vessel or agent receiving

groundfish or groundfish product. If receipt, not applicable;

(B) If an offload or shipment has several destinations, the primary

or first intended destination;

(C) If offload or shipment is going to a single agent and initial

destination but requires loading on multiple vans, trucks, or airline

flights, the transfer may be recorded on a single PTR page;

(v) Date and time of product transfer--(A) Start date. The date and

time the transfer starts;

(B) Finish date. The date and time the transfer is completed:

(1) If shipment is an individual van load or flight, the date and

time when each shipment leaves the plant;

(2) If shipment involves multiple vans or trucks, the date and time

when loading of vans or trucks is completed for each day;

(3) If shipment involves air freight, record date and time when the

last air freight shipment of the day leaves the plant;

(vi) Position transferred. If a Catcher/Processor or Mothership and

transfer of product is made at sea, the transfer position coordinates.

(5) Products and quantities offloaded, shipped, or received. (i) If

a Catcher/Processor or Mothership, the Harvest Zone code of the area in

which groundfish were harvested as defined in Table 8 of this part;

(ii) The species code and product code for each product transferred

as defined in Tables 1 and 2 of this part;

(iii) The number of cartons or production units transferred;

(iv) The average net weight of one carton for each species and

product code in kilograms or pounds;

(v) The total net weight (fish product weight, to the nearest 0.01

mt) of the products transferred.

(6) If a Catcher/Processor or Mothership, whether transfer is a

total or partial offload. If partial offload, the total fish product

weight, to the nearest 0.01 mt, of the products (by harvest zone,

species and product codes) remaining on board after this transfer;

(h) Check-in/Check-out report--(1) Requirement--(i) Check-in report

(BEGIN Message). Before a Catcher/Processor commences harvest of

groundfish in Alaska State or Federal waters of any reporting area

except 300, 400, 550, or 690 or before a Mothership, Shoreside

Processor or Buying Station commences receipt of groundfish from Alaska

State or Federal waters of any reporting area except 300, 400, 550, or

690, the operator or manager must answer each question on the Check-in/

Check-out report in the manner set forth under paragraphs (h)(3),

(h)(4), and (h)(6) of this section; and must submit the Check-in/Check-

out report in the manner set forth under paragraph (h)(2) of this

section.

(ii) Check-out report (CEASE Message). (A) If a Catcher/Processor

departs a reporting area or moves between Alaska State and Federal

waters in a reporting area, and gear retrieval is complete from that

area, the operator or manager must answer each question on a Check-out

report in the manner set forth in paragraphs (h)(3), (h)(5), and (h)(6)

of this section and must submit the Check-in/Check-out report in the

manner set forth under paragraph (h)(2) of this section;

(B) If a Mothership or Shoreside Processor, and groundfish receipt

and processing are completed, the operator or manager must answer each

question on a Check-out report in the manner set forth in paragraphs

(h)(3), (h)(5), and (h)(6) of this section and must submit the Check-

in/Check-out report in the manner set forth under paragraph (h)(2) of

this section;

(iii) Transit between reporting areas. If a vessel is transiting

through a reporting area and is not fishing or receiving fish, a Check-

in or Check-out report is not required from that area;

(iv) Multiple vessel operations categories. If a Catcher/Processor

is functioning simultaneously as a Mothership in the same reporting

area, the operator must submit a separate Check-in report for each

vessel operations category. Upon completion of each activity, the

operator must submit a Check-out report for each vessel operations

category.

(2) Time limits and submittal--(i) Check-in report. (A) The

operator of a Catcher/Processor must submit by fax a Check-in report

(BEGIN message) to the Regional Director at fax number 907-586-7131

before commencing any harvest of groundfish.

(B) The operator or manager of a Mothership, Shoreside Processor,

or Buying Station must submit by fax a Check-in report (BEGIN message)

to the Regional Director at fax number 907-586-7131 before commencing

any receipt of groundfish.

(ii) Check-out report. (A) If a Catcher/Processor, Mothership, or

Buying Station, the operator must submit by fax a Check-out report

(CEASE message) to the Regional Director at fax number 907-586-7131

within 24 hours after leaving either the Alaska State or Federal part

of a reporting area.

(B) If a Shoreside Processor, the manager must submit by fax a

Check-out report (CEASE message) to the Regional Director at fax number

907-586-7131 within 48 hours after the end of the applicable weekly

reporting period that a Shoreside Processor ceases to process

groundfish for the fishing year or has not processed groundfish for

more than one weekly reporting period;

(3) The operator or manager must record on each page:

(i) Whether an original or revised report as defined at paragraph

(a)(6) of this section;

(ii) Participant identification information as defined at paragraph

(a)(4) of this section;

(iii) Representative identification information as defined at

paragraph (a)(5) of this section;

(iv) If a Mothership or Catcher/Processor, the processor type and

gear type used to harvest the groundfish. If groundfish are received by

a Mothership in the same reporting area from more than one gear type,

or if groundfish are caught by a Catcher/Processor in the same

reporting area using more than one gear type, the operator must submit

a separate form for each gear type;

(v) Whether harvest is under a CDQ Program; if yes, the CDQ number;

(vi) If a Buying Station, the number of crew on the last day of the

reporting week.

(4) BEGIN Message. The operator or manager must record:

(i) If a Catcher/Processor, date and time that gear is deployed. If

a

[[Page 46950]]

Mothership, date and time that receipt of groundfish begins;

(ii) If a Catcher/Processor, position coordinates where gear is

set. If a Mothership, position coordinates where groundfish receipt is

begun;

(iii) If a Catcher/Processor, the reporting area code of gear

deployment and whether gear deployment was in Federal or Alaska State

waters. If a Mothership or Buying Station, the reporting area code

where groundfish receipt begins and whether receipt of groundfish

occurred in Federal or Alaska State waters;

(iv) If a Shoreside Processor, the date receipt of groundfish will

begin; whether checking in for first time in fishing year or checking

in to restart receipt and processing of groundfish after filing a

Check-out report;

(v) If a Mothership or Catcher/Processor, the primary and secondary

species expected to be harvested. If a Buying Station, the intended

primary target expected to be harvested. A change in intended target

species within the same reporting area does not require a new BEGIN

message.

(5) CEASE Message. The operator or manager must report:

(i) If a Mothership or Catcher/Processor, the date, time and

position coordinates where the vessel departed the reporting area or

moved to Federal waters from Alaska State waters within a reporting

area, or vice versa;

(ii) If a Shoreside Processor or Buying Station, the date that

receipt of groundfish ceased.

(6) Fish or fish product held at plant. If a Shoreside Processor,

the weight of the fish or fish products in pounds or to the nearest

0.01 mt by species and product codes.

(i) Weekly production report (WPR)--(1) Requirement. (i) The

operator or manager of a Mothership, Catcher/Processor, or Shoreside

Processor must answer each question on the WPR in the manner set forth

in paragraphs (i)(3) through (i)(7) of this section for any week the

Mothership, Catcher/Processor, or Shoreside Processor is checked in

pursuant to paragraph (h)(1)(i) of this section and must submit a WPR

in the manner set forth in paragraph (i)(2) of this section.

(ii) Multiple vessel operations categories. The operator of a

vessel that is authorized to conduct operations as both a Catcher/

Processor and as a Mothership must submit separate WPRs to report

production and discard as a Catcher/Processor and production and

discard as a Mothership.

(2) Time limits and submittal. The operator or manager must submit

a WPR to the Regional Director at fax number 907-586-7131 by 1200

hours, A.l.t., on Tuesday, following the end of the applicable weekly

reporting period.

(3) The operator or manager must record on each page:

(i) Whether an original or revised report, defined at paragraph

(a)(6) of this section;

(ii) Participant identification information as defined at paragraph

(a)(4) of this section;

(iii) Representative identification information as defined at

paragraph (a)(5) of this section and date WPR was completed;

(iv) If a Mothership or Catcher/Processor, the processor type and

gear type used to harvest the groundfish;

(v) Whether harvest is under a CDQ Program; if yes, the CDQ number;

(vi) The week-ending date;

(vii) The primary and secondary target codes for next week;

(viii) If a Mothership or Catcher/Processor, the number of crew on

last day of reporting week.

(4) Landings information. If a Shoreside Processor, see landings

information requirement at paragraph (a)(8) of this section.

(5) Discarded/Donated Species Information (Part ID). For discard/

donate information requirement, see paragraph (a)(10) of this section.

(6) Product information. For product information requirement, see

at paragraph (a)(9) of this section.

(7) Catcher Vessel delivery information. If ADF&G fish tickets are

issued by the Mothership or Shoreside Processor, list the fish ticket

numbers issued to Catcher Vessels for the weekly reporting period.

(j) Daily Production Report (DPR)--(1) Notice. If the Regional

Director determines that DPRs are necessary to avoid exceeding a

groundfish TAC or prohibited species bycatch allowance, NMFS may

require submission of DPRs for reporting one or more specific species,

in addition to a WPR. NMFS will publish a document in the Federal

Register specifying the fisheries that require DPRs and the effective

dates that submittal of DPRs is required.

(2) Requirement. (i) If a Catcher/Processor, Mothership, or

Shoreside Processor is checked-in to the specified reporting area and

is harvesting, receiving, processing, or discarding the specified

species, or is receiving reports from a Catcher Vessel of discard at

sea of the specified species, the operator or manager must submit a

DPR.

(ii) The operator of a Mothership or Catcher/Processor or manager

of a Shoreside Processor must:

(A) Answer each question on the DPR in the manner set forth in

paragraphs (j)(4) through (7) of this section;

(B) Submit the DPR in the manner set forth in paragraph (j)(3) of

this section;

(C) Use a separate DPR for each gear type, processor type, and CDQ

number.

(3) Time limit and submittal. The operator or manager must submit a

DPR by fax to the Regional Director at fax number 907-586-7131 by 1200

hours, A.l.t., the day following each day of landings, discard, or

production.

(4) The operator or manager must record on each page:

(i) Whether an original or revised report as defined at paragraph

(a)(6) of this section;

(ii) Participant identification information as defined at paragraph

(a)(4) of this section and processor type;

(iii) Representative identification information as defined at

paragraph (a)(5) of this section;

(iv) The gear type used to harvest the groundfish, date received

landings, and Federal reporting area where landings were harvested;

(v) Whether harvest is under a CDQ Program; if yes, the CDQ number.

(5) Landing information. If a Shoreside Processor, see landings

information requirement at paragraph (a)(8) of this section.

(6) Product information. If a Mothership or Catcher/ Processor, see

product information requirement at paragraph (a)(9) of this section.

(7) Discard/donate information. For discard/donate information

requirement, see paragraph (a)(10) of this section.

(k) U.S. Vessel Activity Report (VAR)--(1) Requirement. The

operator of a Catcher Vessel, a Catcher/Processor, or a Mothership

regulated under this part that crosses the seaward boundary of the EEZ

off Alaska or crosses the U.S./Canada international boundary between

Alaska and British Columbia must answer each question on the VAR in the

manner set forth in paragraphs (k)(3) and (4) of this section and must

submit a VAR in the manner set forth in paragraph (k)(2) of this

section.

(2) Time limits and submittal. The operator must submit a VAR by

fax to NMFS Alaska Enforcement Division at fax number 907-586-7313

before the vessel crosses the seaward boundary of the EEZ off Alaska or

the U.S./Canada international boundary between Alaska and British

Columbia.

(3) The operator must record on each page:

(i) Whether an original or revised report as defined at paragraph

(a)(6) of this section;

(ii) Participant identification information as defined at paragraph

(a)(4) of this section;

(iii) Representative identification information as defined at

paragraph

[[Page 46951]]

(a)(5) of this section and date VAR was completed;

(iv) If vessel is crossing into the seaward boundary of the EEZ off

Alaska or crossing the U.S./Canada International boundary between

Alaska and British Columbia, the operator must indicate return report.

If vessel is crossing out of the seaward boundary of the EEZ off Alaska

or crossing the U.S./Canada International boundary between Alaska and

British Columbia into Canadian waters, the operator must indicate

depart report.

(v) Port of landing;

(vi) Whether vessel is returning from fishing or departing to fish

in the Russian Zone;

(vii) Date and time vessel will cross the EEZ off Alaska or the

U.S./Canada international boundary between Alaska and British Columbia;

(viii) Latitude and longitude at the point of crossing the EEZ off

Alaska or U.S./Canada international boundary between Alaska and British

Columbia.

(4) Fish or fish product on board the vessel when crossing the EEZ

off Alaska or U.S./Canada international boundary. (i) The Harvest Zone

code of the area in which groundfish were harvested as defined in Table

8 of this part;

(ii) The species code and product code for each species on board as

defined in Tables 1 and 2 of this part;

(iii) The fish product weight of products on board in pounds or to

the nearest 0.01 mt.

7. In Sec. 672.7, paragraphs (p) and (q) are added to read as

follows:

Sec. 672.7 Prohibitions.

* * * * *

(p) Fail to comply with or fail to ensure compliance with

requirements at Sec. 672.5.

(q) Use a Catcher Vessel or Catcher/Processor as a Tender Vessel

before offloading all groundfish or groundfish product harvested or

processed by that vessel.

Subpart B--Management Measures

8. Section 672.20, paragraphs (a)(1), (e)(1), and the headings for

paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2)(i), (c)(2)(ii), and (h)(2), and paragraphs

(i)(4), and (j) are revised; headings for paragraphs (c)(1)(i)(A),

(i)(1), (i)(2), (i)(3), and (i)(6) are added; paragraphs (g)(1) and

(g)(3) are amended by revising the words, ``Table 2 to this section''

to read ``Table 10 of this part''; and tables 1 and 2 to the section

are removed. The revised and added text reads as follows:

Sec. 672.20 General limitations.

(a) * * * (1) Optimum yield (OY). The OY for the fishery regulated

by this section and by Sec. 611.92 of this chapter is a range of

116,000 to 800,000 mt for target species and the ``other species''

category in the GOA, to the extent this amount can be harvested

consistently with this part and part 611 of this chapter, plus the

amounts of ``non-specified species'' taken incidentally to the harvest

of target species and the ``other species'' category. The species

categories are defined in Table 1 of the specifications as provided in

paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

* * * * *

(c) * * * (1) Proposed specifications, interim harvest limits, and

final specifications.

(i) * * *

(A) Proposed specifications. * * *

(2) * * * (i) Directed fishing allowance--Applicable after December

31, 1995. * * *

(ii) Directed fishing allowance--Applicable through December 31,

1995. * * *

* * * * *

(e) * * *

(1) Prohibited species, for the purpose of this part, means any of

the species of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), steelhead trout

(Oncorhynchus mykiss), Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis),

Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi), king crab (Paralithodes spp.

and Lithodes spp.), and Tanner crab (Chionoecetes spp.) caught by a

vessel regulated under this part while fishing for groundfish in the

GOA, unless retention is authorized by other applicable laws, including

the Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations (part 301 of this title).

* * * * *

(h) * * *

(2) Fishing trip. * * *

* * * * *

(i) * * *

(1) Pollock roe. * * *

(2) Primary product. * * *

(3) Pollock product recovery rates. * * *

(4) Fishing trip. For purposes of this paragraph, a fishing trip is

defined as set forth under paragraph (h)(2) of this section.

* * * * *

(6) Primary pollock product. * * *

* * * * *

(j) Standard product types and standard product recovery rates

(PRR's)--(1) Calculating round-weight equivalents from standard PRRs.

Round-weight equivalents for groundfish products are calculated using

the product codes and standard PRRs specified in Table 3 of this part.

(2) Adjustments to Table 3 of this part. The Regional Director may

adjust standard PRRs and product types specified in Table 3 of this

part if he determines that existing standard PRRs are inaccurate or if

new product types are developed.

(3) Procedure. Adjustments to any standard PRR listed in Table 3 of

this part that are within and including 15 percent of that standard PRR

may be made without providing notice and opportunity for prior public

comment. Adjustments of any standard PRR during a calendar year, when

aggregated with all other adjustments made during that year, will not

exceed 15 percent of the standard PRR listed in Table 3 of this part at

the beginning of that calendar year, and no new product type will be

announced until NMFS publishes the proposed adjustment and/or new

product type in the Federal Register and provides the public with at

least 30 days opportunity for public comment. Any adjustment of a PRR

that acts to further restrict the fishery will not be effective until

30 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register. If NMFS

makes any adjustment or announcement without providing a prior notice

and opportunity for prior public comment, the Regional Director will

receive public comments on the adjustment or announcement for a period

of 15 days after its publication in the Federal Register.

9. Section 672.23 is revised to read as follows:

Sec. 672.23 Seasons.

(a) Fishing year. Fishing for groundfish is authorized from 0001

hours, A.l.t., January 1, through 2359 hours, A.l.t., December 31,

subject to the other provisions of this part, except as provided in

paragraphs (c) through (f) of this section.

(b) Time of openings and closures. The time of all openings and

closures of fishing seasons other than the beginning and end of the

calendar fishing year is 1200 hours A.l.t.

(c) Directed fishing for trawl rockfish. Directed fishing for

rockfish of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus with trawl gear is

authorized from 1200 hours, A.l.t., on the first day of the third

quarterly reporting period of a fishing year, through 2359 hours,

A.l.t. December 31, subject to other provisions of this part.

(d) Opening date for trawl groundfish. Notwithstanding other

provisions of this part, fishing for groundfish with trawl gear in the

Gulf of Alaska is prohibited from 0001 hours, A.l.t. on January 1

through 1200 hours, A.l.t., January 20.

(e) Directed fishing for pollock. Subject to other provisions of

this part,

[[Page 46952]]

directed fishing for pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory

Areas is authorized: From 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, through 1200

hours, A.l.t., April 1; from 1200 hours, A.l.t., June 1, through 1200

hours, A.l.t., July 1; from 1200 hours, A.l.t., July 1, through 1200

hours A.l.t., October 1; and from 1200 hours A.l.t., October 1, through

2359 hours, A.l.t., December 31.

10. In Sec. 672.24, paragraphs (d)(3) and (d)(4) are redesignated

as paragraphs (d)(4) and (d)(5), respectively; headings for paragraphs

(c)(4), newly redesignated (d)(4), newly redesignated (d)(5), and

(f)(3) are added; paragraph (d)(3) is added; headings of paragraphs (a)

and (b) are revised; and the heading of paragraph (d), and paragraphs

(d)(1), (d)(2), (e), (f)(4), and (f)(5) are revised to read as follows:

Sec. 672.24 Gear limitations.

(a) Marking of gear--longline marker buoys. * * *

(b) Gear restrictions--pots. * * *

(c) * * *

(4) Longline pot gear. * * *

(d) Trawls other than pelagic trawls--Kodiak Island--(1) Type I

Closures. No person may trawl in waters of the EEZ within the vicinity

of Kodiak Island, as shown in Figure 5 of this part as Type I areas,

from a vessel having any trawl other than a pelagic trawl either

attached or on board.

(2) Type II Closures. From February 15 to June 15, no person may

trawl in waters of the EEZ within the vicinity of Kodiak Island, as

shown in Figure 5 of this part as Type II areas, from a vessel having

any trawl other than a pelagic trawl either attached or on board.

(3) Type III Closures. Type III areas are open to any trawl other

than a pelagic trawl gear year round.

(4) Net-sounder device. * * *

(5) Footrope of the trawl. * * *

(e) Steller sea lion protection areas--(1) Year-round closures.

Trawling is prohibited in the GOA within 10 nm of the 14 Steller sea

lion rookeries designated in Table 6a of this part.

(2) Seasonal closures. During January 1 through April 15, or a date

earlier than April 15, if adjusted under Sec. 675.20(a)(8) of this

chapter trawling is prohibited in the GOA within 20 nm of each of the

three Steller sea lion rookeries presented in Table 6b of this part.

(f) * * *

(3) Test area criteria. * * *

(4) Kodiak Test Area. Trawl gear testing is allowed in an area

(Figure 7 of this part) bounded by straight lines connecting the

following coordinates in the order listed at all times:

W. longitude N. latitude

152 deg. 02' 57 deg. 37'

151 deg. 25' 57 deg. 37'

151 deg. 25' 57 deg. 23'

152 deg. 02' 57 deg. 23'

152 deg. 02' 57 deg. 37'

(5) Sand Point Test Area. Trawl gear testing is allowed in an area

(Figure 7 of this part) bounded by straight lines connecting the

following coordinates in the order listed at all times:

W. longitude N. latitude

161 deg. 00' 54 deg. 50'

160 deg. 30' 54 deg. 50'

160 deg. 30' 54 deg. 35'

161 deg. 00' 54 deg. 35'

161 deg. 00' 54 deg. 50'

11. Part 672 is amended by adding a new heading and Tables 1

through 11 at the end of the part preceding the figures to part 672 to

read as follows:

Tables--Part 672

Table 1.--Product Codes

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fish product code/description

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Whole fish/food fish.

2. Whole fish/bait. Processed for bait.

3. Bled only. Throat, or isthmus, slit to allow blood to drain.

4. Gutted only. Belly slit and viscera removed.

6. Head and gutted, with roe.

7. Headed and gutted, Western cut. Head removed just in front of the

collar bone, and viscera removed.

8. Headed and gutted, Eastern cut. Head removed just behind the collar

bone, and viscera removed.

10. Headed and gutted, tail removed. Head removed usually in front of

collar bone, and viscera and tail removed.

11. Kirimi. Head removed either in front or behind the collar bone,

viscera removed, and tail removed by cuts perpendicular to the spine,

resulting in a steak.

12. Salted and split. Head removed, belly slit, viscera removed, fillets

cut from head to tail but remaining attached near tail. Product salted.

13. Wings. On skates, side fins are cut off next to body.

14. Roe. Eggs, either loose or in sacs, or skeins.

15. Pectoral girdle. Collar bone and associated bones, cartilage and

flesh.

16. Heads. Heads only, regardless where severed from body.

17. Cheeks. Muscles on sides of head.

18. Chins. Lower jaw (mandible), muscles, and flesh.

19. Belly. Flesh in region of pelvic and pectoral fins and behind head.

20. Fillets with skin and ribs. Meat and skin with ribs attached, from

sides of body behind head and in front of tail.

21. Fillets with skin, no ribs. Meat and skin with ribs removed, from

sides of body behind head and in front of tail.

22. Fillets with ribs and no skin. Meat with ribs with skin removed,

from sides of body behind head and in front of tail.

23. Fillets, skinless/boneless. Meat with both skin and ribs removed,

from sides of body behind head and in front of tail.

24. Deep-skin fillet. Meat with skin, adjacent meat with silver lining,

and ribs removed from sides of body behind head and in front of tail,

resulting in thin fillets.

30. Surimi. Paste from fish flesh and additives.

31. Minced. Ground flesh.

32. Fish meal. Meal from fish and fish parts, including bone meal.

33. Fish oil. Rendered oil.

34. Milt. (in sacs, or testes).

35. Stomachs. Includes all internal organs.

36. Octopus/squid mantles. Flesh after removal of viscera and arms.

37. Butterfly, no backbone, Head removed, belly slit, viscera and most

of backbone removed; fillets attached.

39. Bones (if meal, report as 32).

86. Donated Salmon. Includes salmon retained and donated under Salmon

Donation Program.

97. Other retained product.

[[Page 46953]]

Discard Product Codes

92. Discard, bait. Whole fish used as bait on board vessel.

94. Discard, consumption. Fish or fish products eaten on board or taken

off the vessel for personal use.

96. Previously discarded fish (decomposed) taken with trawl gear in

current fishing efforts. Discarded.

98. Discard, at sea. Whole groundfish and prohibited species discarded

by catcher vessels, Catcher/Processors, Motherships, or Buying Stations

delivering to Motherships.

99. Discard, dockside. Discard after delivery and before processing;

Discard, at plant. In-plant discard of whole groundfish and prohibited

species by Shoreside Processors and Buying Stations delivering to

Shoreside Processors before and during processing.

M99 Discard, off site meal reduction plant. Discarded fish that are

transferred to any off site facility for reduction to fish meal, fish

oil and/or discard at sea.

Product Designation

A Ancillary. Product made in addition to a primary product from the

same fish.

P Primary. Product made from each fish with the highest recovery rate.

R Reprocessed. Product that results from processing a previously

reported product.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table 2--Species Codes

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Code Species

------------------------------------------------------------------------

110................. Pacific cod.

120................. Miscellaneous flatfish (all flatfish without

separate codes).

121................. Arrowtooth flounder and/or Kamchatka flounder.

122................. Flathead sole.

123................. Rock sole.

124................. Dover sole.

125................. Rex sole.

126................. Butter sole.

127................. Yellowfin sole.

128................. English sole.

129................. Starry flounder.

131................. Petrale sole.

132................. Sand sole.

133................. Alaska Plaice flounder.

134................. Greenland turbot.

135................. Greenstripe rockfish.

136................. Northern rockfish.

137................. Bocaccio rockfish.

138................. Copper rockfish.

141................. Pacific ocean perch (S. alutus only).

142................. Black rockfish.

143................. Thornyhead rockfish (all Sebastolobus species).

145................. Yelloweye rockfish.

146................. Canary rockfish.

147................. Quillback rockfish.

148................. Tiger rockfish.

149................. China rockfish.

150................. Rosethorn rockfish.

151................. Rougheye rockfish.

152................. Shortraker rockfish.

153................. Redbanded rockfish.

154................. Dusky rockfish.

155................. Yellowtail rockfish.

156................. Widow rockfish.

157................. Silvergray rockfish.

158................. Redstripe rockfish.

159................. Darkblotched rockfish.

160................. Sculpins.

166................. Sharpchin rockfish.

167................. Blue rockfish.

175................. Yellowmouth rockfish.

176................. Harlequin rockfish.

177................. Blackgill rockfish.

178................. Chilipepper rockfish.

179................. Pygmy rockfish.

181................. Shortbelly rockfish.

182................. Splitnose rockfish.

183................. Stripetail rockfish.

184................. Vermilion rockfish.

185................. Aurora rockfish.

193................. Atka mackerel.

[[Page 46954]]

270................. Pollock.

510................. Smelt.

511................. Eulachon.

516................. Capelin.

689................. Sharks.

700................. Skates.

710................. Sablefish.

870................. Octopus.

875................. Squid.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group Codes. These group codes may be used if individual species cannot

be identified.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

144................. Slope rockfish (aurora, blackgill, Bocaccio,

redstripe, silvergray, chilipepper, darkblotched,

greenstriped, harlequin, pygmy, shortbelly,

splitnose, stripetail, vermillion, yellowmouth,

sharpchin).

168................. Demersal shelf rockfish (china, copper, quillback,

rosethorn, tiger, yelloweye, canary).

169................. Pelagic shelf rockfish (blue, dusky, yellowtail,

widow).

171................. Shortraker/rougheye rockfish.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prohibited Species Coees

------------------------------------------------------------------------

000................. Unspecified salmon.

200................. Pacific halibut.

235................. Pacific herring.

410................. Salmon, Chinook.

420................. Salmon, Sockeye.

430................. Salmon, Coho.

440................. Salmon, Pink.

450................. Salmon, Chum.

540................. Steelhead trout.

920................. Unspecified king crab.

921................. Red king crab.

922................. Blue king crab.

923................. Gold/brown king crab.

930................. Unspecified tanner crab.

931................. Bairdi tanner crab.

932................. Opilio tanner crab.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table 3.--Product Recovery Rates for Groundfish Species Referenced in 50 CFR 672.20(a)(1) and/or 50 CFR 675.20(a)(1)

Product code

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FMP species Species Whole Whole H&G H&G H&G

code food bait Bled Gutted with western eastern H&G w/o Kirimi Salted Wings Roe

fish fish roe cut cut tail & split

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PACIFIC CODE....................... 110 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.85 0.63 0.57 0.47 0.44 ....... 0.45 ....... 0.05

ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER................ 121 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

ROCKFISH\1\........................ ....... 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.88 ....... 0.60 0.50 ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

SCULPINS........................... 160 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.87 ....... 0.50 0.40 ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

ATKA MACKEREL...................... 193 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.87 0.67 0.64 0.61 ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

POLLOCK............................ 270 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.80 0.70 0.65 0.56 0.50 ....... ....... ....... 0.04

SMELTS............................. 510 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.82 ....... 0.71 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

EULACHON........................... 511 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.82 ....... 0.71 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

CAPELIN............................ 516 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.89 ....... 0.78 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

SHARKS............................. 689 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.83 ....... 0.72 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

SKATES............................. 700 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 ....... ....... 0.32 ....... ....... ....... 0.32 .......

SABLEFISH.......................... 710 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.89 0.68 0.63 0.50 ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

OCTOPUS............................ 870 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.69 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

Target species categories only at

50 CFR 672.20(a):

DEEP WATER FLATFISH............ 118 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

FLATHEAD SOLE.................. 122 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

REX SOLE....................... 125 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

SHALLOW WATER FLATFISH......... 119 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

THORNYHEAD ROCKFISH................ 143 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.88 0.55 0.60 0.50 ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

Target species categories only at

50 CFR 675.20(a):

OTHER FLATFISH................. 120 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

ROCK SOLE...................... 123 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

YELLOWFIN SOLE................. 127 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

[[Page 46955]]

GREENLAND TURBOT............... 134 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.90 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ....... ....... 0.08

SQUID.......................... 875 1.00 1.00 0.98 0.69 ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......

Product code

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FMP species Species Fillets Fillets Fillets Fillets Fillets

code Pectroal Heads Cheeks Chins Belly w/skin skin on w/ribs skinless/ deep Surimi Mince Meal

girdle & ribs no ribs no skin boneless skin

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 30 31 32

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PACIFIC COD............... 110 0.05 ....... 0.05 ....... 0.01 0.45 0.35 0.25 0.25 ....... 0.15 0.5 0.17

ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER....... 121 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

ROCKFISH.................. ....... ........ 0.15 0.05 0.05 0.10 0.40 0.30 0.33 0.25 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

SCULPINS.................. 160 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ......... ....... ....... ...... 0.17

ATKA MACKEREL............. 193 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ......... ....... 0.15 ...... 0.17

POLLOCK................... 270 ........ 0.15 ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.35 0.30 0.30 0.21 \2\ 0.1

6 0.22 0.17

SMELTS.................... 510 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.38 ....... ......... ....... \3\ 0.1

7 ...... 0.22

EULACHON.................. 511 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.38 ....... ......... ....... ....... ...... 0.22

CAPELIN................... 516 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ......... ....... ....... ...... 0.22

SHARKS.................... 689 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.30 0.30 0.25 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

SKATES.................... 700 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ......... ....... ....... ...... 0.17

SABLEFISH................. 710 ........ ....... 0.05 ....... ....... 0.35 0.30 0.30 0.25 ....... ....... ...... 0.22

OCTOPUS................... 870 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ......... ....... ....... ...... 0.17

Target species categories

only at 50 CFR 672(a):

DEEP WATER FLATFISH... 118 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 ....... 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

FLATHEAD SOLE......... 122 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

REX SOLE.............. 125 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

SHALLOW WATER FLATFISH 119 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

THORNYHEAD ROCKFISH... 143 ........ 0.20 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.40 0.30 0.35 0.25 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

Target species categories

only at 50 CFR 675.20(a):

OTHER FLATFISH........ 120 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

ROCK SOLE............. 123 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

YELLOWFIN SOLE........ 127 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... 0.18 ...... 0.17

GREENLAND TURBOT...... 134 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... ....... ...... 0.17

SQUID................. 875 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ......... ....... ....... ...... 0.17

Species code

------------------------------------------------------------------------

FMP species Product Butterfly

code Oil Milt Stomachs Mantles backbone Decomposed Discards

removed fish

33 34 35 36 37 96 92, 94,

98, 99,

M99

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PACIFIC COD.................. 110 ........ ........ ........ ........ 0.43 0.00 1.00

ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER.......... 121 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

ROCKFISH..................... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

SCULPINS..................... 160 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

ATKA MACKEREL................ 193 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

POLLOCK...................... 270 ........ ........ ........ ........ 0.43 0.00 1.00

SMELTS....................... 510 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

EULACHON..................... 511 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

CAPELIN...................... 516 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

SHARKS....................... 689 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

SKATES....................... 700 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

SABLEFISH.................... 710 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

OCTOPUS...................... 870 ........ ........ ........ 0.85 1.00 0.00 1.00

Target species categories

only at 50 CFR 672.20(a):

DEEP WATER FLATFISH...... 118 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

FLATHEAD SOLE............ 122 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

REX SOLE................. 125 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

SHALLOW WATER FLATFISH... 119 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

THORNYEAD ROCKFISH....... 143 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

Target species categories

only at 50 CFR 675.20(a):

[[Page 46956]]

OTHER FLATFISH........... 120 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

ROCK SOLE................ 123 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

YELLOWFIN SOLE........... 127 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

GREENLAND TURBOT......... 134 ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... 0.00 1.00

SQUID.................... 875 ........ ........ ........ 0.75 1.00 0.00 1.00

\1\ Rockfish means all species of Sebastes, and Sebastolobus.

\2\ Standard pollock surimi rate during January through June.

\3\ Standard pollock surimi rate during July through December.

Table 4.--Bering Sea Subarea Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From To

Island ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3-nm NO TRANSIT ZONES described at 50 CFR 227.12(a)(2)

a. Year-round Trawl Closures (Trawling Prohibited Within 10 nm)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sea Lion Rocks.......................... 55 deg.28.0' N 163 deg.12.0' W

Ugamak Island........................... 54 deg.14.0' N 164 deg.48.0' W 54 deg.13.0' N 164 deg.48.0' W

Akun Island............................. 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.32.5' W 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.31.5' W

Akutan Island........................... 54 deg.03.5' N 166 deg.00.0' W 54 deg..05.5' N 166 deg.05.0' W

Bogoslof Island......................... 53 deg.56.0' N 168 deg.02.0' W

Ogchul Island........................... 53 deg.00.0' N 168 deg.24.0' W

Adugak Island........................... 52 deg.55.0' N 169 deg.10.5' W

Walrus Island........................... 57 deg.11.0' N 169 deg.56.0' W

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Seasonal Trawl Closures (During January 1 through April 15, or a date earlier than April 15, if adjusted under 50 CFR 672.30(a)(8), Trawling

Prohibited Within 20 nm)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sea Lion Rocks.......................... 55 deg.28.0' N 163 deg.12.0' W

Akun Island............................. 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.32.5' W 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.31.5' W

Akutan Island........................... 54 deg.03.5' N 166 deg.00.0' W 54 deg.05.5' N 166 deg.05.0' W

Ugamak Island........................... 54 deg.14.0' N 164 deg.48.0' W 54 deg.13.0' N 164 deg.48.0' W

Seguam Island........................... 52 deg.21.0' N 172 deg.35.0' W 52 deg.21.0' N 172 deg.33.0' W

Agligadak Island........................ 52 deg.06.5' N 172 deg.54.0' W

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The bounds of each rookery extend in a clockwise direction from the first set of geographic coordinates, along the shoreline at mean lower low

water, to the second set of coordinates; if only one set of geographic coordinates is listed, the rookery extends around the entire shoreline of the

island at mean lower low water.

Table 5.--Aleutian Islands Subarea Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From To

Island ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3-nm NO TRANSIT ZONES described at 50 CFR 227.12(a)(2)

a. Year-round Trawl Closures (Trawling Prohibited Within 10 nm)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yunaska Island.......................... 52 deg.42.0' N 170 deg.38.5' W 52 deg.41.0' N 170 deg.34.5' W

Seguam Island........................... 52 deg.21.0' N 172 deg.35.0' W 52 deg.21.0' N 172 deg.33.0' W

Agligadak Island........................ 52 deg.06.5' N 172 deg.54.0' W .......................... ..........................

Kasatochi Island........................ 52 deg.10.0' N 175 deg.31.0' W 52 deg.10.5' N 175 deg.29.0' W

Adak Island............................. 51 deg.36.5' N 176 deg.59.0' W 51 deg.38.0' N 176 deg.59.5' W

Gramp Rock.............................. 51 deg.29.0' N 178 deg.20.5' W .......................... ..........................

Tag Island.............................. 51 deg.33.5' N 178 deg.34.5' W .......................... ..........................

Ulak Island............................. 51 deg.20.0' N 178 deg.57.0' W 51 deg.18.5' N 178 deg.59.5' W

Semisopochnoi........................... 51 deg.58.5' N 179 deg.45.5' E 51 deg.57.0' N 179 deg.46.0' E

Semisopochnoi........................... 52 deg.01.5' N 179 deg.37.5' E 52 deg.01.5' N 179 deg.39.0' E

Amchitka Island......................... 51 deg.22.5' N 179 deg.28.0' E 51 deg.21.5' N 179 deg.25.0' E

Amchitka Is/Column Rocks................ 51 deg.32.5' N 178 deg.49.5' E .......................... ..........................

Ayugadak Point.......................... 51 deg.45.5' N 178 deg.24.5' E .......................... ..........................

Kiska Island............................ 51 deg.57.5' N 177 deg.21.0' E 51 deg.56.5' N 177 deg.20.0' E

Kiska Island............................ 51 deg.52.5' N 177 deg.13.0' E 51 deg.53.5' N 177 deg.12.0' E

[[Page 46957]]

Buldir Island........................... 52 deg.20.5' N 175 deg.57.0' E 52 deg.23.5' N 175 deg.51.0' E

Agattu Is./Gillion Pt................... 52 deg.24.0' N 173 deg.21.5' E .......................... ..........................

Agattu Island........................... 52 deg.23.5' N 173 deg.43.5' EW 52 deg.22.0' N 173 deg.41.0' E

Attu Island............................. 52 deg.54.5' N 172 deg.28.5' E 52 deg.57.5' N 172 deg.31.5' E

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Seasonal Trawl Closures (During January 1 through April 15, or a date earlier than April 15, if adjusted under 50 CFR 675.20(a)(8). Trawling

Prohibited Within 20 nm)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seguam Island........................... 52 deg.21.0' M 172 deg.35.0' W 52 deg.21.0' N 172 deg.33.0' W

Agligadak Island........................ 52 deg.06.5' N 172 deg.54.0' W .......................... ..........................

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Each rookery extends in a clockwise direction from the first set of geographic coordinates, along the shoreline at mean lower low water, to the

second set of coordinates; if only one set of geographic coordinates is listed, the rookery extends around the entire shoreline of the island at mean

lower low water.

Table 6.--Gulf of Alaska Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From To

Island ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Latitute Longitude Latitude Longitude

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3-nm NO TRANSIT ZONES described at 50 CFR 227.12(a)(2)

a. Year-round Trawl Closures (Trawling Prohibited Within 10 nm)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outer Island............................ 59 deg.20.5' N 150 deg.23.0' W 59 deg.21.0' N 150 deg.24.5' W

Sugarload Island........................ 58 deg.53.0' N 152 deg.02.0' W .......................... ..........................

Marmot Island........................... 58 deg.14.5' N 151 deg.47.5' W 58 deg.10.0' N 151 deg.51.0' W

Chirikof Island......................... 55 deg.46.5' N 155 deg.39.5' W 55 deg.46.5' N 155 deg.43.0' W

Chowiet Island.......................... 56 deg.00.5' N 156 deg.41.5' W 56 deg.00.5' N 156 deg.42.0' W

Atkins Island........................... 55 deg.03.5' N 159 deg.18.5' W .......................... ..........................

Chernabura Island....................... 54 deg.47.5' N 159 deg.31.0' W 54 deg.45.5' N 159 deg.33.5' W

Pinnacle Rock........................... 54 deg.46.0' N 161 deg.46.0' W .......................... ..........................

Clubbing Rocks-N........................ 54 deg.43.0' N 162 deg.26.5' W .......................... ..........................

Clubbing Rocks-S........................ 54 deg.42.0' N 162 deg.26.5' W .......................... ..........................

Ugamak Island........................... 54 deg.14.0' N 164 deg.48.0' E 54 deg.13.0' N 164 deg.48.0' W

Akun Island............................. 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.32.5' W 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.31.5' W

Akutan Island........................... 54 deg.03.5' N 166 deg.00.0' W 54 deg.05.5' N 166 deg.05.0' W

Ogchul Island........................... 53 deg.00.0' N 168 deg.24.0' W .......................... ..........................

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Seasonal Trawl Closures (During January 1 through April 15, or a date earlier than April 15, if adjusted under 50 CFR 672.30(a)(8). Trawling

Prohibited Within 20 mn)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akun I.................................. 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.32.5' W 54 deg.18.0' N 165 deg.31.5' W

Akutan I................................ 54 deg.03.5' N 166 deg.00.0' W 54 deg.05.5' N 166 deg.05.0' W

Ugamak I................................ 54 deg.14.0' N 164 deg.48.0' W 54 deg.13.0' N 164 deg.48.0' W

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The bounds of each rookery extend in a clockwise direction from the first set of geographic coordinates, along the shoreline at mean lower low

water, to the second set of coordinates; if only one set of geographic coordinates is listed, the rookery extends around the entire shoreline of the

island at mean lower low water.

[[Page 46958]]

Table 7.--Communities Determined to be Eligible to Apply for Community

Development Quotas

[Other communities may also be eligible, but do not appear on this

table.]

Aleutian Region:

1. Atka.

2. False Pass.

3. Nelson Lagoon.

4. Nikolski.

5. St. George.

6. St. Paul.

Bering Strait:

1. Brevig Mission.

2. Diomede/Inalik.

3. Elim.

4. Gambell.

5. Golovin.

6. Koyuk.

7. Nome.

8. Savoonga.

9. Shaktoolik.

10. St. Michael.

11. Stebbins.

12. Teller.

13. Unalakleet.

14. Wales.

15. White Mountain.

Bristol Bay:

1. Alegnagik.

2. Clark's Point.

3. Dillingham.

4. Egegik.

5. Ekuk.

6. Manokotak.

7. Naknek.

8. Pilot Point/Ugashi.

9. Port Heiden/Meschick.

10. South Naknek.

11. Sovonoski/King Salmon.

12. Togiak.

13. Twin Hills.

Southwest Coastal Lowlands:

1. Alakanuk.

2. Chefornak.

3. Chevak.

4. Eek.

5. Emmonak.

6. Goodnews Bay.

7. Hooper Bay.

8. Kipnuk.

9. Kongiganak.

10. Kotlik.

11. Kwigillingok.

12. Mekoryuk.

13. Newtok.

14. Nightmute.

15. Platinum.

16. Quinhagak.

17. Scammon Bay.

18. Sheldon's Point.

19. Toksook Bay.

20. Tununak.

21. Tuntutuliak.

[[Page 46959]]

Table 8.--Harvest Zone Codes for Use With Product Transfer Reports and

Vessel Activity Reports

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harvest zone Description

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A......................... EEZ of Alaska.

D......................... Donut Hole.

F......................... Foreign Waters Other than Russia.

I......................... International Waters other than Donut Hole

and Seamounts.

R......................... Russian waters.

S......................... Seamounts in International waters.

U......................... U.S. EEZ other than Alaska.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table 9.--Required Logbooks, Reports and Forms From Participants in the Federal Groundfish Fisheries

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name of logbook form Catcher-vessel Catcher-processor Mothership Shoreside processor Buying station

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daily Fishing Logbook (DFL)............... YES................. NO.................. NO.................. NO.................. NO

Daily Cumulative Production Logbook (DCPL) NO.................. YES................. YES................. YES................. NO

Daily Cumulative Logbook (DCL)............ NO.................. NO.................. NO.................. NO.................. YES

Check-in/check-out Report................. NO.................. YES................. YES................. YES................. YES

U.S. Vessel Activity Report (VAR)......... YES................. YES................. YES................. NO.................. NO

Weekly Production Report (WPR)............ NO.................. YES................. YES................. YES................. NO

Daily Production Report (DPR) \1\......... NO.................. YES................. YES................. YES................. NO

Product Transfer Report (PTR)............. NO.................. YES................. YES................. YES................. NO

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ When required by Regional Director.

Table 10.--Gulf of Alaska Retainable Percentages Referenced in 50 CFR 672.20

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bycatch species \1\

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Basis species \1\ Pacific Deep Rex Flathead Shallow Aggregated DSR Atka Other

Pollock cod flatfish sole sole flatfish Arrowtooth Sablefish rockfish SEEO mackerel species

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\--------\3\---------------------

Pollock................... \4\ na 20 20 20 20 20 35 1 5 10 20 20

Pacific cod............... 20 \4\ na 20 20 20 20 35 1 5 10 20 20

Deep-water flatfish....... 20 20 \4\ na 20 20 20 35 15 15 1 20 20

Rex sole.................. 20 20 20 \4\ na 20 20 35 15 15 1 20 20

Flathead sole............. 20 20 20 20 20 \4\ na 35 1 5 10 20 20

Shallow-water flatfish....

This text is long and has been trimmed here. Open the source document for the complete record.