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

SUMMARY: NMFS is consolidating and revising several sections of

regulations, including the recordkeeping and reporting requirements,

for use in the groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and the

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). The changes

made by this rule are expected to facilitate management of the

groundfish fisheries, promote compliance with groundfish regulations,

and facilitate enforcement efforts. This action is intended to further

the goals and objectives of the fishery management plans (FMPs) for the

groundfish fisheries off Alaska.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 13, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Individual copies of the environmental assessment/regulatory

impact review prepared for this action may be obtained from Fisheries

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

99802, Attention: Lori J. Gravel.

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 in accordance with the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and the Fishery Management Plan for

the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and 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). The FMPs are implemented by regulations that appear at

50 CFR parts 672, 675, and 676. General regulations that also govern

the groundfish fisheries appear at 50 CFR part 620.

This rule consolidates several sections of regulations in parts 672

and 675, corrects errors, clarifies vague text, removes outdated

requirements, as well as simplifies and streamlines the remaining

regulations, including the recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

A proposed rule addressing these concerns was published in the

Federal Register on September 8, 1995 (60 FR 46936). Public comment was

invited through October 10, 1995. NMFS received 21 letters containing

50 comments. Similar comments were grouped together, resulting in 32

comments. The comments are summarized and responded to below in the

Response to Comments section.

Changes in the Final Rule From the Proposed Rule

The final rule includes the following changes from the proposed

rule:

1. In addition to catcher vessels less than 5 net tons (4.5 mt),

catcher vessels under 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) will not be

required to maintain a Daily Fishing Logbook (DFL), and therefore will

not submit the blue discard copy to shoreside processors, motherships,

or buying stations.

2. Beginning with 1996, catcher vessels delivering unsorted codends

to a Mothership or Shoreside Processor will be exempt from the

requirement to submit a blue DFL discard logsheet with the harvest.

3. With catcher vessels logging only total round fish weight,

documenting individual fishing quota (IFQ) catch by area currently is

not required. To promote compliance with recent changes allowing

fishing in multiple areas on the same trip, the DFL format and

procedure are changed to require catcher vessels to enter daily in the

DFL estimated IFQ sablefish harvest amounts by reporting area in the

``Comments'' column.

4. The processor permit application is revised to allow motherships

and catcher/processors under 125 feet (38.1 m) LOA that process pollock

in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

(BSAI) and/or Pacific cod in the GOA to choose to process in either the

inshore or offshore component for the entire fishing year.

5. The definition of ``round-weight equivalent'' at Sec. 672.2 is

revised by changing the words, ``as listed in Sec. 672.20(j)'' to read

``as listed in Table 3 of this part.''

6. The definition for fishing trip is revised at

Secs. 672.20(h)(2), 672.20(i)(4), 675.20(i)(2), and 675.20(j)(4). The

term, fishing trip, formerly had two separate but similar definitions.

With this change, only one definition exists.

7. The following figures are revised:

Figures 1a, 4a, 5a, 6, and 7, pages 46961, 46966, 46968, 46970, and

46971 (page numbers refer to the document published on September 8,

1995, at 60 FR 46936, et seq., are revised to remove a duplicate title;

Figure 2, page 46963, is revised to reflect new boundaries of the

Catcher Vessel Operational Area (CVOA) as changed by a recent final

rule and also to remove a duplicate title; and Figure 3a, page 46964,

is revised to add lines that reflect the boundaries of GOA reporting

areas 649 and 659 and also to remove a duplicate title.

8. Cross references were added to Sec. 672.2 for the following

terms: Fixed gear; fishing trip.

9. The definitions of inshore component and offshore component are

revised at Sec. 672.2 to be consistent with a recent final rule making

that change.

10. Paragraph 672.4(l) is removed and paragraphs 672.7 (i) and (j)

and 675.7 (l) and (m) are revised to make allowance for the eventual

reopening of the Donut Hole if an international agreement is in place

under the Convention of the Conservation and Management of Pollock

Resources in the Central Bering Sea to manage pollock fisheries in the

Donut Hole. Paragraph 672.4(m) is renumbered as 672.4(l).

11. Table 2, pages 46953 and 46954, is revised to add a species

code 888 for mixed species tote (for use with Product Transfer Reports

only).

12. Four product recovery rate values in Table 3, page 46954, for

FMP species = sablefish, are corrected as follows:

H&G with roe (6) should be blank;

H&G western cut (7) should be 0.68;

H&G eastern cut (8) should be 0.63; and

H&G without tail (10) should be 0.50.

13. Three retainable percentage values in Table 10, page 46959, are

corrected as follows:

For basis species versus bycatch species:

Flathead sole versus sablefish should be 15;

Flathead sole versus aggregated rockfish should be 15; and

Flathead sole versus demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) in the Southeast

Outside District of the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA (SEEO)

should be 1.

14. One retainable percentage value in Table 11, page 46960, is

corrected as follows:

For basis species versus bycatch species:

Pacific Ocean perch versus Greenland turbot should be 35.

15. A typographical error on page 46942, third column, seventh line

is

[[Page 5609]]

corrected as follows: ``weekly production'' should be ``weekly

production'' report.

Response to Comments

Catcher Vessel Daily Fishing Logbook (DFL)

Comment 1. Redesign the catcher vessel DFL format and submittal

procedure to: (1) Revise blue DFL logsheet delivery schedule and

procedure for deliveries of unsorted codends to motherships; (2) Allow

multiple entries on one DFL logsheet for each fishing trip; (3)

Determine procedure for multiple offloads of a single catcher vessel in

one day.

Response. NMFS concurs. The catcher vessel logbook format is

revised and the procedure for submittal of the DFL is revised. (1) For

deliveries of unsorted codends, the catcher vessel would be exempt from

recording of discards in the DFL and submittal of the blue logsheet

(discards copy) for that delivery. The operator of the catcher vessel

would check an ``unsorted codend'' box on the DFL, and the blue

logsheet would remain with the DFL. For presorted deliveries, or in the

event a catcher vessel has ``bled'' a codend prior to delivery to a

processor, the operator would check a ``presorted delivery'' box, enter

estimated amount of discards by species, and submit the blue logsheet

to the processor with each harvest delivery.

(2) and (3). Instead of requesting daily information on one DFL

page, the DFL format is revised to request start and end dates of a

fishing trip. The fishing trip date would be 1 day for those vessels

making multiple trips in 1 day, or the fishing trip could be as long as

7 days within a weekly reporting period. The operator would complete

one logsheet for multiple trips (offloads) in 1 day or multiple days in

one trip. In either case, the operator would submit only one blue

logsheet to the processor for the trip (unless more than one logsheet

is used to document the trip).

The operator of the catcher vessel still would be required to

account for each day of the fishing year in the DFL, and the time

periods would need to be consecutive in the logbook. The mothership

would sort catch received from unsorted codends and record the

discarded species in the Daily Cumulative Production Logbook (DCPL) as

discard at sea. The precedent for allowing one or more options in the

use of a single logsheet has been successfully demonstrated through the

use of the shoreside processor logsheet.

Comment 2. Revise the DFL format and procedure for submittal of a

blue discard logsheet as follows: (1) Require only the last blue

logsheet per fishing trip be submitted; (2) have each catcher vessel

submit a blue logsheet only if discard occurs at sea; and (3) have

catcher vessel submit discard data via radio to mothership.

Response. The difficulties addressed by these comments concerning

submittal of the blue logsheet have been corrected by the revised DFL

format and submittal procedure as indicated in Response to Comment 1.

Comment 3. Change position reporting requirements in the DFL,

catcher/processor DCPL, and mothership DCPL for haul set and retrieve

data from degrees and minutes to degrees, minutes, and tenths of

minutes or change to degrees, minutes, and seconds to improve data used

for Global Positioning System (GPS) research by the Alaska Fisheries

Science Center of spatial patterns of resource use and the occurrence

of bycatch. At the current level of spatial resolution, heavily fished

areas have many reported hauls at basically the same latitude and

longitude when reported in degrees and minutes.

GOA and BSAI fishermen use one of two radionavigation systems:

Loran C and the GPS. Loran C, planned for phase-out by the U.S. Coast

Guard (USCG) in the year 2000, converts to latitude and longitude in

degrees, minutes, and fractions of minutes. GPS systems generally have

the option to read latitude and longitude in degrees, minutes, seconds

or fractions of minutes.

Response. NMFS concurs. The proposed rule included a revision to

record position in degrees, minutes, and seconds. However, based on

discussions among NMFS management, NMFS Enforcement, and the USCG,

position resolution finer than degrees and minutes will be included as

an option rather than a requirement, because finer resolution is not

needed for management of groundfish quotas or for enforcement of

fisheries regulations.

Comment 4. Revise the DFL to request set-specific tally on the

target species. This would allow the operator to use the DFL to see how

each set performed and at what depths from beginning to end.

Response. NMFS will consider this comment with the next

recordkeeping and reporting revision.

Comment 5. On the DFL, add a box in the remarks section of the

``active, but no fishing activity'' that says, ``Non-groundfish

fishery. No groundfish retained for sale.''

Response. NMFS disagrees. Currently, the operator is requested to

write the reason for not fishing. The box should remain blank, because

reasons for inactivity exist other than participation in a non-

groundfish fishery.

Comment 6. Require catcher vessels involved in the IFQ sablefish

fisheries to estimate and record in the DFL the weight of IFQ sablefish

brought on board.

Response. NMFS concurs. With catcher vessels logging only total

round fish weight, documenting IFQ catch by area currently is not

required. To promote compliance with recent changes allowing fishing in

multiple areas on the same trip, the DFL format and procedure are

changed to require catcher vessels to enter daily in the DFL estimated

IFQ sablefish harvest amounts by reporting area in the ``Comments''

column.

Comment 7. Require a vessel to have a quota share on board in order

to conduct a directed hook-and-line fishery for halibut or sablefish.

Response. ``Quota share'' refers back to the original percentage of

sablefish or Pacific halibut for which a person is eligible (see

Sec. 676.20(f)). This information does not need to be on board while

fishing for one of those species. However, NMFS: Requires that a valid

IFQ permit and IFQ card in the name of the shareholder be onboard (see

Sec. 676.16(c)); prohibits the retention of IFQ halibut or IFQ

sablefish on a vessel in excess of the total amount of unharvested IFQ

that is held by all IFQ card holders aboard the vessel (see

Sec. 676.16(d)); and provides that the IFQ assigned to a person

represents the maximum amount of halibut or sablefish that may be

harvested by that person (see Sec. 676.20(f)).

Comment 8. Require vessels to enter appropriate IFQ number(s) in

the logbooks for all hook-and-line sablefish landings.

Response. NMFS will consider this comment with the next

recordkeeping and reporting revision.

Comment 9. Combine groundfish DFL with other related recording and

reporting systems, specifically: (1) Require catcher vessels involved

in the IFQ fisheries to record in the DFL, IFQ sablefish information

and IFQ permit information; (2) combine groundfish DFL with

International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) halibut logbooks; and

(3) incorporate the marine mammal logbook into the DFL.

Response. NMFS concurs and will consider this comment in the next

recordkeeping and reporting revision.

Comment 10. Add the effective date of the logbooks on the front

cover.

Response. NMFS concurs. The logbook covers are revised to include

this information.

[[Page 5610]]

Comment 11. Add to vessel logbooks, space to record the USCG

documentation number, state registration number, and the marine mammal

exemption number.

Response. NMFS will consider this comment with the next

recordkeeping and reporting revision.

Comment 12. Revise the logbook formats to include additional

information: (1) Print the address where logsheet quarterly submittals

must be mailed; and (2) print reporting codes, species and product

codes.

Response. NMFS concurs. Logbooks have been revised to include the

mailing information on the back cover. The reporting codes, species

codes, and product codes are included in an instruction packet enclosed

in the cover of each logbook.

Comment 13. Expand authorized gear definitions to include the

definitions of fixed gear, for purposes of IFQ.

Response. The GOA and BSAI groundfish regulations define specific

groundfish gear types at 50 CFR Sec. 672.2 under the definition for

authorized fishing gear. The term, fixed gear, is defined at 50 CFR

Sec. 676.11 with respect to IFQ sablefish and IFQ halibut. A cross-

reference for fixed gear to Sec. 676.11 is added to the definitions at

Sec. 672.2.

Comment 14. Add questions addressing safety requirements for

fishing vessels to the Federal Fisheries Permit application. These

questions would be answered by operators of fishing vessels required to

carry observers under 50 CFR part 677.

Response. NMFS will consider this comment with the next

recordkeeping and reporting revision.

Comment 15. Add target species to the Weekly Production Report

(WPR) to enhance calculation of halibut mortality for deep-water versus

shallow-water targets in the GOA and trawl fisheries in the BSAI.

Response. NMFS disagrees. The calculation of halibut mortality for

these targets is performed at NMFS after receipt of WPR based on

formulae written into the programs.

Comment 16. Reinstate reporting exemption for incidental groundfish

catches for small boats.

Response. Adjustments in recordkeeping and reporting requirements

are needed due to changes in regulations brought on by the IFQ Program

and the North Pacific Fisheries Research Plan. Because time is

insufficient to make these adjustments for 1996, regulations at 50 CFR

Sec. 672.5 are revised to include an exemption from compliance with

recordkeeping requirements for vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA

participating in GOA or BSAI groundfish fisheries.

Comment 17. Relocate paragraph 672.22(d) to section 672.7

Prohibitions.

Response. NMFS concurs. This prohibition already appears at

Sec. 672.7(c), so Sec. 672.22(d) is removed.

Comment 18. Add a species composition table to the regulations for

use with the annual specifications notice.

Response. While this comment has merit, NMFS is not implementing it

in this rulemaking. Currently, the species composition tables appear in

the Federal Register each year as footnotes to Table 1 for both GOA and

BSAI specifications. The public can refer to these tables for updated

species composition upon which the interim, proposed, and final

specifications are based.

Comment 19. Change the wording in the condition section of Federal

Fisheries Permit to make allowance for the eventual reopening of the

Donut Hole to permitted vessels.

Response. NMFS agrees. The text in the condition section of the

permit is revised to allow fishing in the Donut Hole if an

international agreement is in place under the Convention of the

Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering

Sea to manage pollock fisheries in the Donut Hole (Public Law 104-43,

section 104(d)).

Comment 20. Revisions and addition of maps: (1) In Figure 3, draw

lines to reflect the bounds of GOA reporting areas 649 and 659; (2) add

a map with place names for the area around the Bering Sea and Gulf of

Alaska reporting area 610; and (3) add a map for Pribilof Islands

closure area and change regulations text to refer to the figure.

Response. (1) NMFS agrees. The figure is revised; however, the

figure depicting the GOA is not to scale and merely indicates that

boundaries exist rather than depicting accurately the boundaries

themselves; (2) NMFS will review this comment in the next revision of

the recordkeeping and reporting regulations; and (3) NMFS concurs;

however, this comment will be addressed in the next revision of the

recordkeeping and reporting regulations.

Comment 21. NMFS could use DFL information for research purposes,

for example: (1) Build an adequate shelf model distribution for depth

and area through use of a bar scanner to project handwritten set

positions and catch performance on a chart; and (2) develop regional/

seasonal correlatives through observers recording spawning times in an

area, then analyze the results for possible closures during these times

by using block chart areas.

Response. NMFS agrees that utilization of groundfish data collected

for monitoring of the fisheries could be used for further research;

however, this comment is not relevant to the recordkeeping and

reporting proposed rule.

Comment 22. Change the definition of a fishing trip for a catcher

vessel.

Response. NMFS concurs, although the definition of a fishing trip

is standardized rather than revised. The text of the regulations at

Secs. 672.20(h)(2) and (i)(4) and 675.20(i)(2) and (j)(4) is revised,

so that a standard definition of a fishing trip exists in both the GOA

and BSAI. A cross reference to the term, fishing trip, is added at

Sec. 672.2.

Comment 23. The logbook instructions tell how to submit quarterly

logsheets for an inactive period that includes the end of one fishing

quarter and the start of another fishing quarter. This information

should be included in the regulations.

Response. NMFS concurs. This language is added to the regulations

at Sec. 672.5(a)(14)(c).

Comment 24. Allow the use of the number ``0'' or the word ``ZERO''

as well as ``NO DISCARDS'' to account for discard species when no

discards occurred.

Response. NMFS concurs. This language is added to the regulations

at Sec. 672.5(a)(10)(iv).

Comment 25. For purposes of the Vessel Activity Report (VAR), why

is there a distinction made between ``the seaward boundary of the EEZ

off Alaska'' and ``the United States/Canada international boundary''?

Response. Entering directly into Alaska State waters from Canadian

waters is possible, thus avoiding the ``seaward boundary of the EEZ off

Alaska.''

Comment 26. Add a prohibition against adjusting scale weights for

water content of fish.

Response. NMFS concurs; however this comment will be considered in

the next revision of the recordkeeping and reporting regulations.

Comment 27. Standardize format of regulations as follows: (1)

Capitalization of the words: Shoreside processor, mothership, catcher/

processor, buying station, catcher vessel, support vessel, tender

vessel, processor vessel, Federal Fisheries Permit number, Federal

Processor Permit number, Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)

vessel number, and ADF&G processor code; (2) the word, codend, is one

word, not two; (3) standardize the use of either of the terms,

shoreside processor and

[[Page 5611]]

shoreside processing operation; (4) standardize capitalization of

report names.

Response. (1) NMFS concurs; capitalization is made consistent

within the final rule; (2) NMFS concurs; the correction is made; (3)

NMFS concurs, and standardization of the terms is accomplished within

the breadth of this final rule. However, many other instances of the

inconsistent use of shoreside processor and shoreside processing

operation occur in other areas of the regulations. Because more time is

needed to complete this task, this comment will be considered more

fully in the next revision of the recordkeeping and reporting

regulations; (4) NMFS concurs; capitalization is made consistent within

the final rule.

Comment 28. The requirement to disclose the number of days fished

on logbooks and on the WPR should remain rather than be removed as

proposed, as this is an excellent cross-check with other reports to

determine number of days fished for vessels. The number of days fished

is important to calculate observer coverage requirements.

Response. NMFS disagrees. Number of days fished may be calculated

from other information in the logbooks.

Comment 29. WPRs should not list ADF&G Fish Ticket numbers, because

Fish Tickets are completely voluntary for processors operating in the

EEZ. The Federal government cannot enforce a voluntary State of Alaska

program.

Response. Although issuance of ADF&G Fish Tickets is voluntary for

processors operating in the EEZ, many of those processors comply with

the State of Alaska requirement. If a fish ticket is issued, NMFS

requests that the fish ticket number be listed on the WPR.

Comment 30. Add to the regulations that groundfish caught

incidental to the non-groundfish fishery may be retained on board the

vessel for use as bait during the period of the non-groundfish fishery.

They may not be retained after closure of the non-groundfish fishery,

or sold, or transferred from the vessel.

Response. NMFS concurs; however, this comment will be considered in

the next revision of the recordkeeping and reporting regulations.

Comment 31. Product Transfer Report submittal requirements should

not be changed from 1 week to 24 hours after the completion of the

offload. Management offices need 1 week to maintain oversight of the

vessels reporting.

Response. NMFS disagrees; more timely information is generally more

accurate.

Comment 32. Create provisions in the regulations to deal with

weekend reporting where a management office chooses to oversee the

vessels reporting. Without time to complete reporting requirements in

the management office, reporting would have to come straight from the

vessel. Not only is it more costly, it would prevent management offices

from being up to date on where the vessels are checked in and whether

or not they have complied with regulations.

Response. NMFS disagrees; processor vessels are required to submit

timely reports. Submission of reports to NMFS will not preclude the

management office from monitoring their vessels' reporting.

Classification

The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, determined that the regulatory

amendment is necessary for the conservation and management of the GOA

and BSAI management area fisheries and it is consistent with the

Magnuson Act and other applicable laws.

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 rule would not have a

significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

The reasons were published in the notice of proposed rule (60 FR 46936,

September 8, 1995). As a result, a regulatory flexibility analysis was

not prepared.

This rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of

E.O. 12866.

This rule contains collection-of-information requirements subject

to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The collections of information have

been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OMB Control

Numbers 0648-0213 and 0648-0206. 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; the Catcher

Vessel Logbook, 15 minutes; and Federal Fishing Permits, 20 minutes.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required

to respond to nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to

comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of

the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information

displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Parts 672 and 675

Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: January 31, 1996.

Gary Matlock,

Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.

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

are 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.

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:

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.

[[Page 5612]]

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 LOA; 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 LOA;

(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 LOA;

(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 codend). 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,

1998) 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 Secs. 675.27 and 676.24 of this chapter.

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

1998) means a percentage of the CDQ reserve for a BSAI subarea or

district as defined at Sec. 675.20(a)(3)(ii) of this chapter that is

allocated to a CDP.

Community Development Quota Program (CDQ Program) (applicable

through December 31, 1998) means the Western Alaska Community

Development Program implemented under Sec. 675.27 of this chapter.

Community Development Quota Reserve (CDQ Reserve) (applicable

through December 31, 1998) means one half of the pollock TAC that is

placed into the reserve for each subarea and district of the BSAI as

specified at Sec. 675.20(a)(3) of this chapter and that is set aside

for the CDQ program.

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 bycatch amount for that

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

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

[[Page 5613]]

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 Sec. 677.2 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 Secs. 672.26 or 675.26 of this chapter).

Fishing trip (see Sec. 672.20(h)(2) 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 Secs. 672.23(a) and 675.23(a) of this chapter).

Fixed gear (see Sec. 676.11 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, 1998) means the

following three categories of the U.S. groundfish fishery that process

pollock harvested in a directed fishery for pollock in the GOA or BSAI,

or Pacific cod harvested in a directed fishery for Pacific cod in the

GOA, or both:

(1) Shoreside processing operations;

(2) Vessels less than 125 ft (38.1 m) in LOA, that process no more

than 126 mt per week in round-weight equivalents of an aggregate amount

of those fish; and

(3) Vessels that process those fish at a single geographic location

in Alaska State waters (waters adjacent to the State of Alaska and

shoreward of the EEZ) during a fishing year. For the purposes of this

definition, NMFS will determine the single geographic location in a

fishing year for an individual processor from the geographic

coordinates the vessel operator reports on the check-in report

(Sec. 672.5(h)(1) of this chapter) when that vessel first engages in

processing those fish.

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 total allowable catch (TAC)

has not been specified (e.g., grenadier, prowfish, lingcod).

Observer means any person certified under the NMFS Observer Plan

(see part 677 of this chapter).

Offshore component (applicable through December 31, 1998) means all

vessels not included in the definition of ``inshore component'' that

process pollock caught in directed fisheries for pollock in the GOA or

BSAI, or Pacific cod caught in directed fisheries for Pacific cod in

the GOA, or both.

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

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

in each management area that are not specified as target species (see

Secs. 672.20 and 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 4 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 4 quarters for each year

are specified below:

1st quarter: January 1 through March 31;

2nd quarter: April 1 through June 30;

[[Page 5614]]

3rd quarter: July 1 through September 30; and

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

Table 3 of this part, 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, Secs. 672.24(e) and 675.24(f) of this chapter) and

Sec. 227.12 of this title; (for GOA, see Table 6 of this part).

Stem means the forward part of a vessel; that portion of the vessel

where the sides are united at the fore end with the lower end attached

to the keel and the bowsprit, if one is present, resting on the upper

end.

Stern means the aft 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 Secs. 672.20(a)(2) and

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 Secs. 672.24(f) and

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.

(3) This section is effective from January 1, 1996, through

December 31, 1998, unless otherwise specified. Unless specifically

exempt under 50 CFR part 676, the owner of a vessel of the United

States must obtain a moratorium permit issued under 50 CFR part 676

before using the vessel to conduct directed fishing for moratorium

groundfish species, as defined at Sec. 676.2 of this chapter, in the

GOA or BSAI. The owner of a vessel of the United States that is not

required to have a moratorium permit, because the vessel is

specifically exempt under Sec. 676.3 of this chapter, must obtain a

fisheries permit issued under this part before using the vessel to fish

for groundfish in the GOA or BSAI. Such permits shall be issued without

charge.

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

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, Restricted Access Management

Division,

[[Page 5615]]

P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, telephone number: 800-304-4846

or 907-586-7202.

(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: 907-586-7354.

(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 LOA

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

(satellite communication) numbers used on board the vessel.

(3) Shoreside Processor Information. 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;

(iv) If a mothership or catcher/processor, check either inshore or

offshore to indicate component in which Pacific cod in the GOA or

pollock will be processed for the entire fishing year.

(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) 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 GOA or BSAI.

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) Catcher vessels that are less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA, are not

required to comply with recordkeeping and reporting requirements under

this section.

(iii) A shoreside processor, mothership, or buying station subject

to recordkeeping and reporting requirements must report all groundfish

and prohibited species received, including:

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

permit;

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

another processor.

[[Page 5616]]

(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) The operator or manager must account for each day of the

fishing year, starting with January 1 and ending with December 31, and

the time periods must be consecutive in the logbook.

(iii) 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;

(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

minute (optional: Record to the nearest second or fraction of minute);

(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 for each type of vessel 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 conducting 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 not conducting fishing activity,

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 from 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) If no landings occurred, write ``NO LANDINGS'' 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 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

[[Page 5617]]

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) If no production occurred, write ``NO PRODUCTION'' 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 and donations occur for each discard and donation

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 and donations occur for each discard and donation of

Pacific salmon, steelhead trout, Pacific halibut, king crab, and Tanner

crab;

(iv) If there were no discards or donations, write ``NO DISCARDS'',

``0'', or ``ZERO'' for that day.

(v) Catcher Vessel discards/donations. (A) For deliveries of

unsorted codends, the catcher vessel is exempt from recording of

discards in the DFL and from submittal of the blue logsheet (discards

copy) for that delivery. The operator is required to check the box

entitled, ``unsorted codend'', and the blue DFL logsheet (discards

copy) remains in the DFL;

(B) For presorted deliveries or in the event a catcher vessel has

``bled'' a codend prior to delivery to a processor, the operator must

check the ``presorted delivery'' box, enter the amount of discards and

donations by species, and submit the blue DFL logsheet (discards copy)

to the mothership, buying station, or shoreside processor with each

harvest delivery.

(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 and donations 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 or donations, the operator or manager must

record in the DCL the discards and donations 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 or donation occurs all

discards and donations that occur prior to harvest, during harvest, and

during processing;

(viii) Mothership or shoreside processor discards/donations.

(A) The operator or manager must record in the DCPL on a daily

basis on the day such discard or donation occurs, all discards and

donations that occur on site after receipt of groundfish, and all

discards and donations that occur during processing of groundfish;

(B) If an unsorted codend is received from a catcher vessel, the

catcher vessel is not required to submit a blue discard logsheet to the

mothership or shoreside processor. The operator or manager must sort

the catch received from the unsorted codends and must record the

discards by species in the DCPL as discard at sea on the day the

harvest is received from the catcher vessel;

(C) If discards are reported on a blue DFL logsheet from a catcher

vessel delivering a pre-sorted codend or if a catcher vessel reports an

amount bled at sea, the operator or manager must record in the DCPL the

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

vessel.

(D) If a yellow DCL logsheet is received from a buying station and

discards and donations are reported, the operator or manager must

record in the DCPL the discards and donations 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.

(C) During an inactive period that extends across two or more

quarters, the operator or manager must complete two separate logsheets:

one to indicate the last day of the quarter and the next page to

indicate the first day of the next quarter.

(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

[[Page 5618]]

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;

(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. (A) The operator of a mothership and the

manager of a shoreside processor must retain the blue DFL logsheets

(discard reports) submitted to them by operators of catcher vessels

through the last day of the fishing year during which the records were

made.

(B) The operator or manager of a buying station must submit to the

mothership or shoreside processor any blue logsheets (discards copy)

received from catcher vessels delivering groundfish to the buying

station.

(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 may 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

(a)(14) and (c)(2) 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 start date and end date of the fishing trip;

(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) Date (month-day-year);

(ii) 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.

(iii) 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.

(iv) The estimated total round fish weight of the groundfish catch;

and

(v) The species code of the intended target species from Table 2 of

this part.

(vi) The estimated IFQ sablefish amounts in the ``comments''

column.

(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:

[[Page 5619]]

(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 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 (f)(7) of this section;

(ii) Submit the DCPL in the manner set forth under paragraphs

(f)(2) and (a)(14) 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 IA. 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)(iii) 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 (Part IB). 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 (g)(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:

[[Page 5620]]

(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, ``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 USCG documentation number. If a shoreside processor, the

participant identification information as defined at paragraph (a)(4).

(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) For 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) For 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 it is 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;

[[Page 5621]]

(iii) Representative identification information as defined at

paragraph (a)(5) of this section;

(iv) For 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) For a catcher/processor, date and time that gear is deployed.

For a mothership, date and time that receipt of groundfish begins;

(ii) For a catcher/processor, position coordinates where gear is

set. For a mothership, position coordinates where groundfish receipt is

begun;

(iii) For a catcher/processor, the reporting area code of gear

deployment and whether gear deployment was in Federal or Alaska State

waters. For 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) For 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) For a mothership or catcher/processor, the primary and

secondary species expected to be harvested. For 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. For 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 by fax to the Regional Director at fax number 907-586-7131 by

1200 hours, A.l.t., on the 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, 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 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 the next week;

(viii) If a mothership or catcher/processor, the number of crew on

the last day of the reporting week;

(4) Landings information. If a shoreside processor, see landings

information requirements at paragraph (a)(8) of this section.

(5) Discarded/donated species information (Part ID). For discard/

donate information requirements, see paragraph (a)(10) of this section.

(6) Product information. For product information requirements, 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 (j)(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 it is 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 landings

were received, 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 requirements at paragraph (a)(8) of this section.

(6) Product information. For a mothership or catcher/ processor,

see product information requirements at paragraph (a)(9) of this

section.

(7) Discard/donate information. For discard/donate information

requirements, 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

[[Page 5622]]

United States/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 (k)(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 (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, and paragraphs

(i) and (j) are revised to read as follows:

Sec. 672.7 Prohibitions.

* * * * *

(i) Except as authorized by permit issued pursuant to the section

of the Donut Hole Convention implementing legislation authorizing the

Secretary to issue Donut Hole fishing permits (Public Law 104-43,

section 104(d)), it is unlawful for any person to fish in the Donut

Hole from a vessel for which a Federal fisheries permit has been issued

pursuant to section 672.4 of this part during the year for which the

permit was issued;

(j) Except as authorized by permit issued pursuant to the section

of the Donut Hole Convention implementing legislation authorizing the

Secretary to issue Donut Hole fishing permits (Public Law 104-43,

section 104(d)), it is unlawful for any person to possess within the

EEZ fish harvested from the Donut Hole on board a vessel for which a

Federal fisheries permit has been issued pursuant to section 672.4 of

this part during the year for which the permit was issued.

* * * * *

(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.

8. In Sec. 672.20, paragraphs (a)(1), (e)(1), (h)(2) and the

headings for paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2)(i), (c)(2)(ii), 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 to read as set forth

below. In paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(3) the phrase, ``Table 2 to this

section'' is removed and the phrase ``Table 10 of this part'' is added

in its place; and tables 1 and 2 to the section are removed.

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, 1998.

* * *

(ii) Directed fishing allowance--Applicable through December 31,

1998. * * *

(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. For purposes of this section, an operator of a

vessel is engaged in a fishing trip from the time the harvesting,

receiving, or processing of groundfish is begun or resumed until:

(i) The transfer or offloading of all groundfish product;

(ii) The vessel leaves the area where fishing activity commenced;

or

(iii) The end of a weekly reporting period, whichever comes first.

(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

(PRRS)--(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

[[Page 5623]]

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.

Sec. 672.22 [Amended]

9. In Sec. 672.22, paragraph (d) is removed.

10. 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 (e) 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, 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.

11. 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), redesignated paragraphs (d)(4) and (d)(5), (f)(2) and (f)(3)

are added; paragraph (d)(3) is added; headings of paragraphs (a), (b),

and (d) are revised; 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) * * *

(2) Trawl gear testing. * * *

(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'

12. In Part 672, figures 1 and 2 are revised, figures 3 through 7

and tables 1 through 11 are added to read as follows:

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Figure 1.--BSAI Statistical and Reporting Areas

[b. Coordinates of Reporting Areas]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Code Description

------------------------------------------------------------------------

300................... Russian waters. Those waters inside the Russian

200 mile limit as described in the current

editions of NOAA chart INT 813 Bering Sea

(Southern Part) and NOAA chart INT 814 Bering

Sea (Northern Part).

400................... Chukchi Sea. North of a diagonal line between 66

deg.00'N, 169 deg.42.5'W (Cape Dezhneva,

Russia); and 65 deg.37.5'N, 168 deg.7.5'W (Cape

Prince of Wales, Alaska) and to the limits of

the U.S. EEZ as described in the current

edition of NOAA chart INT 814 Bering Sea

(Northern Part).

508................... South of 58 deg. 00' N between the intersection

of 58 deg. 00' North lat with the Alaska

Peninsula and 160 deg. 00' W long.

509................... South of 58 deg. 00' N lat between 163 deg. 00'

W long and 165 deg. 00' W long.

512................... South of 58 deg. 00' N lat, north of the Alaska

Peninsula between 160 deg. 00' W long and 162

deg. 00' W long.

513................... Between 58 deg. 00' N lat and 56 deg. 30' N lat,

and between 165 deg. 00' W long and 170 deg.

00' W long.

514................... North of 58 deg. 00' N to the southern boundary

of the Chukchi Sea, area 400, and east of 170

deg. 00' W long.

516................... South of 58 deg. 00' N lat, north of the Alaska

Peninsula, and between 162 deg. 00' and 163

deg. 00' W long.

517................... South of 56 deg. 30' N lat, between 165 deg. 00'

W long and 170 deg. 00' W long; and north of

straight lines between: 54 deg. 30' N lat, 165

deg. 00' W long, 54 deg. 30' N lat, 167 deg.00'

W long, and 55 deg. 46' N lat, 170 deg. 00' W

long.

518................... Bogoslof District: South of a straight line

between 55 deg. 46' N lat, 170 deg. 00' W long

and 54 deg. 30' N lat, 167 deg. 00' W long, and

between 167 deg. 00' W long and 170 deg. 00' W

long, and north of the Aleutian Islands and

straight lines between the islands connecting

the following coordinates in the order listed:

52 deg. 49.2' N, 169 deg. 40.4' W, 52 deg.

49.8' N, 169 deg. 06.3' W, 53 deg. 23.8' N, 167

deg. 50.1' W, 53 deg. 18.7' N, 167 deg. 51.4'

W.

519................... South of a straight line between 54 deg. 30' N

lat, 167 deg. 00' W long and 54 deg. 30' N lat,

164 deg. 54' W long; east of 167 deg. 00' W

long; west of Unimak Island; and north of the

Aleutian Islands and straight lines between the

islands connecting the following coordinates in

the order listed: 53 deg. 59.0' N, 166 deg.

17.2' W, 54 deg. 02.9' N, 166 deg. 03.0' W, 54

deg. 07.7' N, 165 deg. 40.6' W, 54 deg. 08.9'

N, 165 deg. 38.8' W, 54 deg. 11.9' N, 165 deg.

23.3' W, 54 deg. 23.9' N, 164 deg. 44.0' W.

521................... The area bounded by straight lines connecting

the following coordinates in the order listed:

55 deg. 46' N, 170 deg. 00' W, 59 deg. 25' N,

179 deg. 20' W, 60 deg. 00' N, 179 deg. 20' W,

60 deg. 00' N, 171 deg. 00' W, 58 deg. 00' N,

171 deg. 00' W, 58 deg. 00' N, 170 deg. 00' W,

55 deg. 46' N, 170 deg. 00' W.

523................... The area bounded by straight lines connecting

the following coordinates in the order listed:

59 deg. 25' N, 179 deg. 20' W; 55 deg. 46' N,

170 deg. 00' W; 55 deg. 00' N, 170 deg. 00' W;

55 deg. 00' N, 180 deg. 00' W; and north to the

limits of the US EEZ as described in the

current edition of NOAA chart INT 813 Bering

Sea (Southern Part).

524................... The area west of 170 deg. 00' W bounded south by

straight lines connecting the following

coordinates in the order listed: 58 deg. 00' N,

170 deg. 00' W, 58 deg. 00' N, 171 deg. 00' W;

60 deg. 00' N, 171 deg. 00' W; 60 deg. 00' N,

179 deg. 20' W; 59 deg. 25' N, 179 deg. 20' W

and to the limits of the US EEZ as described in

the current edition of NOAA chart INT 813

Bering Sea (Southern Part).

530................... The area north of 55 deg. 00 N lat and west of

180 deg. 00 W long to the limits of the US EEZ

as described in the current edition of NOAA

chart INT 813 Bering Sea (Southern Part).

541................... Eastern Aleutian District. The area south of 55

deg. 00' N lat, west of 170 deg. 00' W long,

and east of 177 deg. 00' W long and bounded on

the south by the limits of the US EEZ as

described in the current editions of NOAA chart

INT 813 Bering Sea (Southern Part) and NOAA

chart 530 (San Diego to Aleutian Islands and

Hawaiian Islands).

542................... Central Aleutian District. The area south of 55

deg. 00' N lat, west of 177 deg. 00' W long,

and east of 177 deg. 00' E long and bounded on

the south by the limits of the US EEZ as

described in the current editions of NOAA chart

INT 813 Bering Sea (Southern Part) and NOAA

chart 530 (San Diego to Aleutian Islands and

Hawaiian Islands).

543................... Western Aleutian District. The area south of 55

deg. 00' N lat and west of 177 deg. 00' E long,

and bounded on the south and west by the limits

of the US EEZ as described in the current

editions of NOAA chart INT 813 Bering Sea

(Southern Part) and NOAA chart 530 (San Diego

to Aleutian Islands and Hawaiian Islands).

550................... Donut Hole. 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).

Statistical Area. A statistical area is the part of a reporting area

contained in the EEZ.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Figure 3.--Gulf of Alaska Statistical and Reporting Areas

[b. Coordinates of Reporting Areas]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Code Description

------------------------------------------------------------------------

610................... Western Regulatory Area, Shumagin District.

Along the south side of the Aleutian Islands

and straight lines between the islands and the

Alaska Peninsula connecting the following

coordinates in the order listed:

52 deg. 49.2' N, 169 deg. 40.4' W;

52 deg. 49.8' N, 169 deg. 06.3' W;

53 deg. 23.8' N, 167 deg. 50.1' W;

53 deg. 18.7' N, 167 deg. 51.4' W;

53 deg. 59.0' N, 166 deg. 17.2' W;

54 deg. 02.9' N, 166 deg. 03.0' W;

54 deg. 07.7' N, 165 deg. 40.6' W;

54 deg. 08.9' N, 165 deg. 38.8' W;

54 deg. 11.9' N, 165 deg. 23.3' W;

54 deg. 23.9' N, 164 deg. 44.0' W; and southward

to the limits of the US EEZ as described in the

current editions of NOAA chart INT 813 (Bering

Sea, Southern Part) and NOAA chart 500 (West

Coast of North America, Dixon Entrance to

Unimak Pass), between 170 deg. 00' W long and

159 deg. 00' W long.

620................... Central Regulatory Area, Chirikof District.

Along the south side of the Alaska Peninsula,

between 159 deg. 00' W long and 154 deg. 00' W

long, and southward to the limits of the US EEZ

as described in the current edition of NOAA

chart 500 (West Coast of North America, Dixon

Entrance to Unimak Pass).

630................... Central Regulatory Area, Kodiak District. Along

the south side of continental Alaska, between

154 deg. 00' W long and 147 deg. 00' W long,

and southward to the limits of the US EEZ as

described in the current edition of NOAA chart

500 (West Coast of North America, Dixon

Entrance to Unimak Pass). Excluding area 649.

640................... Eastern Regulatory Area, West Yakutat District.

Along the south side of continental Alaska,

between 147 deg. 00' W long and 140 deg. 00' W

long, and southward to the limits of the US

EEZ, as described in the current edition of

NOAA chart 500 (West Coast of North America,

Dixon Entrance to Unimak Pass). Excluding area

649.

649................... Prince William Sound. Includes those waters of

the State of Alaska inside the base line as

specified in Alaska State regulations at 5 AAC

28.200.

650................... Eastern Regulatory Area, Southeast Outside

District. East of 140 deg. 00' W long and

southward to the limits of the US EEZ as

described in the current edition of NOAA chart

500 (West Coast of North America, Dixon

Entrance to Unimak Pass). Excluding area 659.

659................... Southeast Inside District. As specified in

Alaska State regulations at 5 AAC 28.105 (a)

(1) and (2).

690................... Gulf of Alaska Outside the U.S. EEZ as described

in the current editions of NOAA chart INT 813

(Bering Sea, Southern Part) and NOAA chart 500

(West Coast of North America, Dixon Entrance to

Unimak Pass).

Statistical Area. A statistical area is the part of a reporting area

contained in the EEZ.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Figure 4.--Herring Savings Areas in the BSAI

[b. Coordinates]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name Description and effective date

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summer Herring Savings Area 1. That part of the Bering Sea subarea that

is south of 57 deg. N. latitude and

between 162 deg. and 164 deg. W.

longitude from 1200 hours, A.l.t., June

15 through 1200 hours, A.l.t. July 1 of

a fishing year.

Summer Herring Savings Area 2. That part of the Bering Sea subarea that

is south of 56 deg.30' N. latitude and

between 164 deg. and 167 deg. W.

longitude from 1200 hours, A.l.t., July

1 through 1200 hours, A.l.t. August 15

of a fishing year.

Winter Herring Savings Area... That part of the Bering Sea subarea that

is between 58 deg. and 60 deg. N.

latitude and between 172 deg. and 175

deg. W. longitude from 1200 hours,

A.l.t. September 1 of the current

fishing year through 1200 hours, A.l.t.

March 1 of the succeeding fishing year.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Figure 5.--Kodiak Island Areas Closed to Non-pelagic Trawl Gear

[b. Coordinates]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name and description

of reference area North latitude/West longitude

reference point

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alitak Flats and Towers Areas--All waters of Alitak Flats and the

Towers Areas enclosed by a line connecting the following 7 points in the

order listed:

b..................... 57 deg. 00' 0'' 155 deg. 00' 0''.

c..................... 56 deg. 17' 0'' 155 deg. 00' 0''.

d..................... 56 deg. 17' 0'' 153 deg. 52' 0''.

e..................... 56 deg. 33' 5'' 153 deg. 52' 0'' Cape Sitkinak.

f..................... 56 deg. 54' 5'' 153 deg. 32' 5'' East point of

Twoheaded Island.

g..................... 56 deg. 56' 0'' 153 deg. 35' 5'' Kodiak Island,

thence, along the coastline of Kodiak Island

until intersection of Low Cape.

a..................... 56 deg. 59' 4'' 154 deg. 31' 1'' Low Cape.

Marmot Flats Area--All waters enclosed by a line connecting the

following five points in the clockwise order listed:

a..................... 58 deg. 00' 0'' 152 deg. 30' 0''.

b..................... 58 deg. 00' 0'' 151 deg. 47' 0''.

c..................... 57 deg. 37' 0'' 151 deg. 47' 0''.

d..................... 57 deg. 37' 0'' 152 deg. 10' 1'' Cape Chiniak,

thence, along the coastline of Kodiak Island to

e..................... 57 deg. 54' 5'' 152 deg. 30' 0'' North Cape.

a..................... 58 deg. 00' 0'' 152 deg. 30' 0''.

Chirikof Island Area--All waters surrounding Chirikof Island enclosed

by a line connecting the following four points in the counter-clockwise

order listed:

a..................... 56 deg. 07' 0'' 155 deg. 13' 0''.

b..................... 56 deg. 07' 0'' 156 deg. 00' 0''.

c..................... 55 deg. 41' 0'' 156 deg. 00' 0''.

d..................... 55 deg. 41' 0'' 155 deg. 13' 0''.

a..................... 56 deg. 07' 0'' 155 deg. 13' 0''.

Barnabas Area--All waters enclosed by a line connecting the following

six points in the counter clockwise order listed:

a..................... 57 deg. 00' 0'' 153 deg. 18' 0'' Black Point.

b..................... 56 deg. 56' 0'' 153 deg. 09' 0''.

c..................... 57 deg. 22' 0'' 152 deg. 18' 5'' South Tip of

Ugak Island.

d..................... 57 deg. 23' 5'' 152 deg. 17' 5'' North Tip of

Ugak Island.

e..................... 57 deg. 25' 3'' 152 deg. 20' 0'' Narrow Cape,

thence, along the coastline of Kodiak Island.

f..................... 57 deg. 04' 2'' 153 deg. 30' 0'' Cape Kasick to

a..................... 57 deg. 00' 0'' 153 deg. 18' 0'' Black Point,

including inshore waters.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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[[Page 5635]]

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

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.

[[Page 5636]]

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.

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 CODES

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 5637]]

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 COD........................ 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

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 Pectoral 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 0.16 0.16 \2

\

0.17 \3

\ 0.22 0.17

SMELTS......................................................... 510 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.38 ....... ......... ....... ....... ....... 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 672.20(a)

DEEP WATER FLATFISH........................................ 118 ........ ....... ....... ....... ....... 0.32 0.27 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

[[Page 5638]]

Table 3.--Product Recovery Rates for Groundfish Species Referenced in 50 CFR 672.20(a)(1) and/or 50 CFR 675.20(a)(1) (continued)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Product code

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FMP species Species Butterfly

code Oil Milt Stomachs Mantles backbone Decomposed Discards

removed fish

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

33 34 35 36 37 96

(6) 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

THORNYHEAD ROCKFISH.................................... 143 ....... ....... ........ ....... ......... 0.00 1.00

Target species categories only at 50 CFR 675.20(a)

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.

[[Page 5639]]

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From To

Island -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This text is long and has been trimmed here. Open the source document for the complete record.