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Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Cost Recovery Program for North Pacific Halibut, Sablefish, and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Individual Fishing Quota Programs
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: May 8, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 88)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 26728-26732]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08my06-22]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Parts 679 and 680
[Docket No. 060424108-6108-01; I.D. 040706A]
RIN 0648-AT43
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Cost
Recovery Program for North Pacific Halibut, Sablefish, and Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Crab Individual Fishing Quota Programs
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
[[Page 26729]]
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS proposes an amendment to the Individual Fishing Quota
(IFQ) Cost Recovery Program for the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ and the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Rationalization Programs.
This action modifies the procedure NMFS uses to publish notification of
adjustment of the IFQ fee percentage for the IFQ Cost Recovery Program
in the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ and the Crab Rationalization Programs.
This action is necessary to provide timely and efficient notice of fee
obligations while maintaining compliance with the Administrative
Procedure Act (APA). This action is intended to improve the fee
collection methods required for all Alaska IFQ programs under the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) and is necessary to promote the objectives of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act with respect to the IFQ fisheries managed by NMFS
in the Alaska Region.
DATES: Written comments must be received no later than June 7, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS,
Attn: Ellen Walsh. Comments may be submitted by:
? Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
? Hand Delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
? Fax: 907-586-7557.
? E-mail: 0648-AT43@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of
the e-mail the following document identifier: IFQ Cost Recovery RIN
0648-AT43. E-mail comments, with or without attachments, are limited to
five megabytes.
? Webform at the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions at that site for submitting comments.
Copies of the Categorical Exclusion (CE), regulatory impact review
(RIR), and regulatory flexibility certification prepared for this
action are available from NMFS at the above address or by calling the
Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, at 907-586-7228.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bubba Cook, 907-586-7425 or
bubba.cook@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS, Alaska Region, administers the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ and
the Crab Rationalization Programs in the North Pacific. These programs
are limited access systems authorized by section 303(b) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Magnuson-Stevens Act defines IFQ as a Federal
permit under a limited access system to harvest a quantity of fish,
expressed by a unit or units representing a percentage of the total
allowable catch of a fishery that may be received or held for exclusive
use by a person. The Halibut and Sablefish Program and the Crab
Rationalization Program meet this statutory definition of IFQ and are
therefore subject to cost recovery fees under section 304(d)(2) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
In 1996, the Magnuson-Stevens Act was amended (by Public Law 104-
297) to require, among other things, that the Secretary of Commerce
``collect a fee to recover the actual costs directly related to the
management and enforcement of any . . . individual fishing quota
program'' (section 304(d)(2)(A)). The upper limits on these fees, fee
collection times, and fee deposit locations are specified by section
304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Section 303(d)(4) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act allows NMFS to reserve up to 25 percent of the
fees collected for use in an IFQ loan program to aid in financing the
purchase of IFQ or quota share (QS) by entry-level and small-vessel
fishermen.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies the following with respect to
the imposition of cost recovery fees:
1. Fees must recover actual costs directly related to management
and enforcement of the IFQ Program;
2. Fees must not exceed 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish
harvested under any such program;
3. Fees are in addition to any other fees charged under the
Magnuson-Stevens Act;
4. With the exception of money reserved for the Halibut and
Sablefish IFQ and the Crab Rationalization loan program, fees must be
deposited in the Limited Access System Administrative Fund (LASAF) in
the U.S. Treasury; and
5. Fees must be collected during one of the following times: when
landing; when filing a landing report; when selling the fish during a
fishing season; or in the last quarter of the calendar year in which
the fish were harvested.
The Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Program and the Crab Rationalization
Program are the only IFQ fisheries off Alaska currently subject to the
cost recovery requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Fishing under
the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Program began in March 1995 through
regulations set forth at 50 CFR part 679. Fishing under the Crab
Rationalization Program began in August 2005 through regulations set
forth at 50 CFR part 680.
This action would only affect the methods by which NMFS calculates
fee percentages and provides notice under the cost recovery provisions
of the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Program and Crab Rationalization
Program. Specifically, this action proposes a structure for public
notification of the fee percentage. Calculation of the fee percentage
under this proposed action would become a ministerial duty conducted by
NMFS. This proposed action would not affect the ex-vessel value
determination under either program nor would it affect the current
structure or administration of the standard prices calculated for the
Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Program or the Catcher/Processor ex-vessel
values calculated for the Crab Rationalization Program. However, NMFS
would make minor changes to the current fee regulations to ensure full
compliance with the APA (5 U.S.C. 501 et seq., 701 et seq.) while
improving administrative efficiency.
Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Cost Recovery
On March 20, 2000, NMFS published regulations (65 FR 14919)
implementing the IFQ Cost Recovery Program for IFQ landings of halibut
and sablefish (set forth at 50 CFR 679.45). Under the regulations, an
IFQ permit holder incurs a cost recovery fee liability for every pound
of IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish that is landed under his or her IFQ
permit(s). The IFQ permit holder is responsible for self-collecting the
fee liability for all IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish landings on his or
her permit(s). The IFQ permit holder also is responsible for submitting
a fee liability payment to NMFS on or before the due date of January
31, following the year in which the IFQ landings were made. For each
permit, the dollar amount of the fee due is determined by multiplying
the annual IFQ fee percentage (3 percent or less) by the ex-vessel
value of each IFQ landing. If the permit holder has more than one
permit, the total amounts of each permit are added.
Section 304(d)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act sets a maximum fee
of 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish harvested under an IFQ
program. Current regulations allow NMFS to reduce the fee percentage if
actual management and enforcement costs are recoverable through a
lesser percentage.
[[Page 26730]]
NMFS will not know the actual annual costs of IFQ-related management
and enforcement until after the end of each Federal fiscal year
(September 30). If the management and enforcement costs total less than
the 3 percent fee, NMFS will reduce the fee percentage for the new
Federal fiscal year. Fishermen will not know at the time they sell
their IFQ fish exactly what fee percentage will be applied to their IFQ
landings made from February (season opening) through September (Federal
fiscal year-end). Therefore, NMFS encourages IFQ permit holders to set
aside the full 3 percent throughout the fishing year so a lump sum
payment may be made by January 31 of the following calendar year. Early
payments are allowed but do not relieve a permit holder of associated
reporting requirements.
Crab Rationalization Cost Recovery
Section 313(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act provides supplementary
authority to section 304(d)(2)(A) and additional detail for cost
recovery provisions specific to the Crab Rationalization Program. As a
quota program, the Crab Rationalization Program must follow the
statutory provisions set forth by section 304(d) and section 313(j) of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Section 313(j) requires the Secretary to approve a cost recovery
program for the Crab Rationalization Program, conducted in accordance
with the existing Halibut and Sablefish IFQ cost recovery program.
Similar to the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ cost recovery program, the
Crab Rationalization cost recovery program allows for the collection of
actual management and enforcement costs up to 3 percent of ex-vessel
gross revenues and a loan program using 25 percent of the fees collected.
Section 313(j) includes specific cost recovery requirements to
accommodate the crab processing industry and to address problems
experienced under the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ cost recovery program.
This section provides NMFS the authority to collect 133 percent of the
actual costs of management and enforcement. By collecting 133 percent,
25 percent of that amount can be set aside for the IFQ loan program and
the remaining 75 percent more fully reimburses the management and
enforcement costs of the program. Additionally, section 313(j) requires
cost recovery fees to be paid in equal shares by the harvesting and
processing sectors. Catcher/Processors, a combination of both sectors,
pay the full fee percentage.
NMFS developed the Crab Rationalization cost recovery program to
conform with statutory requirements and to partially compensate the
agency for the unique added costs of management and enforcement of the
Crab Rationalization Program. Key provisions of the Crab
Rationalization cost recovery program include: (1) a new definition and
application of ``fee liability; (2) the establishment of a
Registered Crab Receiver (RCR) permit system to streamline management
and reporting; (3) the establishment of a ``crab fishing year'' for
biological and administrative purposes; and (4) a new administrative
process that requires the collection and submission of fees by RCRs
rather than requiring separate billings to each person that receives a
crab allocation (crab allocation holder). The crab allocations include
IFQ, Crew IFQ, Individual Processing Quota (IPQ), Community Development
Quota (CDQ), and the Adak community allocation.
In the crab rationalization fishery, a crab allocation holder
generally incurs a cost recovery fee liability for every pound of crab
landed. The RCR permit holder must collect any fee liability of the
crab allocation holder landing crab. Additionally, the RCR permit
holder must self-collect their own fee liability for all crab delivered
to the RCR. The RCR permit holder is responsible for submitting this
payment to NMFS on or before the due date of July 31, following the
crab fishing year in which payment for the crab is made. The dollar
amount of the fee due is determined by multiplying the fee percentage
(not to exceed 3 percent) by the ex-vessel value of crab debited from
the allocation. Specific details on the Crab Rationalization cost
recovery program may be found in the implementing regulations for the
Crab Rationalization Program set forth at 50 CFR 680.44, and published
March 2, 2005, at 70 FR 10174.
The Crab Rationalization Program established a fee percentage
calculation structure similar to the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Program.
To budget their costs, fishermen need to know the fee percentage that
would apply to any crab deducted from a crab allocation in a crab
fishing year at the time of sale. Based on preliminary calculations,
however, NMFS determined that 3 percent of ex-vessel value will not be
enough to cover the management and enforcement costs of the Program.
Hence, NMFS began the cost recovery program using the maximum of 3
percent. NMFS will reduce the fee in subsequent seasons if calculated
to be less than 3 percent.
Overpayment of Fees
In the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ and Crab Rationalization Programs,
the fee percentage calculation adjusts for overpayment of the
management and enforcement costs through a variable that considers the
account balance in the LASAF account. Separate accounts are designated
within the LASAF to ensure that funds from one program's cost recovery
only pay for the costs directly related to the management and
enforcement of that program, and not other IFQ programs.
The Proposed Change
This proposed action, if approved, would accomplish three goals:
1. Inform the public of the equation and all factors used to calculate
the fee percentage, thereby allowing the public to comment on the
methodology used to conduct the standard calculation of the fee percentage;
2. Calculation of direct program costs (DPC) through a new,
independently-developed timekeeping system that automatically
calculates management costs by individual employee; and
3. Publish an annual fee percentage by Federal Register notice,
rather than by proposed and final rulemaking. This action would make
the publication of the Federal Register notice announcing the fee
percentage a ministerial duty performed by NMFS. The determination of
the fee percentage would become simply an administrative calculation
rather than the current and more complicated process of changing the
default percentage.
Under the current cost recovery programs for the Halibut and
Sablefish IFQ and the Crab Rationalization Programs, the fee percentage
is calculated according to the following general equation:
[100 (DPC-AB) /V]/ (1-NPR)
``DPC'' represents the direct program costs for the applicable IFQ
program for the previous fiscal year. ``AB'' is the end of the fiscal
year LASAF account balance for the applicable IFQ program. ``V'' is the
estimated ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the cost recovery fee
liability for the current year. V is based on the value reported by an
established port or port group as reported by the fishery participants,
which is subsequently summed and applied by NMFS. ``NPR'' is the
calculated nonpayment rate based on the previous year as determined by
subtracting the percentage of IFQ holders subject to a fee liability
who do not pay from the percentage of IFQ holders subject to a fee
liability. NPR, AB, and V are variables taken directly from sources
which NMFS has no ability to change.
[[Page 26731]]
This proposal would simplify the current calculation by eliminating
or consolidating some variables. The NPR variable would be eliminated
because it has had negligible effect on the overall calculation of the
percentage since the inception of the program. The changes proposed by
this action primarily affect the DPC variable. First, as part of this
action, the AB variable would be automatically incorporated into the
DPC variable rather than treated separately. Second, NMFS is adopting a
new time and attendance management system that will more efficiently
and accurately track individual management responsibilities. The new
management system will remove all NMFS discretion in determining the
DPC for any IFQ program. Therefore, in conjunction with the calculation
of other variables used to calculate the fee percentage, the
determination of DPC will be determined by formula. NMFS would then
apply the automatically calculated DPC to the fee percentage formula to
achieve the fee percentage for the prescribed fee period.
DPC Calculation
Prior to this proposed action, the DPC calculation became an
automated process managed by the Operations, Management, and
Information (OMI) Division, Alaska Region, NMFS. The new process
receives time allocation information from all personnel who engage in
management or enforcement associated with any IFQ program. This
information also is distinguished according to the specific IFQ program
(i.e., Crab Rationalization or Halibut and Sablefish).
For instance, a NMFS employee working on a regulation for the
Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Program would record the amount of time he or
she spends on that IFQ program in a special timekeeping program by 15-
minute intervals over each two-week pay period. The timekeeping program
would document and sum the specific time expended by that NMFS employee
on work directly related to the management of the Halibut and Sablefish
IFQ Program. The time expended by that NMFS employee would be
automatically multiplied by his or her hourly rate-of-pay to achieve
the management costs of that individual for the Halibut and Sablefish
IFQ Program. The NMFS employee's management costs then would be
automatically added with other employee's costs and added to any other
documented costs incurred by NMFS (e.g., printing, training, and supply
costs). Enforcement costs would continue to be calculated based on
agents' salaries as dedicated full time to IFQ enforcement plus any
other documented costs incurred by NMFS Enforcement (e.g., training,
equipment, and travel costs). OMI would then add all individual DPCs to
achieve the DPC variable.
This action also proposes to revise existing regulatory text to
clarify the public's obligations under the regulations and to clarify
how the fee percentage will be calculated by substituting terms such as
``shall'' and ``must'' regarding NMFS duties in places where ``would,''
``will,'' or ``may'' were previously used.
APA Compliance
The APA requires Federal agencies to advise the public through a
notice in the Federal Register of the terms or substance of a proposed
substantive rule and provide the public a period to comment. This is
the ``notice and comment'' requirement of the APA. The requirement is
designed to give interested persons, through written submissions or
oral presentations, an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking
process. Generally, the procedural safeguards of the APA help ensure
that government agencies are accountable to the public and their
decisions are reasoned. This proposed rule would provide substantive
elements that are subject to the APA's notice and comment procedures
and is intended to provide the public with a meaningful opportunity to
comment on the proposed provisions.
If this proposal is implemented, the fee percentage calculation
would become a simple administrative calculation subject to a statutory
maximum fee cap (3 percent) rather than a maximum fee value subject to
a reduction. As a result of this regulatory change, subsequent
administrative calculations of the fee percentage would be published in
the Federal Register as a notice because they would have no substantive
effect beyond the requirements of the existing regulations and would
only serve to inform the public of their preexisting duty to pay fees.
This change in methodology would make the cost recovery fee calculation
process more compliant with the APA.
Classification
NMFS has determined that the proposed rule is consistent with the
associated FMPs and preliminarily determined that the rule is
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
This proposed rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
NMFS prepared a Regulatory Impact Review (RIR) to assess all costs
and benefits of available regulatory alternatives. The North Pacific
Fishery Management Council considered all quantitative and qualitative
measures and chose a preferred alternative based on those measures that
maximize net benefits to the affected public.
The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration that this proposed rule, if adopted, would not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Section 304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act directs the Secretary of
Commerce collect a fee to recover the actual costs directly related to
the management and enforcement of any individual fishing quota program
and that such fee shall not exceed 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of
fish harvested under the program. The proposed rule would only explain
the process for notifying the public of fee obligations and would not
substantively change the amount of fees owed by any regulated entities.
The proposed rule would clarify the regulations governing the methods
NMFS uses to determine the appropriate level of cost recovery fees to
collect. The proposed rule will not affect the definitions of the costs
that NMFS is required to recover under the Magnuson-Stevens Act or the
size or distribution of the cost recovery fees that fishermen are
expected to pay. Additionally, the proposed rule will not directly
regulate, impose, or change any obligations of entities, and will thus
not directly regulate any small entities. The proposed regulatory
change is not expected to change the size or distribution of the cost
recovery fees imposed on fishermen and should not impose any economic
impact on small entities.
The two criteria recommended to determine significant economic
impact are the disproportionality and profitability of the action. The
proposed action would not place a substantial number of small entities
at a disadvantage relative to large entities, and it does not reduce
the profit for small entities. No entities appear to be directly
regulated by this action. The economic analysis in the RIR describes
the proposed rule and its operation in detail. It is apparent from the
description of the rule that it would not have significant economic
impacts on a substantial number of small entities. As a result, an
initial regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and has not
been prepared.
[[Page 26732]]
According to NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-6, including the
criteria used to determine significance, this rule would not have a
significant effect, individually or cumulatively, on the human
environment beyond those effects identified in previous NEPA analyses.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared for the final rule
implementing the original Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Cost Recovery
Program regulations (65 FR 14919, March 15, 2000) and an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared for the final rule implementing the
Crab Rationalization Program (70 FR 10174, March 2, 2005). These NEPA
documents analyzed all potential and cumulative environmental impacts
of the cost recovery systems. The scope of these analyses includes the
potential environmental impacts of this proposed rule. Based on the
nature of the proposed rule and the previous environmental analyses,
this proposed rule is categorically excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement,
in accordance with Section 5.05b of NAO 216-6. Copies of the EA for the
original Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Cost Recovery Program, the EIS for
the original Crab Rationalization Program, and the categorical
exclusion for this action are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Parts 679 and 680
Alaska, Fisheries, Recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
Dated: May 2, 2006.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR parts 679 and 680
are proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA
1. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1540(f); 1801 et seq.; 1851
note; 3631 et seq.
2. In Sec. 679.45 paragraph (d) is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 679.45 IFQ cost recovery program.
* * * * *
(d) IFQ fee percentage--(1) Established percentage. The annual IFQ
fee percentage is the amount as determined by the factors and
methodology described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section. This amount
will be announced by publication in the Federal Register in accordance
with paragraph (d)(3) of this section. This amount must not exceed 3
percent pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1854(d)(2)(B).
(2) Calculating fee percentage value. Each year NMFS shall
calculate and publish the fee percentage according to the following
factors and methodology:
(i) Factors. NMFS must use the following factors to determine the
fee percentage:
(A) The catch to which the IFQ fee will apply;
(B) The ex-vessel value of that catch; and
(C) The costs directly related to the management and enforcement of
the IFQ program.
(ii) Methodology. NMFS must use the following equation to determine
the fee percentage:
100 (DPC / V)
where:
``DPC'' is the direct program costs for the IFQ fishery for the
previous fiscal year, and ``V'' is the ex-vessel value of the catch
subject to the IFQ fee for the current year.
(3) Publication--(i) General. During or before the last quarter of
each year, NMFS shall publish the IFQ fee percentage in the Federal
Register. NMFS shall base any calculations on the factors and
methodology in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.
(ii) Effective period. The calculated IFQ fee percentage shall remain
in effect through the end of the calendar year in which it was determined.
(4) Applicable percentage. The IFQ permit holder must use the IFQ
fee percentage in effect at the time an IFQ landing is made to
calculate his or her fee liability for such landed IFQ pounds. The IFQ
permit holder must use the IFQ percentage in effect at the time an IFQ
retro-payment is received by the IFQ permit holder to calculate his or
her IFQ fee liability for the IFQ retro-payment.
* * * * *
PART 680--SHELLFISH FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA
3. The authority citation for part 680 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1862.
4. In Sec. 680.44 paragraphs (a)(2)(iii) and (c)(1) through (3)
are revised; paragraph (c)(4) is removed; and paragraph (c)(5) is
redesignated as paragraph (c)(4) to read as follows:
Sec. 680.44 Cost recovery.
(a) * * *
(2) * * *
(iii) NMFS will provide a summary to all RCR permit holders during
the last quarter of the crab fishing year. The summary will explain the
fee liability determination including the current fee percentage,
details of raw crab pounds debited from CR allocations by permit, port
or port-group, species, date, and prices.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(1) Established percentage. The crab fee percentage is the amount
as determined by the factors and methodology described in paragraph
(c)(2) of this section. This amount will be announced by publication in
the Federal Register in accordance with paragraph (c)(3) of this
section. This amount must not exceed 3 percent pursuant to 16 U.S.C.
1854(d)(2)(B).
(i) The calculated crab fee percentage will be divided equally
between the harvesting and processing sectors.
(ii) Catcher/Processors must pay the full crab fee percentage
determined by the fee percentage calculation for all CR crab debited
from a CR allocation.
(2) Calculating fee percentage value. Each year NMFS shall
calculate and publish the fee percentage according to the following
factors and methodology:
(i) Factors. NMFS must use the following factors to determine the
fee percentage:
(A) The catch to which the crab cost recovery fee will apply;
(B) The ex-vessel value of that catch; and
(C) The costs directly related to the management and enforcement of
the Crab Rationalization Program.
(ii) Methodology. NMFS must use the following equations to
determine the fee percentage:
Harvesting and Processing Sectors: [100 (DPC/ V)] 0.5
Catcher/Processors: 100 (DPC /V)
Where:
``DPC'' is the direct program costs for the Crab Rationalization
Program for the previous fiscal year, and
``V'' is the ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the crab cost
recovery fee liability for the current year.
(3) Publication--(i) General. During the first quarter of each crab
fishing year, NMFS shall calculate the crab fee percentage based on the
calculations described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(ii) Effective period. The calculated IFQ fee percentage remains in
effect through the end of the crab fishing year in which it was determined.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. E6-6925 Filed 5-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S