50 CFR Part 600 (680)

50 CFR Part 600 (up to date as of 9/10/2024)
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50 CFR Part 600 (Sept. 10, 2024)

This content is from the eCFR and is authoritative but unofficial.

Title 50 —Wildlife and Fisheries
Chapter VI —Fishery Conservation and Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Department of Commerce

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50 CFR Part 600 (Sept. 10, 2024)

Part 600 Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions
Subpart A General
§ 600.5 Purpose and scope.
§ 600.10 Definitions.
§ 600.15 Other acronyms.
Subpart B Regional Fishery Management Councils
§ 600.105 Intercouncil boundaries.
§ 600.110 Intercouncil fisheries.
§ 600.115 Statement of organization, practices, and procedures (SOPP).
§ 600.117 Council coordination committee (CCC).
§ 600.120 Employment practices.
§ 600.125 Budgeting, funding, and accounting.
§ 600.130 Protection of confidentiality of statistics.
§ 600.133 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).
§ 600.134 Stipends.
§ 600.135 Meeting procedures.
§ 600.140 Procedure for proposed regulations.
§ 600.150 Disposition of records.
§ 600.155 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Subpart C Council Membership
§ 600.205 Principal state officials and their designees.
§ 600.207 Pacific Fishery Management Council Tribal Indian representative and alternate.
§ 600.210 Terms of Council members.
§ 600.215 Council nomination and appointment procedures.
§ 600.220 Oath of office.
§ 600.225 Rules of conduct.
§ 600.227 Lobbying.
§ 600.230 Removal.
§ 600.235 Financial disclosure and recusal.
§ 600.240 Security assurances.
§ 600.245 Council member compensation.
§ 600.250 Council member training.
Subpart D National Standards
§ 600.305 General.
§ 600.310 National Standard 1—Optimum Yield.
§ 600.315 National Standard 2—Scientific Information.
§ 600.320 National Standard 3—Management Units.
§ 600.325 National Standard 4—Allocations.
§ 600.330 National Standard 5—Efficiency.
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§ 600.335 National Standard 6—Variations and Contingencies.
§ 600.340 National Standard 7—Costs and Benefits.
§ 600.345 National Standard 8—Communities.
§ 600.350 National Standard 9—Bycatch.
§ 600.355 National Standard 10—Safety of Life at Sea.
Subpart E Confidentiality of Statistics
§ 600.405 Types of statistics covered.
§ 600.410 Collection and maintenance of statistics.
§ 600.415 Access to statistics.
§ 600.420 Control system.
§ 600.425 Release of statistics.
Subpart F Foreign Fishing
§ 600.501 Vessel permits.
§ 600.502 Vessel reports.
§ 600.503 Vessel and gear identification.
§ 600.504 Facilitation of enforcement.
§ 600.505 Prohibitions.
§ 600.506 Observers.
§ 600.507 Recordkeeping.
§ 600.508 Fishing operations.
§ 600.509 Prohibited species.
§ 600.510 Gear avoidance and disposal.
§ 600.511 Fishery closure procedures.
§ 600.512 Scientific research.
§ 600.513 Recreational fishing.
§ 600.514 Relation to other laws.
§ 600.515 Interpretation of 16 U.S.C. 1857(4).
§ 600.516 Total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF).
§ 600.517 Allocations.
§ 600.518 Fee schedule for foreign fishing.
§ 600.520 Northwest Atlantic Ocean fishery.
§ 600.525 Applicability of subpart F to Canadian Albacore Fishing Vessels off the West Coast.
§ 600.530 Pacific albacore fishery.
Subpart G Preemption of State Authority Under Section 306(b)
§ 600.605 General policy.
§ 600.610 Factual findings for Federal preemption.
§ 600.615 Commencement of proceedings.
§ 600.620 Rules pertaining to the hearing.
§ 600.625 Secretary's decision.
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50 CFR Part 600 (Sept. 10, 2024)

§ 600.630 Application for reinstatement of state authority.
Subpart H General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries
§ 600.705 Relation to other laws.
§ 600.710 Permits.
§ 600.715 Recordkeeping and reporting.
§ 600.720 Vessel and gear identification.
§ 600.725 General prohibitions.
§ 600.730 Facilitation of enforcement.
§ 600.735 Penalties.
§ 600.740 Enforcement policy.
§ 600.745 Scientific research activity, exempted fishing, and exempted educational activity.
§ 600.746 Observers.
§ 600.747 Guidelines and procedures for determining new fisheries and gear.
§ 600.748 National Minimum Observer Provider Insurance Standard.
Subpart I Fishery Negotiation Panels
§ 600.750 Definitions.
§ 600.751 Determination of need for a fishery negotiation panel.
§ 600.752 Use of conveners and facilitators.
§ 600.753 Notice of intent to establish a fishery negotiation panel.
§ 600.754 Decision to establish a fishery negotiation panel.
§ 600.755 Establishment of a fishery negotiation panel.
§ 600.756 Conduct and operation of a fishery negotiation panel.
§ 600.757 Operational protocols.
§ 600.758 Preparation of report.
§ 600.759 Use of report.
§ 600.760 Fishery Negotiation Panel lifetime.
Subpart J Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)
§ 600.805 Purpose and scope.
§ 600.810 Definitions and word usage.
§ 600.815 Contents of Fishery Management Plans.
Subpart K EFH Coordination, Consultation, and Recommendations
§ 600.905 Purpose, scope, and NMFS/Council cooperation.
§ 600.910 Definitions and word usage.
§ 600.915 Coordination for the conservation and enhancement of EFH.
§ 600.920 Federal agency consultation with the Secretary.
§ 600.925 NMFS EFH Conservation Recommendations to Federal and state agencies.
§ 600.930 Council comments and recommendations to Federal and state agencies.
Subpart L Fishing Capacity Reduction Framework
§ 600.1000 Definitions.
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§ 600.1001
§ 600.1002
§ 600.1003
§ 600.1004
§ 600.1005
§ 600.1006

Requests.
General requirements.
Content of a request for a financed program.
Accepting a request for, and determinations about initiating, a financed program.
Content of a request for a subsidized program.
Accepting a request for, and determinations about conducting, a subsidized
program.
§ 600.1007 Reduction amendments.
§ 600.1008 Implementation plan and implementation regulations.
§ 600.1009 Bids.
§ 600.1010 Referenda.
§ 600.1011 Reduction methods and other conditions.
§ 600.1012 Reduction loan.
§ 600.1013 Fee payment and collection.
§ 600.1014 Fee collection deposits, disbursements, records, and reports.
§ 600.1015 Late charges.
§ 600.1016 Enforcement.
§ 600.1017 Prohibitions and penalties.
Subpart M Specific Fishery or Program Fishing Capacity Reduction Regulations
§ 600.1100 [Reserved]
§ 600.1101 Inshore fee system for repayment of the loan to harvesters of Pollock from the
directed fishing allowance allocated to the inshore component under section
206(b)(1) of the AFA.
§ 600.1102 Pacific Coast groundfish fee.
§ 600.1103 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab species program.
§ 600.1104 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab species fee payment and collection
system.
§ 600.1105 Longline catcher processor subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
(BSAI) non-pollock groundfish fishery program.
§ 600.1106 Longline catcher processor subsector Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) nonpollock groundfish species fee payment and collection system.
§ 600.1107 Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery capacity reduction program,
including fee payment and collection system.
§ 600.1108 Longline catcher processor subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
(BSAI) non-pollock groundfish fishery program.
Subpart N Shark Fin Removal, Possession, Transfer and Landing
§ 600.1200 Purpose and scope.
§ 600.1201 Relation to other laws.
§ 600.1202 Definitions.
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§ 600.1203 Prohibitions.
Subpart O Limited Access Privilege Programs
§§ 600.1300-600.1309 [Reserved]
§ 600.1310 New England and Gulf of Mexico Individual Fishing Quota Referenda.
Subpart P Marine Recreational Fisheries of the United States
§ 600.1400 Definitions.
§ 600.1405 Angler registration.
§ 600.1410 Registry process.
§ 600.1415 Procedures for designating exempted states-general provisions.
§ 600.1416 Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of state
license holder data.
§ 600.1417 Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational
survey data.
Subpart Q Vessel Monitoring System Type-Approval
§ 600.1500 Definitions and acronyms.
§ 600.1501 Vessel Monitoring System type-approval process.
§ 600.1502 Communications functionality.
§ 600.1503 Position report data formats and transmission.
§ 600.1504 Latency requirement.
§ 600.1505 Messaging.
§ 600.1506 Electronic forms.
§ 600.1507 Communications security.
§ 600.1508 Field and technical services.
§ 600.1509 General.
§ 600.1510 Notification of type-approval.
§ 600.1511 Changes or modifications to type-approvals.
§ 600.1512 Type-approval revocation process.
§ 600.1513 Type-approval revocation appeals process.
§ 600.1514 Revocation effective date and notification to vessel owners.
§ 600.1515 Litigation support.
§ 600.1516 Reimbursement opportunities for revoked Vessel Monitoring System type-approval
products.
Subpart R Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology
§ 600.1600 Purpose and scope.
§ 600.1605 Definitions and word usage.
§ 600.1610 Establishing and reviewing standardized bycatch reporting methodologies in
fishery management plans.

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50 CFR 600

PART 600—MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 561 and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Source: 61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General
§ 600.5 Purpose and scope.
(a) This part contains general provisions governing the operation of the eight Regional Fishery Management
Councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Act and describes the Secretary's role and responsibilities
under the Act. The Councils are institutions created by Federal law and must conform to the uniform
standards established by the Secretary in this part.
(b) This part also governs all foreign fishing under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, prescribes procedures for the
conduct of preemption hearings under section 306(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and collects the
general provisions common to all domestic fisheries governed by this chapter.
(c) This part also governs fishing capacity reduction programs under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 65 FR 31443, May 18, 2000]

§ 600.10 Definitions.
Unless defined otherwise in other parts of Chapter VI, the terms in this chapter have the following meanings:
Administrator means the Administrator of NOAA (Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere) or
a designee.
Advisory group means a Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Fishing Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC),
or Advisory Panel (AP) established by a Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Advisory panel (AP) means a committee formed, selected, and formally designated as a Magnuson-Stevens Act
Section 302(g)(2) advisory panel by the Council's Statement of organization, practices, and procedures
(SOPP), or by a formal charge to the committee made by the chair and recorded in the Council's minutes,
to assist it in carrying out its functions. An AP may include individuals who are not members of the
Council.
Agent, for the purpose of foreign fishing (subpart F), means a person appointed and maintained within the
United States who is authorized to receive and respond to any legal process issued in the United States to
an owner and/or operator of a vessel operating under a permit and of any other vessel of that Nation
fishing subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Any diplomatic official accepting such an
appointment as designated agent waives diplomatic or other immunity in connection with such process.
Aggregate or summary form means confidential data structured in such a way that the identity of the submitter
cannot be determined either from the present release of the data or in combination with other releases.
Albacore means the species Thunnus alalunga, or a part thereof.
Allocated species means any species or species group allocated to a foreign nation under § 600.517 for
catching by vessels of that Nation.
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50 CFR 600.10 “Allocation”

Allocation means direct and deliberate distribution of the opportunity to participate in a fishery among
identifiable, discrete user groups or individuals.
Allowable chemical means a substance, generally used to immobilize marine life so it can be captured alive,
that, when introduced into the water, does not take Gulf and South Atlantic prohibited coral (as defined at
50 CFR 622.2) and is allowed by Florida or Hawaii or the U.S. Pacific Insular Area for the harvest of
tropical fish.
Anadromous species means species of fish that spawn in fresh or estuarine waters of the United States and
that migrate to ocean waters.
Angling means fishing for, attempting to fish for, catching or attempting to catch fish by any person (angler) with
a hook attached to a line that is hand-held or by rod and reel made for this purpose.
Area of custody means any vessel, building, vehicle, live car, pound, pier or dock facility where fish might be
found.
Assistant Administrator means the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, or a designee.
Atlantic tunas means bluefin, albacore, bigeye, skipjack, and yellowfin tunas found in the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic Tunas Convention Act means the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975, 16 U.S.C. 971-971h.
Authorized officer means:
(1) Any commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the USCG;
(2) Any special agent or fishery enforcement officer of NMFS;
(3) Any officer designated by the head of any Federal or state agency that has entered into an agreement
with the Secretary and the Commandant of the USCG to enforce the provisions of the MagnusonStevens Act or any other statute administered by NOAA; or
(4) Any USCG personnel accompanying and acting under the direction of any person described in
paragraph (1) of this definition.
Authorized species means any species or species group that a foreign vessel is authorized to retain in a joint
venture by a permit issued under Activity Code 4 as described by § 600.501(c).
Automatic reel means a reel that remains attached to a vessel when in use from which a line and attached
hook(s) are deployed. The line is payed out from and retrieved on the reel electrically or hydraulically.
Bandit gear means vertical hook and line gear with rods that are attached to the vessel when in use. Lines are
retrieved by manual, electric, or hydraulic reels.
Barrier net means a small-mesh net used to capture coral reef or coastal pelagic fishes.
Bigeye tuna means the species Thunnus obesus, or a part thereof.
Billfish means Atlantic billfish (blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, longbill spearfish, or roundscale spearfish).
Bluefin tuna means the species Thunnus thynnus, or a part thereof.
Blue marlin means the species Makaira nigricans, or a part thereof.
Bully net means a circular frame attached at right angles to a pole and supporting a conical bag of webbing.

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50 CFR 600.10 “Buoy gear”

Buoy gear means fishing gear consisting of a float and one or more lines suspended therefrom. A hook or hooks
are on the lines at or near the end. The float and line(s) drift freely and are retrieved periodically to remove
catch and rebait hooks.
Carcass means a fish in whole condition or that portion of a fish that has been gilled and/or gutted and the head
and some or all fins have been removed, but that is otherwise in whole condition.
Cast net means a circular net with weights attached to the perimeter.
Catch limit means the total allowable harvest or take from a single fishing trip or day, as defined in this section.
Catch, take, or harvest includes, but is not limited to, any activity that results in killing any fish or bringing any live
fish on board a vessel.
Center means one of the five NMFS Fisheries Science Centers.
Charter boat means a vessel less than 100 gross tons (90.8 mt) that meets the requirements of the U.S. Coast
Guard to carry six or fewer passengers for hire.
Coast Guard Commander means one of the commanding officers of the Coast Guard units specified in Table 1
of § 600.502, or a designee.
Codend means the terminal, closed end of a trawl net.
Compensation fishing means fishing conducted for the purpose of recovering costs associated with resource
surveys and scientific studies that support the management of a fishery, or to provide incentive for
participation in such studies. Compensation fishing may include fishing during or subsequent to such
surveys or studies.
Confidential statistics are those submitted as a requirement of an FMP and that reveal the business or identity
of the submitter.
Conservation engineering means the development and assessment of fishing technologies and fishing
techniques designed to conserve target and non-target species, and may include the study of fish
behavior and the development and testing of new gear technologies and fishing techniques to minimize
bycatch and any adverse effects on essential fish habitat and promote efficient harvest of target species.
Conservation engineering may include the assessment of existing fishing technologies applied in novel
ways. An example would be assessing the ability of a bycatch reduction device (BRD), designed and
proven in one fishery, to reduce bycatch in another fishery. Conservation engineering meeting the
definition of scientific research activity is not fishing.
Continental shelf fishery resources means the species listed under section 3(7) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Council means one of the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens
Act.
Data, statistics, and information are used interchangeably.
Dealer means the person who first receives fish by way of purchase, barter, or trade.
Designated representative means the person appointed by a foreign nation and maintained within the United
States who is responsible for transmitting information to and submitting reports from vessels of that
Nation and establishing observer transfer arrangements for vessels in both directed and joint venture
activities.

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50 CFR 600.10 “Dip net”

Dip net means a small mesh bag, sometimes attached to a handle, shaped and framed in various ways. It is
operated by hand or partially by mechanical power to capture the fish.
Directed fishing, for the purpose of foreign fishing (subpart F), means any fishing by the vessels of a foreign
nation for allocations of fish granted that Nation under § 600.517.
Director means the Director of the Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910.
Discard means to release or return fish to the sea, whether or not such fish are brought fully on board a fishing
vessel.
Dredge means a gear consisting of a mouth frame attached to a holding bag constructed of metal rings or
mesh.
Drop net means a small, usually circular net with weight around the perimeter and a float in the center.
Essential fish habitat (EFH) means those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding,
or growth to maturity. For the purpose of interpreting the definition of essential fish habitat: “Waters”
include aquatic areas and their associated physical, chemical, and biological properties that are used by
fish and may include aquatic areas historically used by fish where appropriate; “substrate” includes
sediment, hard bottom, structures underlying the waters, and associated biological communities;
“necessary” means the habitat required to support a sustainable fishery and the managed species'
contribution to a healthy ecosystem; and “spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity” covers a
species' full life cycle.
Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) means the zone established by Presidential Proclamation 5030, 3 CFR part 22,
dated March 10, 1983, and is that area adjacent to the United States which, except where modified to
accommodate international boundaries, encompasses all waters from the seaward boundary of each of
the coastal states to a line on which each point is 200 nautical miles (370.40 km) from the baseline from
which the territorial sea of the United States is measured.
Exempted educational activity means an activity that would otherwise be considered fishing, conducted by an
educational institution accredited by a recognized national or international accreditation body, of limited
scope and duration, that is otherwise prohibited by this chapter VI, but that is authorized by the
appropriate Regional Administrator or Director for educational purposes, i.e., the instruction of an
individual or group, and authorized capture of only the amount of fish necessary to demonstrate the
lesson.
Exempted or experimental fishing means fishing from a vessel of the United States that involves activities
otherwise prohibited by this chapter VI, but that are authorized under an exempted fishing permit (EFP).
The regulations in § 600.745 refer exclusively to exempted fishing. References elsewhere in this chapter
to experimental fishing mean exempted fishing under this part.
Fillet means to remove slices of fish flesh from the carcass by cuts made parallel to the backbone.
Fish means:
(1) When used as a noun, means any finfish, mollusk, crustacean, or parts thereof, and all other forms of
marine animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds.
(2) When used as a verb, means to engage in “fishing,” as defined below.
Fishery means:
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50 CFR 600.10 “Fishery” (1)

(1) One or more stocks of fish that can be treated as a unit for purposes of conservation and
management and that are identified on the basis of geographic, scientific, technical, recreational, or
economic characteristics, or method of catch; or
(2) Any fishing for such stocks.
Fishery management unit (FMU) means a fishery or that portion of a fishery identified in an FMP relevant to the
FMP's management objectives. The choice of an FMU depends on the focus of the FMP's objectives, and
may be organized around biological, geographic, economic, technical, social, or ecological perspectives.
Fishery resource means any fish, any stock of fish, any species of fish, and any habitat of fish.
Fishing, or to fish means any activity, other than scientific research conducted by a scientific research vessel,
that involves:
(1) The catching, taking, or harvesting of fish;
(2) The attempted catching, taking, or harvesting of fish;
(3) Any other activity that can reasonably be expected to result in the catching, taking, or harvesting of
fish; or
(4) Any operations at sea in support of, or in preparation for, any activity described in paragraphs (1), (2),
or (3) of this definition.
Fishing industry advisory committee (FIAC) means an advisory group formed and selected by a regional fishery
management council under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act section 302(g)(3)(A) and formally
designated in the Council's SOPP or by a formal charge to the FIAC made by the chair and recorded in the
Council's minutes. A FIAC is not an “advisory panel” as defined under this section.
Fishing vessel means any vessel, boat, ship, or other craft that is used for, equipped to be used for, or of a type
that is normally used for:
(1) Fishing; or
(2) Aiding or assisting one or more vessels at sea in the performance of any activity relating to fishing,
including, but not limited to, preparation, supply, storage, refrigeration, transportation, or processing.
Fish weir means a large catching arrangement with a collecting chamber that is made of non-textile material
(wood, wicker) instead of netting as in a pound net.
Foreign fishing means fishing by a foreign fishing vessel.
Foreign fishing vessel (FFV) means any fishing vessel other than a vessel of the United States, except those
foreign vessels engaged in recreational fishing, as defined in this section.
Gear conflict means any incident at sea involving one or more fishing vessels:
(1) In which one fishing vessel or its gear comes into contact with another vessel or the gear of another
vessel; and
(2) That results in the loss of, or damage to, a fishing vessel, fishing gear, or catch.
Gillnet means a panel of netting, suspended vertically in the water by floats along the top and weights along the
bottom, to entangle fish that attempt to pass through it.

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50 CFR 600.10 “Governing International Fishery Agreement
(GIFA)”

Governing International Fishery Agreement (GIFA) means an agreement between the United States and a foreign
nation or Nations under section 201(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Grants Officer means the NOAA official authorized to sign, on behalf of the Government, the cooperative
agreement providing funds to support the Council's operations and functions.
Greenwich mean time (GMT) means the local mean time at Greenwich, England. All times in this part are GMT
unless otherwise specified.
Handgear means handline, harpoon, or rod and reel.
Hand harvest means harvesting by hand.
Handline means fishing gear that is set and pulled by hand and consists of one vertical line to which may be
attached leader lines with hooks.
Harass means to unreasonably interfere with an individual's work performance, or to engage in conduct that
creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
Harpoon or harpoon gear means fishing gear consisting of a pointed dart or iron attached to the end of a line
several hundred feet in length, the other end of which is attached to a floatation device. Harpoon gear is
attached to a pole or stick that is propelled only by hand, and not by mechanical means.
Headboat means a vessel that holds a valid Certificate of Inspection issued by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry
passengers for hire.
Hook and line means one or more hooks attached to one or more lines (can include a troll).
Hoop net means a cone-shaped or flat net which may or may not have throats and flues stretched over a series
of rings or hoops for support.
Industry means both recreational and commercial fishing, and includes the harvesting, processing, and
marketing sectors.
International radio call sign (IRCS) means the unique radio identifier assigned a vessel by the appropriate
authority of the flag state.
Joint venture means any operation by a foreign vessel assisting fishing by U.S. fishing vessels, including
catching, scouting, processing and/or support. (A joint venture generally entails a foreign vessel
processing fish received from U.S. fishing vessels and conducting associated support activities.)
Lampara net means a surround net with the sections of netting made and joined to create bagging. It is hauled
with purse rings and is generally much smaller in size than a purse seine net.
Land means to begin offloading fish, to offload fish, or to arrive in port or at a dock, berth, beach, seawall, or
ramp.
Limited access system means a system that limits participation in a fishery to those satisfying certain eligibility
criteria or requirements contained in a fishery management plan or associated regulation.
Longbill spearfish means the species Tetrapturus pfluegeri, or a part thereof.
Longline means a line that is deployed horizontally and to which gangions and hooks or pots are attached.
Longlines can be stationary, anchored, or buoyed lines that may be hauled manually, electrically, or
hydraulically.

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50 CFR 600.10 “Magnuson-Stevens Act”

Magnuson-Stevens Act means the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), formerly known as the Magnuson Act.
Metric ton (mt) means 1,000 kg (2,204.6 lb).
nm

means nautical mile (6,076 ft (1,852 m)).

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument means the area designated by Presidential
Proclamation 9496, consisting of:
(1) Canyons Unit. The Canyons Unit is defined by the area bounded by straight lines connecting the
following points, in the order stated:

Point

N Latitude

W Longitude

1

40°31.62′

68°16.08′

2

40°36.00′

67°37.68′

3

40°12.42′

67°34.68′

4

40°7.32′

68°12.72′

1

40°31.62′

68°16.08′

(2) Seamounts Unit. The Seamounts Unit is defined by the area bounded by straight lines connecting the
following points, except between points 1 and 2, where the boundary follows the outer limits of the
U.S. EEZ:

Point

N Latitude

W Longitude

1

40°2.64′

67°43.32′

2

39°56.34′

(a)

3

38°51.90′

( b)

1

40°2.64′

67°43.32′

a

U.S. EEZ longitude, approximately 65°56.58′.

b

U.S. EEZ longitude, approximately 66°55.86′.

Official number means the documentation number issued by the USCG or the certificate number issued by a
state or by the USCG for an undocumented vessel.
Operator, with respect to any vessel, means the master or other individual aboard and in charge of that vessel.
Optimum yield (OY) means the amount of fish that:
(1) Will provide the greatest overall benefit to the Nation, particularly with respect to food production and
recreational opportunities, and taking into account the protection of marine ecosystems;

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50 CFR 600.10 “Optimum yield (OY)” (2)

(2) Is prescribed as such on the basis of the maximum sustainable yield from the fishery, as reduced by
any relevant economic, social, or ecological factor; and
(3) In the case of an overfished fishery, provides for rebuilding to a level consistent with producing the
maximum sustainable yield in such fishery.
Owner, with respect to any vessel, means:
(1) Any person who owns that vessel in whole or in part;
(2) Any charterer of the vessel, whether bareboat, time, or voyage;
(3) Any person who acts in the capacity of a charterer, including, but not limited to, parties to a
management agreement, operating agreement, or any similar agreement that bestows control over
the destination, function, or operation of the vessel; or
(4) Any agent designated as such by a person described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this definition.
Pelagic longline means a longline that is suspended by floats in the water column and that is not fixed to or in
contact with the ocean bottom.
Plan Team means a Council working group selected from agencies, institutions, and organizations having a role
in the research and/or management of fisheries, whose primary purpose is to assist the Council in the
preparation and/or review of FMPs, amendments, and supporting documents for the Council, and/or SSC
and AP.
Postmark means independently verifiable evidence of the date of mailing, such as a U.S. Postal Service
postmark, or other private carrier postmark, certified mail receipt, overnight mail receipt, or a receipt
issued upon hand delivery to a representative of NMFS authorized to collect fishery statistics.
Pot

means trap.

Powerhead means any device with an explosive charge, usually attached to a spear gun, spear, pole, or stick,
that may or may not fire a projectile upon contact.
Predominately means, with respect to fishing in a fishery, that more fishing on a stock or stocks of fish covered
by the FMP occurs, or would occur in the absence of regulations, within or beyond the EEZ than occurs in
the aggregate within the boundaries of all states off the coasts of which the fishery is conducted.
Processing, for the purpose of foreign fishing (subpart F), means any operation by an FFV to receive fish from
foreign or U.S. fishing vessels and/or the preparation of fish, including, but not limited to, cleaning,
cooking, canning, smoking, salting, drying, or freezing, either on the FFV's behalf or to assist other foreign
or U.S. fishing vessels.
Product recovery rate (PRR) means a ratio expressed as a percentage of the weight of processed product
divided by the round weight of fish used to produce that amount of product.
Prohibited species, with respect to a foreign vessel, means any species of fish that that vessel is not specifically
allocated or authorized to retain, including fish caught or received in excess of any allocation or
authorization.
Purchase means the act or activity of buying, trading, or bartering, or attempting to buy, trade, or barter.
Purse seine means a floated and weighted encircling net that is closed by means of a drawstring threaded
through rings attached to the bottom of the net.
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50 CFR 600.10 “Recreational fishing”

Recreational fishing, with respect to a foreign vessel, means any fishing from a foreign vessel not operated for
profit and not operated for the purpose of scientific research. It may not involve the sale, barter, or trade of
part or all of the catch (see § 600.513).
Retain on board means to fail to return fish to the sea after a reasonable opportunity to sort the catch.
Region means one of six NMFS Regional Offices responsible for administering the management and
development of marine resources of the United States in their respective geographical regions.
Regional Administrator means the Administrator of one of the six NMFS Regions described in Table 1 to §
600.502, or a designee.
Regional Program Officer means the NMFS official designated in the terms and conditions of the grant award
responsible for monitoring, recommending, and reviewing any technical aspects of the application for
Federal assistance and the award.
Rod and reel means a hand-held (including rod holder) fishing rod with a manually or electrically operated reel
attached.
Round means a whole fish—one that has not been gilled, gutted, beheaded, or definned.
Roundscale spearfish means the species Tetrapturus georgii, or a part thereof.
Round weight means the weight of the whole fish before processing or removal of any part.
Sailfish means the species Istiophorus platypterus, or a part thereof.
Sale or sell means the act or activity of transferring property for money or credit, trading, or bartering, or
attempting to so transfer, trade, or barter.
Science and Research Director (also referred to as “Center Director” ) means the Director of one of the six NMFS
Fisheries Science Centers described in Table 1 to § 600.502, or a designee.
Scientific cruise means the period of time during which a scientific research vessel is operated in furtherance of
a scientific research project, beginning when the vessel leaves port to undertake the project and ending
when the vessel completes the project as provided for in the applicable scientific research plan.
Scientific research activity is, for the purposes of this part, an activity in furtherance of a scientific fishery
investigation or study that would meet the definition of fishing under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, but for
the exemption applicable to scientific research activity conducted from a scientific research vessel.
Scientific research activity includes, but is not limited to, sampling, collecting, observing, or surveying the
fish or fishery resources within the EEZ, at sea, on board scientific research vessels, to increase scientific
knowledge of the fishery resources or their environment, and to test a hypothesis as part of a planned,
directed investigation or study conducted according to methodologies generally accepted as appropriate
for scientific research. At-sea scientific fishery investigations address one or more topics involving
taxonomy, biology, physiology, behavior, disease, aging, growth, mortality, migration, recruitment,
distribution, abundance, ecology, stock structure, bycatch or other collateral effects of fishing,
conservation engineering, and catch estimation of fish species considered to be a component of the
fishery resources within the EEZ. Scientific research activity does not include the collection and retention
of fish outside the scope of the applicable research plan, or the testing of fishing gear. Data collection
designed to capture and land quantities of fish for product development, market research, and/or public
display are not scientific research activities. For foreign vessels, such data collection activities are
considered scientific research if they are carried out in full cooperation with the United States.
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50 CFR 600.10 “Scientific research plan”

Scientific research plan means a detailed, written formulation, prepared in advance of the research, for the
accomplishment of a scientific research project. At a minimum, a sound scientific research plan should
include:
(1) A description of the nature and objectives of the project, including the hypothesis or hypotheses to
be tested.
(2) The experimental design of the project, including a description of the methods to be used, the type
and class of any vessel(s) to be used, and a description of sampling equipment.
(3) The geographical area(s) in which the project is to be conducted.
(4) The expected date of first appearance and final departure of the research vessel(s) to be employed,
and deployment and removal of equipment, as appropriate.
(5) The expected quantity and species of fish to be taken and their intended disposition, and, if
significant amounts of a managed species or species otherwise restricted by size or sex are needed,
an explanation of such need.
(6) The name, address, and telephone/telex/fax number of the sponsoring organization and its director.
(7) The name, address, and telephone/telex/fax number, and curriculum vitae of the person in charge of
the project and, where different, the person in charge of the research project on board the vessel.
(8) The identity of any vessel(s) to be used including, but not limited to, the vessel's name, official
documentation number and IRCS, home port, and name, address, and telephone number of the
owner and master.
Scientific research vessel means a vessel owned or chartered by, and controlled by, a foreign government
agency, U.S. Government agency (including NOAA or institutions designated as federally funded research
and development centers), U.S. state or territorial agency, university (or other educational institution
accredited by a recognized national or international accreditation body), international treaty organization,
or scientific institution. In order for a domestic commercial fishing vessel to meet this definition, it must
be under the control of a qualifying agency or institution, and operate in accordance with a scientific
research plan, for the duration of the scientific research activity. In order for a vessel that is owned or
chartered and controlled by a foreign government to meet this definition, the vessel must have scientific
research as its exclusive mission during the scientific activity in question, and the vessel operations must
be conducted in accordance with a scientific research plan.
Scouting means any operation by a vessel exploring (on the behalf of an FFV or U.S. fishing vessel) for the
presence of fish by visual, acoustic, or other means that do not involve the catching of fish.
Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or a designee.
Seine means a net with long narrow wings, that is rigged with floats and weights.
Skipjack tuna means the species Katsuwonus pelamis, or a part thereof.
Slurp gun means a tube-shaped suction device that operates somewhat like a syringe by sucking up the fish.
Snare means a device consisting of a pole to which is attached a line forming at its end a loop with a running
knot that tightens around the fish when the line is pulled.
Spear means a sharp, pointed, or barbed instrument on a shaft. Spears can be operated manually or shot from a
gun or sling.
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50 CFR 600.10 “State”

State means each of the several states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American
Samoa, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other Commonwealth, territory, or
possession of the United States.
State employee means any employee of the state agency responsible for developing and monitoring the state's
program for marine and/or anadromous fisheries.
Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures (SOPP) means a statement by each Council describing its
organization, practices, and procedures as required under section 302(f)(6) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Stock assessment means the process of collecting and analyzing biological and statistical information to
determine the changes in the abundance of fishery stocks in response to fishing, and, to the extent
possible, to predict future trends of stock abundance. Stock assessments are based on resource surveys;
knowledge of the habitat requirements, life history, and behavior of the species; the use of environmental
indices to determine impacts on stocks; and catch statistics. Stock assessments are used as a basis to
“assess and specify the present and probable future condition of a fishery” (as is required by the
Magnuson-Stevens Act), and are summarized in the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation or similar
document.
Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) means a document or set of documents that provides Councils
with a summary of the most recent biological condition of species in an FMU, and the social and
economic condition of the recreational and commercial fishing industries and the fish processing
industries. It summarizes, on a periodic basis, the best available scientific information concerning the
past, present, and possible future condition of the stocks and fisheries being managed under Federal
regulation.
Submersible means a manned or unmanned device that functions or operates primarily underwater and is used
to harvest fish, i.e., precious corals, with mechanical arms.
Substantially (affects) means, for the purpose of subpart G, with respect to whether a state's action or omission
will substantially affect the carrying out of an FMP for a fishery, that those effects are important or
material, or considerable in degree. The effects of a state's action or omission for purposes of this
definition include effects upon:
(1) The achievement of the FMP's goals or objectives for the fishery;
(2) The achievement of OY from the fishery on a continuing basis;
(3) The attainment of the national standards for fishery conservation and management (as set forth in
section 301(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act) and compliance with other applicable law; or
(4) The enforcement of regulations implementing the FMP.
Support means any operation by a vessel assisting fishing by foreign or U.S. vessels, including supplying water,
fuel, provisions, fish processing equipment, or other supplies to a fishing vessel.
Swordfish means the species Xiphias gladius, or a part thereof.
Tangle net dredge means dredge gear consisting of weights and flimsy netting that hangs loosely in order to
immediately entangle fish.
Total length (TL) means the straight-line distance from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail (caudal fin) while
the fish is lying on its side, normally extended.

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50 CFR 600.10 “Trammel net”

Trammel net means a net consisting of two or more panels of netting, suspended vertically in the water column
by a common float line and a common weight line. One panel of netting has a larger mesh size than the
other(s) in order to entrap fish in a pocket.
Transship means offloading and onloading or otherwise transferring fish or fish products and/or transporting
fish or products made from fish.
Trap means a portable, enclosed device with one or more gates or entrances and one or more lines attached to
surface floats. Also called a pot.
Trawl means a cone or funnel-shaped net that is towed through the water, and can include a pair trawl that is
towed simultaneously by two boats.
Trip

means the time period that begins when a fishing vessel departs from a dock, berth, beach, seawall, ramp,
or port to carry out fishing operations and that terminates with a return to a dock, berth, beach, seawall,
ramp, or port.

U.S. observer or observer means any person serving in the capacity of an observer employed by NMFS, either
directly or under contract, or certified as a supplementary observer by NMFS.
Vessel of the United States or U.S. vessel means:
(1) Any vessel documented under chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code;
(2) Any vessel numbered under chapter 123 of title 46, United States Code, and measuring less than 5
net tons;
(3) Any vessel numbered under chapter 123 of title 46, United States Code, and used exclusively for
pleasure; or
(4) Any vessel not equipped with propulsion machinery of any kind and used exclusively for pleasure.
White Marlin means the species Kajikia albidus, or a part thereof.
Yellowfin tuna means the species Thunnus albacares, or a part thereof.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 14646, Mar. 27, 1997; 62 FR 66551, Dec. 19, 1997; 63 FR 7073, 7075, Feb. 12,
1998; 64 FR 4036, Jan. 27, 1999; 64 FR 29133, May 28, 1999; 64 FR 67516, Dec. 2, 1999; 67 FR 2375, Jan. 17, 2002; 67 FR 64312,
Oct. 18, 2002; 69 FR 30240, May 27, 2004; 73 FR 67810, Nov. 17, 2008; 74 FR 42792, Aug. 25, 2009; 75 FR 59149, Sept. 27, 2010;
75 FR 57701, Sept. 22, 2010; 89 FR 12286, Feb. 16, 2024]

§ 600.15 Other acronyms.
(a) Fishery management terms.
(1) ABC—acceptable biological catch
(2) ATCA -Atlantic Tunas Convention Act
(3) BFT (Atlantic bluefin tuna) means the subspecies of bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus thynnus, or a part
thereof, that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean.
(4) BSD means the ICCAT bluefin tuna statistical document.
(5) CCC-Council coordination committee
(6) DAH—estimated domestic annual harvest
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50 CFR 600.15(a)(7)

(7) DAP—estimated domestic annual processing
(8) EIS—environmental impact statement
(9) EY—equilibrium yield
(10) FIAC-Fishing industry advisory committee
(11) FMP—fishery management plan
(12) ICCAT means the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.
(13) JVP—joint venture processing
(14) MSY—maximum sustainable yield
(15) PMP—preliminary FMP
(16) TAC—total allowable catch
(17) TALFF—total allowable level of foreign fishing
(b) Legislation.
(1) APA—Administrative Procedure Act
(2) CZMA—Coastal Zone Management Act
(3) ESA—Endangered Species Act
(4) FACA—Federal Advisory Committee Act
(5) FOIA—Freedom of Information Act
(6) FLSA—Fair Labor Standards Act
(7) MMPA—Marine Mammal Protection Act
(8) MPRSA—Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
(9) NEPA—National Environmental Policy Act
(10) PA—Privacy Act
(11) PRA—Paperwork Reduction Act
(12) RFA—Regulatory Flexibility Act
(c) Federal agencies.
(1) CEQ—Council on Environmental Quality
(2) DOC—Department of Commerce
(3) DOI—Department of the Interior
(4) DOS—Department of State
(5) EPA—Environmental Protection Agency
(6) FWS—Fish and Wildlife Service
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50 CFR 600.15(c)(7)

(7) GSA—General Services Administration
(8) NMFS—National Marine Fisheries Service
(9) NOAA—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(10) OMB—Office of Management and Budget
(11) OPM—Office of Personnel Management
(12) SBA—Small Business Administration
(13) USCG—United States Coast Guard
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7073, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 29134, May 28, 1999; 75 FR 59149, Sept. 27, 2010]

Subpart B—Regional Fishery Management Councils
§ 600.105 Intercouncil boundaries.
(a) New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils. The boundary begins at the intersection point of Connecticut,
Rhode Island, and New York at 41°18′16.249″ N. lat. and 71°54′28.477″ W. long. and proceeds south
37°22′32.75″ East to the point of intersection with the outward boundary of the EEZ as specified in the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(b) Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Councils. The boundary begins at the seaward boundary between the
States of Virginia and North Carolina (36°33′01.0″ N. lat), and proceeds due east to the point of
intersection with the outward boundary of the EEZ as specified in the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(c) South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Councils. The boundary coincides with the line of demarcation between
the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, which begins at the intersection of the outer boundary of the
EEZ, as specified in the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and 83°00′ W. long., proceeds northward along that
meridian to 24°35′ N. lat., (near the Dry Tortugas Islands), thence eastward along that parallel, through
Rebecca Shoal and the Quicksand Shoal, to the Marquesas Keys, and then through the Florida Keys to the
mainland at the eastern end of Florida Bay, the line so running that the narrow waters within the Dry
Tortugas Islands, the Marquesas Keys and the Florida Keys, and between the Florida Keys and the
mainland, are within the Gulf of Mexico.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 75 FR 59149, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.110 Intercouncil fisheries.
If any fishery extends beyond the geographical area of authority of any one Council, the Secretary may—
(a) Designate a single Council to prepare the FMP for such fishery and any amendments to such FMP, in
consultation with the other Councils concerned; or
(b) Require that the FMP and any amendments be prepared jointly by all the Councils concerned.
(1) A jointly prepared FMP or amendment must be adopted by a majority of the voting members, present
and voting, of each participating Council. Different conservation and management measures may be
developed for specific geographic areas, but the FMP should address the entire geographic range of
the stock(s).
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50 CFR 600.110(b)(2)

(2) In the case of joint FMP or amendment preparation, one Council will be designated as the
“administrative lead.” The “administrative lead” Council is responsible for the preparation of the FMP
or any amendments and other required documents for submission to the Secretary.
(3) None of the Councils involved in joint preparation may withdraw without Secretarial approval. If
Councils cannot agree on approach or management measures within a reasonable period of time,
the Secretary may designate a single Council to prepare the FMP or may issue the FMP under
Secretarial authority.

§ 600.115 Statement of organization, practices, and procedures (SOPP).
(a) Councils are required to publish and make available to the public a SOPP in accordance with such uniform
standards as are prescribed by the Secretary (section 302(f)(6)) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The
purpose of the SOPP is to inform the public how the Council operates within the framework of the
Secretary's uniform standards.
(b) Amendments to current SOPPs must be consistent with the guidelines in this section, subpart C of this
part, the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement (the funding agreement between the Council
and NOAA that establishes Council funding and mandates specific requirements regarding the use of
those funds), the statutory requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. Upon
approval of a Council's SOPP amendment by the Secretary, a notice of availability must be published in
the FEDERAL REGISTER that includes an Internet address from which the amended SOPP may be read and
downloaded and a mailing address to which the public may write to request copies.
(c) Councils may deviate, where lawful, from the guidelines with appropriate supporting rationale, and
Secretarial approval of each amendment to a SOPP would constitute approval of any such deviations for
that particular Council.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 75 FR 59149, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.117 Council coordination committee (CCC).
(a) The Councils may establish a Council coordination committee (CCC) consisting of the chairs, vice chairs,
and executive directors of each of the eight Councils or other Council members or staff, in order to
discuss issues of relevance to all Councils.
(b) The CCC is not subject to the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2).
Procedures for announcing and conducting open and closed meetings of the CCC shall be in accordance
with § 600.135.
[75 FR 59150, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.120 Employment practices.
(a) Council staff positions must be filled solely on the basis of merit, fitness for duty, competence, and
qualifications. Employment actions must be free from discrimination based on race, religion, color,
national origin, sex, age, disability, reprisal, sexual orientation, status as a parent, or on any additional
bases protected by applicable Federal, state, or local law.
(b) The annual pay rates for Council staff positions shall be consistent with the pay rates established for
General Schedule Federal employees as set forth in 5 U.S.C. 5332, and the Alternative Personnel
Management System for the U.S. Department of Commerce (62 FR 67434). The Councils have the
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50 CFR 600.120(b)(1)

discretion to adjust pay rates and pay increases based on cost of living (COLA) differentials in their
geographic locations. COLA adjustments in pay rates and pay increases may be provided for staff
members whose post of duty is located in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern
Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.
(1) No pay adjustment based on geographic location shall exceed the COLA and locality pay
adjustments available to Federal employees in the same geographic area.
(2) [Reserved]
(c) Salary increases funded in lieu of life and medical/dental policies are not permitted.
(d) Unused sick leave may be accumulated without limit, or up to a maximum number of days and
contribution per day, as specified by the Council in its SOPP. Distributions of accumulated funds for
unused sick leave may be made to the employee upon his or her retirement, or to his or her estate upon
his or her death, as established by the Council in its SOPP.
(e) Each Council may pay for unused annual leave upon separation, retirement, or death of an employee.
(f) One or more accounts shall be maintained to pay for unused sick or annual leave as authorized under
paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, and will be funded from the Council's annual operating allowances.
Councils have the option to deposit funds into these account(s) at the end of the budget period if
unobligated balances remain. Interest earned on these account(s) will be maintained in the account(s),
along with the principal, for the purpose of payment of unused annual and sick leave only. These
account(s), including interest, may be carried over from year to year. Budgeting for accrued leave will be
identified in the “Other” object class categories section of the SF-424A.
(g) A Council must notify the NOAA Office of General Counsel before seeking outside legal advice, which may
be for technical assistance not available from NOAA. If the Council is seeking legal services in connection
with an employment practices question, the Council must first notify the Department of Commerce's
Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Administration, Employment and Labor Law Division. A
Council may not contract for the provision of legal services on a continuing basis.
[66 FR 57886, Nov. 19, 2001]

§ 600.125 Budgeting, funding, and accounting.
(a) Council grant activities are governed by 15 CFR part 14 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants
and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit and Commercial
Organizations), 2 CFR part 230 (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations), 15 CFR part 14 (Audit
Requirements for Institutions of Higher Education and Other Non-Profit Organizations), and the terms and
conditions of the cooperative agreement.
(b) Councils may not independently enter into agreements, including grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements, whereby they will receive funds for services rendered. All such agreements must be
approved and entered into by NOAA on behalf of the Councils.
(c) Councils are not authorized to accept gifts or contributions directly. All such donations must be directed
to the NMFS Regional Administrator in accordance with applicable Department of Commerce regulations.
[66 FR 57887, Nov. 19, 2001, as amended at 75 FR 59150, Sept. 27, 2010]

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50 CFR 600.130

§ 600.130 Protection of confidentiality of statistics.
Each Council must establish appropriate procedures for ensuring the confidentiality of the statistics that may be
submitted to it by Federal or state authorities and may be voluntarily submitted to it by private persons, including,
but not limited to (also see § 600.405):
(a) Procedures for the restriction of Council member, employee, or advisory group access and the prevention
of conflicts of interest, except that such procedures must be consistent with procedures of the Secretary.
(b) In the case of statistics submitted to the Council by a state, the confidentiality laws and regulations of that
state.

§ 600.133 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).
(a) Each Council shall establish, maintain, and appoint the members of an SSC to assist it in the development,
collection, evaluation, and peer review of such statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific
information as is relevant to such Council's development and amendment of any fishery management
plan.
(b) Each SSC shall provide its Council ongoing scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including
recommendations for acceptable biological catch, preventing overfishing, maximum sustainable yield,
and achieving rebuilding targets, and reports on stock status and health, bycatch, habitat status, social
and economic impacts of management measures, and sustainability of fishing practices.
(c) Members appointed by the Councils to the SSCs shall be Federal employees, State employees,
academicians, or independent experts and shall have strong scientific or technical credentials and
experience.
(d) An SSC shall hold its meetings in conjunction with the meetings of the Council, to the extent practicable.
[75 FR 59150, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.134 Stipends.
Stipends are available, subject to the availability of appropriations, to members of committees formally designated
as SSCs under Sec. 301(g)(1)(a) or APs under Sec. 302(g)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act who are not employed
by the Federal Government or a State marine fisheries agency. For the purposes of this section, a state marine
fisheries agency includes any state or tribal agency that has conservation, management, or enforcement
responsibility for any marine fishery resource.
[75 FR 59150, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.135 Meeting procedures.
(a) Regular meetings. Public notice of a regular meeting, including the meeting agenda, of each Council, CCC,
SSC, AP, FIAC, or other committees established under Magnuson-Stevens Act, Sec. 302(g), must be
published in the FEDERAL REGISTER at least 14 calendar days prior to the meeting date. Appropriate notice
by any means that will result in wide publicity in the major fishing ports of the region (and in other major
fishing ports having a direct interest in the affected fishery) must be given. E-mail notification and website
postings alone are not sufficient. The published agenda of a regular meeting may not be modified to
include additional matters for Council action without public notice given at least 14 calendar days prior to
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50 CFR 600.135(b)

the meeting date, unless such modification is necessary to address an emergency under section 305(c)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, in which case public notice shall be given immediately. Drafts of all regular
public meeting notices must be received by NMFS headquarters office at least 23 calendar days before
the first day of the regular meeting. Councils must ensure that all public meetings are accessible to
persons with disabilities, and that the public can make timely requests for language interpreters or other
auxiliary aids at public meetings.
(b) Emergency meetings. Drafts of emergency public notices must be transmitted to the NMFS headquarters
office at least 5 working days prior to the first day of the emergency meeting. Although notices of and
agendas for emergency meetings are not required to be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER, notices of
emergency meetings must be promptly announced through any means that will result in wide publicity in
the major fishing ports of the region. E-mail notification and website postings alone are not sufficient.
(c) Closed meetings. After proper notification by any means that will result in wide publicity in the major
fishing ports within the region and, having included in the notification the time and place of the meeting
and the reason for closing any meeting or portion thereof to the public, a Council, CCC, SSC, AP, FIAC, or
other committees:
(1) Must close any meeting, or portion thereof, that concerns information bearing a national security
classification.
(2) May close any meeting, or portion thereof, that concerns matters or information pertaining to
national security, employment matters, or briefings on litigation in which the Council is interested.
(3) May close any meeting, or portion thereof, that concerns internal administrative matters other than
employment. Examples of other internal administrative matters include candidates for appointment
to AP, SSC, and other subsidiary bodies and public decorum or medical conditions of members of a
Council or its subsidiary bodies. In deciding whether to close a portion of a meeting to discuss
internal administrative matters, the Council, CCC, SSC, AP, FIAC, or other committees should
consider not only the privacy interests of individuals whose conduct or qualifications may be
discussed, but also the interest of the public in being informed of Council operations and actions.
(d) Without the notice required by paragraph (c) of this section, a Council, CCC, SSC, AP, FIAC, or other
committees may briefly close a portion of a meeting to discuss employment or other internal
administrative matters. The closed portion of a meeting that is closed without notice may not exceed two
hours.
(e) Before closing a meeting or portion thereof, the Council, CCC, SSC, AP, FIAC, or other committees should
consult with the NOAA Office of General Counsel to ensure that the matters to be discussed fall within the
exceptions to the requirement to hold public meetings described in paragraph (c) of this section.
(f) Actions that affect the public, although based on discussions in closed meetings, must be taken in public.
For example, appointments to an AP must be made in the public part of the meeting; however, a decision
to take disciplinary action against a Council employee need not be announced to the public.
(g) A majority of the voting members of any Council constitute a quorum for Council meetings, but one or
more such members designated by the Council may hold hearings.
(h) Decisions of any Council are by majority vote of the voting members present and voting (except for a vote
to propose removal of a Council member, see 50 CFR 600.230). Voting by proxy is permitted only pursuant
to 50 CFR 600.205 (b). An abstention does not affect the unanimity of a vote.

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(i)

50 CFR 600.135(i)

Voting members of the Council who disagree with the majority on any issue to be submitted to the
Secretary, including principal state officials raising federalism issues, may submit a written statement of
their reasons for dissent. If any Council member elects to file such a statement, it should be submitted to
the Secretary at the same time the majority report is submitted.

[66 FR 57887, Nov. 19, 2001, as amended at 75 FR 59150, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.140 Procedure for proposed regulations.
(a) Each Council must establish a written procedure for proposed regulations consistent with section 303(c)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The procedure must describe how the Council deems proposed regulations
necessary or appropriate for the purposes of implementing a fishery management plan or a plan
amendment, or making modifications to regulations implementing a fishery management plan or plan
amendment. In addition, the procedure must describe how the Council submits proposed regulations to
the Secretary.
(b) The Councils must include the procedure for proposed regulations in its SOPP, see § 600.115, or other
written documentation that is available to the public.
[75 FR 59150, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.150 Disposition of records.
(a) Council records must be handled in accordance with NOAA records management office procedures. All
records and documents created or received by Council employees while in active duty status belong to
the Federal Government. When employees leave the Council, they may not take the original or file copies
of records with them.
(b) Each Council is required to maintain documents generally available to the public on its Internet site.
Documents for posting must include: fishery management plans and their amendments for the fisheries
for which the Council is responsible, drafts of fishery management plans and plan amendments under
consideration, analysis of actions the Council has under review, minutes or official reports of past
meetings of the Council and its committees, materials provided by the Council staff to Council members
in preparation for meetings, and other Council documents of interest to the public. For documents too
large to maintain on the Web site, not available electronically, or seldom requested, the Council must
provide copies of the documents for viewing at the Council office during regular business hours or may
provide the documents through the mail.
[66 FR 57887, Nov. 19, 2001, as amended at 75 FR 59151, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.155 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
(a) FOIA requests received by a Council should be coordinated promptly with the appropriate NMFS Regional
Office. The Region will forward the request to the NOAA FOIA Officer to secure a FOIA number and log the
request into FOIAonline. The Region will also obtain clearance from the NOAA General Counsel's Office
concerning initial determination for denial of requested information.
(b) FOIA request processing will be controlled and documented in the Region. The requests should be
forwarded to the NOAA FOIA Officer who will enter the request into FOIAonline. The request will be
assigned an official FOIA number and due date. In the event the Region determines that the requested
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50 CFR 600.205

information is exempt from disclosure, in full or in part, under the FOIA, the denial letter prepared for the
Assistant Administrator's signature, along with the “Foreseeable Harm” Memo and list of documents to be
withheld, must be cleared through the NMFS FOIA Liaison. Upon completion, a copy of the signed letter
transmitting the information to the requester should be posted to FOIAonline by NMFS.
[80 FR 57738, Sept. 25, 2015]

Subpart C—Council Membership
§ 600.205 Principal state officials and their designees.
(a) Only a full-time state employee of the state agency responsible for marine and/or anadromous fisheries
shall be appointed by a constituent state Governor as the principal state official for purposes of section
302(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(b) A principal state official may name his/her designee(s) to act on his/her behalf at Council meetings.
Individuals designated to serve as designees of a principal state official on a Council, pursuant to section
302(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, must be a resident of the state and be knowledgeable and
experienced, by reason of his or her occupational or other experience, scientific expertise, or training, in
the fishery resources of the geographic area of concern to the Council.
(c) New or revised appointments by state Governors of principal state officials and new or revised
designations by principal state officials of their designees(s) must be delivered in writing to the
appropriate NMFS Regional Administrator and the Council chair at least 48 hours before the individual
may vote on any issue before the Council. A designee may not name another designee. Written
appointment of the principal state official must indicate his or her employment status, how the official is
employed by the state fisheries agency, and whether the official's full salary is paid by the state. Written
designation(s) by the principal state official must indicate how the designee is knowledgeable and
experienced in fishery resources of the geographic area of concern to the Council, the County in which the
designee resides, and whether the designee's salary is paid by the state.
[66 FR 57888, Nov. 19, 2001]

§ 600.207 Pacific Fishery Management Council Tribal Indian representative and alternate.
(a) The tribal Indian representative to the Pacific Fishery Management Council may designate an alternate
during the period of the representative's term. The designee must be knowledgeable concerning tribal
rights, tribal law, and the fishery resources of the geographical area concerned.
(b) New or revised designations of an alternate by the tribal Indian representative must be delivered in writing
to the appropriate NMFS Regional Administrator and the Council chair at least 48 hours before the
designee may vote on any issue before the Council. In that written document, the tribal Indian
representative must indicate how the designee meets the knowledge requirements under paragraph (a) of
this section.
[75 FR 59151, Sept. 27, 2010]

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50 CFR 600.210

§ 600.210 Terms of Council members.
(a) Voting members (other than principal state officials, the Regional Administrators, or their designees) are
appointed for a term of 3 years and, except as discussed in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, may be
reappointed. A voting member's Council service of 18 months or more during a term of office will be
counted as service for the entire 3-year term.
(b) The anniversary date for measuring terms of membership is August 11. The Secretary may designate a
term of appointment shorter than 3 years, if necessary, to provide for balanced expiration of terms of
office. Members may not serve more than three consecutive terms.
(c) A member who has completed three consecutive terms will be eligible for appointment to another term
one full year after completion of the third consecutive term.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7073, Feb. 12, 1998; 75 FR 59151, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.215 Council nomination and appointment procedures.
(a) General.
(1) Each year, the 3-year terms for approximately one-third of the appointed members of the Councils
expire. The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) will appoint or new members or will reappoint seated
members to another term to fill the seats being vacated.
(2) There are two categories of seats to which voting members are appointed: “Obligatory” and “Atlarge.”
(i)

Obligatory seats are state specific. Each constituent state is entitled to one seat on the Council
on which it is a member, except that the State of Alaska is entitled to five seats and the State of
Washington is entitled to two seats on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. When
the term of a state's obligatory member is expiring or when that seat becomes vacant before
the expiration of its term, the governor of that state must submit the names of at least three
qualified individuals to fill that Council seat.

(ii) The Magnuson-Stevens Act also provides for appointment, by the Secretary, of one treaty Indian
tribal representative to the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council). To fill that
seat, the Secretary solicits written nominations from the heads of governments of those Indian
Tribes with federally recognized fishing rights from the States of California, Oregon,
Washington, or Idaho. The list of nominees must contain a total of at least three individuals
who are knowledgeable and experienced regarding the fishery resources under the authority of
the Pacific Council. The Secretary will appoint one tribal Indian representative from this list to
the Pacific Council for a term of 3 years and rotate the appointment among the tribes.
(iii) At-large seats are regional. When the term of an at-large member is expiring or when that seat
becomes vacant before the expiration of a term, the governors of all constituent states of that
Council must each submit the names of at least three qualified individuals to fill the seat.
(b) Responsibilities of State Governors.
(1) Council members are selected by the Secretary from lists of nominees submitted by Governors of
the constituent states, pursuant to section 302(b)(2)(C) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. For each
applicable vacancy, a Governor must submit the names of at least three nominees who meet the
qualification requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. A Governor must provide a statement
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50 CFR 600.215(b)(1)(i)

explaining how each of his/her nominees meet the qualification requirements, and must also provide
appropriate documentation to the Secretary that each nomination was made in consultation with
commercial and recreational fishing interests of that state and that each nominee is knowledgeable
and experienced by reason of his or her occupational or other experience, scientific expertise, or
training in one or more of the following ways related to the fishery resources of the geographical
area of concern to the Council:
(i)

Commercial fishing or the processing or marketing of fish, fish products, or fishing equipment;

(ii) Fishing for pleasure, relaxation, or consumption, or experience in any business supporting
fishing;
(iii) Leadership in a state, regional, or national organization whose members participate in a fishery
in the Council's area of authority;
(iv) The management and conservation of natural resources, including related interactions with
industry, government bodies, academic institutions, and public agencies. This includes
experience serving as a member of a Council, Advisory Panel, Scientific and Statistical
Committee, or Fishing Industry Advisory Committee;
(v) Representing consumers of fish or fish products through participation in local, state, or national
organizations, or performing other activities specifically related to the education or protection
of consumers of marine resources; or
(vi) Teaching, journalism, writing, consulting, practicing law, or researching matters related to
fisheries, fishery management, and marine resource conservation.
(2) To assist in identifying qualifications, each nominee must furnish to the appropriate governor's office
a current resume, or equivalent, describing career history—with particular attention to experience
related to the criteria in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Nominees may provide such information in
any format they wish.
(3) A constituent State Governor must determine the state of residency of each of his/her nominees. A
Governor may not nominate a non-resident of that state for appointment to a Council seat obligated
to that state. A Governor may nominate residents of another constituent state of a Council for
appointment to an at large seat on that Council.
(4) If, at any time during a term, a member changes residency to another state that is not a constituent
state of that Council, or a member appointed to an obligatory seat changes residency to any other
state, the member may no longer vote and must resign from the Council. For purposes of this
paragraph, a state resident is an individual who maintains his/her principal residence within that
constituent state and who, if applicable, pays income taxes to that state and/or to another
appropriate jurisdiction within that state.
(5) When the terms of both an obligatory member and an at-large member expire concurrently, the
Governor of the state holding the expiring obligatory seat may indicate that the nominees who were
not selected for appointment to the obligatory seat may be considered for appointment to an atlarge seat, provided that the resulting total number of nominees submitted by that governor for the
expiring at-large seat is no fewer than three different nominees.
(c) Nominees to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.

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50 CFR 600.215(c)(1)

(1) The Governors of States submitting nominees to the Secretary for appointment to the Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council shall include:
(i)

At least one nominee each from the commercial, recreational, and charter fishing sectors,
except that an individual who owns or operates a fish farm outside the United States shall not
be considered to be a representative of the commercial or recreational sector; and

(ii) At least one other individual who is knowledgeable regarding the conservation and
management of fisheries resources in the jurisdiction of the Council.
(2) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, if the Secretary
determines that the list of names submitted by the Governor does not meet the requirements of
paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the Secretary shall:
(i)

Publish a notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER asking the residents of that State to submit the names
and pertinent biographical data of individuals who would meet the requirements of this section
that were not met for appointment to the Council; and

(ii) Add the name of any qualified individual submitted by the public who meets the requirements of
this section that were not met to the list of names submitted by the Governor.
(3) The requirements of this paragraph (c) shall expire at the end of fiscal year 2012, meaning through
September 30, 2012.
(d) Responsibilities of eligible tribal Indian governments. The tribal Indian representative on the Pacific
Council will be selected by the Secretary from a list of no fewer than three individuals submitted by the
tribal Indian governments with federally recognized fishing rights from California, Oregon, Washington,
and Idaho, pursuant to section 302(b)(5) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. To assist in assessing the
qualifications of each nominee, each head of an appropriate tribal Indian government must furnish to the
Assistant Administrator a current resume, or equivalent, describing the nominee's qualifications, with
emphasis on knowledge and experience related to the fishery resources affected by recommendations of
the Pacific Council. Prior service on the Pacific Council in a different capacity will not disqualify nominees
proposed by tribal Indian governments.
(e) Nomination deadlines. Nomination packages (governors' letters and completed nomination kits) must be
forwarded by express mail under a single mailing to arrive at the address specified by the Assistant
Administrator by March 15. For appointments outside the normal cycle, the Secretary will provide a
deadline for receipt of nominations to the affected Council and state governors.
(1) Obligatory seats.
(i)

The Governor of the state for which the term of an obligatory seat is expiring should submit the
names of at least three qualified individuals to fill that seat by the March 15 deadline. The
Secretary will appoint to the Pacific Fishery Management Council a representative of an Indian
tribe from a list of no fewer than three individuals submitted by the tribal Indian governments.

(ii) If the Governor or tribal Indian governments fail to provide a nomination letter and at least three
complete nomination kits by March 15, the obligatory seat will remain vacant until all required
information has been received and processed and the Secretary has made the appointment.
(2) At-large seats.

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(i)

50 CFR 600.215(e)(2)(i)

If a Governor chooses to submit nominations for an at-large seat, he/she must submit lists that
contain at least three qualified nominees for each vacant seat. A nomination letter and a
nomination kit for each qualified nominee must be forwarded by express mail under a single
mailing to arrive at the address specified by the Assistant Administrator by March 15.

(ii) Nomination packages that are not substantially complete by March 15 may be returned to the
nominating Governor. At-large members will be appointed from among the nominations
submitted by the governors who complied with the nomination requirements.
(f) Responsibilities of the Secretary.
(1) The Secretary must, to the extent practicable, ensure a fair and balanced apportionment, on a
rotating or other basis, of the active participants (or their representatives) in the commercial and
recreational fisheries in the Council's area of authority. Further, the Secretary must take action to
ensure, to the extent practicable, that those persons dependent for their livelihood upon the fisheries
in the Council's area of authority are fairly represented as voting members on the Councils.
(2) The Secretary will review each list submitted by a governor or the tribal Indian governments to
ascertain whether the individuals on the list are qualified for the vacancy. If the Secretary determines
that a nominee is not qualified, the Secretary will notify the appropriate Governor or tribal Indian
government of that determination. The Governor or tribal Indian government shall then submit a
revised list of nominees or resubmit the original list with an additional explanation of the
qualifications of the nominee in question. The Secretary reserves the right to determine whether
nominees are qualified.
(3) The Secretary will select the appointees from lists of qualified nominees provided by the Governors
of the constituent Council states or of the tribal Indian governments that are eligible to nominate
candidates for that vacancy.
(i)

For Governor-nominated seats, the Secretary will select an appointee for an obligatory seat
from the list of qualified nominees submitted by the governor of the state. In filling expiring atlarge seats, the Secretary will select an appointee(s) for an at-large seat(s) from the list of all
qualified candidates submitted. The Secretary will consider only complete slates of nominees
submitted by the governors of the Council's constituent states. When an appointed member
vacates his/her seat prior to the expiration of his/her term, the Secretary will fill the vacancy for
the remainder of the term by selecting from complete nomination letters and kits that are
timely and contain the required number of candidates.

(ii) For the tribal Indian seat, the Secretary will solicit nominations of individuals for the list referred
to in paragraph (c) of this section only from those Indian tribes with federally recognized fishing
rights from California, Oregon, Washington, or Idaho. The Secretary will consult with the Bureau
of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, to determine which Indian tribes may submit
nominations. Any vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of any term shall be filled in the
same manner as described in paragraphs (d)(1) and (2) of this section, except that the
Secretary may use the list referred to in paragraph (b)(1) of this section from which the vacating
member was chosen. The Secretary shall rotate the appointment among the tribes, taking into
consideration:
(A) The qualifications of the individuals on the list referred to in paragraph (c) of this section.
(B) The various rights of the Indian tribes involved, and judicial cases that set out the manner
in which these rights are to be exercised.
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50 CFR 600.215(f)(3)(ii)(C)

(C) The geographic area in which the tribe of the representative is located.
(D) The limitation that no tribal Indian representative shall serve more than three consecutive
terms in the Indian tribal seat.
[64 FR 4600, Jan. 29, 1999, as amended at 75 FR 59151, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.220 Oath of office.
As trustees of the nation's fishery resources, all voting members must take an oath specified by the Secretary as
follows: “I, [name of the person taking oath], as a duly appointed member of a Regional Fishery Management
Council established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, hereby promise to
conserve and manage the living marine resources of the United States of America by carrying out the business of
the Council for the greatest overall benefit of the Nation. I recognize my responsibility to serve as a knowledgeable
and experienced trustee of the Nation's marine fisheries resources, being careful to balance competing private or
regional interests, and always aware and protective of the public interest in those resources. I commit myself to
uphold the provisions, standards, and requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act and other applicable law, and shall conduct myself at all times according to the rules of conduct
prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce. This oath is given freely and without mental reservation or purpose of
evasion.”
[75 FR 59152, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.225 Rules of conduct.
(a) Council members, as Federal office holders, and Council employees are subject to most Federal criminal
statutes covering bribery, conflict-of-interest, disclosure of confidential information, and lobbying with
appropriated funds.
(b) The Councils are responsible for maintaining high standards of ethical conduct among themselves, their
staffs, and their advisory groups. In addition to abiding by the applicable Federal conflict of interest
statutes, both members and employees of the Councils must comply with the following standards of
conduct:
(1) No employee of a Council may use his or her official authority or influence derived from his or her
position with the Council for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election to or
a nomination for any national, state, county, or municipal elective office.
(2) Council members, employees, and contractors must comply with the Federal Cost Principles
Applicable to Regional Fishery Management Council Grants and Cooperative Agreements, especially
with regard to lobbying, and other restrictions with regard to lobbying as specified in § 600.227 of
this part.
(3) No employee of a Council may be deprived of employment, position, work, compensation, or benefit
provided for or made possible by the Magnuson-Stevens Act on account of any political activity or
lack of such activity in support of or in opposition to any candidate or any political party in any
national, state, county, or municipal election, or on account of his or her political affiliation.

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50 CFR 600.225(b)(4)

(4) No Council member or employee may pay, offer, promise, solicit, or receive from any person, firm, or
corporation a contribution of money or anything of value in consideration of either support or the use
of influence or the promise of support or influence in obtaining for any person any appointive office,
place, or employment under the Council.
(5) No employee of a Council may have a direct or indirect financial interest that conflicts with the fair
and impartial conduct of his or her Council duties.
(6) No Council member, employee of a Council, or member of a Council advisory group may use or allow
the use, for other than official purposes, of information obtained through or in connection with his or
her Council employment that has not been made available to the general public.
(7) No Council member or employee of the Council may engage in criminal, infamous, dishonest,
notoriously immoral, or disgraceful conduct.
(8) No Council member or employee of the Council may use Council property on other than official
business. Such property must be protected and preserved from improper or deleterious operation or
use.
(9)
(i)

Except as provided in § 600.235(h) or in 18 U.S.C. 208, no Council member may participate
personally and substantially as a member through decision, approval, disapproval,
recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or otherwise, in a particular matter in
which the member, the member's spouse, minor child, general partner, organization in which the
member is serving as officer, director, trustee, general partner, or employee, or any person or
organization with whom the member is negotiating or has any arrangement concerning
prospective employment, has a financial interest. (Note that this financial interest is broader
than the one defined in § 600.235(a).)

(ii) No Council member may participate personally and substantially as a member through
decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or
otherwise, in a particular matter primarily of individual concern, such as a contract, in which he
or she has a financial interest, even if the interest has been disclosed in accordance with §
600.235.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 63 FR 64185, Nov. 19, 1998; 75 FR 59152, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.227 Lobbying.
(a) Council members, employees and contractors must comply with the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 1352 and
Department of Commerce implementing regulations published at 15 CFR part 28, “New Restrictions on
Lobbying.” These provisions generally prohibit the use of Federal funds for lobbying the Executive or
Legislative Branches of the Federal Government in connection with the award. Because the Councils
receive in excess of $100,000 in Federal funding, the regulations mandate that the Councils must
complete Form SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” regarding the use of non Federal funds for
lobbying. The Form SF-LLL shall be submitted within 30 days following the end of the calendar quarter in
which there occurs any event that requires disclosure or that materially affects the accuracy of the
information contained in any disclosure form previously filed. The recipient must submit the Forms SFLLL, including those received from subrecipients, contractors, and subcontractors, to the Grants Officer.

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50 CFR 600.227(b)

(b) Council members, employees, and contractors must comply with the Federal Cost Principles Applicable to
Regional Fishery Management Council Grants and Cooperative Agreements summarized as follows:
(1) Title 2 CFR part 230 - Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations (OMB CircularA-122) is applicable
to the Federal assistance awards issued to the Councils.
(2) The purpose of the cost principles at 2 CFR part 230 is to define what costs can be paid on Federal
awards issued to non-profit organizations. The regulation establishes both general principles and
detailed items of costs.
(3) Under 2 CFR part 230, costs for certain lobbying activities are unallowable as charges to Federal
awards. These activities would include any attempts to influence:
(i)

The introduction of Federal or state legislation;

(ii) The enactment or modification of any pending legislation by preparing, distributing, or using
publicity or propaganda, or by urging members of the general public to contribute to or to
participate in any demonstration, march, rally, fundraising drive, lobbying campaign, or letter
writing or telephone campaign.
(4) Generally, costs associated with providing a technical and factual presentation directly related to the
performance of a grant, through hearing testimony, statements, or letters to Congress or a state
legislature are allowable if made in response to a documented request.
(5) Costs associated with lobbying to influence state legislation in order to reduce the cost or to avoid
material impairment of the organization's authority to perform the grant are also allowable.
[75 FR 59152, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.230 Removal.
The Secretary may remove for cause any Secretarially appointed member of a Council in accordance with section
302(b)(6) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, wherein the Council concerned first recommends removal of that member
by not less than two-thirds of the voting members. A recommendation of a Council to remove a member must be
made in writing to the Secretary and accompanied by a statement of the reasons upon which the recommendation
is based.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7073, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.235 Financial disclosure and recusal.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of § 600.235:
Affected individual means an individual who is—
(1) Nominated by the Governor of a state or appointed by the Secretary of Commerce to serve as a
voting member of a Council in accordance with section 302(b)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act; or
(2) A representative of an Indian tribe appointed to the Pacific Council by the Secretary of
Commerce under section 302(b)(5) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act who is not subject to
disclosure and recusal requirements under the laws of an Indian tribal government.

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50 CFR 600.235(a) “Affected individual” (3)

(3) A member of an SSC shall be treated as an affected individual for the purposes of paragraphs
(b)(1), (b)(5) through (b)(7), and (i) of this section.
Close causal link means that a Council decision would reasonably be expected to directly impact or affect
the financial interests of an affected individual.
Council decision means approval of a fishery management plan (FMP) or FMP amendment (including any
proposed regulations); request for amendment to regulations implementing an FMP; finding that an
emergency exists involving any fishery (including recommendations for responding to the
emergency); and comments to the Secretary on FMPs or amendments developed by the Secretary. It
does not include a vote by a committee of a Council.
Designated official means an attorney designated by the NOAA General Counsel.
Expected and substantially disproportionate benefit means a positive or negative impact with regard to a
Council decision that is likely to affect a fishery or sector of a fishery in which the affected individual
has a significant financial interest.
Financial Interest Form means NOAA Form 88-195, “STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS For Use By
Voting Members of, and Nominees to, the Regional Fishery Management Councils, and Members of
the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC)” or such other form as the Secretary may prescribe.
Financial interest in harvesting, processing, lobbying, advocacy, or marketing
(1) includes:
(i)

Stock, equity, or other ownership interests in, or employment with, any company, business,
fishing vessel, or other entity or employment with any entity that has any percentage
ownership in or by another entity engaging in any harvesting, processing, lobbying,
advocacy, or marketing activity in any fishery under the jurisdiction of the Council
concerned;

(ii) Stock, equity, or other ownership interests in, or employment with, any company or other
entity or employment with any entity that has any percentage ownership in or by another
entity that provides equipment or other services essential to harvesting, processing,
lobbying, advocacy, or marketing activities in any fishery under the jurisdiction of the
Council concerned, such as a chandler or a dock operation;
(iii) Employment with, or service as an officer, director, or trustee of, an association whose
members include companies, vessels, or other entities engaged in any harvesting,
processing, lobbying, advocacy, or marketing activities, or companies or other entities
providing services essential to harvesting, processing, lobbying, advocacy, or marketing
activities in any fishery under the jurisdiction of the Council concerned; and
(iv) Employment with an entity that has any percentage ownership in or by another entity
providing consulting, legal, or representational services to any entity engaging in, or
providing equipment or services essential to harvesting, processing, lobbying, advocacy, or
marketing activities in any fishery under the jurisdiction of the Council concerned, or to any
association whose members include entities engaged in the activities described in
paragraphs (1)(i) and (ii) of this definition;

50 CFR 600.235(a) “Financial interest in harvesting, processing, lobbying, advocacy, or marketing” (1)(iv)

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50 CFR 600.235(a) “Financial interest in harvesting,
processing, lobbying, advocacy, or marketing” (2)

(2) Does not include stock, equity, or other ownership interests in, or employment with, an entity
engaging in scientific fisheries research in any fishery under the jurisdiction of the Council
concerned, unless it is covered under paragraph (1) of this definition. A financial interest in such
entities is covered by 18 U.S.C. 208, the Federal conflict-of-interest statute.
Significant financial interest means:
(1) A greater than 10-percent interest in the total harvest of the fishery or sector of the fishery
affected by the Council decision;
(2) A greater than 10-percent interest in the marketing or processing of the total harvest of the
fishery or sector of the fishery affected by the Council decision; or
(3) Full or partial ownership of more than 10 percent of the vessels using the same gear type within
the fishery or sector of the fishery affected by the Council decision.
(b) Reporting.
(1) The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the disclosure of any financial interest in harvesting, processing,
lobbying, advocacy, or marketing activity that is being, or will be, undertaken within any fishery over
which the Council concerned has jurisdiction. An affected individual must disclose such financial
interest held by that individual; the affected individual's spouse, minor child, partner; or any
organization (other than the Council) in which that individual is serving as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, or employee. The information required to be reported must be disclosed on the Financial
Interest Form (as defined in paragraph (a) of this section), or such other form as the Secretary may
prescribe.
(2) The Financial Interest Form must be filed by each nominee for Secretarial appointment to the Council
with the Assistant Administrator by April 15 or, if nominated after March 15, one month after
nomination by the Governor. A seated voting member appointed by the Secretary must file a
Financial Interest Form with the Executive Director of the appropriate Council within 45 days of
taking office; must file an update of his or her statement with the Executive Director of the
appropriate Council within 30 days of the time any such financial interest is acquired or substantially
changed by the affected individual or the affected individual's spouse, minor child, partner, or any
organization (other than the Council) in which that individual is serving as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, or employee; and must update his or her form annually and file that update with the
Executive Director of the appropriate Council by February 1 of each year, regardless of whether any
information has changed on that form.
(3) The Executive Director must, in a timely manner, provide copies of and updates to the Financial
Interest Forms of appointed Council members to the NMFS Regional Administrator, the Regional
Attorney who advises the Council, the Department of Commerce Assistant General Counsel for
Administration, and the NMFS Office of Sustainable Fisheries. These completed Financial Interest
Forms shall be kept on file in the office of the NMFS Regional Administrator and at the Council
offices, and shall be made available for public inspection at such offices during normal office hours.
In addition, the forms shall be made available at each Council meeting or hearing and shall be
posted for download from the Internet on the Council's website.
(4) Councils must retain the Financial Interest Form for a Council member for at least 5 years after the
expiration of that individual's last term.

50 CFR 600.235(b)(4) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.235(b)(5)

(5) The Regional Administrator must retain the Financial Interest Form for a Council member for 20
years from the date the form is signed by the Council member or in accordance with the current
NOAA records schedule.
(6) An individual being considered for appointment to an SSC must file the Financial Interest Form with
the Regional Administrator for the geographic area concerned within 45 days prior to appointment. A
member of the SSC must file an update of his or her statement with the Regional Administrator for
the geographic area concerned within 30 days of the time any such financial interest is acquired or
substantially changed by the SSC member or the SSC member's spouse, minor child, partner, or any
organization (other than the Council) in which that individual is serving as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, or employee; and must update his or her form annually and file that update with the Regional
Administrator by February 1 of each year.
(7) An individual who serves as an SSC member to more than one Council shall file Financial Interest
Forms with each Regional Administrator for the geographic areas concerned.
(8) The Regional Administrator must retain the Financial Interest Forms of all SSC members for at least
five years after the expiration of that individual's term on the SSC. Such forms are not subject to
sections 302(j)(5)(B) and (C) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(c) Restrictions on voting.
(1) No affected individual may vote on any Council decision that would have a significant and
predictable effect on a financial interest disclosed in his/her report filed under paragraph (b) of this
section.
(2) As used in this section, a Council decision will be considered to have a “significant and predictable
effect on a financial interest” if there is a close causal link between the decision and an expected
and substantially disproportionate benefit to the financial interest in harvesting, processing, lobbying,
advocacy, or marketing of any affected individual or the affected individual's spouse, minor child,
partner, or any organization (other than the Council) in which that individual is serving as an officer,
director, trustee, partner, or employee, relative to the financial interests of other participants in the
same gear type or sector of the fishery. The relative financial interests of the affected individual and
other participants will be determined with reference to the most recent fishing year for which
information is available. However, for fisheries in which IFQs are assigned, the percentage of IFQs
assigned to the affected individual will be the determining factor.
(3) In making a determination under paragraph (f) of this section as to whether a Council decision will
have a significant and predictable effect on an affected individual's financial interests, the
designated official will:
(i)

Initially determine whether the action before the Council is a Council decision, and whether the
affected individual has any financial interest in the fishery or sector of the fishery affected by
the action.

(ii) If the designated official determines that the action is not a Council decision or that the
affected individual does not have any financial interest in the fishery or sector of the fishery
affected by the action, the designated official's inquiry ends and the designated official will
determine that a voting recusal is not required under 50 CFR 600.235.

50 CFR 600.235(c)(3)(ii) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.235(c)(3)(iii)

(iii) However, if the designated official determines that the action is a Council decision and that the
affected individual has a financial interest in the fishery or sector of the fishery affected by the
Council decision, a voting recusal is required under 50 CFR 600.235 if there is:
(A) An expected and substantially disproportionate benefit to the affected individual's financial
interest (see paragraph (c)(5) of this section), and
(B) A close causal link (see paragraph (c)(4) of this section) between the Council decision and
the expected and substantially disproportionate benefit to the affected individual's
financial interest.
(4) A close causal link for Council decisions that either require or do not require implementing
regulations is determined as follows:
(i)

For all Council decisions that require implementing regulations and that affect a fishery or
sector of a fishery in which an affected individual has a financial interest, a close causal link
exists unless:
(A) The chain of causation between the Council decision and the affected individual's financial
interest is attenuated or is contingent on the occurrence of events that are speculative or
that are independent of and unrelated to the Council decision; or
(B) There is no real, as opposed to speculative, possibility that the Council decision will affect
the affected individual's financial interest.

(ii) For Council decisions that do not require implementing regulations, a close causal link exists if
there is a real, as opposed to speculative, possibility that the Council decision will affect the
affected individual's financial interest.
(5) A designated official will determine that an expected and substantially disproportionate benefit
exists if an affected individual has a significant financial interest (see paragraph (c)(6) of this
section) in the fishery or sector of the fishery that is likely to be positively or negatively affected by
the Council decision. The magnitude of the positive or negative impact is not determinative of
whether there is an expected and substantially disproportionate benefit. The determining factor is
the affected individual's significant financial interest in the fishery or sector of the fishery affected by
the Council decision.
(6) When calculating significant financial interest, the designated official will rely on certain information.
(i)

The information to be used is as follows:
(A) The designated official will use the information included in the Financial Interest Form and
any other reliable and probative information provided in writing.
(B) The designated official may contact an affected individual to better understand the
reported financial interest or any information provided in writing.
(C) The designated official will presume that the information reported on the Financial Interest
Form is true and correct and the designated official is not responsible for determining the
veracity of the reported information when preparing a determination under paragraph (f)
of this section.

50 CFR 600.235(c)(6)(i)(C) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.235(c)(6)(i)(D)

(D) If an affected individual does not provide information concerning the specific percentage
of ownership of a financial interest reported on his or her Financial Interest Form, the
designated official will attribute all harvesting, processing, or marketing activity of, and
vessels owned by, the financial interest to the affected individual.
(ii) The designated official will apply the following principles when calculating an affected
individual's financial interests relative to the significant financial interest thresholds for the
fishery or sector of the fishery affected by the action. For purposes of this paragraph, use of the
term “company” includes any business, vessel, or other entity.
(A) For attributions concerning direct ownership (companies owned by or that employ an
affected individual) the designated official will attribute to an affected individual all
harvesting, processing, and marketing activity of, and all vessels owned by, a company
when the affected individual owns 100 percent of that company. If an affected individual
owns less than 100 percent of a company, the designated official will attribute to the
affected individual the harvesting, processing, and marketing activity of, and vessels
owned by, the company commensurate with the affected individual's percentage of
ownership. The designated official will attribute to an affected individual all harvesting,
processing, and marketing activity of, and all vessels owned by, a company that employs
the affected individual.
(B) For attributions concerning indirect ownership (companies owned by an affected
individual's company or employer) the designated official will attribute to the affected
individual the harvesting, processing, and marketing activity of, and vessels owned by, a
company that is owned by that affected individual's company or employer commensurate
with the affected individual's percentage ownership in the directly owned company, and
the directly owned company's ownership in the indirectly owned company.
(C) For attributions concerning parent ownership (companies that own some percentage of an
affected individual's company or employer) the designated official will attribute to an
affected individual all harvesting, processing, and marketing activity of, and all vessels
owned by, a company that owns fifty percent or more of a company that is owned by the
affected individual or that employs the affected individual. The designated official will not
attribute to an affected individual the harvesting, processing, or marketing activity of, or
any vessels owned by, a company that owns less than fifty percent of a company that is
owned by the affected individual or that employs the affected individual.
(D) For attributions concerning employment or service with associations or organizations, an
affected individual may be employed by or serve, either compensated or unpaid, as an
officer, director, board member or trustee of an association or organization. The
designated official will not attribute to the affected individual the vessels owned by, or the
harvesting, processing, or marketing activity conducted by, the members of that
association or organization if such organization or association, as an entity separate from
its members, does not own any vessels and is not directly engaged in harvesting,
processing or marketing. However, if such organization or association receives from
NMFS an allocation of harvesting or processing privileges, owns vessels, or is directly
engaged in harvesting, processing or marketing, the designated official will attribute to the
affected individual the vessels owned by, and all harvesting, processing, and marketing
activity of, that association or organization.

50 CFR 600.235(c)(6)(ii)(D) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.235(c)(6)(ii)(E)

(E) For the financial interests of a spouse, partner or minor child, the designated official will
consider the following factors for ownership and employment.
(1) For the financial interests of a spouse, partner or minor child related to ownership,
the designated official will attribute to an affected individual all harvesting,
processing, and marketing activity of, and all vessels owned by, a company when the
affected individual's spouse, partner or minor child owns 100 percent of that
company. If an affected individual's spouse, partner or minor child owns less than
100 percent of a company, the designated official will attribute to the affected
individual the harvesting, processing, and marketing activity of, and vessels owned
by, the company commensurate with the spouse's, partner's or minor child's
percentage of ownership.
(2) For the financial interests of a spouse, partner or minor child related to employment,
the designated official will not attribute to an affected individual the harvesting,
processing, or marketing activity of, or any vessels owned by, a company that
employs the affected individual's spouse, partner or minor child when the spouse's,
partner's or minor child's compensation are not influenced by, or fluctuate with, the
financial performance of the company. The designated official will attribute to an
affected individual all harvesting, processing, and marketing activity of, and all
vessels owned by, a company that employs the Council member's spouse, partner or
minor child when the spouse's, partner's or minor child's compensation are
influenced by, or fluctuate with, the financial performance of the company.
(7) A member of an SSC is not subject to the restrictions on voting under this section.
(d) Voluntary recusal. An affected individual who believes that a Council decision would have a significant
and predictable effect on that individual's financial interest disclosed under paragraph (b) of this section
may, at any time before a vote is taken, announce to the Council an intent not to vote on the decision and
identify the financial interest that would be affected.
(e) Participation in deliberations. Notwithstanding paragraph (c) of this section, an affected individual who is
recused from voting under this section may participate in Council and committee deliberations relating to
the decision, after notifying the Council of the voting recusal and identifying the financial interest that
would be affected.
(f) Process and procedure for determination.
(1) At the request of an affected individual, and as provided under paragraphs (c)(3)-(6) of this section,
the designated official shall determine for the record whether a Council decision would have a
significant and predictable effect on that individual's financial interest. Unless subject to
confidentiality requirements, all information considered will be made part of the public record for the
decision. The affected individual may request a determination by notifying the designated official—
(i)

Within a reasonable time before the Council meeting at which the Council decision will be
made; or

(ii) During a Council meeting before a Council vote on the decision.
(2) The designated official may initiate a determination on the basis of—
(i)

His or her knowledge of the fishery and the financial interests disclosed by an affected
individual; or

50 CFR 600.235(f)(2)(i) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.235(f)(2)(ii)

(ii) Written and signed information received within a reasonable time before a Council meeting or, if
the issue could not have been anticipated before the meeting, during a Council meeting before
a Council vote on the decision.
(3) At the beginning of each Council meeting, or during a Council meeting at any time reliable and
probative information is received, the designated official shall announce the receipt of information
relevant to a determination concerning recusal, the nature of that information, and the identity of the
submitter of such information.
(4) If the designated official determines that the affected individual may not vote, the individual may
state for the record how he or she would have voted. A Council Chair may not allow such an
individual to cast a vote.
(5) A reversal of a determination under paragraph (g) of this section may not be treated as cause for
invalidation or reconsideration by the Secretary of a Council's decision.
(6) Regional Recusal Determination Procedure Handbooks shall be developed for reach NMFS Region.
(i)

Each NMFS Regional Office, in conjunction with NOAA Office of General Counsel, will publish
and make available to the public its Regional Recusal Determination Procedure Handbook,
which explains the process and procedure typically followed in preparing and issuing recusal
determinations.

(ii) A Regional Recusal Determination Procedure Handbook must include:
(A) A statement that the Regional Recusal Determination Procedure Handbook is intended as
guidance to describe the recusal determination process and procedure typically followed
within the region.
(B) Identification of the Council(s) to which the Regional Recusal Determination Procedure
Handbook applies. If the Regional Recusal Determination Procedure Handbook applies to
multiple Councils, any procedure that applies to a subset of those Councils should clearly
identify the Council(s) to which the procedure applies.
(C) A description of the process for identifying the fishery or sector of the fishery affected by
the action before the Council.
(D) A description of the process for preparing and issuing a recusal determination relative to
the timing of a Council decision.
(E) A description of the process by which the Council, Council members, and the public will be
made aware of recusal determinations.
(F) A description of the process for identifying the designated official(s) who will prepare
recusal determinations and attend Council meetings.
(iii) A Regional Recusal Determination Procedure Handbook may include additional material related
to the region's process and procedure for recusal determinations not specifically identified in
paragraph (f)(6)(ii) of this section. A Regional Recusal Determination Procedure Handbook may
be revised at any time upon agreement by the NMFS Regional Office and NOAA Office of
General Counsel.
(g) Review of determinations.

50 CFR 600.235(g) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.235(g)(1)

(1) Any Council member may file a written request to the NOAA General Counsel for review of the
designated official's determination. A request for review must be received within 10 days of the
determination.
(2) A Council member may request a review of any aspect of the recusal determination, including but not
limited to, whether the action is a Council decision, the description of the fishery or sector of the
fishery affected by the Council action, the calculation of an affected individual's financial interests or
the finding of a significant financial interest, and the existence of a close causal link. A request for
review must include a full statement in support of the review, including a concise statement as to
why the Council member believes that the recusal determination is in error and why the designated
official's determination should be reversed.
(3) If the request for review is from a Council member other than the affected individual whose vote is at
issue, the requester must provide a copy of the request to the affected individual at the same time it
is submitted to the NOAA General Counsel. The affected individual may submit a response to the
NOAA General Counsel within 10 days from the date of his/her receipt of the request for review.
(4) The NOAA General Counsel must complete the review and issue a decision within 30 days from the
date of receipt of the request for review. The NOAA General Counsel will limit the review to the
record before the designated official at the time of the determination, the request, and any response.
(h) The provisions of 18 U.S.C. 208 regarding conflicts of interest do not apply to an affected individual who is
a voting member of a Council appointed by the Secretary, as described under section 302(j)(1)(A)(ii) of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and who is in compliance with the requirements of this section for filing a
Financial Interest Form. The provisions of 18 U.S.C. 208 do not apply to a member of an SSC, unless that
individual is an officer or employee of the United States or is otherwise covered by the requirements of 18
U.S.C. 208.
(i)

It is unlawful for an affected individual to knowingly and willfully fail to disclose, or to falsely disclose, any
financial interest as required by this section, or to knowingly vote on a Council decision in violation of this
section. In addition to the penalties applicable under § 600.735, a violation of this provision may result in
removal of the affected individual from Council or SSC membership.

[63 FR 64185, Nov. 19, 1998, as amended at 75 FR 59152, Sept. 27, 2010; 85 FR 56182, Sept. 11, 2020]

§ 600.240 Security assurances.
(a) DOC Office of Security will issue security assurances to Council members following completion of
favorable background investigations. A Council member's appointment is conditional until such time as
the background investigation has been favorably adjudicated. The Secretary will revoke the member's
appointment if that member receives an unfavorable background investigation. In instances in which
Council members may need to discuss, at closed meetings, materials classified for national security
purposes, the agency or individual (e.g., Department of State, U.S. Coast Guard) providing such classified
information will be responsible for ensuring that Council members and other attendees have the
appropriate security clearances.
(b) Each nominee to a Council is required to complete a Certification of Status form (“form”). All nominees
must certify, pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, whether they serve as an agent of a
foreign principal. Each nominee must certify, date, sign, and return the form with his or her completed

50 CFR 600.240(b) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.245

nomination kit. Nominees will not be considered for appointment to a Council if they have not filed this
form. Any nominee who currently is an agent of a foreign principal will not be eligible for appointment to a
Council, and therefore should not be nominated by a Governor for appointment.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended 75 FR 59153, Sept. 27, 2010]

§ 600.245 Council member compensation.
(a) All voting Council members whose eligibility for compensation has been established in accordance with
NOAA guidelines will be paid through the cooperative agreement as a direct line item on a contractual
basis without deductions being made for Social Security or Federal and state income taxes. A report of
compensation will be furnished each year by the member's Council to the proper Regional Program
Officer, as required by the Internal Revenue Service. Such compensation may be paid on a full day's basis,
whether in excess of 8 hours a day or less than 8 hours a day. The time is compensable where the
individual member is required to expend a significant private effort that substantially disrupts the daily
routine to the extent that a work day is lost to the member. “Homework” time in preparation for formal
Council meetings is not compensable.
(b) Non-government Council members receive compensation for:
(1) Days spent in actual attendance at a meeting of the Council or jointly with another Council.
(2) Travel on the day preceding or following a scheduled meeting that precluded the member from
conducting his normal business on the day in question.
(3) Meetings of standing committees of the Council if approved in advance by the Chair.
(4) Individual member meeting with scientific and technical advisors, when approved in advance by the
Chair and a substantial portion of any day is spent at the meeting.
(5) Conducting or attending hearings, when authorized in advance by the Chair.
(6) Other meetings involving Council business when approved in advance by the Chair.
(c) The Executive Director of each Council must submit to the appropriate Regional Office annually a report,
approved by the Council Chair, of Council member compensation authorized. This report shall identify, for
each member, amount paid, dates, and location and purpose of meetings attended.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 66 FR 57888, Nov. 19, 2001]

§ 600.250 Council member training.
(a) The Secretary shall provide a training course covering a variety of topics relevant to matters before the
Councils and shall make the training course available to all Council members and staff and staff from
NMFS regional offices and science centers. To the extent resources allow, the Secretary will make the
training available to Council committee and advisory panel members.
(b) Council members appointed after January 12, 2007, shall, within one year of appointment, complete the
training course developed by the Secretary. Any Council member who completed such a training course
within 24 months of January 12, 2007, is considered to have met the training requirement of this section.
[75 FR 59154, Sept. 27, 2010]
50 CFR 600.250(b) (enhanced display)

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50 CFR 600.305

Subpart D—National Standards
§ 600.305 General.
(a) Purpose.
(1) This subpart establishes guidelines, based on the national standards, to assist in the development
and review of FMPs, amendments, and regulations prepared by the Councils and the Secretary.
(2) In developing FMPs, the Councils have the initial authority to ascertain factual circumstances, to
establish management objectives, and to propose management measures that will achieve the
objectives. The Secretary will determine whether the proposed management objectives and
measures are consistent with the national standards, other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act
(MSA), and other applicable law. The Secretary has an obligation under section 301(b) of the MSA to
inform the Councils of the Secretary's interpretation of the national standards so that they will have
an understanding of the basis on which FMPs will be reviewed.
(3) The national standards are statutory principles that must be followed in any FMP. The guidelines
summarize Secretarial interpretations that have been, and will be, applied under these principles. The
guidelines are intended as aids to decision-making; FMPs formulated according to the guidelines will
have a better chance for expeditious Secretarial review, approval, and implementation. FMPs that are
not formulated according to the guidelines may not be approved by the Secretary if the FMP or FMP
amendment is inconsistent with the MSA or other applicable law (16 U.S.C. 1854(a)(3)).
(b) Fishery management objectives.
(1) Each FMP, whether prepared by a Council or by the Secretary, should identify what the FMP is
designed to accomplish (i.e., the management objectives to be attained in regulating the fishery
under consideration). In establishing objectives, Councils balance biological constraints with human
needs, reconcile present and future costs and benefits, and integrate the diversity of public and
private interests. If objectives are in conflict, priorities should be established among them.
(2) To reflect the changing needs of the fishery over time, Councils should reassess the FMP's
management objectives on a regular basis.
(3) How objectives are defined is important to the management process. Objectives should address the
problems of a particular fishery. The objectives should be clearly stated, practicably attainable,
framed in terms of definable events and measurable benefits, and based upon a comprehensive
rather than a fragmentary approach to the problems addressed. An FMP should make a clear
distinction between objectives and the management measures chosen to achieve them. The
objectives of each FMP provide the context within which the Secretary will judge the consistency of
an FMP's conservation and management measures with the national standards.
(c) Stocks that require conservation and management.
(1) Magnuson-Stevens Act section 302(h)(1) requires a Council to prepare an FMP for each fishery
under its authority that requires (or in other words, is in need of) conservation and management. 16
U.S.C. 1852(h)(1). Not every fishery requires Federal management. Any stocks that are
predominately caught in Federal waters and are overfished or subject to overfishing, or likely to
become overfished or subject to overfishing, are considered to require conservation and
management. Beyond such stocks, Councils may determine that additional stocks require
“conservation and management.” (See Magnuson-Stevens Act definition at 16 U.S.C. 1802(5)).
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50 CFR 600.305(c)(1)(i)

Based on this definition of conservation and management, and other relevant provisions of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, a Council should consider the following non-exhaustive list of factors when
deciding whether additional stocks require conservation and management:
(i)

The stock is an important component of the marine environment.

(ii) The stock is caught by the fishery.
(iii) Whether an FMP can improve or maintain the condition of the stock.
(iv) The stock is a target of a fishery.
(v) The stock is important to commercial, recreational, or subsistence users.
(vi) The fishery is important to the Nation or to the regional economy.
(vii) The need to resolve competing interests and conflicts among user groups and whether an FMP
can further that resolution.
(viii) The economic condition of a fishery and whether an FMP can produce more efficient utilization.
(ix) The needs of a developing fishery, and whether an FMP can foster orderly growth.
(x) The extent to which the fishery is already adequately managed by states, by state/Federal
programs, or by Federal regulations pursuant to other FMPs or international commissions, or by
industry self-regulation, consistent with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and
other applicable law.
(2) In evaluating factors in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (x) of this section, a Council should consider the
specific circumstances of a fishery, based on the best scientific information available, to determine
whether there are biological, economic, social and/or operational concerns that can and should be
addressed by Federal management.
(3) When considering adding a stock to an FMP, no single factor is dispositive or required. One or more
of the above factors, and any additional considerations that may be relevant to the particular stock,
may provide the basis for determining that a stock requires conservation and management. Based
on the factor in paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section, if the amount and/or type of catch that occurs in
Federal waters is a significant contributing factor to the stock's status, such information would
weigh heavily in favor of adding a stock to an FMP. However, Councils should consider the factor in
paragraph (c)(1)(x) of this section before deciding to include a stock in an FMP. In many
circumstances, adequate management of a fishery by states, state/Federal programs, or another
Federal FMP would weigh heavily against a Federal FMP action. See, e.g., 16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(7) and
1856(a)(3).
(4) When considering removing a stock from, or continuing to include a stock in, an FMP, Councils
should prepare a thorough analysis of factors in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (x) of this section, and
any additional considerations that may be relevant to the particular stock. As mentioned in
paragraph (c)(3) of this section, if the amount and/or type of catch that occurs in Federal waters is a
significant contributing factor to the stock's status, such information would weigh heavily in favor of
continuing to include a stock in an FMP. Councils should consider weighting the factors as follows.
Factors in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section should be considered first, as they address
maintaining a fishery resource and the marine environment. See 16 U.S.C. 1802(5)(A). These factors
weigh in favor of continuing to include a stock in an FMP. Councils should next consider factors in
paragraphs (c)(1)(iv) through (ix) of this section, which set forth key economic, social, and other
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reasons contained within the MSA for an FMP action. See 16 U.S.C. 1802(5)(B). Finally, a Council
should consider the factor in paragraph (c)(1)(x) of this section before deciding to remove a stock
from, or continue to include a stock in, an FMP. In many circumstances, adequate management of a
fishery by states, state/Federal programs, or another Federal FMP would weigh in favor of removing
a stock from an FMP. See e.g., 16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(7) and 1856(a)(3).
(5) Councils may choose to identify stocks within their FMPs as ecosystem component (EC) species
(see § § 600.305(d)(13) and 600.310(d)(1)) if a Council determines that the stocks do not require
conservation and management based on the considerations and factors in paragraph (c)(1) of this
section. EC species may be identified at the species or stock level, and may be grouped into
complexes. Consistent with National Standard 9, MSA section 303(b)(12), and other applicable MSA
sections, management measures can be adopted in order to, for example, collect data on the EC
species, minimize bycatch or bycatch mortality of EC species, protect the associated role of EC
species in the ecosystem, and/or to address other ecosystem issues.
(6) A stock or stock complex may be identified in more than one FMP. In this situation, the relevant
Councils should choose which FMP will be the primary FMP in which reference points for the stock
or stock complex will be established. In other FMPs, the stock or stock complex may be identified as
“other managed stocks” and management measures that are consistent with the objectives of the
primary FMP can be established.
(7) Councils should periodically review their FMPs and the best scientific information available and
determine if the stocks are appropriately identified. As appropriate, stocks should be reclassified
within an FMP, added to or removed from an existing FMP, or added to a new FMP, through an FMP
amendment that documents the rationale for the decision.
(d) Word usage within the National Standard Guidelines. The word usage refers to all regulations in this
subpart.
(1) Must is used, instead of “shall”, to denote an obligation to act; it is used primarily when referring to
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the logical extension thereof, or of other applicable law.
(2) Shall is used only when quoting statutory language directly, to avoid confusion with the future tense.
(3) Should is used to indicate that an action or consideration is strongly recommended to fulfill the
Secretary's interpretation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is a factor reviewers will look for in
evaluating a statement of organization, practices, and procedures (SOPP) or an FMP.
(4) May is used in a permissive sense.
(5) Will is used descriptively, as distinguished from denoting an obligation to act or the future tense.
(6) Could is used when giving examples, in a hypothetical, permissive sense.
(7) Can is used to mean “is able to,” as distinguished from “may.”
(8) Examples are given by way of illustration and further explanation. They are not inclusive lists; they do
not limit options.
(9) Analysis, as a paragraph heading, signals more detailed guidance as to the type of discussion and
examination an FMP should contain to demonstrate compliance with the standard in question.
(10) Council includes the Secretary, as applicable, when preparing FMPs or amendments under section
304(c) and (g) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
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(11) Target stocks are stocks or stock complexes that fishers seek to catch for sale or personal use,
including such fish that are discarded for economic or regulatory reasons as defined under
Magnuson-Stevens Act section 3(9) and 3(38).
(12) Non-target species and non-target stocks are fish caught incidentally during the pursuit of target
stocks in a fishery. Non-target stocks may require conservation and management and, if so, must be
included in a FMP and be identified at the stock or stock complex level. If non-target species are not
in need of conservation and management, they may be identified in an FMP as ecosystem
component species.
(13) Ecosystem Component Species (see §§ 600.305(c)(5) and 600.310(d)(1)) are stocks that a Council
or the Secretary has determined do not require conservation and management, but desire to list in an
FMP in order to achieve ecosystem management objectives.
(e) Relationship of National Standard 1 to other national standards —General. National Standard 1 addresses
preventing overfishing and achieving optimum yield. See 16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(1) and 50 CFR 600.310.
National Standards 2 through 10 provide further requirements for conservation and management
measures in FMPs. See 16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(2) through (10) and 50 CFR 600.315 through 600.355. Below is
a description of how some of the other National Standards intersect with National Standard 1.
(1) National Standard 2 (see § 600.315). Management measures and reference points to implement NS1
must be based on the best scientific information available. When data are insufficient to estimate
reference points directly, Councils should develop reasonable proxies to the extent possible (also see
§ 600.310(e)(1)(v)(B)). In cases where scientific data are severely limited, effort should also be
directed to identifying and gathering the needed data. SSCs should advise their Councils regarding
the best scientific information available for fishery management decisions.
(2) National Standard 3 (see § 600.320). Reference points should generally be specified in terms of the
level of stock aggregation for which the best scientific information is available (also see §
600.310(e)(1)(ii) and (iii)).
(3) National Standard 6 (see § 600.335). Councils must build into the reference points and control rules
appropriate consideration of risk, taking into account uncertainties in estimating harvest, stock
conditions, life history parameters, or the effects of environmental factors.
(4) National Standard 8 (see § 600.345). National Standard 8 addresses economic and social
considerations and minimizing to the extent practicable adverse economic impacts on fishing
communities within the context of preventing overfishing and rebuilding overfished stocks as
required under National Standard 1 and other MSA provisions. Calculation of OY as reduced from
maximum sustainable yield (MSY) also includes consideration of economic and social factors, but
the combination of management measures chosen to achieve the OY must principally be designed
to prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks.
(5) National Standard 9 (see § 600.350). Evaluation of stock status with respect to reference points
must take into account mortality caused by bycatch. In addition, the estimation of catch should
include the mortality of fish that are discarded.
[81 FR 71893, Oct. 18, 2016]

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§ 600.310 National Standard 1—Optimum Yield.
(a) Standard 1. Conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing while achieving, on a
continuing basis, the optimum yield (OY) from each fishery for the U.S. fishing industry.
(b) General.
(1) The guidelines set forth in this section describe fishery management approaches to meet the
objectives of National Standard 1 (NS1), and include guidance on:
(i)

Specifying maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and OY;

(ii) Specifying status determination criteria (SDC) so that overfishing and overfished
determinations can be made for stocks and stock complexes in an FMP;
(iii) Preventing overfishing and achieving OY, incorporation of scientific and management
uncertainty in control rules, and adaptive management using annual catch limits (ACL) and
measures to ensure accountability (i.e., accountability measures (AMs)); and
(iv) Rebuilding stocks and stock complexes.
(2) Overview of Magnuson-Stevens Act concepts and provisions related to NS1 —
(i)

MSY. The Magnuson-Stevens Act establishes MSY as the basis for fishery management and
requires that: The fishing mortality rate must not jeopardize the capacity of a stock or stock
complex to produce MSY; the abundance of an overfished stock or stock complex must be
rebuilt to a level that is capable of producing MSY; and OY must not exceed MSY.

(ii) OY. The determination of OY is a decisional mechanism for resolving the Magnuson-Stevens
Act's conservation and management objectives, achieving an FMP's objectives, and balancing
the various interests that comprise the greatest overall benefits to the Nation. OY is based on
MSY as reduced under paragraphs (e)(3)(iii)(A) and (B) of this section. The most important
limitation on the specification of OY is that the choice of OY and the conservation and
management measures proposed to achieve it must prevent overfishing.
(iii) ACLs and AMs. Any FMP shall establish a mechanism for specifying ACLs in the FMP (including
a multiyear plan), implementing regulations, or annual specifications, at a level such that
overfishing does not occur in the fishery, including measures to ensure accountability
(Magnuson-Stevens Act section 303(a)(15)).
(iv) Reference points. SDC, MSY, OY, acceptable biological catch (ABC), and ACL, which are
described further in paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section, are collectively referred to as
“reference points.”
(v) Scientific advice. The Magnuson-Stevens Act has requirements regarding scientific and
statistical committees (SSC) of the Regional Fishery Management Councils, including but not
limited to, the following provisions (paragraphs (b)(2)(v)(A) through (D) of this section). See the
National Standard 2 guidelines for further guidance on SSCs and the peer review process (§
600.315).
(A) Each Regional Fishery Management Council shall establish an SSC as described in section
302(g)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

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(B) Each SSC shall provide its Regional Fishery Management Council recommendations for
ABC as well as other scientific advice, as described in Magnuson-Stevens Act section
302(g)(1)(B).
(C) The Secretary and each Regional Fishery Management Council may establish a peer
review process for that Council for scientific information used to advise the Council about
the conservation and management of a fishery (see Magnuson-Stevens Act section
302(g)(1)(E)). If a peer review process is established, it should investigate the technical
merits of stock assessments and other scientific information to be used by the SSC or
agency or international scientists, as appropriate. For Regional Fishery Management
Councils, the peer review process is not a substitute for the SSC and both the SSC and
peer review process should work in conjunction with each other. For the Secretary, which
does not have an SSC, the peer review process should provide the scientific information
necessary.
(D) Each Council shall develop ACLs for each of its managed fisheries that may not exceed
the “fishing level recommendations” of its SSC or peer review process (Magnuson-Stevens
Act section 302(h)(6)). The SSC recommendation that is the most relevant to ACLs is ABC,
as both ACL and ABC are levels of annual catch.
(3) Approach for setting limits and accountability measures, including targets, for consistency with NS1.
When specifying limits and accountability measures, Councils must take an approach that considers
uncertainty in scientific information and management control of the fishery. These guidelines
describe how the Councils could address uncertainty such that there is a low risk that limits are
exceeded as described in paragraphs (f)(2) and (g)(4) of this section.
(4) Vulnerability. A stock's vulnerability to fishing pressure is a combination of its productivity, which
depends upon its life history characteristics, and its susceptibility to the fishery. Productivity refers to
the capacity of the stock to produce MSY and to recover if the population is depleted, and
susceptibility is the potential for the stock to be impacted by the fishery, which includes direct
captures, as well as indirect impacts of the fishery (e.g., loss of habitat quality).
(c) Summary of items to include in FMPs related to NS1. This section provides a summary of items that
Councils must include in their FMPs and FMP amendments in order to address ACL, AM, and other
aspects of the NS1 guidelines. Councils must describe fisheries data for the stocks and stock complexes
in their FMPs, or associated public documents such as Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE)
Reports. For all stocks and stock complexes that require conservation and management (see §
600.305(c)), the Councils must evaluate and describe the following items in their FMPs and amend the
FMPs, if necessary, to align their management objectives to end or prevent overfishing and to achieve OY:
(1) MSY and SDC (see paragraphs (e)(1) and (2) of this section).
(2) OY at the stock, stock complex, or fishery level and provide the OY specification analysis (see
paragraph (e)(3) of this section).
(3) ABC control rule (see paragraph (f)(2) of this section).
(4) Mechanisms for specifying ACLs (see paragraph (f)(4) of this section).
(5) AMs (see paragraph (g) of this section).

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(6) Stocks and stock complexes that have statutory exceptions from ACLs and AMs (see paragraph
(h)(1) of this section) or which fall under limited circumstances which require different approaches
to meet the Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements (see paragraph (h)(2) of this section).
(d) Stocks and stock complexes —
(1) Introduction. As described in § 600.305(c), Councils should identify in their FMPs the stocks that
require conservation and management. Such stocks must have ACLs, other reference points, and
accountability measures. Other stocks that are identified in an FMP (i.e., EC species or stocks that
the fishery interacts with but are managed primarily under another FMP, see § 600.305(c)(5) through
(6)) do not require ACLs, other reference points, or accountability measures.
(2) Stock complex. Stocks that require conservation and management can be grouped into stock
complexes. A “stock complex” is a tool to manage a group of stocks within a FMP.
(i)

At the time a stock complex is established, the FMP should provide, to the extent practicable, a
full and explicit description of the proportional composition of each stock in the stock complex.
Stocks may be grouped into complexes for various reasons, including where stocks in a
multispecies fishery cannot be targeted independent of one another; where there is insufficient
data to measure a stock's status relative to SDC; or when it is not feasible for fishermen to
distinguish individual stocks among their catch. Where practicable, the group of stocks should
have a similar geographic distribution, life history characteristics, and vulnerabilities to fishing
pressure such that the impact of management actions on the stocks is similar. The vulnerability
of individual stocks should be considered when determining if a particular stock complex
should be established or reorganized, or if a particular stock should be included in a complex.

(ii) Indicator stocks.
(A) An indicator stock is a stock with measurable and objective SDC that can be used to help
manage and evaluate more poorly known stocks that are in a stock complex.
(B) Where practicable, stock complexes should include one or more indicator stocks (each of
which has SDC and ACLs). Otherwise, stock complexes may be comprised of: Several
stocks without an indicator stock (with SDC and an ACL for the complex as a whole), or
one or more indicator stocks (each of which has SDC and management objectives) with
an ACL for the complex as a whole (this situation might be applicable to some salmon
species). Councils should review the available quantitative or qualitative information (e.g.,
catch trends, changes in vulnerability, fish health indices, etc.) of stocks within a complex
on a regular basis to determine if they are being sustainably managed.
(C) If an indicator stock is used to evaluate the status of a complex, it should be
representative of the typical vulnerability of stocks within the complex. If the stocks within
a stock complex have a wide range of vulnerability, they should be reorganized into
different stock complexes that have similar vulnerabilities; otherwise the indicator stock
should be chosen to represent the more vulnerable stocks within the complex. In
instances where an indicator stock is less vulnerable than other members of the complex,
management measures should be more conservative so that the more vulnerable
members of the complex are not at risk from the fishery.
(D) More than one indicator stock can be selected to provide more information about the
status of the complex.

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(E) When indicator stocks are used, the stock complex's MSY could be listed as “unknown,”
while noting that the complex is managed on the basis of one or more indicator stocks
that do have known stock-specific MSYs, or suitable proxies, as described in paragraph
(e)(1)(v) of this section.
(e) Features of MSY, SDC, and OY —
(1) MSY. Each FMP must include an estimate of MSY for the stocks and stock complexes that require
conservation and management. MSY may also be specified for the fishery as a whole.
(i)

Definitions.
(A) MSY is the largest long-term average catch or yield that can be taken from a stock or stock
complex under prevailing ecological, environmental conditions and fishery technological
characteristics (e.g., gear selectivity), and the distribution of catch among fleets.
(B) MSY fishing mortality rate (Fmsy) is the fishing mortality rate that, if applied over the long
term, would result in MSY.
(C) MSY stock size (Bmsy) means the long-term average size of the stock or stock complex,
measured in terms of spawning biomass or other appropriate measure of the stock's
reproductive potential that would be achieved by fishing at Fmsy.

(ii) MSY for stocks. MSY should be estimated for each stock based on the best scientific
information available (see § 600.315).
(iii) MSY for stock complexes. When stock complexes are used, MSY should be estimated for one
or more indicator stocks or for the complex as a whole (see paragraph (d)(2)(ii)).
(iv) Methods of estimating MSY for an aggregate group of stocks. Estimating MSY for an aggregate
group of stocks (including stock complexes and the fishery as a whole) can be done using
models that account for multi-species interactions, composite properties for a group of similar
species, biomass (energy) flow and production patterns, or other relevant factors (see
paragraph (e)(3)(iv)(C) of this section).
(v) Specifying MSY.
(A) Because MSY is a long-term average, it need not be estimated annually, but it must be
based on the best scientific information available (see § 600.315), and should be reestimated as required by changes in long-term environmental or ecological conditions,
fishery technological characteristics, or new scientific information.
(B) When data are insufficient to estimate MSY directly, Councils should adopt other measures
of reproductive potential that can serve as reasonable proxies for MSY, Fmsy, and Bmsy.
(C) The MSY for a stock or stock complex is influenced by its interactions with other stocks in
its ecosystem and these interactions may shift as multiple stocks in an ecosystem are
fished. Ecological and environmental information should be taken into account, to the
extent practicable, when assessing stocks and specifying MSY. Ecological and
environmental information that is not directly accounted for in the specification of MSY
can be among the ecological factors considered when setting OY below MSY.

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(D) As MSY values are estimates or are based on proxies, they will have some level of
uncertainty associated with them. The degree of uncertainty in the estimates should be
identified, when practicable, through the stock assessment process and peer review (see §
600.335), and should be taken into account when specifying the ABC Control rule (see
paragraph (f)(2) of this section).
(2) Status determination criteria —
(i)

Definitions.
(A) Status determination criteria (SDC) mean the measurable and objective factors, MFMT,
OFL, and MSST, or their proxies, that are used to determine if overfishing has occurred, or
if the stock or stock complex is overfished. Magnuson-Stevens Act (section 3(34)) defines
both “overfishing” and “overfished” to mean a rate or level of fishing mortality that
jeopardizes the capacity of a fishery to produce the MSY on a continuing basis. To avoid
confusion, this section clarifies that “overfished” relates to biomass of a stock or stock
complex, and “overfishing” pertains to a rate or level of removal of fish from a stock or
stock complex.
(B) Overfishing occurs whenever a stock or stock complex is subjected to a level of fishing
mortality or total catch that jeopardizes the capacity of a stock or stock complex to
produce MSY on a continuing basis.
(C) Maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT) means the level of fishing mortality (i.e. F),
on an annual basis, above which overfishing is occurring. The MFMT or reasonable proxy
may be expressed either as a single number (a fishing mortality rate or F value), or as a
function of spawning biomass or other measure of reproductive potential.
(D) Overfishing limit (OFL) means the annual amount of catch that corresponds to the
estimate of MFMT applied to a stock or stock complex's abundance and is expressed in
terms of numbers or weight of fish.
(E) Overfished. A stock or stock complex is considered “overfished” when its biomass has
declined below MSST.
(F) Minimum stock size threshold (MSST) means the level of biomass below which the
capacity of the stock or stock complex to produce MSY on a continuing basis has been
jeopardized.
(G) Approaching an overfished condition. A stock or stock complex is approaching an
overfished condition when it is projected that there is more than a 50 percent chance that
the biomass of the stock or stock complex will decline below the MSST within two years.

(ii) Specification of SDC and overfishing and overfished determinations. Each FMP must describe
how objective and measurable SDCs will be specified, as described in paragraphs (e)(2)(ii)(A)
and (B) of this section. To be measurable and objective, SDC must be expressed in a way that
enables the Council to monitor the status of each stock or stock complex in the FMP. Applying
the SDC set forth in the FMP, the Secretary determines if overfishing is occurring and whether
the stock or stock complex is overfished (Magnuson-Stevens Act section 304(e)). SDCs are
often based on fishing rates or biomass levels associated with MSY or MSY based proxies.
When data are not available to specify SDCs based on MSY or MSY proxies, alternative types of
SDCs that promote sustainability of the stock or stock complex can be used. For example, SDC
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could be based on recent average catch, fish densities derived from visual census surveys,
length/weight frequencies, or other methods. In specifying SDC, a Council must provide an
analysis of how the SDC were chosen and how they relate to reproductive potential of stocks of
fish within the fishery. If alternative types of SDCs are used, the Council should explain how the
approach will promote sustainability of the stock or stock complex on a long term basis. A
Council should consider a process that allows SDCs to be quickly updated to reflect the best
scientific information available. In the case of internationally-managed stocks, the Council may
decide to use the SDCs defined by the relevant international body. In this instance, the SDCs
should allow the Council to monitor the status of a stock or stock complex, recognizing that the
SDCs may not be defined in such a way that a Council could monitor the MFMT, OFL, or MSST
as would be done with a domestically managed stock or stock complex.
(A) SDC to Determine Overfishing Status. Each FMP must specify a method used to determine
the overfishing status for each stock or stock complex. For domestically-managed stocks
or stock complexes, one of the following methods (described in (e)(2)(ii)(A)(1) and (2) of
this section) should be specified. If the necessary data to use one of the methods
described in either subparagraph (e)(2)(ii)(A)(1) or
(2) is not available, a Council may use an alternate type of overfishing SDC as described
in paragraph (e)(2)(ii).
(1) Fishing Mortality Rate Exceeds MFMT. Exceeding the MFMT for a period of 1 year
constitutes overfishing.
(2) Catch Exceeds the OFL. Exceeding the annual OFL for 1 year constitutes
overfishing.
(3) Multi-Year Approach to Determine Overfishing Status. Subparagraphs (e)(2)(ii)(A) (1)
and (2) establish methods to determine overfishing status based on a period of 1
year. As stated in paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(A), a Council should specify, within the FMP,
which of these methods will be used to determine overfishing status. However, in
certain circumstances, a Council may utilize a multi-year approach to determine
overfishing status based on a period of no more than 3 years. The Council should
identify in its FMP or FMP amendment, circumstances when the multi-year approach
is appropriate and will be used. Such circumstances may include situations where
there is high uncertainty in the estimate of F in the most recent year, cases where
stock abundance fluctuations are high and assessments are not timely enough to
forecast such changes, or other circumstances where the most recent catch or F
data does not reflect the overall status of the stock. The multi-year approach to
determine overfishing status may not be used to specify future annual catch limits at
levels that do not prevent overfishing.
(B) SDC to determine overfished status. The MSST or reasonable proxy must be expressed in
terms of spawning biomass or other measure of reproductive potential. MSST should be
between 1⁄2 Bmsy and Bmsy, and could be informed by the life history of the stock, the
natural fluctuations in biomass associated with fishing at MFMT over the long-term, the
requirements of internationally-managed stocks, or other considerations.
(C) Where practicable, all sources of mortality including that resulting from bycatch, scientific
research catch, and all fishing activities should be accounted for in the evaluation of stock
status with respect to reference points.
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(iii) Relationship of SDC to environmental and habitat change. Some short-term environmental
changes can alter the size of a stock or stock complex without affecting its long-term
reproductive potential. Long-term environmental changes may affect both the short-term size
of the stock or stock complex and the long-term reproductive potential of the stock or stock
complex.
(A) If environmental changes cause a stock or stock complex to fall below its MSST without
affecting its long-term reproductive potential, fishing mortality must be constrained
sufficiently to allow rebuilding within an acceptable time frame (see also paragraph
(j)(3)(i) of this section). SDC should not be respecified.
(B) If environmental, ecosystem, or habitat changes affect the long-term reproductive
potential of the stock or stock complex, one or more components of the SDC must be
respecified. Once SDC have been respecified, fishing mortality may or may not have to be
reduced, depending on the status of the stock or stock complex with respect to the new
criteria.
(C) If manmade environmental changes are partially responsible for a stock or stock
complex's biomass being below MSST, in addition to controlling fishing mortality, Councils
should recommend restoration of habitat and other ameliorative programs, to the extent
possible (see also the guidelines issued pursuant to section 305(b) of the MagnusonStevens Act for Council actions concerning essential fish habitat).
(iv) Secretarial approval of SDC. Secretarial approval or disapproval of proposed SDC will be based
on consideration of whether the proposal:
(A) Is based on the best scientific information available;
(B) Contains the elements described in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of this section;
(C) Provides a basis for objective measurement of the status of the stock or stock complex
against the criteria; and
(D) Is operationally feasible.
(3) Optimum yield. For stocks that require conservation and management, OY may be established at the
stock, stock complex, or fishery level.
(i)

Definitions —
(A) Optimum yield (OY). Magnuson-Stevens Act section (3)(33) defines “optimum,” with
respect to the yield from a fishery, as the amount of fish that will provide the greatest
overall benefit to the Nation, particularly with respect to food production and recreational
opportunities and taking into account the protection of marine ecosystems; that is
prescribed on the basis of the MSY from the fishery, as reduced by any relevant economic,
social, or ecological factor; and, in the case of an overfished fishery, that provides for
rebuilding to a level consistent with producing the MSY in such fishery.
(B) In NS1, use of the phrase “achieving, on a continuing basis, the OY from each fishery”
means: producing, from each stock, stock complex, or fishery, an amount of catch that is,
on average, equal to the Council's specified OY; prevents overfishing; maintains the long

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term average biomass near or above Bmsy; and rebuilds overfished stocks and stock
complexes consistent with timing and other requirements of section 304(e)(4) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and paragraph (j) of this section.
(ii) General. OY is a long-term average amount of desired yield from a stock, stock complex, or
fishery. An FMP must contain conservation and management measures, including ACLs and
AMs, to achieve OY on a continuing basis, and provisions for information collection that are
designed to determine the degree to which OY is achieved. These measures should allow for
practical and effective implementation and enforcement of the management regime. If these
measures cannot meet the dual requirements of NS1 (preventing overfishing while achieving,
on a continuing basis, OY), Councils should either modify the measures or reexamine their OY
specifications to ensure that the dual NS1 requirements can be met.
(iii) Assessing OY. An FMP must contain an assessment and specification of OY (MSA section
303(a)(3)). The assessment should include: a summary of information utilized in making such
specification; an explanation of how the OY specification will produce the greatest benefits to
the nation and prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks; and a consideration of the
economic, social, and ecological factors relevant to the management of a particular stock,
stock complex, or fishery. Consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act section 302(h)(5), the
assessment and specification of OY should be reviewed on a continuing basis, so that it is
responsive to changing circumstances in the fishery.
(A) Determining the greatest benefit to the Nation. In determining the greatest benefit to the
Nation, the values that should be weighed and receive serious attention when considering
the economic, social, or ecological factors used in reducing MSY, or its proxy, to obtain OY
are:
(1) The benefits of food production derived from providing seafood to consumers;
maintaining an economically viable fishery together with its attendant contributions
to the national, regional, and local economies; and utilizing the capacity of the
Nation's fishery resources to meet nutritional needs.
(2) The benefits of recreational opportunities reflect the quality of both the recreational
fishing experience and non-consumptive fishery uses such as ecotourism, fish
watching, and recreational diving. Benefits also include the contribution of
recreational fishing to the national, regional, and local economies and food supplies.
(3) The benefits of protection afforded to marine ecosystems are those resulting from
maintaining viable populations (including those of unexploited species), maintaining
adequate forage for all components of the ecosystem, maintaining evolutionary and
ecological processes (e.g., disturbance regimes, hydrological processes, nutrient
cycles), maintaining productive habitat, maintaining the evolutionary potential of
species and ecosystems, and accommodating human use.
(B) Economic, Ecological, and Social Factors. Councils should consider the management
objectives of their FMPs and their management framework to determine the relevant
social, economic, and ecological factors used to determine OY. There will be inherent
trade-offs when determining the objectives of the fishery. The following is a nonexhaustive list of potential considerations for social, economic, and ecological factors.

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(1) Social factors. Examples are enjoyment gained from recreational fishing, avoidance
of gear conflicts and resulting disputes, preservation of a way of life for fishermen
and their families, and dependence of local communities on a fishery (e.g.,
involvement in fisheries and ability to adapt to change). Consideration may be given
to fishery-related indicators (e.g., number of fishery permits, number of commercial
fishing vessels, number of party and charter trips, landings, ex-vessel revenues etc.)
and non-fishery related indicators (e.g., unemployment rates, percent of population
below the poverty level, population density, etc.), and preference for a particular type
of fishery (e.g., size of the fishing fleet, type of vessels in the fleet, permissible gear
types). Other factors that may be considered include the effects that past harvest
levels have had on fishing communities, the cultural place of subsistence fishing,
obligations under tribal treaties, proportions of affected minority and low-income
groups, and worldwide nutritional needs.
(2) Economic factors. Examples are prudent consideration of the risk of overharvesting
when a stock's size or reproductive potential is uncertain (see § 600.335(c)(2)(i)),
satisfaction of consumer and recreational needs, and encouragement of domestic
and export markets for U.S. harvested fish. Other factors that may be considered
include: The value of fisheries, the level of capitalization, the decrease in cost per unit
of catch afforded by an increase in stock size, the attendant increase in catch per
unit of effort, alternate employment opportunities, and economic contribution to
fishing communities, coastal areas, affected states, and the nation.
(3) Ecological factors. Examples include impacts on EC species, forage fish stocks, other
fisheries, predator-prey or competitive interactions, marine mammals, threatened or
endangered species, and birds. Species interactions that have not been explicitly
taken into account when calculating MSY should be considered as relevant factors
for setting OY below MSY. In addition, consideration should be given to managing
forage stocks for higher biomass than Bmsy to enhance and protect the marine
ecosystem. Also important are ecological or environmental conditions that stress
marine organisms or their habitat, such as natural and manmade changes in
wetlands or nursery grounds, and effects of pollutants on habitat and stocks.
(iv) Specifying OY. If the estimates of MFMT and current biomass are known with a high level of
certainty and management controls can accurately limit catch, then OY could be set very close
to MSY, assuming no other reductions are necessary for social, economic, or ecological factors.
To the degree that such MSY estimates and management controls are lacking or unavailable,
OY should be set farther from MSY.
(A) The OY can be expressed in terms of numbers or weight of fish, and either as a single
value or a range. When it is not possible to specify OY quantitatively, OY may be described
qualitatively.
(B) The determination of OY is based on MSY, directly or through proxy. However, even where
sufficient scientific data as to the biological characteristics of the stock do not exist, or
where the period of exploitation or investigation has not been long enough for adequate
understanding of stock dynamics, or where frequent large-scale fluctuations in stock size
diminish the meaningfulness of the MSY concept, OY must still be established based on
the best scientific information available.

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(C) An OY established at a fishery level may not exceed the sum of the MSY values for each of
the stocks or stocks complexes within the fishery. Aggregate level MSY estimates could
be used as a basis for specifying OY for the fishery (see paragraph (e)(1)(iv) of this
section). When aggregate level MSY is estimated, single stock MSY estimates can also be
used to inform single stock management. For example, OY could be specified for a fishery,
while other reference points are specified for individual stocks in order to prevent
overfishing on each stock within the fishery.
(D) For internationally-managed stocks, fishing levels that are agreed upon by the U.S. at the
international level are considered to be consistent with OY requirements under the MSA
and these guidelines.
(v) OY and foreign fishing. Section 201(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act provides that fishing by
foreign nations is limited to that portion of the OY that will not be harvested by vessels of the
United States. The FMP must include an assessment to address the following, as required by
section 303(a)(4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act:
(A) The OY specification is the basis for establishing any total allowable level of foreign
fishing (TALFF).
(B) Part of the OY may be held as a reserve to allow for domestic annual harvest (DAH). If an
OY reserve is established, an adequate mechanism should be included in the FMP to
permit timely release of the reserve to domestic or foreign fishermen, if necessary.
(C) DAH. Councils and/or the Secretary must consider the capacity of, and the extent to which,
U.S. vessels will harvest the OY on an annual basis. Estimating the amount that U.S.
fishing vessels will actually harvest is required to determine the surplus.
(D) Domestic annual processing (DAP). Each FMP must assess the capacity of U.S.
processors. It must also assess the amount of DAP, which is the sum of two estimates:
The estimated amount of U.S. harvest that domestic processors will process, which may
be based on historical performance or on surveys of the expressed intention of
manufacturers to process, supported by evidence of contracts, plant expansion, or other
relevant information; and the estimated amount of fish that will be harvested by domestic
vessels, but not processed (e.g., marketed as fresh whole fish, used for private
consumption, or used for bait).
(E) Joint venture processing (JVP). When DAH exceeds DAP, the surplus is available for JVP.
(f) Acceptable biological catch and annual catch limits —
(1) Definitions. —
(i)

Catch is the total quantity of fish, measured in weight or numbers of fish, taken in commercial,
recreational, subsistence, tribal, and other fisheries. Catch includes fish that are retained for any
purpose, as well as mortality of fish that are discarded.

(ii) Acceptable biological catch (ABC) is a level of a stock or stock complex's annual catch, which is
based on an ABC control rule that accounts for the scientific uncertainty in the estimate of OFL,
any other scientific uncertainty, and the Council's risk policy.

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(iii) Annual catch limit (ACL) is a limit on the total annual catch of a stock or stock complex, which
cannot exceed the ABC, that serves as the basis for invoking AMs. An ACL may be divided into
sector-ACLs (see paragraph (f)(4) of this section).
(iv) Control rule is a policy for establishing a limit or target catch level that is based on the best
scientific information available and is established by the Council in consultation with its SSC.
(v) Management uncertainty refers to uncertainty in the ability of managers to constrain catch so
that the ACL is not exceeded, and the uncertainty in quantifying the true catch amounts (i.e.,
estimation errors). The sources of management uncertainty could include: Late catch reporting;
misreporting; underreporting of catches; lack of sufficient inseason management, including
inseason closure authority; or other factors.
(vi) Scientific uncertainty refers to uncertainty in the information about a stock and its reference
points. Sources of scientific uncertainty could include: Uncertainty in stock assessment results;
uncertainty in the estimates of MFMT, MSST, the biomass of the stock, and OFL; time lags in
updating assessments; the degree of retrospective revision of assessment results; uncertainty
in projections; uncertainties due to the choice of assessment model; longer-term uncertainties
due to potential ecosystem and environmental effects; or other factors.
(2) ABC control rule. —
(i)

For stocks and stock complexes required to have an ABC, each Council must establish an ABC
control rule that accounts for scientific uncertainty in the OFL and for the Council's risk policy,
and that is based on a comprehensive analysis that shows how the control rule prevents
overfishing. The Council's risk policy could be based on an acceptable probability (at least 50
percent) that catch equal to the stock's ABC will not result in overfishing, but other appropriate
methods can be used. When determining the risk policy, Councils could consider the economic,
social, and ecological trade-offs between being more or less risk averse. The Council's choice
of a risk policy cannot result in an ABC that exceeds the OFL. The process of establishing an
ABC control rule may involve science advisors or the peer review process established under
Magnuson-Stevens Act section 302(g)(1)(E).

(ii) The ABC control rule must articulate how ABC will be set compared to the OFL based on the
scientific knowledge about the stock or stock complex and taking into account scientific
uncertainty (see paragraph (f)(1)(vi) of this section). The ABC control rule should consider
reducing fishing mortality as stock size declines below Bmsy and as scientific uncertainty
increases, and may establish a stock abundance level below which fishing would not be
allowed. When scientific uncertainty cannot be directly calculated, such as when proxies are
used, then a proxy for the uncertainty should be established based on the best scientific
information, including comparison to other stocks. The control rule may be used in a tiered
approach to address different levels of scientific uncertainty. Councils can develop ABC control
rules that allow for changes in catch limits to be phased-in over time or to account for the carryover of some of the unused portion of the ACL from one year to the next. The Council must
articulate within its FMP when the phase-in and/or carry-over provisions of the control rule can
and cannot be used and how each provision prevents overfishing, based on a comprehensive
analysis.
(A) Phase-in ABC control rules. Large changes in catch limits due to new scientific information
about the status of the stock can have negative short-term effects on a fishing industry.
To help stabilize catch levels as stock assessments are updated, a Council may choose to
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develop a control rule that phases in changes to ABC over a period of time, not to exceed
3 years, as long as overfishing is prevented each year (i.e., the phased-in catch level
cannot exceed the OFL in any year). In addition, the Councils should evaluate the
appropriateness of phase-in provisions for stocks that are overfished and/or rebuilding, as
the overriding goal for such stocks is to rebuild them in as short a time as possible.
(B) Carry-over ABC control rules. An ABC control rule may include provisions for the carry-over
of some of the unused portion of an ACL (i.e., an ACL underage) from one year to increase
the ABC for the next year, based on the increased stock abundance resulting from the
fishery harvesting less than the full ACL. The resulting ABC recommended by the SSC
must prevent overfishing and must consider scientific uncertainty consistent with the
Council's risk policy. Carry-over provisions could also allow an ACL to be adjusted upwards
as long as the revised ACL does not exceed the specified ABC. When considering whether
to use a carry-over provision, Councils should consider the likely reason for the ACL
underage. ACL underages that result from management uncertainty (e.g., premature
fishery closure) may be appropriate circumstances for considering a carry-over provision.
ACL underages that occur as a result of poor or unknown stock status may not be
appropriate to consider in a carry-over provision. In addition, the Councils should evaluate
the appropriateness of carry-over provisions for stocks that are overfished and/or
rebuilding, as the overriding goal for such stocks is to rebuild them in as short a time as
possible.
(3) Specification of ABC. ABC may not exceed OFL (see paragraph (e)(2)(i)(D) of this section). Councils
and their SSC should develop a process by which the SSC can access the best scientific information
available when implementing the ABC control rule (i.e., specifying the ABC). The SSC must
recommend the ABC to the Council. An SSC may recommend an ABC that differs from the result of
the ABC control rule calculation, based on factors such as data uncertainty, recruitment variability,
declining trends in population variables, and other factors, but must provide an explanation for the
deviation. For Secretarial FMPs or amendments, agency scientists or a peer review process would
provide the scientific advice to establish ABC. For internationally-assessed stocks, an ABC as
defined in these guidelines is not required if stocks fall under the international exception (see
paragraph (h)(1)(ii) of this section). While the ABC is allowed to equal OFL, NMFS expects that in
most cases ABC will be reduced from OFL to reduce the probability that overfishing might occur.
(i)

Expression of ABC. ABC should be expressed in terms of catch, but may be expressed in terms
of landings as long as estimates of bycatch and any other fishing mortality not accounted for in
the landings are incorporated into the determination of ABC.

(ii) ABC for overfished stocks. For overfished stocks and stock complexes, a rebuilding ABC must
be set to reflect the annual catch that is consistent with the schedule of fishing mortality rates
(i.e., Frebuild) in the rebuilding plan.
(4) Setting the annual catch limit —
(i)

General. ACL cannot exceed the ABC and may be set annually or on a multiyear plan basis.
ACLs in coordination with AMs must prevent overfishing (see MSA section 303(a)(15)). If an
Annual Catch Target (ACT), or functional equivalent, is not used, management uncertainty
should be accounted for in the ACL. If a Council recommends an ACL which equals ABC, and
the ABC is equal to OFL, the Secretary may presume that the proposal would not prevent
overfishing, in the absence of sufficient analysis and justification for the approach. A “multiyear
plan” as referenced in section 303(a)(15) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act is a plan that

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establishes harvest specifications or harvest guidelines for each year of a time period greater
than 1 year. A multiyear plan must include a mechanism for specifying ACLs for each year with
appropriate AMs to prevent overfishing and maintain an appropriate rate of rebuilding if the
stock or stock complex is in a rebuilding plan. A multiyear plan must provide that, if an ACL is
exceeded for a year, then AMs are implemented for the next year consistent with paragraph
(g)(3) of this section.
(ii) Sector-ACLs. A Council may, but is not required to, divide an ACL into sector-ACLs. If sectorACLs are used, sector-AMs should also be specified. “Sector,” for purposes of this section,
means a distinct user group to which separate management strategies and separate catch
quotas apply. Examples of sectors include the commercial sector, recreational sector, or
various gear groups within a fishery. If the management measures for different sectors differ in
the degree of management uncertainty, then sector-ACLs may be necessary so that appropriate
AMs can be developed for each sector. If a Council chooses to use sector-ACLs, the sum of
sector-ACLs must not exceed the stock or stock complex level ACL. The system of ACLs and
AMs designed must be effective in protecting the stock or stock complex as a whole. Even if
sector-ACLs and sector-AMs are established, additional AMs at the stock or stock complex
level may be necessary.
(iii) ACLs for State-Federal Fisheries. For stocks or stock complexes that have harvest in state or
territorial waters, FMPs and FMP amendments should include an ACL for the overall stock that
may be further divided. For example, the overall ACL could be divided into a Federal-ACL and
state-ACL. However, NMFS recognizes that Federal management is limited to the portion of the
fishery under Federal authority. See 16 U.S.C. 1856. When stocks are co-managed by Federal,
state, tribal, and/or territorial fishery managers, the goal should be to develop collaborative
conservation and management strategies, and scientific capacity to support such strategies
(including AMs for state or territorial and Federal waters), to prevent overfishing of shared
stocks and ensure their sustainability.
(iv) Relationship between OY and the ACL framework. The dual goals of NS1 are to prevent
overfishing and achieve OY on a continuing basis. The ABC is an upper limit on catch that
prevents overfishing within an established framework of risk and other considerations. As
described in paragraph (e)(3) of this section, ecological, economic, and social factors, as well
as values associated with determining the greatest benefit to the Nation, are important
considerations in specifying OY. These types of considerations can also be considered in the
ACL framework. For example, an ACL (or ACT) could be set lower than the ABC to account for
ecological, economic, and social factors (e.g., needs of forage fish, promoting stability,
addressing market conditions, etc.). Additionally, economic, social, or ecological trade-offs
could be evaluated when determining the risk policy for an ABC control rule (see paragraph
(f)(2) of this section). While OY is a long-term average amount of desired yield, there is, for each
year, an amount of fish that is consistent with achieving the long-term OY. A Council can choose
to express OY on an annual basis, in which case the FMP or FMP amendment should indicate
that the OY is an “annual OY.” An annual OY cannot exceed the ACL.
(g) Accountability measures (AMs) —
(1) Introduction. AMs are management controls to prevent ACLs, including sector-ACLs, from being
exceeded, and to correct or mitigate overages of the ACL if they occur. AMs should address and
minimize both the frequency and magnitude of overages and correct the problems that caused the
overage in as short a time as possible. NMFS identifies two categories of AMs, inseason AMs and
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AMs for when the ACL is exceeded. The FMP should identify what sources of data will be used to
implement AMs (e.g., inseason data, annual catch compared to the ACL, or multi-year averaging
approach).
(2) Inseason AMs. Whenever possible, FMPs should include inseason monitoring and management
measures to prevent catch from exceeding ACLs. Inseason AMs could include, but are not limited to:
An annual catch target (see paragraph (g)(4) of this section); closure of a fishery; closure of specific
areas; changes in gear; changes in trip size or bag limits; reductions in effort; or other appropriate
management controls for the fishery. If final data or data components of catch are delayed, Councils
should make appropriate use of preliminary data, such as landed catch, in implementing inseason
AMs. FMPs should contain inseason closure authority giving NMFS the ability to close fisheries if it
determines, based on data that it deems sufficiently reliable, that an ACL has been exceeded or is
projected to be reached, and that closure of the fishery is necessary to prevent overfishing. For
fisheries without inseason management control to prevent the ACL from being exceeded, AMs
should utilize ACTs that are set below ACLs so that catches do not exceed the ACL.
(3) AMs for when the ACL is exceeded. On an annual basis, the Council must determine as soon as
possible after the fishing year if an ACL was exceeded. If an ACL was exceeded, AMs must be
implemented as soon as possible to correct the operational issue that caused the ACL overage, as
well as any biological consequences to the stock or stock complex resulting from the overage when
it is known. These AMs could include, among other things, modifications of inseason AMs, the use
or modification of ACTs, or overage adjustments. The type of AM chosen by a Council will likely vary
depending on the sector of the fishery, status of the stock, the degree of the overage, recruitment
patterns of the stock, or other pertinent information. If an ACL is set equal to zero and the AM for the
fishery is a closure that prohibits fishing for a stock, additional AMs are not required if only small
amounts of catch (including bycatch) occur, and the catch is unlikely to result in overfishing. For
stocks and stock complexes in rebuilding plans, the AMs should include overage adjustments that
reduce the ACLs in the next fishing year by the full amount of the overage, unless the best scientific
information available shows that a reduced overage adjustment, or no adjustment, is needed to
mitigate the effects of the overage.
(4) Annual Catch Target (ACT) and ACT control rule. ACTs, or the functional equivalent, are
recommended in the system of AMs so that ACL is not exceeded. An ACT is an amount of annual
catch of a stock or stock complex that is the management target of the fishery, and accounts for
management uncertainty in controlling the catch at or below the ACL. ACT control rules can be used
to articulate how management uncertainty is accounted for in setting the ACT. ACT control rules can
be developed by the Council, in coordination with the SSC, to help the Council account for
management uncertainty.
(5) AMs based on multi-year average data. Some fisheries have highly variable annual catches and lack
reliable inseason or annual data on which to base AMs. If there are insufficient data upon which to
compare catch to ACL, AMs could be based on comparisons of average catch to average ACL over a
three-year moving average period or, if supported by analysis, some other appropriate multi-year
period. Councils should explain why basing AMs on a multi-year period is appropriate. Evaluation of
the moving average catch to the average ACL must be conducted annually, and if the average catch
exceeds the average ACL, appropriate AMs should be implemented consistent with paragraph (g)(3)
of this section.

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(6) AMs for State-Federal Fisheries. For stocks or stock complexes that have harvest in state or
territorial waters, FMPs and FMP amendments must, at a minimum, have AMs for the portion of the
fishery under Federal authority. Such AMs could include closing the EEZ when the Federal portion of
the ACL is reached, or the overall stock's ACL is reached, or other measures.
(7) Performance Standard. If catch exceeds the ACL for a given stock or stock complex more than once
in the last four years, the system of ACLs and AMs should be reevaluated, and modified if necessary,
to improve its performance and effectiveness. If AMs are based on multi-year average data, the
performance standard is based on a comparison of the average catch to the average ACL. A Council
could choose a higher performance standard (e.g., a stock's catch should not exceed its ACL more
often than once every five or six years) for a stock that is particularly vulnerable to the effects of
overfishing, if the vulnerability of the stock has not already been accounted for in the ABC control
rule.
(h) Establishing ACL mechanisms and AMs in FMPs. FMPs or FMP amendments must establish ACL
mechanisms and AMs for all stocks and stock complexes that require conservation and management
(see § 600.305(c)), unless paragraph (h)(1) of this section is applicable. These mechanisms should
describe the annual or multiyear process by which ACLs, AMs, and other reference points such as OFL
and ABC will be established.
(1) Exceptions from ACL and AM requirements —
(i)

Life cycle. Section 303(a)(15) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act “shall not apply to a fishery for
species that have a life cycle of approximately 1 year unless the Secretary has determined the
fishery is subject to overfishing of that species” (Pub. L. 109-479 104(b)(2)). This exception
applies to a stock for which the average age of spawners in the population is approximately 1
year or less. While exempt from the ACL and AM requirements, FMPs or FMP amendments for
these stocks must have SDC, MSY, OY, ABC, and an ABC control rule.

(ii) International fishery agreements. Section 303(a)(15) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act applies
“unless otherwise provided for under an international agreement in which the United States
participates” (Pub. L. 109-479 104(b)(1)). This exception applies to stocks or stock complexes
subject to management under an international agreement, which is defined as “any bilateral or
multilateral treaty, convention, or agreement which relates to fishing and to which the United
States is a party” (see Magnuson-Stevens Act section 3(24)). These stocks would still need to
have SDC, MSY, and OY.
(2) Flexibility in application of NS1 guidelines. There are limited circumstances that may not fit the
standard approaches to specification of reference points and management measures set forth in
these guidelines. These include, among other things, conservation and management of Endangered
Species Act listed species, harvests from aquaculture operations, stocks with unusual life history
characteristics (e.g., Pacific salmon, where the spawning potential for a stock is spread over a multiyear period), and stocks for which data are not available either to set reference points based on MSY
or MSY proxies, or to manage to reference points based on MSY or MSY proxies. In these
circumstances, Councils may propose alternative approaches for satisfying requirements of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act other than those set forth in these guidelines. Councils must document their
rationale for any alternative approaches in an FMP or FMP amendment, which will be reviewed for
consistency with the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

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Fisheries data. In their FMPs, or associated public documents such as SAFE reports as appropriate,
Councils must describe general data collection methods, as well as any specific data collection methods
used for all stocks and stock complexes in their FMPs, including:
(1) Sources of fishing mortality (both landed and discarded), including commercial and recreational
catch and bycatch in other fisheries;
(2) Description of the data collection and estimation methods used to quantify total catch mortality in
each fishery, including information on the management tools used (e.g., logbooks, vessel monitoring
systems, observer programs, landings reports, fish tickets, processor reports, dealer reports,
recreational angler surveys, or other methods); the frequency with which data are collected and
updated; and the scope of sampling coverage for each fishery; and
(3) Description of the methods used to compile catch data from various catch data collection methods
and how those data are used to determine the relationship between total catch at a given point in
time and the ACL for stocks and stock complexes that require conservation and management.

(j)

Council actions to address overfishing and rebuilding for stocks and stock complexes —
(1) Notification. The Secretary will immediately notify in writing a Regional Fishery Management Council
whenever the Secretary determines that:
(i)

Overfishing is occurring;

(ii) A stock or stock complex is overfished;
(iii) A stock or stock complex is approaching an overfished condition; or
(iv) Existing remedial action taken for the purpose of ending previously identified overfishing or
rebuilding a previously identified overfished stock or stock complex has not resulted in
adequate progress (see MSA section 304(e)).
(2) Timing of actions —
(i)

If a stock or stock complex is undergoing overfishing. Upon notification that a stock or stock
complex is undergoing overfishing, a Council should immediately begin working with its SSC (or
agency scientists or peer review processes in the case of Secretarially-managed fisheries) to
ensure that the ABC is set appropriately to end overfishing. Councils should evaluate the cause
of overfishing, address the issue that caused overfishing, and reevaluate their ACLs and AMs to
make sure they are adequate.

(ii) If a stock or stock complex is overfished or approaching an overfished condition. Upon
notification that a stock or stock complex is overfished or approaching an overfished condition,
a Council must prepare and implement an FMP, FMP amendment, or proposed regulations
within two years of notification, consistent with the requirements of section 304(e)(3) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. Council actions should be submitted to NMFS within 15 months of
notification to ensure sufficient time for the Secretary to implement the measures, if approved.
(3) Overfished fishery. —
(i)

Where a stock or stock complex is overfished, a Council must specify a time period for
rebuilding the stock or stock complex based on factors specified in Magnuson-Stevens Act
section 304(e)(4). This target time for rebuilding (Ttarget) shall be as short as possible, taking
into account: The status and biology of any overfished stock, the needs of fishing communities,

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recommendations by international organizations in which the U.S. participates, and interaction
of the stock within the marine ecosystem. In addition, the time period shall not exceed 10 years,
except where biology of the stock, other environmental conditions, or management measures
under an international agreement to which the U.S. participates, dictate otherwise. SSCs (or
agency scientists or peer review processes in the case of Secretarial actions) shall provide
recommendations for achieving rebuilding targets (see Magnuson-Stevens Act section
302(g)(1)(B)). The above factors enter into the specification of Ttarget as follows:
(A) The minimum time for rebuilding a stock (Tmin). T min means the amount of time the stock
or stock complex is expected to take to rebuild to its MSY biomass level in the absence of
any fishing mortality. In this context, the term “expected” means to have at least a 50
percent probability of attaining the Bmsy, where such probabilities can be calculated. The
starting year for the Tmin calculation should be the first year that the rebuilding plan is
expected to be implemented.
(B) The maximum time for rebuilding a stock or stock complex to its Bmsy (Tmax ).
(1) If Tmin for the stock or stock complex is 10 years or less, then Tmax is 10 years.
(2) If Tmin for the stock or stock complex exceeds 10 years, then one of the following
methods can be used to determine Tmax:
(i)

Tmin plus the length of time associated with one generation time for that stock
or stock complex. “Generation time” is the average length of time between when
an individual is born and the birth of its offspring,

(ii) The amount of time the stock or stock complex is expected to take to rebuild to
Bmsy if fished at 75 percent of MFMT, or
(iii) Tmin multiplied by two.
(3) In situations where Tmin exceeds 10 years, Tmax establishes a maximum time for
rebuilding that is linked to the biology of the stock. When selecting a method for
determining Tmax, a Council, in consultation with its SSC, should consider the relevant
biological data and scientific uncertainty of that data, and must provide a rationale
for its decision based on the best scientific information available. One of the
methods listed in subparagraphs (j)(3)(i)(B)(2)(ii) and (iii) may be appropriate, for
example, if given data availability and the life history characteristics of the stock,
there is high uncertainty in the estimate of generation time, or if generation time does
not accurately reflect the productivity of the stock.
(C) Target time to rebuilding a stock or stock complex (Ttarget ). Ttarget is the specified time
period for rebuilding a stock that is considered to be as short a time as possible, taking
into account the factors described in paragraph (j)(3)(i) of this section. Ttarget shall not
exceed Tmax, and the fishing mortality associated with achieving Ttarget is referred to as
Frebuild.
(ii) Council action addressing an overfished fishery must allocate both overfishing restrictions and
recovery benefits fairly and equitably among sectors of the fishery.
(iii) For fisheries managed under an international agreement, Council action addressing an
overfished fishery must reflect traditional participation in the fishery, relative to other nations, by
fishermen of the United States.
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(iv) Adequate Progress. The Secretary shall review rebuilding plans at routine intervals that may not
exceed two years to determine whether the plans have resulted in adequate progress toward
ending overfishing and rebuilding affected fish stocks (MSA section 304(e)(7)). Such reviews
could include the review of recent stock assessments, comparisons of catches to the ACL, or
other appropriate performance measures. The Secretary may find that adequate progress is not
being made if Frebuild or the ACL associated with Frebuild is exceeded, and AMs are not
correcting the operational issue that caused the overage, nor addressing any biological
consequences to the stock or stock complex resulting from the overage when it is known (see
paragraph (g)(3) of this section). A lack of adequate progress may also be found when the
rebuilding expectations of a stock or stock complex are significantly changed due to new and
unexpected information about the status of the stock. If a determination is made under this
provision, the Secretary will notify the appropriate Council and recommend further conservation
and management measures, and the Council must develop and implement a new or revised
rebuilding plan within two years (see MSA sections 304(e)(3) and (e)(7)(B)). For Secretariallymanaged fisheries, the Secretary would take immediate action necessary to achieve adequate
progress toward rebuilding and ending overfishing.
(v) While a stock or stock complex is rebuilding, revising rebuilding timeframes (i.e., Ttarget and
Tmax) or Frebuild is not necessary, unless the Secretary finds that adequate progress is not being
made.
(vi) If a stock or stock complex has not rebuilt by Tmax, then the fishing mortality rate should be
maintained at its current Frebuild or 75 percent of the MFMT, whichever is less, until the stock or
stock complex is rebuilt or the fishing mortality rate is changed as a result of the Secretary
finding that adequate progress is not being made.
(4) Emergency actions and interim measures. If a Council is developing a rebuilding plan or revising an
existing rebuilding plan due to a lack of adequate progress (see MSA section 304(e)(7)), the
Secretary may, in response to a Council request, implement interim measures that reduce, but do not
necessarily end, overfishing (see MSA section 304(e)(6)) if all of the following criteria are met:
(i)

The interim measures are needed to address an unanticipated and significantly changed
understanding of the status of the stock or stock complex;

(ii) Ending overfishing immediately is expected to result in severe social and/or economic impacts
to a fishery; and
(iii) The interim measures will ensure that the stock or stock complex will increase its current
biomass through the duration of the interim measures.
(5) Discontinuing a rebuilding plan based on new scientific information. A Council may discontinue a
rebuilding plan for a stock or stock complex before it reaches Bmsy if the Secretary determines that
the stock was not overfished in the year that the overfished determination (see MSA section
304(e)(3)) was based on and has never been overfished in any subsequent year including the current
year.
(k) International overfishing. If the Secretary determines that a fishery is overfished or approaching a
condition of being overfished due to excessive international fishing pressure, and for which there are no
management measures (or no effective measures) to end overfishing under an international agreement to
which the United States is a party, then the Secretary and/or the appropriate Council shall take certain

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actions as provided under Magnuson-Stevens Act section 304(i). The Secretary, in cooperation with the
Secretary of State, must immediately take appropriate action at the international level to end the
overfishing. In addition, within one year after the determination, the Secretary and/or appropriate Council
shall:
(1) Develop recommendations for domestic regulations to address the relative impact of the U.S. fishing
vessels on the stock. Council recommendations should be submitted to the Secretary.
(2) Develop and submit recommendations to the Secretary of State, and to the Congress, for
international actions that will end overfishing in the fishery and rebuild the affected stocks, taking
into account the relative impact of vessels of other nations and vessels of the United States on the
relevant stock. Councils should, in consultation with the Secretary, develop recommendations that
take into consideration relevant provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and NS1 guidelines,
including section 304(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and paragraph (j)(3)(iii) of this section, and
other applicable laws. For highly migratory species in the Pacific, recommendations from the
Western Pacific, North Pacific, or Pacific Councils must be developed and submitted consistent with
Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act section 503(f), as appropriate.
(3) Considerations for assessing “relative impact.” “Relative impact” under paragraphs (k)(1) and (2) of
this section may include consideration of factors that include, but are not limited to: Domestic and
international management measures already in place, management history of a given nation,
estimates of a nation's landings or catch (including bycatch) in a given fishery, and estimates of a
nation's mortality contributions in a given fishery. Information used to determine relative impact
must be based upon the best available scientific information.
(l)

Exceptions to requirements to prevent overfishing. Exceptions to the requirement to prevent overfishing
could apply under certain limited circumstances. Harvesting one stock at its optimum level may result in
overfishing of another stock when the two stocks tend to be caught together (This can occur when the
two stocks are part of the same fishery or if one is bycatch in the other's fishery). Before a Council may
decide to allow this type of overfishing, an analysis must be performed and the analysis must contain a
justification in terms of overall benefits, including a comparison of benefits under alternative management
measures, and an analysis of the risk of any stock or stock complex falling below its MSST. The Council
may decide to allow this type of overfishing if the fishery is not overfished and the analysis demonstrates
that all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) Such action will result in long-term net benefits to the Nation;
(2) Mitigating measures have been considered and it has been demonstrated that a similar level of longterm net benefits cannot be achieved by modifying fleet behavior, gear selection/configuration, or
other technical characteristics in a manner such that no overfishing would occur; and
(3) The resulting rate of fishing mortality will not cause any stock or stock complex to fall below its
MSST more than 50 percent of the time in the long term, although it is recognized that persistent
overfishing is expected to cause the affected stock to fall below its Bmsy more than 50 percent of the
time in the long term.

[81 FR 71895, Oct. 18, 2016]

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§ 600.315 National Standard 2—Scientific Information.
(a) Standard 2. Conservation and management measures shall be based upon the best scientific information
available.
(1) Fishery conservation and management require high quality and timely biological, ecological,
environmental, economic, and sociological scientific information to effectively conserve and manage
living marine resources. Successful fishery management depends, in part, on the thorough analysis
of this information, and the extent to which the information is applied for:
(i)

Evaluating the potential impact that conservation and management measures will have on
living marine resources, essential fish habitat (EFH), marine ecosystems, fisheries participants,
fishing communities, and the nation; and

(ii) Identifying areas where additional management measures are needed.
(2) Scientific information that is used to inform decision making should include an evaluation of its
uncertainty and identify gaps in the information. Management decisions should recognize the
biological (e.g., overfishing), ecological, sociological, and economic (e.g., loss of fishery benefits)
risks associated with the sources of uncertainty and gaps in the scientific information.
(3) Information-limited fisheries, commonly referred to as “data-poor” fisheries, may require use of
simpler assessment methods and greater use of proxies for quantities that cannot be directly
estimated, as compared to data-rich fisheries.
(4) Scientific information includes, but is not limited to, factual input, data, models, analyses, technical
information, or scientific assessments. Scientific information includes data compiled directly from
surveys or sampling programs, and models that are mathematical representations of reality
constructed with primary data. The complexity of the model should not be the defining characteristic
of its value; the data requirements and assumptions associated with a model should be
commensurate with the resolution and accuracy of the available primary data. Scientific information
includes established and emergent scientific information. Established science is scientific
knowledge derived and verified through a standard scientific process that tends to be agreed upon
often without controversy. Emergent science is relatively new knowledge that is still evolving and
being verified, therefore, may potentially be uncertain and controversial. Emergent science should be
considered more thoroughly, and scientists should be attentive to effective communication of
emerging science.
(5) Science is a dynamic process, and new scientific findings constantly advance the state of
knowledge. Best scientific information is, therefore, not static and ideally entails developing and
following a research plan with the following elements: Clear statement of objectives; conceptual
model that provides the framework for interpreting results, making predictions, or testing
hypotheses; study design with an explicit and standardized method of collecting data;
documentation of methods, results, and conclusions; peer review, as appropriate; and
communication of findings.
(6) Criteria to consider when evaluating best scientific information are relevance, inclusiveness,
objectivity, transparency and openness, timeliness, verification and validation, and peer review, as
appropriate.

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(i)

50 CFR 600.315(a)(6)(i)

Relevance. Scientific information should be pertinent to the current questions or issues under
consideration and should be representative of the fishery being managed. In addition to the
information collected directly about the fishery being managed, relevant information may be
available about the same species in other areas, or about related species. For example, use of
proxies may be necessary in data-poor situations. Analysis of related stocks or species may be
a useful tool for inferring the likely traits of stocks for which stock-specific data are unavailable
or are not sufficient to produce reliable estimates. Also, if management measures similar to
those being considered have been introduced in other regions and resulted in particular
behavioral responses from participants or business decisions from industry, such social and
economic information may be relevant.

(ii) Inclusiveness. Three aspects of inclusiveness should be considered when developing and
evaluating best scientific information:
(A) The relevant range of scientific disciplines should be consulted to encompass the scope
of potential impacts of the management decision.
(B) Alternative scientific points of view should be acknowledged and addressed openly when
there is a diversity of scientific thought.
(C) Relevant local and traditional knowledge (e.g., fishermen's empirical knowledge about the
behavior and distribution of fish stocks) should be obtained, where appropriate, and
considered when evaluating the BSIA.
(iii) Objectivity. Scientific information should be accurate, with a known degree of precision, without
addressable bias, and presented in an accurate, clear, complete, and balanced manner.
Scientific processes should be free of undue nonscientific influences and considerations.
(iv) Transparency and openness.
(A) The Magnuson-Stevens Act provides broad public and stakeholder access to the fishery
conservation and management process, including access to the scientific information
upon which the process and management measures are based. Public comment should
be solicited at appropriate times during the review of scientific information.
Communication with the public should be structured to foster understanding of the
scientific process.
(B) Scientific information products should describe data collection methods, report sources of
uncertainty or statistical error, and acknowledge other data limitations. Such products
should explain any decisions to exclude data from analysis. Scientific products should
identify major assumptions and uncertainties of analytical models. Finally, such products
should openly acknowledge gaps in scientific information.
(v) Timeliness. Mandatory management actions should not be delayed due to limitations in the
scientific information or the promise of future data collection or analysis. In some cases, due to
time constraints, results of important studies or monitoring programs may be considered for
use before they are fully complete. Uncertainties and risks that arise from an incomplete study
should be acknowledged, but interim results may be better than no results to help inform a
management decision. Sufficient time should be allotted to audit and analyze recently acquired
information to ensure its reliability. Data collection methods are expected to be subjected to
appropriate review before providing data used to inform management decisions.

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(A) For information that needs to be updated on a regular basis, the temporal gap between
information collection and management implementation should be as short as possible,
subject to regulatory constraints, and such timing concerns should be explicitly
considered when developing conservation and management measures. Late submission
of scientific information to the Council process should be avoided if the information has
circumvented the review process. Data collection is a continuous process, therefore
analysis of scientific information should specify a clear time point beyond which new
information would not be considered in that analysis and would be reserved for use in
subsequent analytical updates.
(B) Historical information should be evaluated for its relevance to inform the current situation.
For example, some species' life history characteristics might not change over time. Other
historical data (e.g., abundance, environmental, catch statistics, market and trade trends)
provide time-series information on changes in fish populations, fishery participation, and
fishing effort that may inform current management decisions.
(vi) Verification and validation. Methods used to produce scientific information should be verified
and validated to the extent possible.
(A) Verification means that the data and procedures used to produce the scientific information
are documented in sufficient detail to allow reproduction of the analysis by others with an
acceptable degree of precision. External reviewers of scientific information require this
level of documentation to conduct a thorough review.
(B) Validation refers to the testing of analytical methods to ensure that they perform as
intended. Validation should include whether the analytical method has been programmed
correctly in the computer software, the accuracy and precision of the estimates is
adequate, and the estimates are robust to model assumptions. Models should be tested
using simulated data from a population with known properties to evaluate how well the
models estimate those characteristics and to correct for known bias to achieve accuracy.
The concept of validation using simulation testing should be used, to the extent possible,
to evaluate how well a management strategy meets management objectives.
(vii) Peer review. Peer review is a process used to ensure that the quality and credibility of scientific
information and scientific methods meet the standards of the scientific and technical
community. Peer review helps ensure objectivity, reliability, and integrity of scientific
information. The peer review process is an organized method that uses peer scientists with
appropriate and relevant expertise to evaluate scientific information. The scientific information
that supports conservation and management measures considered by the Secretary or a
Council should be peer reviewed, as appropriate. Factors to consider when determining whether
to conduct a peer review and if so, the appropriate level of review, include the novelty and
complexity of the scientific information to be reviewed, the level of previous review and the
importance of the information to be reviewed to the decision making process. Routine updates
based on previously reviewed methods require less review than novel methods or data. If
formal peer review is not practicable due to time or resource constraints, the development and
analysis of scientific information used in or in support of fishery management actions should
be as transparent as possible, in accordance with paragraph (a)(6)(iv) of this section. Other
applicable guidance on peer review can be found in the Office of Management and Budget Final
Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review.

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(b) Peer review process. The Secretary and each Council may establish a peer review process for that Council
for scientific information used to advise about the conservation and management of the fishery. 16 U.S.C.
1852(g)(1)(E). A peer review process is not a substitute for an SSC and should work in conjunction with
the SSC (see § 600.310(b)(2)(v)(C)). This section provides guidance and standards that should be
followed in order to establish a peer review process per Magnuson-Stevens Act section 302(g)(1)(E).
(1) The objective or scope of the peer review, the nature of the scientific information to be reviewed, and
timing of the review should be considered when selecting the type of peer review to be used. The
process established by the Secretary and Council should focus on providing review for information
that has not yet undergone rigorous peer review, but that must be peer reviewed in order to provide
reliable, high quality scientific advice for fishery conservation and management. Duplication of
previously conducted peer review should be avoided.
(i)

Form of process. The peer review process may include or consist of existing Council
committees or panels if they meet the standards identified herein. The Secretary and Council
have discretion to determine the appropriate peer review process for a specific information
product. A peer review can take many forms, including individual letter or written reviews and
panel reviews.

(ii) Timing. The peer review should, to the extent practicable, be conducted early in the process of
producing scientific information or a work product, so peer review reports are available for the
SSC to consider in its evaluation of scientific information for its Council and the Secretary. The
timing will depend in part on the scope of the review. For instance, the peer review of a new or
novel method or model should be conducted before there is an investment of time and
resources in implementing the model and interpreting the results. The results of this type of
peer review may contribute to improvements in the model or assessment.
(iii) Scope of work. The scope of work or charge (sometimes called the terms of reference) of any
peer review should be determined in advance of the selection of reviewers. The scope of work
contains the objectives of the peer review, evaluation of the various stages of the science, and
specific recommendations for improvement of the science. The scope of work should be
carefully designed, with specific technical questions to guide the peer review process; it should
ask peer reviewers to ensure that scientific uncertainties are clearly identified and
characterized, it should allow peer reviewers the opportunity to offer a broad evaluation of the
overall scientific or technical product under review, as well as to make recommendations
regarding areas of missing information, future research, data collection, and improvements in
methodologies, and it must not change during the course of the peer review. The scope of work
may not request reviewers to provide advice on policy or regulatory issues (e.g., amount of
precaution used in decision-making) which are within the purview of the Secretary and the
Councils, or to make formal fishing level recommendations which are within the purview of the
SSC.
(2) Peer reviewer selection. The selection of participants in a peer review should be based on expertise,
independence, and a balance of viewpoints, and be free of conflicts of interest.
(i)

Expertise and balance. Peer reviewers must be selected based on scientific expertise and
experience relevant to the disciplines of subject matter to be reviewed. The group of reviewers
that constitute the peer review should reflect a balance in perspectives, to the extent
practicable, and should have sufficiently broad and diverse expertise to represent the range of
relevant scientific and technical perspectives to complete the objectives of the peer review.

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(ii) Conflict of interest. Peer reviewers who are federal employees must comply with all applicable
federal ethics requirements. Potential reviewers who are not federal employees must be
screened for conflicts of interest in accordance with the NOAA Policy on Conflicts of Interest
for Peer Review Subject to OMB's Peer Review Bulletin or other applicable rules or guidelines.
(A) Under the NOAA policy, peer reviewers must not have any conflicts of interest with the
scientific information, subject matter, or work product under review, or any aspect of the
statement of work for the peer review. For purposes of this section, a conflict of interest is
any financial or other interest which conflicts with the service of the individual on a review
panel because it: could significantly impair the reviewer's objectivity, or could create an
unfair competitive advantage for a person or organization.
(B) No individual can be appointed to a review panel if that individual has a conflict of interest
that is relevant to the functions to be performed. For reviews requiring highly specialized
expertise, the limited availability of qualified reviewers might result in an exception when a
conflict of interest is unavoidable; in this situation, the conflict must be promptly and
publicly disclosed. Conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, the personal
financial interests and investments, employer affiliations, and consulting arrangements,
grants, or contracts of the individual and of others with whom the individual has
substantial common financial interests, if these interests are relevant to the functions to
be performed.
(iii) Independence. Peer reviewers must not have contributed or participated in the development of
the work product or scientific information under review. For peer review of products of higher
novelty or controversy, a greater degree of independence is necessary to ensure credibility of
the peer review process. Peer reviewer responsibilities should rotate across the available pool
of qualified reviewers or among the members on a standing peer review panel to prevent a peer
reviewer from repeatedly reviewing the same scientific information, recognizing that, in some
cases, repeated service by the same reviewer may be needed because of limited availability of
specialized expertise.
(3) Transparency. A transparent process is one that ensures that background documents and reports
from peer review are publicly available, subject to Magnuson-Stevens Act confidentiality
requirements, and allows the public full and open access to peer review panel meetings. The
evaluation and review of scientific information by the Councils, SSCs or advisory panels must be
conducted in accordance with meeting procedures at § 600.135. Consistent with that section, public
notice of peer review panel meetings should be announced in the FEDERAL REGISTER with a minimum
of 14 days and with an aim of 21 days before the review to allow public comments during meetings.
Background documents should be available for public review in a timely manner prior to meetings.
Peer review reports describing the scope and objectives of the review, findings in accordance with
each objective, and conclusions should be publicly available. Names and organizational affiliations
of reviewers also should be publicly available.
(4) Publication of the peer review process. The Secretary will announce the establishment of a peer
review process under Magnuson-Stevens Act section 302(g)(1)(E) in the FEDERAL REGISTER along with
a brief description of the process. In addition, detailed information on such processes will be made
publicly available on the Council's Web site, and updated as necessary.

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50 CFR 600.315(c)

(c) SSC scientific evaluation and advice to the Council. Each scientific and statistical committee shall provide
its Council ongoing scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for
acceptable biological catch, preventing overfishing, maximum sustainable yield, achieving rebuilding
targets, and reports on stock status and health, bycatch, habitat status, social and economic impacts of
management measures, and sustainability of fishing practices. 16 U.S.C. 1852(g)(1)(B).
(1) SSC scientific advice and recommendations to its Council are based on scientific information that
the SSC determines to meet the guidelines for best scientific information available as described in
paragraph (a) of this section. SSCs may conduct peer reviews or evaluate peer reviews to provide
clear scientific advice to the Council. Such scientific advice should attempt to resolve conflicting
scientific information, so that the Council will not need to engage in debate on technical merits.
Debate and evaluation of scientific information is the role of the SSC.
(2) An SSC member may participate in a peer review when such participation is beneficial to the peer
review due to the expertise and institutional memory of that member, or beneficial to the Council's
advisory body by allowing that member to make a more informed evaluation of the scientific
information. Participation of an SSC member in a peer review should not impair the ability of that
member to fulfill his or her responsibilities to the SSC.
(3) If an SSC as a body conducts a peer review established under Magnuson-Stevens Act section
302(g)(1)(E) or individual members of an SSC participate in such a peer review, the SSC members
must meet the peer reviewer selection criteria as described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section. In
addition, the financial disclosure requirements under § 600.235, Financial Disclosure for Councils
and Council committees, apply. When the SSC as a body is conducting a peer review, it should strive
for consensus and must meet the transparency guidelines under paragraphs (a)(6)(iv) and (b)(3) of
this section. If consensus cannot be reached, minority viewpoints should be recorded.
(4) The SSC's evaluation of a peer review conducted by a body other than the SSC should consider the
extent and quality of peer review that has already taken place. For Councils with extensive and
detailed peer review processes (e.g., a process established pursuant to Magnuson-Stevens Act
section 302(g)(1)(E)), the evaluation by the SSC of the peer reviewed information should not repeat
the previously conducted and detailed technical peer review. However, SSCs must maintain their role
as advisors to the Council about scientific information that comes from a peer review process.
Therefore, the peer review of scientific information used to advise the Council, including a peer
review process established by the Secretary and the Council under Magnuson-Stevens Act section
302(g)(1)(E), should be conducted early in the scientific evaluation process in order to provide the
SSC with reasonable opportunity to consider the peer review report and make recommendations to
the Council as required under Magnuson-Stevens Act section 302(g)(1)(B).
(5) If an SSC disagrees with the findings or conclusions of a peer review, in whole or in part, the SSC
must prepare a report outlining the areas of disagreement, and the rationale and information used by
the SSC for making its determination. This report must be made publicly available.
(6) Annual catch limits (ACLs) developed by a Council may not exceed its SSC's fishing level
recommendations. 16 U.S.C. 1852(h)(6). Per the National Standard 1 Guidelines, the SSC fishing
level recommendation that is most relevant to ACLs is acceptable biological catch (ABC), as both
ACL and ABC are levels of annual catch (see § 600.310(b)(2)(v)(D)). The SSC is expected to take
scientific uncertainty into account when making its ABC recommendation (§ 600.310(f)(4)). The
ABC recommendation may be based upon input and recommendations from the peer review
process. Any such peer review related to such recommendations should be conducted early in the
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process as described in paragraph (c)(4) of this section. The SSC should resolve differences
between its recommendations and any relevant peer review recommendations per paragraph (c)(5)
of this section.
(d) SAFE Report. The term SAFE (Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation) report, as used in this section,
refers to a public document or a set of related public documents, that provides the Secretary and the
Councils with a summary of scientific information concerning the most recent biological condition of
stocks, stock complexes, and marine ecosystems in the fishery management unit (FMU), essential fish
habitat (EFH), and the social and economic condition of the recreational and commercial fishing interests,
fishing communities, and the fish processing industries. Each SAFE report must be scientifically based
with appropriate citations of data sources and information. Each SAFE report summarizes, on a periodic
basis, the best scientific information available concerning the past, present, and possible future condition
of the stocks, EFH, marine ecosystems, and fisheries being managed under Federal regulation.
(1) The Secretary has the responsibility to ensure that SAFE reports are prepared and updated or
supplemented as necessary whenever new information is available to inform management decisions
such as status determination criteria (SDC), overfishing level (OFL), optimum yield, or ABC values (§
600.310(c)). The SAFE report and any comments or reports from the SSC must be available to the
Secretary and Council for making management decisions for each FMP to ensure that the best
scientific information available is being used. The Secretary or Councils may utilize any combination
of personnel from Council, State, Federal, university, or other sources to acquire and analyze data
and produce the SAFE report.
(2) The SAFE report provides information to the Councils and the Secretary for determining annual catch
limits (§ 600.310(f)(5)) for each stock in the fishery; documenting significant trends or changes in
the resource, marine ecosystems, and fishery over time; implementing required EFH provisions (§
600.815(a)(10)); and assessing the relative success of existing relevant state and Federal fishery
management programs. The SAFE report should contain an explanation of information gaps and
highlight needs for future scientific work. Information on bycatch and safety for each fishery should
also be summarized. In addition, the SAFE report may be used to update or expand previous
environmental and regulatory impact documents and ecosystem descriptions.
(3) Each SAFE report should contain the following scientific information when it exists:
(i)

Information on which to base catch specifications and status determinations, including the
most recent stock assessment documents and associated peer review reports, and
recommendations and reports from the Council's SSC.
(A) A description of the SDC (e.g., maximum fishing mortality rate threshold and minimum
stock size threshold for each stock or stock complex in the fishery) (§ 600.310(e)(2)).
(B) Information on OFL and ABC, preventing overfishing, and achieving rebuilding targets.
Documentation of the data collection, estimation methods, and consideration of
uncertainty in formulating catch specification recommendations should be included (§
600.310(f)(2)). The best scientific information available to determine whether overfishing
is occurring with respect to any stock or stock complex, whether any stock or stock
complex is overfished, whether the rate or level of fishing mortality applied to any stock or
stock complex is approaching the maximum fishing mortality threshold, and whether the
size of any stock or stock complex is approaching the minimum stock size threshold; and

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(C) The best scientific information available in support of management measures necessary
to rebuild an overfished stock or stock complex (if any) in the fishery to a level consistent
with producing the MSY in that fishery.
(ii) Information on sources of fishing mortality (both landed and discarded), including commercial
and recreational catch and bycatch in other fisheries and a description of data collection and
estimation methods used to quantify total catch mortality, as required by the National Standard
1 Guidelines (§ 600.310(i)).
(iii) Information on bycatch of non-target species for each fishery.
(iv) Information on EFH to be included in accordance with the EFH provisions (§ 600.815(a)(10)) .
(v) Pertinent economic, social, community, and ecological information for assessing the success
and impacts of management measures or the achievement of objectives of each FMP.
(4) Transparency in the fishery management process is enhanced by complementing the SAFE report
with the documentation of previous management actions taken by the Council or Secretary including
a summary of the previous ACLs, ACTs, and accountability measures (AMs), and assessment of
management uncertainty.
(5) To facilitate the use of the information in the SAFE report, and its availability to the Council, NMFS,
and the public:
(i)

The SAFE report should contain, or be supplemented by, a summary of the information and an
index or table of contents to the components of the report. Sources of information in the SAFE
report should be referenced, unless the information is proprietary.

(ii) The SAFE report or compilation of documents that comprise the SAFE report and index must be
made available by the Council or NMFS on a readily accessible Web site.
(e) FMP development.
(1) FMPs must take into account the best scientific information available at the time of preparation.
Between the initial drafting of an FMP and its submission for final review, new information often
becomes available. This new information should be incorporated into the final FMP where
practicable; but it is unnecessary to start the FMP process over again, unless the information
indicates that drastic changes have occurred in the fishery that might require revision of the
management objectives or measures.
(2) The fact that scientific information concerning a fishery is incomplete does not prevent the
preparation and implementation of an FMP (see related §§ 600.320(d)(2) and 600.340(b)).
(3) An FMP must specify whatever information fishermen and processors will be required or requested
to submit to the Secretary. Information about harvest within state waters, as well as in the EEZ, may
be collected if it is needed for proper implementation of the FMP and cannot be obtained otherwise.
Scientific information collections for stocks managed cooperatively by Federal and State
governments should be coordinated with the appropriate state jurisdictions, to the extent
practicable, to ensure harvest information is available for the management of stocks that utilize
habitats in state and federal managed waters. The FMP should explain the practical utility of the
information specified in monitoring the fishery, in facilitating inseason management decisions, and
in judging the performance of the management regime; it should also consider the effort, cost, or
social impact of obtaining it.
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(4) An FMP should identify scientific information needed from other sources to improve understanding
and management of the resource, marine ecosystem, the fishery, and fishing communities.
(5) The information submitted by various data suppliers should be comparable and compatible, to the
maximum extent possible.
(6) FMPs should be amended on a timely basis, as new information indicates the necessity for change
in objectives or management measures consistent with the conditions described in paragraph (d) of
this section (SAFE reports). Paragraphs (e)(1) through (5) of this section apply equally to FMPs and
FMP amendments.
[78 FR 43086, July 19, 2013]

§ 600.320 National Standard 3—Management Units.
(a) Standard 3. To the extent practicable, an individual stock of fish shall be managed as a unit throughout its
range, and interrelated stocks of fish shall be managed as a unit or in close coordination.
(b) General. The purpose of this standard is to induce a comprehensive approach to fishery management.
The geographic scope of the fishery, for planning purposes, should cover the entire range of the stocks(s)
of fish, and not be overly constrained by political boundaries.
(c) Unity of management. Cooperation and understanding among entities concerned with the fishery (e.g.,
Councils, states, Federal Government, international commissions, foreign nations) are vital to effective
management. Where management of a fishery involves multiple jurisdictions, coordination among the
several entities should be sought in the development of an FMP. Where a range overlaps Council areas,
one FMP to cover the entire range is preferred.
(d) Management unit. The term “management unit” means a fishery or that portion of a fishery identified in an
FMP as relevant to the FMP's management objectives.
(1) Basis. The choice of a management unit depends on the focus of the FMP's objectives, and may be
organized around biological, geographic, economic, technical, social, or ecological perspectives.
(2) Conservation and management measures. FMPs should include conservation and management
measures for that part of the management unit within U.S. waters, although the Secretary can
ordinarily implement them only within the EEZ. The measures need not be identical for each
geographic area within the management unit, if the FMP justifies the differences. A management
unit may contain stocks of fish for which there is not enough information available to specify MSY
and OY or their proxies.
(e) Analysis. An FMP should include discussion of the following:
(1) The range and distribution of the stocks, as well as the patterns of fishing effort and harvest.
(2) Alternative management units and reasons for selecting a particular one. A less-than-comprehensive
management unit may be justified if, for example, complementary management exists or is planned
for a separate geographic area or for a distinct use of the stocks, or if the unmanaged portion of the
resource is immaterial to proper management.
(3) Management activities and habitat programs of adjacent states and their effects on the FMP's
objectives and management measures. Where state action is necessary to implement measures
within state waters to achieve FMP objectives, the FMP should identify what state action is
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necessary, discuss the consequences of state inaction or contrary action, and make appropriate
recommendations. The FMP should also discuss the impact that Federal regulations will have on
state management activities.
(4) Management activities of other countries having an impact on the fishery, and how the FMP's
management measures are designed to take into account these impacts. International boundaries
may be dealt with in several ways. For example:
(i)

By limiting the management unit's scope to that portion of the stock found in U.S. waters;

(ii) By estimating MSY for the entire stock and then basing the determination of OY for the U.S.
fishery on the portion of the stock within U.S. waters; or
(iii) By referring to treaties or cooperative agreements.
[81 FR 71903, Oct. 18, 2016]

§ 600.325 National Standard 4—Allocations.
(a) Standard 4. Conservation and management measures shall not discriminate between residents of
different states. If it becomes necessary to allocate or assign fishing privileges among various U.S.
fishermen, such allocation shall be:
(1) Fair and equitable to all such fishermen.
(2) Reasonably calculated to promote conservation.
(3) Carried out in such manner that no particular individual, corporation, or other entity acquires an
excessive share of such privileges.
(b) Discrimination among residents of different states. An FMP may not differentiate among U.S. citizens,
nationals, resident aliens, or corporations on the basis of their state of residence. An FMP may not
incorporate or rely on a state statute or regulation that discriminates against residents of another state.
Conservation and management measures that have different effects on persons in various geographic
locations are permissible if they satisfy the other guidelines under Standard 4. Examples of these
precepts are:
(1) An FMP that restricted fishing in the EEZ to those holding a permit from state X would violate
Standard 4 if state X issued permits only to its own citizens.
(2) An FMP that closed a spawning ground might disadvantage fishermen living in the state closest to it,
because they would have to travel farther to an open area, but the closure could be justified under
Standard 4 as a conservation measure with no discriminatory intent.
(c) Allocation of fishing privileges. An FMP may contain management measures that allocate fishing
privileges if such measures are necessary or helpful in furthering legitimate objectives or in achieving the
OY, and if the measures conform with paragraphs (c)(3)(i) through (c)(3)(iii) of this section.
(1) Definition. An “allocation” or “assignment” of fishing privileges is a direct and deliberate distribution
of the opportunity to participate in a fishery among identifiable, discrete user groups or individuals.
Any management measure (or lack of management) has incidental allocative effects, but only those
measures that result in direct distributions of fishing privileges will be judged against the allocation
requirements of Standard 4. Adoption of an FMP that merely perpetuates existing fishing practices
may result in an allocation, if those practices directly distribute the opportunity to participate in the
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fishery. Allocations of fishing privileges include, for example, per-vessel catch limits, quotas by
vessel class and gear type, different quotas or fishing seasons for recreational and commercial
fishermen, assignment of ocean areas to different gear users, and limitation of permits to a certain
number of vessels or fishermen.
(2) Analysis of allocations. Each FMP should contain a description and analysis of the allocations
existing in the fishery and of those made in the FMP. The effects of eliminating an existing allocation
system should be examined. Allocation schemes considered, but rejected by the Council, should be
included in the discussion. The analysis should relate the recommended allocations to the FMP's
objectives and OY specification, and discuss the factors listed in paragraph (c)(3) of this section.
(3) Factors in making allocations. An allocation of fishing privileges must be fair and equitable, must be
reasonably calculated to promote conservation, and must avoid excessive shares. These tests are
explained in paragraphs (c)(3)(i) through (c)(3)(iii) of this section:
(i)

Fairness and equity.
(A) An allocation of fishing privileges should be rationally connected to the achievement of OY
or with the furtherance of a legitimate FMP objective. Inherent in an allocation is the
advantaging of one group to the detriment of another. The motive for making a particular
allocation should be justified in terms of the objectives of the FMP; otherwise, the
disadvantaged user groups or individuals would suffer without cause. For instance, an
FMP objective to preserve the economic status quo cannot be achieved by excluding a
group of long-time participants in the fishery. On the other hand, there is a rational
connection between an objective of harvesting shrimp at their maximum size and closing
a nursery area to trawling.
(B) An allocation of fishing privileges may impose a hardship on one group if it is outweighed
by the total benefits received by another group or groups. An allocation need not preserve
the status quo in the fishery to qualify as “fair and equitable,” if a restructuring of fishing
privileges would maximize overall benefits. The Council should make an initial estimate of
the relative benefits and hardships imposed by the allocation, and compare its
consequences with those of alternative allocation schemes, including the status quo.
Where relevant, judicial guidance and government policy concerning the rights of treaty
Indians and aboriginal Americans must be considered in determining whether an
allocation is fair and equitable.

(ii) Promotion of conservation. Numerous methods of allocating fishing privileges are considered
“conservation and management” measures under section 303 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
An allocation scheme may promote conservation by encouraging a rational, more easily
managed use of the resource. Or, it may promote conservation (in the sense of wise use) by
optimizing the yield in terms of size, value, market mix, price, or economic or social benefit of
the product. To the extent that rebuilding plans or other conservation and management
measures that reduce the overall harvest in a fishery are necessary, any harvest restrictions or
recovery benefits must be allocated fairly and equitably among the commercial, recreational,
and charter fishing sectors of the fishery.
(iii) Avoidance of excessive shares. An allocation scheme must be designed to deter any person or
other entity from acquiring an excessive share of fishing privileges, and to avoid creating
conditions fostering inordinate control, by buyers or sellers, that would not otherwise exist.

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(iv) Other factors. In designing an allocation scheme, a Council should consider other factors
relevant to the FMP's objectives. Examples are economic and social consequences of the
scheme, food production, consumer interest, dependence on the fishery by present participants
and coastal communities, efficiency of various types of gear used in the fishery, transferability
of effort to and impact on other fisheries, opportunity for new participants to enter the fishery,
and enhancement of opportunities for recreational fishing.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 24234, May 1, 1998]

§ 600.330 National Standard 5—Efficiency.
(a) Standard 5. Conservation and management measures shall, where practicable, consider efficiency in the
utilization of fishery resources; except that no such measure shall have economic allocation as its sole
purpose.
(b) Efficiency in the utilization of resources —
(1) General. The term “utilization” encompasses harvesting, processing, marketing, and nonconsumptive uses of the resource, since management decisions affect all sectors of the industry. In
considering efficient utilization of fishery resources, this standard highlights one way that a fishery
can contribute to the Nation's benefit with the least cost to society: Given a set of objectives for the
fishery, an FMP should contain management measures that result in as efficient a fishery as is
practicable or desirable.
(2) Efficiency. In theory, an efficient fishery would harvest the OY with the minimum use of economic
inputs such as labor, capital, interest, and fuel. Efficiency in terms of aggregate costs then becomes
a conservation objective, where “conservation” constitutes wise use of all resources involved in the
fishery, not just fish stocks.
(i)

In an FMP, management measures may be proposed that allocate fish among different groups
of individuals or establish a system of property rights. Alternative measures examined in
searching for an efficient outcome will result in different distributions of gains and burdens
among identifiable user groups. An FMP should demonstrate that management measures
aimed at efficiency do not simply redistribute gains and burdens without an increase in
efficiency.

(ii) Management regimes that allow a fishery to operate at the lowest possible cost (e.g., fishing
effort, administration, and enforcement) for a particular level of catch and initial stock size are
considered efficient. Restrictive measures that unnecessarily raise any of those costs move the
regime toward inefficiency. Unless the use of inefficient techniques or the creation of redundant
fishing capacity contributes to the attainment of other social or biological objectives, an FMP
may not contain management measures that impede the use of cost-effective techniques of
harvesting, processing, or marketing, and should avoid creating strong incentives for excessive
investment in private sector fishing capital and labor.
(c) Limited access. A “system for limiting access,” which is an optional measure under section 303(b) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, is a type of allocation of fishing privileges that may be considered to contribute to
economic efficiency or conservation. For example, limited access may be used to combat overfishing,
overcrowding, or overcapitalization in a fishery to achieve OY. In an unutilized or underutilized fishery, it
may be used to reduce the chance that these conditions will adversely affect the fishery in the future, or to
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provide adequate economic return to pioneers in a new fishery. In some cases, limited entry is a useful
ingredient of a conservation scheme, because it facilitates application and enforcement of other
management measures.
(1) Definition. Limited access (or limited entry) is a management technique that attempts to limit units
of effort in a fishery, usually for the purpose of reducing economic waste, improving net economic
return to the fishermen, or capturing economic rent for the benefit of the taxpayer or the consumer.
Common forms of limited access are licensing of vessels, gear, or fishermen to reduce the number
of units of effort, and dividing the total allowable catch into fishermen's quotas (a stock-certificate
system). Two forms (i.e., Federal fees for licenses or permits in excess of administrative costs, and
taxation) are not permitted under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, except for fees allowed under section
304(d)(2).
(2) Factors to consider. The Magnuson-Stevens Act ties the use of limited access to the achievement of
OY. An FMP that proposes a limited access system must consider the factors listed in section
303(b)(6) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and in § 600.325(c)(3). In addition, it should consider the
criteria for qualifying for a permit, the nature of the interest created, whether to make the permit
transferable, and the Magnuson-Stevens Act's limitations on returning economic rent to the public
under section 304(d). The FMP should also discuss the costs of achieving an appropriate
distribution of fishing privileges.
(d) Analysis. An FMP should discuss the extent to which overcapitalization, congestion, economic waste, and
inefficient techniques in the fishery reduce the net benefits derived from the management unit and prevent
the attainment and appropriate allocation of OY. It should also explain, in terms of the FMP's objectives,
any restriction placed on the use of efficient techniques of harvesting, processing, or marketing. If, during
FMP development, the Council considered imposing a limited-entry system, the FMP should analyze the
Council's decision to recommend or reject limited access as a technique to achieve efficient utilization of
the resources of the fishing industry.
(e) Economic allocation. This standard prohibits only those measures that distribute fishery resources among
fishermen on the basis of economic factors alone, and that have economic allocation as their only
purpose. Where conservation and management measures are recommended that would change the
economic structure of the industry or the economic conditions under which the industry operates, the
need for such measures must be justified in light of the biological, ecological, and social objectives of the
FMP, as well as the economic objectives.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 63 FR 24234, May 1, 1998]

§ 600.335 National Standard 6—Variations and Contingencies.
(a) Standard 6. Conservation and management measures shall take into account and allow for variations
among, and contingencies in, fisheries, fishery resources, and catches.
(b) Conservation and management. Each fishery exhibits unique uncertainties. The phrase “conservation and
management” implies the wise use of fishery resources through a management regime that includes
some protection against these uncertainties. The particular regime chosen must be flexible enough to
allow timely response to resource, industry, and other national and regional needs. Continual data
acquisition and analysis will help the development of management measures to compensate for
variations and to reduce the need for substantial buffers. Flexibility in the management regime and the
regulatory process will aid in responding to contingencies.
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(c) Variations.
(1) In fishery management terms, variations arise from biological, social, and economic occurrences, as
well as from fishing practices. Biological uncertainties and lack of knowledge can hamper attempts
to estimate stock size and strength, stock location in time and space, environmental/habitat
changes, and ecological interactions. Economic uncertainty may involve changes in foreign or
domestic market conditions, changes in operating costs, drifts toward overcapitalization, and
economic perturbations caused by changed fishing patterns. Changes in fishing practices, such as
the introduction of new gear, rapid increases or decreases in harvest effort, new fishing strategies,
and the effects of new management techniques, may also create uncertainties. Social changes
could involve increases or decreases in recreational fishing, or the movement of people into or out of
fishing activities due to such factors as age or educational opportunities.
(2) Every effort should be made to develop FMPs that discuss and take into account these vicissitudes.
To the extent practicable, FMPs should provide a suitable buffer in favor of conservation. Allowances
for uncertainties should be factored into the various elements of an FMP. Examples are:
(i)

Reduce OY. Lack of scientific knowledge about the condition of a stock(s) could be reason to
reduce OY.

(ii) Establish a reserve. Creation of a reserve may compensate for uncertainties in estimating
domestic harvest, stock conditions, or environmental factors.
(iii) Adjust management techniques. In the absence of adequate data to predict the effect of a new
regime, and to avoid creating unwanted variations, a Council could guard against producing
drastic changes in fishing patterns, allocations, or practices.
(iv) Highlight habitat conditions. FMPs may address the impact of pollution and the effects of
wetland and estuarine degradation on the stocks of fish; identify causes of pollution and
habitat degradation and the authorities having jurisdiction to regulate or influence such
activities; propose recommendations that the Secretary will convey to those authorities to
alleviate such problems; and state the views of the Council on unresolved or anticipated issues.
(d) Contingencies. Unpredictable events—such as unexpected resource surges or failures, fishing effort
greater than anticipated, disruptive gear conflicts, climatic conditions, or environmental catastrophes—are
best handled by establishing a flexible management regime that contains a range of management options
through which it is possible to act quickly without amending the FMP or even its regulations.
(1) The FMP should describe the management options and their consequences in the necessary detail
to guide the Secretary in responding to changed circumstances, so that the Council preserves its role
as policy-setter for the fishery. The description should enable the public to understand what may
happen under the flexible regime, and to comment on the options.
(2) FMPs should include criteria for the selection of management measures, directions for their
application, and mechanisms for timely adjustment of management measures comprising the
regime. For example, an FMP could include criteria that allow the Secretary to open and close
seasons, close fishing grounds, or make other adjustments in management measures.
(3) Amendment of a flexible FMP would be necessary when circumstances in the fishery change
substantially, or when a Council adopts a different management philosophy and objectives.

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§ 600.340 National Standard 7—Costs and Benefits.
(a) Standard 7. Conservation and management measures shall, where practicable, minimize costs and avoid
unnecessary duplication.
(b) Alternative management measures. Management measures should not impose unnecessary burdens on
the economy, on individuals, on private or public organizations, or on Federal, state, or local governments.
Factors such as fuel costs, enforcement costs, or the burdens of collecting data may well suggest a
preferred alternative.
(c) Analysis. The supporting analyses for FMPs should demonstrate that the benefits of fishery regulation are
real and substantial relative to the added research, administrative, and enforcement costs, as well as
costs to the industry of compliance. In determining the benefits and costs of management measures,
each management strategy considered and its impacts on different user groups in the fishery should be
evaluated. This requirement need not produce an elaborate, formalistic cost/benefit analysis. Rather, an
evaluation of effects and costs, especially of differences among workable alternatives, including the
status quo, is adequate. If quantitative estimates are not possible, qualitative estimates will suffice.
(1) Burdens. Management measures should be designed to give fishermen the greatest possible
freedom of action in conducting business and pursuing recreational opportunities that are
consistent with ensuring wise use of the resources and reducing conflict in the fishery. The type and
level of burden placed on user groups by the regulations need to be identified. Such an examination
should include, for example: Capital outlays; operating and maintenance costs; reporting costs;
administrative, enforcement, and information costs; and prices to consumers. Management
measures may shift costs from one level of government to another, from one part of the private
sector to another, or from the government to the private sector. Redistribution of costs through
regulations is likely to generate controversy. A discussion of these and any other burdens placed on
the public through FMP regulations should be a part of the FMP's supporting analyses.
(2) Gains. The relative distribution of gains may change as a result of instituting different sets of
alternatives, as may the specific type of gain. The analysis of benefits should focus on the specific
gains produced by each alternative set of management measures, including the status quo. The
benefits to society that result from the alternative management measures should be identified, and
the level of gain assessed.
[81 FR 71904, Oct. 18, 2016]

§ 600.345 National Standard 8—Communities.
(a) Standard 8. Conservation and management measures shall, consistent with the conservation
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (including the prevention of overfishing and rebuilding of
overfished stocks), take into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities by
utilizing economic and social data that are based upon the best scientific information available in order
to:
(1) Provide for the sustained participation of such communities; and
(2) To the extent practicable, minimize adverse economic impacts on such communities.
(b) General.

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(1) This standard requires that an FMP take into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing
communities. This consideration, however, is within the context of the conservation requirements of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Deliberations regarding the importance of fishery resources to affected
fishing communities, therefore, must not compromise the achievement of conservation
requirements and goals of the FMP. Where the preferred alternative negatively affects the sustained
participation of fishing communities, the FMP should discuss the rationale for selecting this
alternative over another with a lesser impact on fishing communities. All other things being equal,
where two alternatives achieve similar conservation goals, the alternative that provides the greater
potential for sustained participation of such communities and minimizes the adverse economic
impacts on such communities would be the preferred alternative.
(2) This standard does not constitute a basis for allocating resources to a specific fishing community
nor for providing preferential treatment based on residence in a fishing community.
(3) The term “fishing community” means a community that is substantially dependent on or
substantially engaged in the harvest or processing of fishery resources to meet social and economic
needs, and includes fishing vessel owners, operators, and crew, and fish processors that are based in
such communities. A fishing community is a social or economic group whose members reside in a
specific location and share a common dependency on commercial, recreational, or subsistence
fishing or on directly related fisheries-dependent services and industries (for example, boatyards, ice
suppliers, tackle shops).
(4) The term “sustained participation” means continued access to the fishery within the constraints of
the condition of the resource.
(c) Analysis.
(1) FMPs must examine the social and economic importance of fisheries to communities potentially
affected by management measures. For example, severe reductions of harvests for conservation
purposes may decrease employment opportunities for fishermen and processing plant workers,
thereby adversely affecting their families and communities. Similarly, a management measure that
results in the allocation of fishery resources among competing sectors of a fishery may benefit
some communities at the expense of others.
(2) An appropriate vehicle for the analyses under this standard is the fishery impact statement required
by section 303(a)(9) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Qualitative and quantitative data may be used,
including information provided by fishermen, dealers, processors, and fisheries organizations and
associations. In cases where data are severely limited, effort should be directed to identifying and
gathering needed data.
(3) To address the sustained participation of fishing communities that will be affected by management
measures, the analysis should first identify affected fishing communities and then assess their
differing levels of dependence on and engagement in the fishery being regulated. The analysis
should also specify how that assessment was made. The best available data on the history, extent,
and type of participation of these fishing communities in the fishery should be incorporated into the
social and economic information presented in the FMP. The analysis does not have to contain an
exhaustive listing of all communities that might fit the definition; a judgment can be made as to
which are primarily affected. The analysis should discuss each alternative's likely effect on the
sustained participation of these fishing communities in the fishery.

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(4) The analysis should assess the likely positive and negative social and economic impacts of the
alternative management measures, over both the short and the long term, on fishing communities.
Any particular management measure may economically benefit some communities while adversely
affecting others. Economic impacts should be considered both for individual communities and for
the group of all affected communities identified in the FMP. Impacts of both consumptive and nonconsumptive uses of fishery resources should be considered.
(5) A discussion of social and economic impacts should identify those alternatives that would minimize
adverse impacts on these fishing communities within the constraints of conservation and
management goals of the FMP, other national standards, and other applicable law.
[63 FR 24234, May 1, 1998, as amended at 73 FR 67810, Nov. 17, 2008]

§ 600.350 National Standard 9—Bycatch.
(a) Standard 9. Conservation and management measures shall, to the extent practicable:
(1) Minimize bycatch; and
(2) To the extent bycatch cannot be avoided, minimize the mortality of such bycatch.
(b) General. This national standard requires Councils to consider the bycatch effects of existing and planned
conservation and management measures. Bycatch can, in two ways, impede efforts to protect marine
ecosystems and achieve sustainable fisheries and the full benefits they can provide to the Nation. First,
bycatch can increase substantially the uncertainty concerning total fishing-related mortality, which makes
it more difficult to assess the status of stocks, to set the appropriate OY and define overfishing levels, and
to ensure that OYs are attained and overfishing levels are not exceeded. Second, bycatch may also
preclude other more productive uses of fishery resources.
(c) Definition—Bycatch. The term “bycatch” means fish that are harvested in a fishery, but that are not sold or
kept for personal use.
(1) Inclusions. Bycatch includes the discard of whole fish at sea or elsewhere, including economic
discards and regulatory discards, and fishing mortality due to an encounter with fishing gear that
does not result in capture of fish (i.e., unobserved fishing mortality).
(2) Exclusions. Bycatch excludes the following:
(i)

Fish that legally are retained in a fishery and kept for personal, tribal, or cultural use, or that
enter commerce through sale, barter, or trade.

(ii) Fish released alive under a recreational catch-and-release fishery management program. A
catch-and-release fishery management program is one in which the retention of a particular
species is prohibited. In such a program, those fish released alive would not be considered
bycatch.
(iii) Fish harvested in a commercial fishery managed by the Secretary under Magnuson-Stevens Act
sec. 304(g) or the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971d) or highly migratory
species harvested in a commercial fishery managed by a Council under the Magnuson-Stevens
Act or the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act, that are not
regulatory discards and that are tagged and released alive under a scientific tagging and
release program established by the Secretary.
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(d) Minimizing bycatch and bycatch mortality. The priority under this standard is first to avoid catching
bycatch species where practicable. Fish that are bycatch and cannot be avoided must, to the extent
practicable, be returned to the sea alive. Any proposed conservation and management measure that does
not give priority to avoiding the capture of bycatch species must be supported by appropriate analyses. In
their evaluation, the Councils must consider the net benefits to the Nation, which include, but are not
limited to: Negative impacts on affected stocks; incomes accruing to participants in directed fisheries in
both the short and long term; incomes accruing to participants in fisheries that target the bycatch
species; environmental consequences; non-market values of bycatch species, which include nonconsumptive uses of bycatch species and existence values, as well as recreational values; and impacts
on other marine organisms. To evaluate conservation and management measures relative to this and
other national standards, as well as to evaluate total fishing mortality, Councils must—
(1) Promote development of a database on bycatch and bycatch mortality in the fishery to the extent
practicable. A review and, where necessary, improvement of data collection methods, data sources,
and applications of data must be initiated for each fishery to determine the amount, type,
disposition, and other characteristics of bycatch and bycatch mortality in each fishery for purposes
of this standard and of section 303(a)(11) and (12) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Bycatch should be
categorized to focus on management responses necessary to minimize bycatch and bycatch
mortality to the extent practicable. When appropriate, management measures, such as at-sea
monitoring programs, should be developed to meet these information needs.
(2) For each management measure, assess the effects on the amount and type of bycatch and bycatch
mortality in the fishery. Most conservation and management measures can affect the amounts of
bycatch or bycatch mortality in a fishery, as well as the extent to which further reductions in bycatch
are practicable. In analyzing measures, including the status quo, Councils should assess the impacts
of minimizing bycatch and bycatch mortality, as well as consistency of the selected measure with
other national standards and applicable laws. The benefits of minimizing bycatch to the extent
practicable should be identified and an assessment of the impact of the selected measure on
bycatch and bycatch mortality provided. Due to limitations on the information available, fishery
managers may not be able to generate precise estimates of bycatch and bycatch mortality or other
effects for each alternative. In the absence of quantitative estimates of the impacts of each
alternative, Councils may use qualitative measures. Information on the amount and type of bycatch
should be summarized in the SAFE reports.
(3) Select measures that, to the extent practicable, will minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality.
(i)

A determination of whether a conservation and management measure minimizes bycatch or
bycatch mortality to the extent practicable, consistent with other national standards and
maximization of net benefits to the Nation, should consider the following factors:
(A) Population effects for the bycatch species.
(B) Ecological effects due to changes in the bycatch of that species (effects on other species
in the ecosystem).
(C) Changes in the bycatch of- other species of fish and the resulting population and
ecosystem effects.
(D) Effects on marine mammals and birds.
(E) Changes in fishing, processing, disposal, and marketing costs.

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(F) Changes in fishing practices and behavior of fishermen.
(G) Changes in research, administration, and enforcement costs and management
effectiveness.
(H) Changes in the economic, social, or cultural value of fishing activities and nonconsumptive
uses of fishery resources.
(I)

Changes in the distribution of benefits and costs.

(J) Social effects.
(ii) The Councils should adhere to the precautionary approach found in the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (Article
6.5), which is available from the Director, Publications Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di
Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, when faced with uncertainty concerning any of the factors listed
in this paragraph (d)(3).
(4) Monitor selected management measures. Effects of implemented measures should be evaluated
routinely. Monitoring systems should be established prior to fishing under the selected management
measures. Where applicable, plans should be developed and coordinated with industry and other
concerned organizations to identify opportunities for cooperative data collection, coordination of
data management for cost efficiency, and avoidance of duplicative effort.
(e) Other considerations. Other applicable laws, such as the MMPA, the ESA, and the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act, require that Councils consider the impact of conservation and management measures on living
marine resources other than fish; i.e., marine mammals and birds.
[63 FR 24235, May 1, 1998, as amended at 73 FR 67811, Nov. 17, 2008]

§ 600.355 National Standard 10—Safety of Life at Sea.
(a) Standard 10. Conservation and management measures shall, to the extent practicable, promote the safety
of human life at sea.
(b) General.
(1) Fishing is an inherently dangerous occupation where not all hazardous situations can be foreseen or
avoided. The standard directs Councils to reduce that risk in crafting their management measures,
so long as they can meet the other national standards and the legal and practical requirements of
conservation and management. This standard is not meant to give preference to one method of
managing a fishery over another.
(2) The qualifying phrase “to the extent practicable” recognizes that regulation necessarily puts
constraints on fishing that would not otherwise exist. These constraints may create pressures on
fishermen to fish under conditions that they would otherwise avoid. This standard instructs the
Councils to identify and avoid those situations, if they can do so consistent with the legal and
practical requirements of conservation and management of the resource.
(3) For the purposes of this national standard, the safety of the fishing vessel and the protection from
injury of persons aboard the vessel are considered the same as “safety of human life at sea. The
safety of a vessel and the people aboard is ultimately the responsibility of the master of that vessel.
Each master makes many decisions about vessel maintenance and loading and about the
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capabilities of the vessel and crew to operate safely in a variety of weather and sea conditions. This
national standard does not replace the judgment or relieve the responsibility of the vessel master
related to vessel safety. The Councils, the USCG, and NMFS, through the consultation process of
paragraph (d) of this section, will review all FMPs, amendments, and regulations during their
development to ensure they recognize any impact on the safety of human life at sea and minimize or
mitigate that impact where practicable.
(c) Safety considerations. The following is a non-inclusive list of safety considerations that should be
considered in evaluating management measures under national standard 10.
(1) Operating environment. Where and when a fishing vessel operates is partly a function of the general
climate and weather patterns of an area. Typically, larger vessels can fish farther offshore and in
more adverse weather conditions than smaller vessels. An FMP should try to avoid creating
situations that result in vessels going out farther, fishing longer, or fishing in weather worse than they
generally would have in the absence of management measures. Where these conditions are
unavoidable, management measures should mitigate these effects, consistent with the overall
management goals of the fishery.
(2) Gear and vessel loading requirements. A fishing vessel operates in a very dynamic environment that
can be an extremely dangerous place to work. Moving heavy gear in a seaway creates a dangerous
situation on a vessel. Carrying extra gear can also significantly reduce the stability of a fishing
vessel, making it prone to capsizing. An FMP should consider the safety and stability of fishing
vessels when requiring specific gear or requiring the removal of gear from the water. Management
measures should reflect a sensitivity to these issues and provide methods of mitigation of these
situations wherever possible.
(3) Limited season and area fisheries. Fisheries where time constraints for harvesting are a significant
factor and with no flexibility for weather, often called “derby” fisheries, can create serious safety
problems. To participate fully in such a fishery, fishermen may fish in bad weather and overload their
vessel with catch and/or gear. Where these conditions exist, FMPs should attempt to mitigate these
effects and avoid them in new management regimes, as discussed in paragraph (e) of this section.
(d) Consultation. During preparation of any FMP, FMP amendment, or regulation that might affect safety of
human life at sea, the Council should consult with the USCG and the fishing industry as to the nature and
extent of any adverse impacts. This consultation may be done through a Council advisory panel,
committee, or other review of the FMP, FMP amendment, or regulations. Mitigation, to the extent
practicable, and other safety considerations identified in paragraph (c) of this section should be included
in the FMP.
(e) Mitigation measures. There are many ways in which an FMP may avoid or provide alternative measures to
reduce potential impacts on safety of human life at sea. The following is a list of some factors that could
be considered when management measures are developed:
(1) Setting seasons to avoid hazardous weather.
(2) Providing for seasonal or trip flexibility to account for bad weather (weather days).
(3) Allowing for pre- and post-season “soak time” to deploy and pick up fixed gear, so as to avoid
overloading vessels with fixed gear.
(4) Tailoring gear requirements to provide for smaller or lighter gear for smaller vessels.

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(5) Avoiding management measures that require hazardous at-sea inspections or enforcement if other
comparable enforcement could be accomplished as effectively.
(6) Limiting the number of participants in the fishery.
(7) Spreading effort over time and area to avoid potential gear and/or vessel conflicts.
(8) Implementing management measures that reduce the race for fish and the resulting incentives for
fishermen to take additional risks with respect to vessel safety.
[63 FR 24236, May 1, 1998]

Subpart E—Confidentiality of Statistics
§ 600.405 Types of statistics covered.
NOAA is authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other statutes to collect proprietary or confidential
commercial or financial information. This part applies to all pertinent data required to be submitted to the Secretary
with respect to any FMP including, but not limited to, information regarding the type and quantity of fishing gear
used, catch by species in numbers of fish or weight thereof, areas in which fishing occurred, time of fishing, number
of hauls, and the estimated processing capacity of, and the actual processing capacity utilized by, U.S. fish
processors.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.410 Collection and maintenance of statistics.
(a) General.
(1) All statistics required to be submitted to the Secretary are provided to the Assistant Administrator.
(2) After receipt, the Assistant Administrator will remove all identifying particulars from the statistics if
doing so is consistent with the needs of NMFS and good scientific practice.
(3) Appropriate safeguards as specified by NOAA Directives, or other NOAA or NMFS internal
procedures, apply to the collection and maintenance of all statistics, whether separated from
identifying particulars or not, so as to ensure their confidentiality.
(b) Collection agreements with states.
(1) The Assistant Administrator may enter into an agreement with a state authorizing the state to collect
statistics on behalf of the Secretary.
(2) NMFS will not enter into a cooperative collection agreement with a state unless the state has
authority to protect the statistics from disclosure in a manner at least as protective as these
regulations.

§ 600.415 Access to statistics.
(a) General. In determining whether to grant a request for access to confidential data, the following
information will be taken into consideration (also see § 600.130):
(1) The specific types of data required.
(2) The relevance of the data to conservation and management issues.
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(3) The duration of time access will be required: continuous, infrequent, or one-time.
(4) An explanation of why the availability of aggregate or non-confidential summaries of data from other
sources would not satisfy the requested needs.
(b) Federal employees. Statistics submitted as a requirement of an FMP and that reveal the identity of the
submitter will only be accessible to the following:
(1) Personnel within NMFS responsible for the collection, processing, and storage of the statistics.
(2) Federal employees who are responsible for FMP development, monitoring, and enforcement.
(3) Personnel within NMFS performing research that requires confidential statistics.
(4) Other NOAA personnel on a demonstrable need-to-know basis.
(5) NOAA/NMFS contractors or grantees who require access to confidential statistics to perform
functions authorized by a Federal contract or grant.
(c) State personnel. Upon written request, confidential statistics will only be accessible if:
(1) State employees demonstrate a need for confidential statistics for use in fishery conservation and
management.
(2) The state has entered into a written agreement between the Assistant Administrator and the head of
the state's agency that manages marine and/or anadromous fisheries. The agreement shall contain
a finding by the Assistant Administrator that the state has confidentiality protection authority
comparable to the Magnuson-Stevens Act and that the state will exercise this authority to limit
subsequent access and use of the data to fishery management and monitoring purposes.
(d) Councils. Upon written request by the Council Executive Director, access to confidential data will be
granted to:
(1) Council employees who are responsible for FMP development and monitoring.
(2) A Council for use by the Council for conservation and management purposes, with the approval of
the Assistant Administrator. In addition to the information described in paragraph (a) of this section,
the Assistant Administrator will consider the following in deciding whether to grant access:
(i)

The possibility that Council members might gain personal or competitive advantage from
access to the data.

(ii) The possibility that the suppliers of the data would be placed at a competitive disadvantage by
public disclosure of the data at Council meetings or hearings.
(3) A contractor of the Council for use in such analysis or studies necessary for conservation and
management purposes, with approval of the Assistant Administrator and execution of an agreement
with NMFS as described by NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-100.
(e) Prohibitions. Persons having access to these data are prohibited from unauthorized use or disclosure and
are subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 1905, 16 U.S.C. 1857, and NOAA/NMFS internal procedures,
including NAO 216-100.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

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§ 600.420 Control system.
(a) The Assistant Administrator maintains a control system to protect the identity of submitters of statistics
required by an FMP. The control system:
(1) Identifies those persons who have access to the statistics.
(2) Contains procedures to limit access to confidential data to authorized users.
(3) Provides for safeguarding the data.
(b) This system requires that all persons who have authorized access to the data be informed of the
confidentiality of the data. These persons are required to sign a statement that they:
(1) Have been informed that the data are confidential.
(2) Have reviewed and are familiar with the procedures to protect confidential statistics.

§ 600.425 Release of statistics.
(a) The Assistant Administrator will not release to the public any statistics required to be submitted under an
FMP in a form that would identify the submitter, except as required by law.
(b) All requests from the public for statistics submitted in response to a requirement of an FMP will be
processed consistent with the NOAA FOIA regulations (15 CFR part 903), NAO 205-14, Department of
Commerce Administrative Orders 205-12 and 205-14 and 15 CFR part 4.
(c) NOAA does not release or allow access to confidential information in its possession to members of
Council advisory groups, except as provided by law.

Subpart F—Foreign Fishing
§ 600.501 Vessel permits.
(a) General.
(1) Each FFV fishing under the Magnuson-Stevens Act must have on board a permit issued under this
section, unless it is engaged only in recreational fishing.
(2) Permits issued under this section do not authorize FFV's or persons to harass, capture, or kill marine
mammals. No marine mammals may be taken in the course of fishing unless that vessel has on
board a currently valid Authorization Certificate under the MMPA. Regulations governing the taking
of marine mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations are contained in 50 CFR part 229 of
this title.
(b) Responsibility of owners and operators. The owners and operators of each FFV are jointly and severally
responsible for compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the applicable GIFA, this subpart, and any
permit issued under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and this subpart. The owners and operators of each FFV
bear civil responsibility for the acts of their employees and agents constituting violations, regardless of
whether the specific acts were authorized or even forbidden by the employer or principal, and regardless
of knowledge concerning the occurrence.
(c) Activity codes. Permits to fish under this subpart may be issued by the Assistant Administrator for the
activities described in this paragraph, but the permits may be modified by regulations of this subpart and
by the conditions and restrictions attached to the permit (see paragraphs (e)(1)(v) and (l) of this section).
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The Assistant Administrator may issue a permit, as appropriate, for one or more of the activity codes
listed. Only vessels of nations having a GIFA with the United States may be issued permits for activity
codes 1 through 9. A GIFA is not required for a vessel to be issued a permit for activity code 10. The
activity codes are described as follows:
(1) Activity Code 1. Catching, scouting, processing, transshipping, and supporting foreign vessels.
Activity is limited to fish harvested or to be harvested by foreign vessels in the EEZ.
(2) Activity Code 2. Processing, scouting, transshipping, and supporting foreign vessels. Activity is
limited to fish harvested or to be harvested by foreign vessels in the EEZ.
(3) Activity Code 3. Transshipping, scouting, and supporting foreign vessels. Activity is limited to fish
harvested or to be harvested by foreign vessels in the EEZ.
(4) Activity Code 4. Processing, scouting, transshipping, and supporting U.S. vessels delivering fish to
foreign vessels. Activity is limited to the receipt of unprocessed fish harvested or to be harvested by
U.S. vessels.
(5) Activity Code 5. Transshipping, scouting, and supporting foreign vessels. Transshipment limited to
fish received or to be received from foreign vessels processing fish from U.S. harvesting vessels.
(6) Activity Code 6. Transshipping, scouting, and supporting U.S. vessels. Transshipment limited to U.S.harvested fish processed on board U.S. vessels.
(7) Activity Code 7. Processing, transshipping, and supporting foreign vessels. Activity limited to fish
harvested or to be harvested by foreign vessels seaward of the EEZ.
(8) Activity Code 8. Transshipping and supporting foreign vessels. Activity is limited to fish harvested or
to be harvested seaward of the EEZ by foreign vessels or fish duly authorized for processing in the
internal waters of one of the states.
(9) Activity Code 9. Supporting U.S. fishing vessels and U.S. fish processing vessels and any foreign
fishing vessels authorized under any activity code under paragraph (c) of this subpart.
(10) Activity Code 10. Transshipping at sea for the purpose of transporting fish or fish products from a
point within the EEZ or, with the concurrence of a state, within the boundaries of that state, to a point
outside the United States.
(d) Application.
(1) Applications for FFV permits authorizing activity codes 1 through 9 must be submitted by an official
representative of a foreign nation to the DOS. Applications for permits authorizing activity codes 1
through 9 are available from, and should be submitted to, DOS, OES/OMC, Washington, DC 20520.
Applications for FFV permits authorizing activity code 10 may be submitted by any person to the
Assistant Administrator. Applications for permits authorizing activity code 10 are available from
NMFS, Attn: Office of International Affairs, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
All applicants should allow 90 days for review and comment by the public, involved governmental
agencies, and appropriate Councils and for processing before the anticipated date to begin fishing.
The permit application fee must be paid at the time of application according to § 600.518.
(2) Applicants must provide complete and accurate information requested on the permit application
form.

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(3) Applicants for FFV's that will support U.S. vessels in joint ventures (Activity Code 4) must provide the
additional information specified by the permit application form.
(4) Each applicant may request to substitute one FFV for another of the same flag by submitting a new
application form and a short explanation of the reason for the substitution to the appropriate
address listed at paragraph (d)(1) of this section. Each substitution is considered a new application,
and a new application fee must be paid. NMFS will promptly process an application for a vessel
replacing a permitted FFV that is disabled or decommissioned, once the appropriate Council(s) and
governmental agencies have been notified of the substituted application.
(e) Issuance.
(1) Permits may be issued to an FFV by the Assistant Administrator after—
(i)

The Assistant Administrator determines that the fishing described in the application will meet
the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and approves the permit application.

(ii) The applicant has paid the fees and provided any assurances required by the Secretary in
accordance with the provisions of § 600.518.
(iii) The applicant has appointed an agent.
(iv) The applicant has identified a designated representative.
(v) The applicant has accepted the general “conditions and restrictions” of receiving permits, as
required by section 204(b)(7) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and any “additional restrictions”
attached to the permit for the conservation and management of fishery resources or for the
prevention of significant impairment of the national defense or security interests.
(2) The DOS will provide permits for activity codes 1 through 9 to the official representative of the
applicant foreign nation. The Assistant Administrator will provide permits for activity code 10 directly
to the applicant.
(3) An approved permit will contain—
(i)

The name and IRCS of the FFV and its permit number.

(ii) The permitted fisheries and/or activity codes.
(iii) The date of issuance and expiration date, if other than December 31.
(iv) All conditions and restrictions, and any additional restrictions and technical modifications
appended to the permit.
(4) Permits are not issued for boats that are launched from larger vessels. Any enforcement action that
results from the activities of a launched boat will be taken against the permitted vessel.
(f) Duration. A permit is valid from its date of issuance to its date of expiration, unless it is revoked or
suspended or the nation issuing the FFV's documents does not accept amendments to the permit made
by the Assistant Administrator in accordance with the procedures of paragraph (l) of this section. The
permit will be valid for no longer than the calendar year in which it was issued.
(g) Transfer. Permits are not transferable or assignable. A permit is valid only for the FFV to which it is issued.
(h) Display. Each FFV operator must have a properly completed permit form available on board the FFV when
engaged in fishing activities and must produce it at the request of an authorized officer or observer.
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(i)

Suspension and revocation. NMFS may apply sanctions to an FFV's permit by revoking, suspending, or
imposing additional permit restrictions on the permit under 15 CFR part 904, if the vessel is involved in the
commission of any violation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the GIFA, or this subpart; if an agent and a
designated representative are not maintained in the United States; if a civil penalty or criminal fine
imposed under the Magnuson-Stevens Act has become overdue; or as otherwise specified in the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.

(j)

Fees. Permit application fees are described in § 600.518.

(k) Change in application information. The applicant must report, in writing, any change in the information
supplied under paragraph (d) of this section to the Assistant Administrator within 15 calendar days after
the date of the change. Failure to report a change in the ownership from that described in the current
application within the specified time frame voids the permit, and all penalties involved will accrue to the
previous owner.
(l)

Permit amendments.
(1) The Assistant Administrator may amend a permit by adding “additional restrictions” for the
conservation and management of fishery resources covered by the permit, or for the national
defense or security if the Assistant Administrator determines that such interests would be
significantly impaired without such restrictions. Compliance with the added additional restrictions is
a condition of the permit. Violations of added additional restrictions will be treated as violations of
this subpart.
(2) The Assistant Administrator may make proposed additional restrictions effective immediately, if
necessary, to prevent substantial harm to a fishery resource of the United States, to allow for the
continuation of ongoing fishing operations, or to allow for fishing to begin at the normal time for
opening of the fishery.
(3) The Assistant Administrator will send proposed additional restrictions to each Nation whose vessels
are affected (via the Secretary of State), to the appropriate Councils, and to the Commandant of the
Coast Guard. NMFS will, at the same time, publish a document of any significant proposed additional
restrictions in the FEDERAL REGISTER. The document will include a summary of the reasons underlying
the proposal, and the reasons that any proposed additional restrictions are made effective
immediately.
(4) The Nation whose vessels are involved, the owners of the affected vessels, their representatives, the
agencies specified in paragraph (l)(3) of this section, and the public may submit written comments
on the proposed additional restrictions within 30 days after publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER.
(5) The Assistant Administrator will make a final decision regarding the proposed additional restrictions
as soon as practicable after the end of the comment period. The Assistant Administrator will provide
the final additional restrictions to the Nation whose vessels are affected (via the Secretary of State)
according to the procedures of paragraph (e) of this section. The Assistant Administrator will include
with the final additional restrictions to the Nation, a response to comments submitted.
(6) Additional restrictions may be modified by following the procedures of paragraphs (l)(2) through
(l)(5) of this section.

[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 39019, July 21, 1999; 76 FR 59305, Sept. 26, 2011]

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§ 600.502 Vessel reports.
(a) The operator of each FFV must report the FFV's activities to the USCG and NMFS as specified in this
section.
(b) All reports required by this section must be in English and in the formats specified in the permit additions
and restrictions. Reports must be delivered via private or commercial communications facilities,
facsimile, or other electronic means acceptable to NMFS and the USCG, directly to the appropriate NMFS
Region or Center and USCG commander. Weekly reports must also be delivered directly to the appropriate
NMFS Region or Center (see tables 1 and 2 of this section). (The required reports may be delivered to the
closest USCG communication station as indicated in table 3 of this section or other USCG communication
station only if adequate private or commercial communications facilities have not been successfully
contacted.) Radio reports must be made via radiotelegraphy, Telex, or facsimile where available. For the
purposes of this section, a message is considered “transmitted” when its receipt is acknowledged by a
communications facility and considered “delivered” upon its receipt by the offices of the appropriate
USCG commander, NMFS Regional Office, or NMFS Center identified in table 2 of this section. Reports
required by this section may be submitted by the vessel's designated representative; however, the
operator of the FFV is responsible for the correct and timely filing of all required reports.
(c) Activity reports. The operator of each FFV must report the FFV's movements and activities before or upon
the event, as specified in this paragraph (c). Appropriate forms, instructions, codes, and examples are
contained in the conditions and restrictions of the FFV's permit. Each FFV report must contain the
following information: The message identifier “VESREP” to indicate it is a vessel activity report, FFV name,
international radio call sign IRCS, date (month and day based on GMT), time (hour and minute GMT),
position (latitude and longitude to the nearest degree and minute) where required, area (by fishing area
code) where required, the appropriate action code, confirmation codes where required, and the other
information specified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(11) of this section.
(1) “BEGIN”. Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will actually “BEGIN”
fishing in the EEZ and the species (by species code), product (by product code), and quantity of all
fish and fish products (by product weight to the nearest hundredth of a metric ton) on board when
entering the EEZ (action code “BEGIN”). The message must be delivered at least 24 hours before the
vessel begins to fish.
(2) “DEPART”. Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will “DEPART” the
EEZ to embark or debark an observer, to visit a U.S. port, to conduct a joint venture in internal waters,
or to otherwise temporarily leave an authorized fishing area, but not depart the seaward limit of the
EEZ (action code “DEPART”). The message must be transmitted before the FFV departs the present
fishing area and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal.
(3) “RETURN”. Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will “RETURN” to the
EEZ following a temporary departure, and the species (by species code), product (by product code),
and quantity of all fish and fish products (by product weight to the nearest hundredth of a metric ton)
on board that were received in a joint venture in internal waters (action code “RETURN”). The
message must be transmitted before returning to the EEZ and delivered within 24 hours of its
transmittal.
(4) “SHIFT”. Each operator must report each SHIFT in fishing area (as described for each fishery) by
specifying the date, time, and position the FFV will start fishing, and the new area (action code
“SHIFT”). The message must be transmitted before leaving the original area and delivered within 24
hours of its transmittal. If a foreign vessel operates within 20 nautical miles (37.04 km) of a fishing
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area boundary, its operator may submit in one message the shift reports for all fishing area shifts
occurring during 1 fishing day (0001-2400 GMT). This message must be transmitted prior to the last
shift expected to be made in the day and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal.
(5) “JV OPS”. Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area at which the FFV will “START”
joint venture operations (action code “START JV OPS”) or “END” joint venture operations (action
code “END JV OPS”). These reports must be made in addition to other activity reports made under
this section. Each message must be transmitted before the event and delivered within 24 hours of its
transmittal.
(6) “TRANSFER”. The operator of each FFV that anticipates a transshipping operation in which the FFV
will receive fish or fisheries products must specify the date, time, position and area the FFV will
conduct the “TRANSFER” and the name and IRCS of the other FFV or U.S. vessel involved (action
code “TRANSFER”). The report must include the permit activity code under which the transfer will be
made. The message must be transmitted prior to the transfer and delivered within 24 hours of its
transmittal. The movement of raw fish from a permitted foreign catching vessel or, under an Activity
Code 4, from a U.S. fishing vessel to the reporting processing vessel and the return of nets or
codends is not considered a transfer.
(7) “OFFLOADED”. Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV “OFFLOADED”
fish or fisheries products TO another FFV or a U.S. vessel in a transfer, the other FFV's or U.S.
vessel's name, IRCS, Permit Activity Code under which the transfer was made, species (by species
code) and quantity of fish and fisheries products (by product code and by product weight, to the
nearest hundredth of a metric ton) offloaded (action code “OFFLOADED TO”). The message must be
transmitted within 12 hours after the transfer is completed and delivered within 24 hours of its
transmittal and before the FFV ceases fishing in the EEZ.
(8) “RECEIVED”. Each operator must specify the date, time, position and area the vessel “RECEIVED” fish
or fisheries products FROM another FFV in a transfer, the other FFV's or U.S. vessel's name, IRCS,
Permit Activity Code under which the receipt was made, species (by species code) and quantity of
fish and fisheries products (by product code and by product weight, to the nearest hundredth of a
metric ton) received (action code “RECEIVED FROM”). The message must be transmitted within 12
hours after the transfer is completed and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal and before the
vessel ceases fishing in the EEZ.
(9) “CEASE”. Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will “CEASE” fishing in
order to leave the EEZ (action code “CEASE”). The message must be delivered at least 24 hours
before the FFV's departure.
(10) “CHANGE”. Each operator must report any “CHANGE” TO the FFV's operations if the position or time
of an event specified in an activity report will vary more than 5 nautical miles (9.26 km) or 4 hours
from that previously reported, by sending a revised message inserting the word “CHANGE” in front of
the previous report, repeating the name, IRCS, date, and time of the previous report, adding the word
“TO” and the complete revised text of the new report (action code “CHANGE TO”). Changes to
reports specifying an early beginning of fishing by an FFV or other changes to reports contained in
paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(9) of this section must be transmitted and delivered as if the
“CHANGE” report were the original message.

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50 CFR 600.502(c)(11)

(11) “CANCEL”. Each operator wanting to “CANCEL” a previous report may do so by sending a revised
message, and inserting the word “CANCEL” in front of the previous report's vessel name, IRCS, date,
time and action code canceled (action code “CANCEL”). The message must be transmitted and
delivered prior to the date and time of the event in the original message.
(d) The operator of an FFV will be in violation of paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(9) of this section if the FFV
does not pass within 5 nautical miles (9.26 km) of the position given in the report within 4 hours of the
time given in the report.
(e) The notices required by this section may be provided for individual or groups of FFV's (on a vessel-byvessel basis) by authorized persons. An FFV operator may retransmit reports on the behalf of another
FFV, if authorized by that FFV's operator. This does not relieve the individual vessel operator of the
responsibility of filing required reports. In these cases, the message format should be modified so that
each line of text under “VESREP” is a separate vessel report.
(f) Weekly reports.
(1) The operator of each FFV in the EEZ must submit appropriate weekly reports through the Nation's
designated representative. The report must arrive at the address and time specified in paragraph (g)
of this section. The reports may be sent by facsimile or Telex, but a completed copy of the report
form must be mailed or hand delivered to confirm the Telex. Appropriate forms, instructions, codes,
and examples are contained in the conditions and restrictions of the FFV's permit. Designated
representatives may include more than one vessel report in a facsimile or Telex message, if the
information is submitted on a vessel-by-vessel basis. Requests for corrections to previous reports
must be submitted through the Nation's designated representative and mailed or hand-delivered,
together with a written explanation of the reasons for the errors. The appropriate Regional
Administrator or Science and Research Director may accept or reject any correction and initiate any
appropriate civil penalty actions.
(2) Weekly catch report (CATREP). The operator of each FFV must submit a weekly catch report stating
any catch (Activity Code 1) in round weight of each species or species group allocated to that Nation
by area and days fished in each area for the weekly period Sunday through Saturday, GMT, as
modified by the fishery in which the FFV is engaged. Foreign vessels delivering unsorted,
unprocessed fish to a processing vessel are not required to submit CATREP's, if that processing
vessel (Activity Code 2) submits consolidated CATREP's for all fish received during each weekly
period. No report is required for FFV's that do not catch or receive foreign-caught fish during the
reporting period.
(3) Weekly receipts report (RECREP). The operator of each FFV must submit a weekly report stating any
receipts of U.S.-harvested fish in a joint venture (Activity Code 4) for the weekly period Sunday
through Saturday, GMT, as modified by the fishery in which the FFV is engaged, for each fishing area,
by authorized or prohibited species or species group; days fish received; round weight retained or
returned to the U.S. fishing vessel; number of codends received; and number of vessels transferring
codends. The report must also include the names of U.S. fishing vessels transferring codends during
the week. No report is required for FFV's that do not receive any U.S.-harvested fish during the
reporting period.
(4) Marine mammal report (MAMREP). The operator of each FFV must submit a weekly report stating
any incidental catch or receipt of marine mammals (Activity Codes 1 or 2 and/or 4), the geographical
position caught, the condition of the animal, number caught (if more than one of the same species
and condition), and nationality of the catching vessel for the period Sunday through Saturday, GMT,
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50 CFR 600.502(g)

as modified by the fishery in which the vessel is engaged. Foreign catching vessels delivering
unsorted, unprocessed fish to processing vessel are not required to submit MAMREP's, provided that
the processing or factory vessel (Activity Code 2) submits consolidated MAMREP's for all fish
received during each weekly period. FFV's receiving U.S.-harvested fish in a joint venture (Activity
Code 4) must submit consolidated reports for U.S. vessels operating in the joint venture. No report is
required for FFV's that do not catch or receive marine mammals during the reporting period.
(g) Submission instructions for weekly reports. The designated representative for each FFV must submit
weekly reports in the prescribed format to the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and
Research Director of NMFS by 1900 GMT on the Wednesday following the end of the reporting period.
However, by agreement with the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director, the
designated representative may submit weekly reports to some other facility of NMFS.
(h) Alternative reporting procedures. As an alternative to the use of the specific procedures provided, an
applicant may submit proposed reporting procedures for a general type of fishery operation (i.e.,
transshipments under Activity Code 10) to the appropriate Regional Administrator and the USCG
commander (see tables 1 and 2 to § 600.502 of this chapter). With the agreement of the USCG
commander, the Regional Administrator may authorize the use of alternative reporting procedures.

TABLE 1 TO § 600.502—ADDRESSES
NMFS regional administrators

NMFS science and research directors

U.S. Coast Guard
commanders

Administrator, Northeast Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service,
NOAA, One Blackburn Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930-2298

Director, Northeast Fisheries Science
Center, National Marine Fisheries
Service, NOAA, 166 Water St., Woods
Hole, MA 02543-1097

Commander, Atlantic
Area, U.S. Coast
Guard, 431 Crawford
St., Portsmouth, VA
23704.

Administrator, Southeast Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service,
263 13th Ave. South, St.
Petersburg, FL 33701

Director, Southeast Fisheries Science
Center, National Marine Fisheries
Service, NOAA, 75 Virginia Beach
Drive, Miami, FL 33149

Commander, Atlantic
Area, U.S. Coast
Guard, Governor's
Island, New York
10004.

Administrator, Northwest Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service,
NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE,
BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA
98115

Director, Northwest Fisheries Science
Center, National Marine Fisheries
Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd.
East, Seattle, WA 98112-2097

Commander, Pacific
Area, U.S. Coast
Guard, Government
Island, Alameda, CA
94501.

Administrator, Alaska Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service,
NOAA, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802-1668

Director, Alaska Fisheries Science
Center, National Marine Fisheries
Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way,
NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 4, Seattle, WA
98115-0070

Commander,
Seventeenth Coast
Guard District, P.O.
Box 25517, Juneau,
AK 99802.

Administrator, Southwest Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service,

Director, Southwest Fisheries Science
Center, National Marine Fisheries

Commander,
Fourteenth Coast

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NMFS regional administrators

50 CFR 600.502(h)

U.S. Coast Guard
commanders

NMFS science and research directors

NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite Service, NOAA, P.O. Box 271, La Jolla,
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 CA 92038-0271

Guard District, 300
Ala Moana Blvd.,
Honolulu, HI 96850.

Administrator, Pacific Islands
Region, National Marine Fisheries
Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Blvd.,
Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818

Commander,
Fourteenth Coast
Guard District, 300
Ala Moana Blvd.,
Honolulu, HI 96850.

Director, Pacific Islands Fisheries
Science Center, National Marine
Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp
Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818

TABLE 2 TO § 600.502—AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY OF NMFS AND U.S. COAST
GUARD OFFICES
National Marine
Fisheries Service

U.S. Coast
Guard

Atlantic Ocean North of Cape Hatteras

Director, Northeast
Science Center,
Attn: Observer
Program

Commander,
Atlantic Area.

Atlantic Ocean South of Cape Hatteras

Director, Northeast
Science Center,
Attn: Observer
Program

Commander,
Atlantic Area.

Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, Billfish and Sharks

Director, Office of
Sustainable
Fisheries

Commander,
Atlantic Area.

Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea

Administrator,
Southeast Region

Commander,
Atlantic Area.

Pacific Ocean off the States of California, Oregon, and
Washington

Administrator,
Northwest Region

Commander,
Pacific Area.

North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea off Alaska

Administrator,
Alaska Region

Commander,
Seventeenth
Coast Guard
District.

Pacific Ocean off Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam,
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S.
Insular Possessions in the Central and Western Pacific

Administrator,
Pacific Islands
Region

Commander,
Fourteenth
Coast Guard

Area of responsibility/fishery

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National Marine
Fisheries Service

Area of responsibility/fishery

U.S. Coast
Guard
District.

TABLE 3 TO § 600.502—U.S. COAST GUARD COMMUNICATIONS STATIONS AND
FREQUENCIES
U.S. Coast Guard communications station
Boston

New Orleans

NMN

NMG

CAMSPAC Point Reyes (San Francisco, CA)
Honolulu

NMC
NMO

Kodiak

Channel1

IRCS
NMF

CAMSLANT Chesapeake (Portsmouth, VA)

1

Radiotelephone

NOJ

GMT time

A-E

2330-1100.

B,C

All.

D

1100-2330.

E

(On request).

A

2330-1100.

B,C

All.

D

1100-2330.

E

(On request).

A

2330-1100.

B,C

All.

D

1100-2330.

E

(On request).

A-D

All.

E

(On request).

A-D

All.

E

(On request).

A-D

All.

E

(On request).

Carrier frequencies of duplex, high-frequency single-sideband channels are:

Letter

Shore transmit

Ship transmit

A

4426.0

4134.0

B

6501.0

6200.0

C

8764.0

8240.0

D

13089.0

12242.0

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Letter

50 CFR 600.503

Shore transmit

E

Ship transmit
17314.0

16432.0

[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7073, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 39020, July 21, 1999; 69 FR 8341, Feb. 24, 2004; 76
FR 34902, June 15, 2011; 79 FR 64111, Oct. 28, 2014]

§ 600.503 Vessel and gear identification.
(a) Vessel identification.
(1) The operator of each FFV assigned an IRCS must display that call sign amidships on both the port
and starboard sides of the deckhouse or hull, so that it is visible from an enforcement vessel, and on
an appropriate weather deck so it is visible from the air.
(2) The operator of each FFV not assigned an IRCS, such as a small trawler associated with a
mothership or one of a pair of trawlers, must display the IRCS of the associated vessel, followed by a
numerical suffix. (For example, JCZM-1, JCZM-2, etc., would be displayed on small trawlers not
assigned an IRCS operating with a mothership whose IRCS is JCZM; JANP-1 would be displayed by a
pair trawler not assigned an IRCS operating with a trawler whose IRCS is JANP.)
(3) The vessel identification must be in a color in contrast to the background and must be permanently
affixed to the FFV in block Roman alphabet letters and Arabic numerals at least 1 m in height for
FFV's over 20 m in length, and at least 0.5 m in height for all other FFV's.
(b) Navigational lights and shapes. Each FFV must display the lights and shapes prescribed by the
International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (TIAS 8587, and 1981 amendment TIAS
10672), for the activity in which the FFV is engaged (as described at 33 CFR part 81).
(c) Gear identification.
(1) The operator of each FFV must ensure that all deployed fishing gear that is not physically and
continuously attached to an FFV:
(i)

Is clearly marked at the surface with a buoy displaying the vessel identification of the FFV (see
paragraph (a) of this section) to which the gear belongs.

(ii) Has attached a light visible for 2 nautical miles (3.70 km) at night in good visibility.
(iii) Has a radio buoy.
Trawl codends passed from one vessel to another are considered continuously attached gear
and are not required to be marked.
(2) The operator of each FFV must ensure that deployed longlines, strings of traps or pots, and gillnets
are marked at the surface at each terminal end with: (see paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(iii) of
this section).
(3) Additional requirements may be specified for the fishery in which the vessel is engaged.
(4) Unmarked or incorrectly identified fishing gear may be considered abandoned and may be disposed
of in accordance with applicable Federal regulations by any authorized officer.
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50 CFR 600.503(d)

(d) Maintenance. The operator of each FFV must—
(1) Keep the vessel and gear identification clearly legible and in good repair.
(2) Ensure that nothing on the FFV obstructs the view of the markings from an enforcement vessel or
aircraft.
(3) Ensure that the proper navigational lights and shapes are displayed for the FFV's activity and are
properly functioning.

§ 600.504 Facilitation of enforcement.
(a) General.
(1) The owner, operator, or any person aboard any FFV subject to this subpart must immediately comply
with instructions and signals issued by an authorized officer to stop the FFV; to move the FFV to a
specified location; and to facilitate safe boarding and inspection of the vessel, its gear, equipment,
records, and fish and fish products on board for purposes of enforcing the Magnuson-Stevens Act
and this subpart.
(2) The operator of each FFV must provide vessel position or other information when requested by an
authorized officer within the time specified in the request.
(b) Communications equipment.
(1) Each FFV must be equipped with a VHF-FM radiotelephone station located so that it may be
operated from the wheelhouse. Each operator must maintain a continuous listening watch on
channel 16 (156.8 mHz).
(2) Each FFV must be equipped with a radiotelephone station capable of communicating via 2182 kHz
(SSB) radiotelephony and at least one set of working frequencies identified in table 3 to § 600.502
appropriate to the fishery in which the FFV is operating. Each operator must monitor and be ready to
communicate via 2182 kHz (SSB) radiotelephone each day from 0800 GMT to 0830 GMT and 2000
to 2030 GMT, and in preparation for boarding.
(3) FFV's that are not equipped with processing facilities and that deliver all catches to a foreign
processing vessel are exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
(4) FFV's with no IRCS that do not catch fish and are used as auxiliary vessels to handle codends, nets,
equipment, or passengers for a processing vessel are exempt from the requirements of paragraphs
(b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section.
(5) The appropriate Regional Administrator, with the agreement of the appropriate USCG commander,
may, upon request by a foreign nation, accept alternatives to the radio requirements of this section to
certain FFV's or types of FFV's operating in a fishery, provided they are adequate for the
communications needs of the fishery.
(c) Communications procedures.
(1) Upon being approached by a USCG vessel or aircraft, or other vessel or aircraft with an authorized
officer aboard, the operator of any FFV subject to this subpart must be alert for communications
conveying enforcement instructions. The enforcement unit may communicate by channel 16 VHFFM radiotelephone, 2182 kHz (SSB) radiotelephone, message block from an aircraft, flashing light or

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flag signals from the International Code of Signals, hand signal, placard, loudhailer, or other
appropriate means. The following signals, extracted from the International Code of Signals, are
among those that may be used.
(i)

“AA, AA, AA, etc.”, which is the call for an unknown station. The signaled vessel should respond
by identifying itself or by illuminating the vessel identification required by § 600.505.

(ii) “RY-CY”, meaning “You should proceed at slow speed, a boat is coming to you”.
(iii) “SQ3”, meaning “You should stop or heave to; I am going to board you”.
(iv) “L”, meaning “You should stop your vessel instantly.”
(2) Failure of an FFV's operator to stop the vessel when directed to do so by an authorized officer using
VHF-FM radiotelephone (channel 16), 2182 kHz (SSB) radiotelephone (where required), message
block from an aircraft, flashing light signal, flaghoist, or loudhailer constitutes a violation of this
subpart.
(3) The operator of or any person aboard an FFV who does not understand a signal from an enforcement
unit and who is unable to obtain clarification by radiotelephone or other means must consider the
signal to be a command to stop the FFV instantly.
(d) Boarding. The operator of an FFV signaled for boarding must—
(1) Monitor 2182 kHz (SSB) radiotelephone and channel 16 (156.8 mHz) VHF-FM radiotelephone.
(2) Stop immediately and lay to or maneuver in such a way as to maintain the safety of the FFV and
facilitate boarding by the authorized officer and the boarding party or an observer.
(3) Provide the authorized officer, boarding party, or observer a safe pilot ladder. The operator must
ensure the pilot ladder is securely attached to the FFV and meets the construction requirements of
Regulation 17, Chapter V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974
(TIAS 9700 and 1978 Protocol, TIAS 10009), or a substantially equivalent national standard approved
by letter from the Assistant Administrator, with agreement with the USCG. Safe pilot ladder
standards are summarized below:
(i)

The ladder must be of a single length of not more than 9 m (30 ft), capable of reaching the
water from the point of access to the FFV, accounting for all conditions of loading and trim of
the FFV and for an adverse list of 15°. Whenever the distance from sea level to the point of
access to the ship is more than 9 m (30 ft), access must be by means of an accommodation
ladder or other safe and convenient means.

(ii) The steps of the pilot ladder must be—
(A) Of hardwood, or other material of equivalent properties, made in one piece free of knots,
having an efficient non-slip surface; the four lowest steps may be made of rubber of
sufficient strength and stiffness or of other suitable material of equivalent characteristics.
(B) Not less than 480 mm (19 inches) long, 115 mm (4.5 inches) wide, and 25 mm (1 inch) in
depth, excluding any non-slip device.
(C) Equally spaced not less than 300 millimeters (12 inches) nor more than 380 mm (15
inches) apart and secured in such a manner that they will remain horizontal.

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50 CFR 600.504(d)(3)(iii)

(iii) No pilot ladder may have more than two replacement steps that are secured in position by a
method different from that used in the original construction of the ladder.
(iv) The side ropes of the ladder must consist of two uncovered manila ropes not less than 60 mm
(2.25 inches) in circumference on each side (or synthetic ropes of equivalent size and
equivalent or greater strength). Each rope must be continuous, with no joints below the top
step.
(v) Battens made of hardwood, or other material of equivalent properties, in one piece and not less
than 1.80 m (5 ft 10 inches) long must be provided at such intervals as will prevent the pilot
ladder from twisting. The lowest batten must be on the fifth step from the bottom of the ladder
and the interval between any batten and the next must not exceed nine steps.
(vi) Where passage onto or off the ship is by means of a bulwark ladder, two handhold stanchions
must be fitted at the point of boarding or leaving the FFV not less than 0.70 m (2 ft 3 inches)
nor more than 0.80 m (2 ft 7 inches) apart, not less than 40 mm (2.5 inches) in diameter, and
must extend not less than 1.20 m (3 ft 11 inches) above the top of the bulwark.
(4) When necessary to facilitate the boarding or when requested by an authorized officer or observer,
provide a manrope, safety line, and illumination for the ladder; and
(5) Take such other actions as necessary to ensure the safety of the authorized officer and the boarding
party and to facilitate the boarding and inspection.
(e) Access and records.
(1) The owner and operator of each FFV must provide authorized officers access to all spaces where
work is conducted or business papers and records are prepared or stored, including but not limited
to, personal quarters and areas within personal quarters.
(2) The owner and operator of each FFV must provide to authorized officers all records and documents
pertaining to the fishing activities of the vessel, including but not limited to, production records,
fishing logs, navigation logs, transfer records, product receipts, cargo stowage plans or records, draft
or displacement calculations, customs documents or records, and an accurate hold plan reflecting
the current structure of the vessel's storage and factory spaces.
(f) Product storage. The operator of each permitted FFV storing fish or fish products in a storage space must
ensure that all non-fish product items are neither stowed beneath nor covered by fish products, unless
required to maintain the stability and safety of the vessel. These items include, but are not limited to,
portable conveyors, exhaust fans, ladders, nets, fuel bladders, extra bin boards, or other movable nonproduct items. These items may be in the space when necessary for safety of the vessel or crew or for
storage of the product. Lumber, bin boards, or other dunnage may be used for shoring or bracing of
product to ensure safety of crew and to prevent shifting of cargo within the space.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.505 Prohibitions.
(a) It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following:
(1) Ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of
any fish taken or retained in violation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the applicable GIFA, this subpart,
or any permit issued under this subpart;
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(2) Refuse to allow an authorized officer to board an FFV for purposes of conducting any search or
inspection in connection with the enforcement of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the applicable GIFA,
this subpart, or any other permit issued under this subpart;
(3) Assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any authorized officer in the conduct of
any inspection or search described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section;
(4) Resist a lawful arrest for any act prohibited by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the applicable GIFA, this
subpart, or any permit issued under this subpart;
(5) Interfere with, delay, or prevent by any means the apprehension or arrest of another person with the
knowledge that such other person has committed any act prohibited by the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
the applicable GIFA, this subpart, or any permit issued under this subpart;
(6) Interfere with, obstruct, delay, oppose, impede, intimidate, or prevent by any means any boarding,
investigation or search, wherever conducted, in the process of enforcing the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
the applicable GIFA, this subpart, or any permit issued under this subpart;
(7) Engage in any fishing activity for which the FFV does not have a permit as required under § 600.501;
(8) Engage in any fishing activity within the EEZ without a U.S. observer aboard the FFV, unless the
requirement has been waived by the Assistant Administrator or appropriate Regional Administrator;
(9) Retain or attempt to retain, directly or indirectly, any U.S. harvested fish, unless the FFV has a permit
for Activity Codes 4, 6, or 10;
(10) Use any fishing vessel to engage in fishing after the revocation, or during the period of suspension, of
an applicable permit issued under this subpart;
(11) Violate any provision of the applicable GIFA;
(12) Falsely or incorrectly complete (including by omission) a permit application or permit form as
specified in § 600.501 (d) and (k);
(13) Fail to report to the Assistant Administrator within 15 days any change in the information contained
in the permit application for a FFV, as specified in § 600.501(k);
(14) Assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with an observer placed aboard an FFV under
this subpart;
(15) Interfere with or bias the sampling procedure employed by an observer, including sorting or
discarding any catch prior to sampling, unless the observer has stated that sampling will not occur;
or tamper with, destroy, or discard an observer's collected samples, equipment, records,
photographic film, papers, or effects without the express consent of the observer;
(16) Prohibit or bar by command, impediment, threat, coercion, or refusal of reasonable assistance, an
observer from collecting samples, conducting product recovery rate determinations, making
observations, or otherwise performing the observer's duties;
(17) Harass or sexually harass an authorized officer or observer;
(18) Fail to provide the required assistance to an observer as described at § 600.506 (c) and (e);
(19) Fail to identify, falsely identify, fail to properly maintain, or obscure the identification of the FFV or its
gear as required by this subpart;
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(20) Falsify or fail to make, keep, maintain, or submit any record or report required by this subpart;
(21) Fail to return to the sea or fail to otherwise treat prohibited species as required by this subpart;
(22) Fail to report or falsely report any gear conflict;
(23) Fail to report or falsely report any loss, jettisoning, or abandonment of fishing gear or other article
into the EEZ that might interfere with fishing, obstruct fishing gear or vessels, or cause damage to
any fishery resource or marine mammals;
(24) Continue Activity Codes 1 through 4 after those activity codes have been canceled under § 600.511;
(25) Fail to maintain health and safety standards set forth in § 600.506(d);
(26) Violate any provisions of regulations for specific fisheries of this subpart;
(27) On a scientific research vessel, engage in fishing other than recreational fishing authorized by
applicable state, territorial, or Federal regulations;
(28) Violate any provision of this subpart, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the applicable GIFA, any notice
issued under this subpart or any permit issued under this subpart; or
(29) Attempt to do any of the foregoing.
(b) It is unlawful for any FFV, and for the owner or operator of any FFV except an FFV engaged only in
recreational fishing, to fish—
(1) Within the boundaries of any state, unless:
(i)

The fishing is authorized by the Governor of that state as permitted by section 306(c) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act to engage in a joint venture for processing and support with U.S. fishing
vessels in the internal waters of that state; or

(ii) The fishing is authorized by, and conducted in accordance with, a valid permit issued under §
600.501, and the Governor of that state has indicated concurrence to allow fishing consisting
solely of transporting fish or fish products from a point within the boundaries of that state to a
point outside the United States; or
(2) Within the EEZ, or for any anadromous species or continental shelf fishery resources beyond the EEZ,
unless the fishing is authorized by, and conducted in accordance with, a valid permit issued under §
600.501.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 39020, July 21, 1999]

§ 600.506 Observers.
(a) General. To carry out such scientific, compliance monitoring, and other functions as may be necessary or
appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the appropriate Regional
Administrator or Science and Research Director (see table 2 to § 600.502) may assign U.S. observers to
FFV's. Except as provided for in section 201(h)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, no FFV may conduct
fishing operations within the EEZ unless a U.S. observer is aboard.
(b) Effort plan. To ensure the availability of an observer as required by this section, the owners and operators
of FFV's wanting to fish within the EEZ will submit to the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science
and Research Director and also to the Chief, Financial Services Division, NMFS, 1315 East West Highway,
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50 CFR 600.506(b)(1)

Silver Spring, MD 20910 a schedule of fishing effort 30 days prior to the beginning of each quarter. A
quarter is a time period of 3 consecutive months beginning January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 of
each year. The schedule will contain the name and IRCS of each FFV intending to fish within the EEZ
during the upcoming quarter, and each FFV's expected date of arrival and expected date of departure.
(1) The appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director must be notified
immediately of any substitution of vessels or any cancellation of plans to fish in the EEZ for FFV's
listed in the effort plan required by this section.
(2) If an arrival date of an FFV will vary more than 5 days from the date listed in the quarterly schedule,
the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director must be notified at least 10
days in advance of the rescheduled date of arrival. If the notice required by this paragraph (b)(2) is
not given, the FFV may not engage in fishing until an observer is available and has been placed
aboard the vessel or the requirement has been waived by the appropriate Regional Administrator or
Science and Research Director.
(c) Assistance to observers. To assist the observer in the accomplishment of his or her assigned duties, the
owner and operator of an FFV to which an observer is assigned must—
(1) Provide, at no cost to the observer or the United States, accommodations for the observer aboard the
FFV that are equivalent to those provided to the officers of that vessel.
(2) Cause the FFV to proceed to such places and at such times as may be designated by the appropriate
Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director for the purpose of embarking and
debarking the observer.
(3) Allow the observer to use the FFV's communications equipment and personnel upon demand for the
transmission and receipt of messages.
(4) Allow the observer access to and use of the FFV's navigation equipment and personnel upon
demand to determine the vessel's position.
(5) Allow the observer free and unobstructed access to the FFV's bridge, trawl, or working decks, holding
bins, processing areas, freezer spaces, weight scales, cargo holds and any other space that may be
used to hold, process, weigh, or store fish or fish products at any time.
(6) Allow the observer to inspect and copy the FFV's daily log, communications log, transfer log, and any
other log, document, notice, or record required by these regulations.
(7) Provide the observer copies of any records required by these regulations upon demand.
(8) Notify the observer at least 15 minutes before fish are brought on board or fish or fish products are
transferred from the FFV to allow sampling the catch or observing the transfer, unless the observer
specifically requests not to be notified.
(9) Provide all other reasonable assistance to enable the observer to carry out his or her duties.
(d) Health and safety standards. All foreign fishing vessels to which an observer is deployed must maintain, at
all times that the vessel is in the EEZ, the following:
(1) At least one working radar.
(2) Functioning navigation lights as required by international law.

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(3) A watch on the bridge by appropriately trained and experienced personnel while the vessel is
underway.
(4) Lifeboats and/or inflatable life rafts with a total carrying capacity equal to or greater than the number
of people aboard the vessel. Lifeboats and inflatable life rafts must be maintained in good working
order and be readily available.
(5) Life jackets equal or greater in number to the total number of persons aboard the vessel. Life jackets
must be stowed in readily accessible and plainly marked positions throughout the vessel, and
maintained in a state of good repair.
(6) At least one ring life buoy for each 25 ft (7.6 m) of vessel length, equipped with automatic water
lights. Ring life buoys must have an outside diameter of not more than 32 inches (81.3 cm) nor less
than 30 inches (76.2 cm), and must be maintained in a state of good repair. Ring life buoys must be
readily available, but not positioned so they pose a threat of entanglement in work areas. They must
be secured in such a way that they can be easily cast loose in the event of an emergency.
(7) At least one VHF-FM radio with a functioning channel 16 (156.8 mHz), International Distress, Safety
and Calling Frequency, and one functioning AM radio (SSB-Single Side Band) capable of operating at
2182 kHz (SSB). Radios will be maintained in a radio room, chartroom, or other suitable location.
(8) At least one Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), approved by the USCG for
offshore commercial use, stowed in a location so as to make it readily available in the event of an
emergency.
(9) At least six hand-held, rocket-propelled, parachute, red-flare distress signals, and three orange-smoke
distress signals stowed in the pilothouse or navigation bridge in portable watertight containers.
(10) All lights, shapes, whistles, foghorns, fog bells and gongs required by and maintained in accordance
with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
(11) Clean and sanitary conditions in all living spaces, food service and preparation areas and work
spaces aboard the vessel.
(e) Observer transfers.
(1) The operator of the FFV must ensure that transfers of observers at sea via small boat or raft are
carried out during daylight hours as weather and sea conditions allow, and with the agreement of the
observer involved. The FFV operator must provide the observer 3 hours advance notice of at-sea
transfers, so that the observer may collect personal belongings, equipment, and scientific samples.
(2) The FFV's involved must provide a safe pilot ladder and conduct the transfer according to the
procedures of § 600.504(d) to ensure the safety of the during the transfer.
(3) An experienced crew member must assist the observer in the small boat or raft in which the transfer
is made.
(f) Supplementary observers. In the event funds are not available from Congressional appropriations of fees
collected to assign an observer to a foreign fishing vessel, the appropriate Regional Administrator or
Science and Research Director will assign a supplementary observer to that vessel. The costs of
supplementary observers will be paid for by the owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels as
provided for in paragraph (h) of this section.
(g) Supplementary observer authority and duties.
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(1) A supplementary observer aboard a foreign fishing vessel has the same authority and must be
treated in all respects as an observer who is employed by NMFS, either directly or under contract.
(2) The duties of supplementary observers and their deployment and work schedules will be specified by
the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director.
(3) All data collected by supplementary observers will be under the exclusive control of the Assistant
Administrator.
(h) Supplementary observer payment —
(1) Method of payment. The owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels must pay directly to the
contractor the costs of supplementary observer coverage. Payment must be made to the contractor
supplying supplementary observer coverage either by letter of credit or certified check drawn on a
federally chartered bank in U.S. dollars, or other financial institution acceptable to the contractor. The
letter of credit used to pay supplementary observer fees to contractors must be separate and
distinct from the letter of credit required by § 600.518(b)(2). Billing schedules will be specified by the
terms of the contract between NOAA and the contractors. Billings for supplementary observer
coverage will be approved by the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research
Director and then transmitted to the owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels by the
appropriate designated representative. Each country will have only one designated representative to
receive observer bills for all vessels of that country, except as provided for by the Assistant
Administrator. All bills must be paid within 10 working days of the billing date. Failure to pay an
observer bill will constitute grounds to revoke fishing permits. All fees collected under this section
will be considered interim in nature and subject to reconciliation at the end of the fiscal year in
accordance with paragraph (h)(4) of this section and § 600.518(d).
(2) Contractor costs. The costs charged for supplementary observer coverage to the owners and
operators of foreign fishing vessels may not exceed the costs charged to NMFS for the same or
similar services, except that contractors may charge to the owners and operators of foreign fishing
vessels an additional fee to cover the administrative costs of the program not ordinarily part of
contract costs charged to NMFS. The costs charged foreign fishermen for supplementary observers
may include, but are not limited to the following:
(i)

Salary and benefits, including overtime, for supplementary observers.

(ii) The costs of post-certification training required by paragraph (j)(2) of this section.
(iii) The costs of travel, transportation, and per diem associated with deploying supplementary
observers to foreign fishing vessels including the cost of travel, transportation, and per diem
from the supplementary observer's post of duty to the point of embarkation to the foreign
fishing vessel, and then from the point of disembarkation to the post of duty from where the trip
began. For the purposes of these regulations, the appropriate Regional Administrator or
Science and Research Director will designate posts of duty for supplementary observers.
(iv) The costs of travel, transportation, and per diem associated with the debriefing following
deployment of a supplementary observer by NMFS officials.
(v) The administrative and overhead costs incurred by the contractor and, if appropriate, a
reasonable profit.
(3) NMFS costs. The owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels must also pay to NMFS as part of
the surcharge required by section 201(i)(4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the following costs:
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(i)

50 CFR 600.506(h)(3)(i)

The costs of certifying applicants for the position of supplementary observer.

(ii) The costs of any equipment, including safety equipment, sampling equipment, operations
manuals, or other texts necessary to perform the duties of a supplementary observer. The
equipment will be specified by the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research
Director according to the requirements of the fishery to which the supplementary observer will
be deployed.
(iii) The costs associated with communications with supplementary observers for transmission of
data and routine messages.
(iv) For the purposes of monitoring the supplementary observer program, the costs for the
management and analysis of data.
(v) The costs for data editing and entry.
(vi) Any costs incurred by NMFS to train, deploy or debrief a supplementary observer.
(vii) The cost for U.S. Customs inspection for supplementary observers disembarking after
deployment.
(4) Reconciliation. Fees collected by the contractor in excess of the actual costs of supplementary
observer coverage will be refunded to the owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels, or kept on
deposit to defray the costs of future supplementary observer coverage. Refunds will be made within
60 days after final costs are determined and approved by NMFS.
(i)

Supplementary observer contractors —
(1) Contractor eligibility. Supplementary observers will be obtained by NMFS from persons or firms
having established contracts to provide NMFS with observers. In the event no such contract is in
place, NMFS will use established, competitive contracting procedures to select persons or firms to
provide supplementary observers. The services supplied by the supplementary observer contractors
will be as described within the contract and as specified below.
(2) Supplementary observer contractors must submit for the approval of the Assistant Administrator the
following:
(i)

A copy of any contract, including all attachments, amendments, and enclosures thereto,
between the contractor and the owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels for whom the
contractor will provide supplementary observer services.

(ii) All application information for persons whom the contractor desires to employ as certified
supplementary observers.
(iii) Billing schedules and billings to the owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels for further
transmission to the designated representative of the appropriate foreign nation.
(iv) All data on costs.
(j)

Supplementary observers—certification, training —
(1) Certification. The appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director will certify
persons as qualified for the position of supplementary observer once the following conditions are
met:
(i)

The candidate is a citizen or national of the United States.

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(ii) The candidate has education or experience equivalent to the education or experience required
of persons used as observers by NMFS as either Federal personnel or contract employees. The
education and experience required for certification may vary according to the requirements of
managing the foreign fishery in which the supplementary observer is to be deployed.
Documentation of U.S. citizenship or nationality, and education or experience will be provided
from personal qualification statements on file with NMFS contractors who provide
supplementary observer services, and will not require the submission of additional information
to NMFS.
(2) Training. Prior to deployment to foreign fishing vessels, certified supplementary observers must also
meet the following conditions:
(i)

Each certified supplementary observer must satisfactorily complete a course of training
approved by the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director as
equivalent to that received by persons used as observers by NMFS as either Federal personnel
or contract employees. The course of training may vary according to the foreign fishery in
which the supplementary observer is to be deployed.

(ii) Each certified supplementary observer must agree in writing to abide by standards of conduct
as set forth in Department of Commerce Administrative Order 202-735 (as provided by the
contractor).
(k) Supplementary observer certification suspension or revocation.
(1) Certification of a supplementary observer may be suspended or revoked by the Assistant
Administrator under the following conditions:
(i)

A supplementary observer fails to perform the duties specified in paragraph (g)(2) of this
section.

(ii) A supplementary observer fails to abide by the standards of conduct described by Department
of Commerce Administrative Order 202-735.
(2) The suspension or revocation of the certification of a supplementary observer by the Assistant
Administrator may be based on the following:
(i)

Boarding inspection reports by authorized officers of the USCG or NMFS, or other credible
information, that indicate a supplementary observer has failed to abide by the established
standards of conduct; or

(ii) An analysis by NMFS of the data collected by a supplementary observer indicating improper or
incorrect data collection or recording. The failure to properly collect or record data is sufficient
to justify decertification of supplementary observers; no intent to defraud need be
demonstrated.
(3) The Assistant Administrator will notify the supplementary observer, in writing, of the Assistant
Administrator's intent to suspend or revoke certification, and the reasons therefor, and provide the
supplementary observer a reasonable opportunity to respond. If the Assistant Administrator
determines that there are disputed questions of material fact, then the Assistant Administrator may
in this respect appoint an examiner to make an informal fact-finding inquiry and prepare a report and
recommendations.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7074, 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 39020, July 21, 1999]
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50 CFR 600.507

§ 600.507 Recordkeeping.
(a) General. The owner and operator of each FFV must maintain timely and accurate records required by this
section as modified by the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is engaged.
(1) The owner and operator of each FFV must maintain all required records in English, based on
Greenwich mean time (GMT) unless otherwise specified in the regulation, and make them
immediately available for inspection upon the request of an authorized officer or observer.
(2) The owner and operator of each FFV must retain all required records on board the FFV whenever it is
in the EEZ, for 3 years after the end of the permit period.
(3) The owner and operator of each FFV must retain the required records and make them available for
inspection upon the request of an authorized officer at any time during the 3 years after the end of
the permit period, whether or not such records are on board the vessel.
(4) The owner and operator of each FFV must provide to the Assistant Administrator, in the form and at
the times prescribed, any other information requested that the Assistant Administrator determines is
necessary to fulfill the fishery conservation, management and enforcement purposes of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(b) Communications log. The owner and operator of each FFV must record in a separate communications log,
at the time of transmittal, the time and content of each notification made under § 600.504.
(c) Transfer log. Except for the transfer of unsorted, unprocessed fish via codend from a catching vessel to a
processing vessel (Activity Code 2 or 4), the owner and operator of each FFV must record, in a separate
transfer log, each transfer or receipt of any fish or fishery product, including quantities transferred or
offloaded outside the EEZ. The operator must record in the log within 12 hours of the completion of the
transfer:
(1) The time and date (GMT) and location (in geographic coordinates) the transfer began and was
completed.
(2) The product weight, by species and product (use species and product codes), of all fish transferred,
to the nearest 0.01 mt.
(3) The name, IRCS, and permit number of both the FFV offloading the fish and the FFV receiving the
fish.
(d) Daily fishing log.
(1) The owner or operator of each FFV authorized to catch fish (Activity Code 1) must maintain a daily
fishing log of the effort, catch and production of the FFV, as modified by paragraph (d)(2) of this
section and the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is engaged. The operator must maintain
on a daily and cumulative basis for the permit period a separate log for each fishery (see table 2 to §
600.502) in which the FFV is engaged according to this section and in the format specified in the
instructions provided with the permit or other format authorized under paragraph (i) of this section.
Daily effort entries are required for each day the vessel conducts fishing operations within the EEZ.
Daily entries are not required whenever the FFV is in port or engaged in a joint venture in the internal
waters of a state. Each page of log may contain entries pertaining to only one day's fishing
operations or one gear set, whichever is longer.

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50 CFR 600.507(d)(2)

(2) The owner or operator of each FFV authorized to catch fish (Activity Code 1) and that delivers all
catches to a processing vessel, must maintain only “SECTION ONE-EFFORT”, of the daily fishing log,
provided the processing vessel maintains a daily consolidated fishing log as described in paragraphs
(f) and (g) of this section.
(e) Daily fishing log—contents. The daily fishing log must contain the following information, as modified by
paragraph (d)(2) of this section and the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is engaged, and be
completed according to the format and instructions provided with the permit or other format authorized
under paragraph (i) of this section.
(1) “SECTION ONE-EFFORT” must contain on a daily basis—
(i)

A consecutive page number, beginning with the first day the vessel started fishing operations
within the EEZ and continuing throughout the log.

(ii) The date (based on GMT).
(iii) The FFV's name.
(iv) The FFV's IRCS.
(v) The FFV's U.S. permit number.
(vi) The FFV's noon (1200 GMT) position in geographic coordinates.
(vii) The master or operator's signature or title.
(2) “SECTION ONE-EFFORT” must contain, for each trawl or set, as appropriate to the gear type
employed—
(i)

The consecutive trawl or set number, beginning with the first set of the calendar year.

(ii) The fishing area in which the trawl or set was completed.
(iii) The gear type.
(iv) The time the gear was set.
(v) The position of the set.
(vi) The course of the set.
(vii) The sea depth.
(viii) The depth of the set.
(ix) The duration of the set.
(x) The hauling time.
(xi) The position of the haul.
(xii) The number of pots or longline units (where applicable).
(xiii) The average number of hooks per longline unit (where applicable).
(xiv) The trawl speed (where applicable).
(xv) The mesh size of the trawl's codend (where applicable).
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50 CFR 600.507(e)(2)(xvi)

(xvi) The estimated total weight of the catch for the trawl of set, to at least the nearest metric ton
round weight.
(3) “SECTION TWO-CATCH” must contain, for each trawl or set—
(i)

The consecutive set or trawl number from “SECTION ONE”.

(ii) The catch of each allocated species or species group to at least the nearest 0.1 mt round
weight.
(iii) The prohibited species catch to at least the nearest 0.1 mt round weight or by number, as
required by the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is engaged.
(iv) The species code of each marine mammal caught and its condition when released.
(4) “SECTION TWO-CATCH” must contain, on a daily basis—
(i)

The species codes for all allocated or prohibited species or species groups caught.

(ii) For each allocated species—the amount, to at least the nearest 0.1 mt, and the daily disposition,
either processed for human consumption, used for fishmeal, or discarded; the daily catch by
fishing area; the daily catch for all fishing areas; and the cumulative total catch.
(iii) For the total catch of allocated species—the amount to at least the nearest 0.1 mt and the daily
disposition, daily total catch by fishing area, daily total catch for all fishing areas, and
cumulative total catch.
(iv) The catch by fishing area, daily total, and cumulative total of each prohibited species.
(5) “SECTION THREE—PRODUCTION” must contain, on a daily basis, for each allocated species caught
and product produced—
(i)

The product by species code and product type.

(ii) The daily product recovery rate of each species and product.
(iii) The daily total product produced by species to at least the nearest 0.01 mt.
(iv) The cumulative total of each product to at least the nearest 0.01 mt.
(v) The cumulative amount of product transferred.
(vi) The balance of product remaining aboard the FFV.
(vii) The total daily amount, cumulative amount, transferred product and balance of frozen product
aboard the FFV to the nearest 0.01 mt.
(viii) Transferred amount and balance of fishmeal and fish oil aboard to at least the nearest 0.01 mt.
(f) Daily consolidated fishing or joint venture log. The operator of each FFV that receives unsorted,
unprocessed fish from foreign catching vessels (Activity Code 2) for processing or receives U.S.harvested fish from U.S. fishing vessels in a joint venture (Activity Code 4) must maintain a daily joint
venture log of the effort, catch and production of its associated U.S. or foreign fishing vessels and the
processing vessel as modified by the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is engaged. This log is
separate and in addition to the log required by paragraph (d) of this section. The operator must maintain a
separate log for each fishery in which the FFV is engaged, on a daily and cumulative basis, according to

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this section and in the format specified in the instructions provided with the permit or other format
authorized under paragraph (i) of this section. Receipts of fish caught outside the EEZ must be included.
Each page of the log may contain entries pertaining to only one day's fishing operations.
(g) Daily joint venture log—contents. Daily joint venture logs must contain the following information, as
modified by the fishery in which the vessel is engaged, and be completed according to the format and
instructions provided with the permit or other format authorized under paragraph (i) of this section.
(1) “SECTION ONE-EFFORT” must contain, on a daily basis, that information required in paragraph (e)(1)
of this section.
(2) “SECTION ONE-EFFORT” must contain for each receipt of a codend—
(i)

The consecutive codend number, beginning with the first codend received for the calendar year.

(ii) The name of the U.S. fishing vessel or the name and IRCS of the foreign fishing vessel the
codend was received from.
(iii) The fishing area where the codend was received.
(iv) The time the codend was received.
(v) The position the codend was received.
(vi) The estimated weight of the codend to at least the nearest metric ton round weight.
(3) “SECTION TWO-CATCH” must contain, for each codend received—
(i)

The consecutive codend number from “SECTION ONE”.

(ii) The receipts of each authorized species or species group and its disposition, either processed
for human consumption, used for fishmeal, discarded, or returned to the U.S. fishing vessel, to
at least the nearest 0.1 mt round weight.
(iii) The estimated receipts of each prohibited species or species group and its disposition, either
discarded or returned to the U.S. fishing vessel if authorized in the fishery in which the U.S.
vessel is engaged, to at least the nearest 0.1 mt round weight.
(iv) The species code of each marine mammal received and its condition when released.
(4) “SECTION TWO-CATCH” must contain on a daily basis—
(i)

The species codes of all authorized or prohibited species or species groups received.

(ii) The daily disposition, as described in paragraph (g)(3)(ii) of this section, daily total, and
cumulative total receipts of each authorized species or species groups.
(iii) The daily disposition, daily total and cumulative total receipts of all authorized species or
species groups.
(iv) The daily and cumulative total receipts of prohibited species groups and their disposition as
described in paragraph (g)(3)(iii) of this section.
(5) “SECTION THREE—PRODUCTION” must contain, on a daily basis, for each authorized species or
species group received and product produced, that information required in paragraph (e)(5) of this
section.

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(h) Daily log maintenance. The logs required by paragraphs (e) through (g) of this section must be maintained
separately for each fishery (see table 2 to § 600.502).
(1) The effort section (all of “SECTION ONE”) of the daily logs must be updated within 2 hours of the
hauling or receipt time. The catch or receipt by trawl or set (“SECTION TWO”) must be entered within
12 hours of the hauling or receipt time. The daily and cumulative total catch or receipts (“SECTION
TWO”) and the production portion (“SECTION THREE”) of the log must be updated within 12 hours of
the end of the day on which the catch was taken. The date of catch is the day and time (GMT) the
gear is hauled.
(2) Entries for total daily and cumulative catch or receipt weights (disposition “C” or “M”) must be based
on the most accurate method available to the vessel, either scale round weights or factory weights
converted to round weights. Entries for daily and cumulative weights of discarded or returned fish
(disposition “D” or “R”) must be based on the most accurate method available to the vessel, either
actual count, scale round weight, or estimated deck weights. Entries for product weights must be
based on the number of production units (pans, boxes, blocks, trays, cans, or bags) and the average
weight of the production unit, with reasonable allowances for water added. Allowances for water
added cannot exceed 5 percent of the unit weight. Product weights cannot be based on the
commercial or arbitrary wholesale weight of the product, but must be based on the total actual
weight of the product as determined by representative samples.
(3) The owner or operator must make all entries in indelible ink, with corrections to be accomplished by
lining out and rewriting, rather than erasure.
(i)

Alternative log formats. As an alternative to the use of the specific formats provided, a Nation may submit
a proposed log format for FFV's of that Nation for a general type of fishery operation in a fishery (i.e., joint
venture operations) to the appropriate Regional Administrator and the USCG commander (see tables 1
and 2 to § 600.502). With the agreement of the USCG commander, the Regional Administrator may
authorize the use of that log format for vessels of the requesting Nation.

[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.508 Fishing operations.
(a) Catching. Each FFV authorized for activity code 1 may catch fish. An FFV may retain its catch of any
species or species group for which there is an unfilled national allocation. All fish caught will be counted
against the national allocation, even if the fish are discarded, unless exempted by the regulations of the
fishery in which the FFV is engaged. Catching operations may be conducted as specified by the
regulations of the fishery in which the FFV is engaged and as modified by the FFV's permit.
(b) Scouting. Each FFV authorized for Activity Codes 1 through 6 may scout for fish. Scouting may be
conducted only in the fisheries area authorized by the scouting vessel's permit and under such other
circumstances as may be designated in this subpart or the permit.
(c) Processing. Each FFV with Activity Code 1 or 2 may process fish. Processing may only be conducted
whenever and wherever catching operations for FFV's of that Nation are permitted, whenever and
wherever joint venture operations are authorized by an FFV's permit under Activity Code 4, and under such
other circumstances as may be designated in this subpart or the permit.

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(d) Support. Each FFV with Activity Codes 1, 2, 3, 5, or 8 may support other permitted FFV's. Each FFV with
Activity Codes 4 or 6 may support U.S. vessels. Support operations may be conducted only in the fisheries
areas authorized by the supporting vessel's permit, and under such other circumstances as may be
designated in this subpart or the permit.
(e) Joint ventures. Each FFV with Activity Code 4 in addition to Activity Codes 1 or 2 may also conduct
operations with U.S. fishing vessels. These joint venture operations with U.S. fishing vessels may be
conducted throughout the EEZ, and under such other circumstances as may be designated in these
regulations or the permit. FFV's with activity code 4 may continue operations assisting U.S. fishing
vessels, despite closures under § 600.511(a).
(f) Internal waters. For FFV's authorized under section 306(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act:
(1) Each FFV may engage in fish processing and support of U.S. fishing vessels within the internal
waters of that state in compliance with terms and conditions set by the authorizing Governor.
(2) The owner or operator of each FFV must submit weekly reports on the amount of fish received from
vessels of the United States and the location(s) where such fish were harvested.
(i)

Reports must include:
(A) Vessel identification information for the FFV.
(B) Date of each receipt of fish.
(C) Amount of fish received, by species.
(D) Location(s) from which the fish received were harvested and the name and official number
of the vessel of the United States that harvested the fish.

(ii) Owners or operators of FFV's processing fish in internal waters under the provisions of this
paragraph (f) must request, from the Regional Administrator, the requirements regarding timing
and submission of the reports, at least 15 days prior to the first receipt of fish from a vessel of
the United States. The Regional Administrator shall stipulate the timing and submission
requirements in writing.
(g) Transshipping. Each FFV with Activity Code 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 10 may transship in accordance with this
subpart and the vessel's permit.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 27183, May 19, 1997; 62 FR 34397, June 26, 1997; 64 FR 39020, July 21,
1999]

§ 600.509 Prohibited species.
(a) The owner or operator of each FFV must minimize its catch or receipt of prohibited species.
(b) After allowing for sampling by an observer (if any), the owner or operator of each FFV must sort its catch
of fish received as soon as possible and return all prohibited species and species parts to the sea
immediately with a minimum of injury, regardless of condition, unless a different procedure is specified by
the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is engaged. All prohibited species must be recorded in the
daily fishing log and other fishing logs as specified by the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is
engaged.

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(c) All species of fish that an FFV has not been specifically allocated or authorized under this subpart to
retain, including fish caught or received in excess of any allocation or authorization, are prohibited
species.
(d) It is a rebuttable presumption that any prohibited species or species part found on board an FFV was
caught and retained in violation of this section.

§ 600.510 Gear avoidance and disposal.
(a) Vessel and gear avoidance.
(1) FFV's arriving on fishing grounds where fishing vessels are already fishing or have set their gear for
that purpose must ascertain the position and extent of gear already placed in the sea and must not
place themselves or their fishing gear so as to interfere with or obstruct fishing operations already in
progress. Vessels using mobile gear must avoid fixed fishing gear.
(2) The operator of each FFV must maintain on its bridge a current plot of broadcast fixed-gear locations
for the area in which it is fishing, as required by the regulations for the fishery in which the FFV is
engaged.
(b) Gear conflicts. The operator of each FFV that is involved in a conflict or that retrieves the gear of another
vessel must immediately notify the appropriate USCG commander identified in tables 1 and 2 to §
600.502 and request disposal instructions. Each report must include:
(1) The name of the reporting vessel.
(2) A description of the incident and articles retrieved, including the amount, type of gear, condition, and
identification markings.
(3) The location of the incident.
(4) The date and time of the incident.
(c) Disposal of fishing gear and other articles.
(1) The operator of an FFV in the EEZ may not dump overboard, jettison or otherwise discard any article
or substance that may interfere with other fishing vessels or gear, or that may catch fish or cause
damage to any marine resource, including marine mammals and birds, except in cases of emergency
involving the safety of the ship or crew, or as specifically authorized by communication from the
appropriate USCG commander or other authorized officer. These articles and substances include,
but are not limited to, fishing gear, net scraps, bale straps, plastic bags, oil drums, petroleum
containers, oil, toxic chemicals or any manmade items retrieved in an FFV's gear.
(2) The operator of an FFV may not abandon fishing gear in the EEZ.
(3) If these articles or substances are encountered, or in the event of accidental or emergency
placement into the EEZ, the vessel operator must immediately report the incident to the appropriate
USCG Commander indicated in tables 1 and 2 to § 600.502, and give the information required in
paragraph (b) of this section.

§ 600.511 Fishery closure procedures.
(a) Activity Codes 1 and 2 for a fishery are automatically canceled in the following cases, unless otherwise
specified by regulations specific to a fishery, when—

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(1) The OY for any allocated species or species group has been reached in that fishery;
(2) The TALFF or catch allowance for any allocated species or species group has been reached in that
fishery;
(3) The foreign nation's allocation for any allocated species or species group has been reached; or
(4) The letter of credit required in § 600.518(b)(2) is not established and maintained.
(b) Activity Code 4 is automatically canceled when—
(1) The OY for a species with a JVP amount is reached;
(2) The JVP amount for a species or species group is reached; or
(3) The letter of credit required in § 600.518(b)(2) is not established and maintained.
(c) Notification.
(1) The Regional Administrator is authorized to close a fishery on behalf of NMFS. The Regional
Administrator will notify each FFV's designated representative of closures.
(2) If possible, notice will be given 48 hours before the closure. However, each Nation and the owners
and operators of all FFV's of that Nation are responsible for ending fishing operations when an
allocation is reached.
(d) Catch reconciliation. Vessel activity reports, U.S. surveillance observations, observer reports, and foreign
catch and effort reports will be used to make the determination listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
section. If NMFS estimates of catch or other values made during the season differ from those reported by
the foreign fleets, efforts may be initiated by the designated representative of each Nation to resolve such
differences with NMFS. If, however, differences still persist after such efforts have been made, NMFS
estimates will be the basis for decisions and will prevail.
(e) Duration. Any closure under this section will remain in effect until an applicable new or increased
allocation or JVP becomes available or the letter of credit required by § 600.518(b)(2) is reestablished.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.512 Scientific research.
(a) Scientific research activity. Persons planning to conduct scientific research activities on board a scientific
research vessel in the EEZ that may be confused with fishing are encouraged to submit to the appropriate
Regional Administrator or Director, 60 days or as soon as practicable prior to its start, a scientific research
plan for each scientific activity. The Regional Administrator or Director will acknowledge notification of
scientific research activity by issuing to the operator or master of that vessel, or to the sponsoring
institution, a Letter of Acknowledgment. This Letter of Acknowledgment is separate and distinct from any
permit or consultation required under the MMPA, the ESA, or any other applicable law. The Regional
Administrator or Director will include text in the Letter of Acknowledgment informing the applicant that
such permits may be required and should be obtained from the agency prior to embarking on the activity.
If the Regional Administrator or Director, after review of a research plan, determines that it does not
constitute scientific research activity but rather fishing, the Regional Administrator or Director will inform
the applicant as soon as practicable and in writing. In making this determination, the Regional
Administrator, Director, or designee shall consider: the merits of the individual proposal and the
institution(s) involved; whether the proposed activity meets the definition of scientific research activity;
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and whether the vessel meets all the requirements for a scientific research vessel. Foreign vessels that
qualify as scientific research vessels and which are engaged in a scientific research activity may only
engage in compensation fishing during the scientific research cruise and in accordance with the
applicable scientific research plan. The Regional Administrator or Director may also make
recommendations to revise the research plan to ensure the activity will be considered to be a scientific
research activity. The Regional Administrator or Director may designate a Science and Research Director,
or the Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, to receive scientific research plans and
issue Letters of Acknowledgment. In order to facilitate identification of the activity as scientific research,
persons conducting scientific research activities are advised to carry a copy of the scientific research plan
and the Letter of Acknowledgment on board the scientific research vessel and to make it available for
inspection upon the request of any authorized officer. It is recommended that for any scientific research
activity, any fish, or parts thereof, retained pursuant to such activity be accompanied, during any ex-vessel
activities, by a copy of the Letter of Acknowledgment. Activities conducted in accordance with a scientific
research plan acknowledged by such a Letter of Acknowledgment are presumed to be scientific research
activities. An authorized officer may overcome this presumption by showing that an activity does not fit
the definition of scientific research activity or is outside the scope of the scientific research plan.
(b) Reports. Persons conducting scientific research are requested to submit a copy of any cruise report or
other publication created as a result of the cruise, including the amount, composition, and disposition of
their catch, to the appropriate Science and Research Director.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 74 FR 42793, Aug. 25, 2009]

§ 600.513 Recreational fishing.
(a) Foreign vessels conducting recreational fishing must comply only with this section, and §§ 600.10,
600.504(a)(1), and 600.505 (as applicable). Such vessels may conduct recreational fishing within the EEZ
and within the boundaries of a state. Any fish caught may not be sold, bartered, or traded.
(b) The owners or operator and any other person aboard any foreign vessel conducting recreational fishing
must comply with any Federal laws or regulations applicable to the domestic fishery while in the EEZ, and
any state laws or regulations applicable while in state waters.

§ 600.514 Relation to other laws.
(a) Persons affected by these regulations should be aware that other Federal and state statutes may apply to
their activities.
(b) Fishing vessel operators must exercise due care in the conduct of fishing activities near submarine
cables. Damage to submarine cables resulting from intentional acts or from the failure to exercise due
care in the conduct of fishing operations subjects the fishing vessel operator to enforcement action under
the International Convention for the Protection of Submarine Cables, and to the criminal penalties
prescribed by the Submarine Cable Act (47 U.S.C. 21) and other laws that implement that Convention.
Fishing vessel operators also should be aware that the Submarine Cable Act prohibits fishing operations
at a distance of less than 1 nautical mile (1.85 km) from a vessel engaged in laying or repairing a
submarine cable; or at a distance of less than 0.25 nautical mile (0.46 km) from a buoy or buoys intended
to mark the position of a cable when being laid, or when out of order, or broken.

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§ 600.515 Interpretation of 16 U.S.C. 1857(4).
Section 307(4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act prohibits any fishing vessel other than a vessel of the United States
(foreign fishing vessel) from operating in the EEZ if all of the fishing gear on board the vessel is not stowed in
compliance with that section “unless such vessel is authorized to engage in fishing in the area in which the vessel is
operating.” If such a vessel has a permit authorization that is limited to fishing activities other than catching, taking
or harvesting (such as support, scouting or processing activities), it must have all of its fishing gear stowed at all
times while it is in the EEZ. If such a vessel has a permit authorization to engage in catching, taking or harvesting
activities, but such authorization is limited to a specific area within the EEZ, and/or to a specific period of time, the
vessel must have all of its fishing gear stowed while it is in the EEZ, except when it is in the specific area authorized,
and/or during the specific period of time authorized.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.516 Total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF).
(a) The TALFF, if any, with respect to any fishery subject to the exclusive fishery management authority of the
United States, is that portion of the OY of such fishery, which cannot or will not be harvested by vessels of
the United States. Allocations of TALFF are discretionary, except that the total allowable level shall be zero
for fisheries determined by the Secretary to have adequate or excess domestic harvest capacity.
(b) Each specification of OY and each assessment of the anticipated U.S. harvest will be reviewed during
each fishing season. Adjustments to TALFF's will be made based on updated information relating to
status of stocks, estimated and actual performance of domestic and foreign fleets, and other relevant
factors.
(c) Specifications of OY and the initial estimates of U.S. harvests and TALFF's at the beginning of the relevant
fishing year will be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER. Adjustments to those numbers will be published in
the FEDERAL REGISTER upon occasion or as directed by regulations implementing FMPs. For current
apportionments, contact the appropriate Regional Administrator or the Director.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 73 FR 67811, Nov. 17, 2008]

§ 600.517 Allocations.
The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary, determines the allocation among foreign nations of fish
species and species groups. The Secretary of State officially notifies each foreign nation of its allocation. The
burden of ascertaining and accurately transmitting current allocations and status of harvest of an applicable
allocation to fishing vessels is upon the foreign nation and the owner or operator of the FFV.

§ 600.518 Fee schedule for foreign fishing.
(a) Permit application fees. Each vessel permit application submitted under § 600.501 must be accompanied
by a fee. The amount of the fee will be determined in accordance with the procedures for determining
administrative costs of each special product or service contained in the NOAA Finance Handbook, which
is available upon request from the Office of International Affairs (see address at § 600.501(d)(1)). The fee
is specified with the application form. At the time the application is submitted, a check for the fees, drawn
on a U.S. bank, payable to the order of “Department of Commerce, NOAA,” must be sent to the Assistant
Administrator. The permit fee payment must be accompanied by a list of the vessels for which the
payment is made. In the case of applications for permits authorizing activity code 10, the permit
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application fee will be waived if the applicant provides satisfactory documentary proof to the Assistant
Administrator that the foreign nation under which the vessel is registered does not collect a fee from a
vessel of the United States engaged in similar activities in the waters of such foreign nation. The
documentation presented (e.g., copy of foreign fishing regulations applicable to vessels of the United
States) must clearly exempt vessels of the United States from such a fee.
(b) Poundage fees —
(1) Rates. If a Nation chooses to accept an allocation, poundage fees must be paid at the rate specified
in the following table.

TABLE—SPECIES AND POUNDAGE FEES
[DOLLARS PER METRIC TON]
Species

Poundage fees

Northwest Atlantic Ocean fisheries:
1. Butterfish

277.96

2. Herring, Atlantic

25.75

3. Herring, River

49.59

4. Mackerel, Atlantic

64.76

5. Other finfish

45.48

6. Squid, Illex

97.56

7. Squid, Loligo

321.68

(2) Method of payment of poundage fees and observer fees.
(i)

If a Nation chooses to accept an allocation, a revolving letter of credit (L/C) must be
established and maintained to cover the poundage fees for at least 25 percent of the previous
year's total allocation at the rate in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, or as determined by the
Assistant Administrator, plus the observer fees required by paragraph (c) of this section. The
L/C must—
(A) Be irrevocable.
(B) Be with a bank subscribing to ICC Pub. 290.
(C) Designate “Department of Commerce, NOAA” as beneficiary;
(D) Allow partial withdrawals.
(E) Be confirmed by a U.S. bank.

(ii) The customer must pay all commissions, transmission, and service charges. No fishing will be
allowed until the L/C is established, and authorized written notice of its issuance is provided to
the Assistant Administrator.

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(3) Assessment of poundage fees. Poundage fees will be assessed quarterly for the actual catch during
January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December.
The appropriate Regional Administrator will reconcile catch figures with each country following the
procedures of § 600.511(d). When the catch figures are agreed upon, NOAA will present a bill for
collection as the documentary demand for payment to the confirming bank. If, after 45 days from the
end of the quarter, catches have not been reconciled, the estimate of the Regional Administrator will
stand and a bill will be issued for that amount. If necessary, the catch figures may be refined by the
Regional Administrator during the next 60 days, and any modifications will be reflected in the next
quarter's bill.
(c) Observer fees. The Assistant Administrator will notify the owners or operators of FFV's of the estimated
annual costs of placing observers aboard their vessels. The owners or operators of any such vessel must
provide for repayment of those costs by including one-fourth of the estimated annual observer fee as
determined by the Assistant Administrator in a L/C as prescribed in § 600.518(b)(2). During the fiscal
year, payment will be withdrawn from the L/C as required to cover anticipated observer coverage for the
upcoming fishery. The Assistant Administrator will reconcile any differences between the estimated cost
and actual costs of observer coverage within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year.
(d) Financial assurances.
(1) A foreign nation, or the owners and operators of certain vessels of that foreign nation, may be
required by the Assistant Administrator to provide financial assurances. Such assurances may be
required if—
(i)

Civil and criminal penalties assessed against fishing vessels of the Nation have not effectively
deterred violations;

(ii) Vessels of that Nation have engaged in fishing in the EEZ without proper authorization to
conduct such activities;
(iii) The Nation's vessel owners have refused to answer administrative charges or summons to
appear in court; or
(iv) Enforcement of Magnuson-Stevens Act civil or criminal judgments in the courts of a foreign
nation is unattainable.
(2) The level of financial assurances will be guided by the level of penalties assessed and costs to the
U.S. Government.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 39020, July 21, 1999; 66 FR 28132, May 22, 2001;
76 FR 59305, Sept. 26, 2011]

§ 600.520 Northwest Atlantic Ocean fishery.
(a) Purpose. Sections 600.520 and 600.525 regulate all foreign fishing conducted under a GIFA within the EEZ
in the Atlantic Ocean north of 35°00′ N. lat.
(b) Authorized fishery —
(1) Allocations. Foreign vessels may engage in fishing only in accordance with applicable national
allocations.
(2) Time and area restrictions.
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(i)

50 CFR 600.520(b)(2)(i)

Fishing, including processing, scouting, and support of foreign or U.S. vessels, is prohibited
south of 35°00′ N. lat., and north and east of a line beginning at the shore at 44°22′ N. lat.,
67°52′ W. long. and intersecting the boundary of the EEZ at 44°11′12″ N. lat., 67°16′46″ W. long.

(ii) The Regional Administrator will consult with the Council prior to giving notice of any area or
time restriction. NMFS will also consult with the USCG if the restriction is proposed to reduce
gear conflicts. If NMFS determines after such consultation that the restriction appears to be
appropriate, NMFS will publish the proposed restriction in the FEDERAL REGISTER, together with a
summary of the information on which the restriction is based. Following a 30-day comment
period, NMFS will publish a final action.
(iii) The Regional Administrator may rescind any restriction if he/she determines that the basis for
the restriction no longer exists.
(iv) Any notice of restriction shall operate as a condition imposed on the permit issued to the
foreign vessels involved in the fishery.
(3) TALFF. The TALFFs for the fisheries of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean are published in the FEDERAL
REGISTER. Current TALFFs are also available from the Regional Administrator.
(4) Species definitions. The category “other finfish” used in TALFFs and in allocations includes all
species except:
(i)

The other allocated species, namely: Short-finned squid, long-finned squid, Atlantic herring,
Atlantic mackerel, river herring (includes alewife, blueback herring, and hickory shad), and
butterfish.

(ii) The prohibited species, namely: American plaice, American shad, Atlantic cod, Atlantic
menhaden, Atlantic redfish, Atlantic salmon, all marlin, all spearfish, sailfish, swordfish, black
sea bass, bluefish, croaker, haddock, ocean pout, pollock, red hake, scup, sea turtles, sharks
(except dogfish), silver hake, spot, striped bass, summer flounder, tilefish, yellowtail flounder,
weakfish, white hake, windowpane flounder, winter flounder, witch flounder, Continental Shelf
fishery resources, and other invertebrates (except nonallocated squids).
(5) Closures. The taking of any species for which a Nation has an allocation is permitted, provided that:
(i)

The vessels of the foreign nation have not caught the allocation of that Nation for any species
or species group (e.g., “other finfish”). When vessels of a foreign nation have caught an
applicable allocation of any species, all further fishing other than scouting, processing, or
support by vessels of that Nation must cease, even if other allocations have not been reached.
Therefore, it is essential that foreign nations plan their fishing strategy to ensure that the
reaching of an allocation for one species does not result in the premature closing of a Nation's
fishery for other allocated species.

(ii) The fishery has not been closed for other reasons under § 600.511.
(6) Allocation utilization. Foreign fishing vessels may elect to retain or discard allocated species;
however, the computation of allocation utilization and fee refunds will be based on the total quantity
of that species that was caught. Prohibited species must always be returned to the sea as required
under § 600.509.

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50 CFR 600.520(c)

(c) Fishing areas. For the purposes of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean fishery, fishing areas are that portion of
the EEZ shown inside the boundaries of the “three digit statistical areas” described in Figure 1 to this
section.

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50 CFR 600.525

[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.525 Applicability of subpart F to Canadian Albacore Fishing Vessels off the West Coast.
Fishing by vessels of Canada under the 1981 Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and
the Government of Canada on Pacific Coast Albacore Tuna Vessels and Port Privileges is regulated only under this
section and § 600.530 of this subpart F, and is exempt from any other requirements of this subpart F. Regulations
governing fishing by U.S. vessels in waters under the fisheries jurisdiction of the Canada more than 12 nautical
miles from the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured are found at §§ 300.170-300.176 of chapter II of
this title.
[69 FR 31535, June 4, 2004]

§ 600.530 Pacific albacore fishery.
(a) Purpose and scope. This section regulates fishing by Canadian vessels under the 1981 Treaty Between the
Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada on Pacific Coast Albacore
Tuna Vessels and Port Privileges as amended in 2002. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
subpart F, fishing vessels of Canada may be authorized to fish in waters under the fisheries jurisdiction of
the United States more than 12 nautical miles from the baseline from which the territorial sea is
measured in accordance with the Treaty and this section, pursuant to Public Law 108-219 (118 Stat. 616;
16 U.S.C. 1821 note).
(b) Definitions. In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act and § 600.10, the terms used in this subpart have the following meanings:
Fishing under the Treaty as amended in 2002 means to engage in fishing for albacore tuna in waters under
the fisheries jurisdiction of the United States seaward of 12 nautical miles from the baseline from
which the territorial sea is measured.
Regional Administrator means the Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 W. Ocean
Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213, or a designee.
Reporting Office means the office designated by the Regional Administrator to take hail-in and hail-out
reports from U.S. and Canadian vessel operators.
Treaty means the 1981 Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and the
Government of Canada on Pacific Coast Albacore Tuna Vessels and Port Privileges as amended in
2002.
(c) Vessel list. A Canadian vessel is not eligible to fish for albacore in U.S. waters under the Treaty as
amended in 2002 unless the vessel is on the list provided to NMFS by the Government of Canada of
vessels authorized by Canada to fish under the Treaty as amended in 2002.
(d) Vessel identification. A Canadian vessel fishing under the Treaty as amended in 2002 must clearly display
its Canadian vessel registration number followed by the letter C in the same height and size as the
numerals, consistent with Canadian vessel marking requirements.
(e) Hail-in reports. The operator of a Canadian Vessel eligible to fish for albacore in U.S. waters under the
Treaty as amended in 2002 must file a hail-in report with the Reporting Office at least 24 hours prior to
beginning any such fishing.

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50 CFR 600.530(f)

(f) Hail-out Reports. The operator of a Canadian vessel that has been fishing in U.S. waters under the Treaty
as amended in 2002 must file a hail-out report with the Reporting Office at least 24 hours prior to exiting
from U.S. waters.
(g) Prohibitions. It is prohibited for the operator of a Canadian vessel to engage in fishing in U.S. waters if the
vessel:
(1) Is not on the vessel list in paragraph (c) of this section;
(2) Has not filed a hail-in report to advise of an intent to fish under the Treaty as amended in 2002 prior
to engaging in such fishing; or
(3) Is not clearly marked in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.
[69 FR 31535, June 4, 2004]

Subpart G—Preemption of State Authority Under Section 306(b)
§ 600.605 General policy.
It is the policy of the Secretary that preemption proceedings will be conducted expeditiously. The administrative law
judge and counsel or other representative for each party are encouraged to make every effort at each stage of the
proceedings to avoid delay.

§ 600.610 Factual findings for Federal preemption.
(a) The two factual findings for Federal preemption of state management authority over a fishery are:
(1) The fishing in a fishery that is covered by an FMP implemented under the Magnuson-Stevens Act is
engaged in predominately within the EEZ and beyond such zone.
(2) A state has taken any action, or omitted to take any action, the results of which will substantially and
adversely affect the carrying out of such FMP.
(b) Whether fishing is engaged in “predominately” within or beyond the EEZ will be determined after
consideration of relevant factors, including but not limited to, the catch (based on numbers, value, or
weight of fish caught, or other relevant factors) or fishing effort during the appropriate period, and in light
of historical patterns of the distribution of catch or fishing effort for such stock or stocks of fish.
(c) Whether relevant effects are substantial will be determined after consideration of the magnitude of such
actual or potential effects. Relevant to this determination are various factors, including but not limited to,
the proportion of the fishery (stock or stocks of fish and fishing for such stocks) that is subject to the
effects of a particular state's action or omission, the characteristics and status (including migratory
patterns and biological condition) of the stock or stocks of fish in the fishery, and the similarity or
dissimilarity between the goals, objectives, or policies of the state's action or omission and the
management goals or objectives specified in the FMP for the fishery or between the state and Federal
conservation and management measures of the fishery.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.615 Commencement of proceedings.
(a) Notice of proposed preemption.
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50 CFR 600.615(a)(1)

(1) If a proceeding under this part is deemed necessary, the Administrator must issue a notice of
proposed preemption to the Attorney General of the State or States concerned. The notice will
contain:
(i)

A recital of the legal authority and jurisdiction for instituting the proceeding.

(ii) A concise statement of the § 600.610 factual findings for Federal preemption upon which the
notice is based.
(iii) The time, place, and date of the hearing.
(2) The notice of proposed preemption will also be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER. This notification
may be combined with any notice of proposed rulemaking published under paragraph (d)(1) of this
section.
(b) Response. The state will have the opportunity to respond in writing to the notice of proposed preemption.
(c) Amendment. The Administrator may, at any time prior to the Secretary's decision, withdraw the notice of
proposed preemption. Upon motion of either party before the record is closed, the administrative law
judge may amend the notice of proposed preemption.
(d) Proposed regulations —
(1) In general. If additional regulations are required to govern fishing within the boundaries of a state, the
Administrator may publish proposed regulations in the FEDERAL REGISTER concurrently with issuing
the notification indicated in paragraph (a) of this section.
(2) Emergency actions. Nothing in this section will prevent the Secretary from taking emergency action
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.620 Rules pertaining to the hearing.
(a) The civil procedure rules of the NOAA currently set forth in 15 CFR part 904, subpart C (or as subsequently
amended), apply to the proceeding after its commencement by service of notice (pursuant to § 600.615)
and prior to the Secretary's decision (§ 600.625), except that the following sections will not apply:
(1) 15 CFR 904.201 (Definitions);
(2) 15 CFR 904.206(a)(1) (Duties and powers of Judge); and
(3) 15 CFR 904.272 (Administrative review of decision).
(b) Additional duties and powers of judge —
(1) Time periods. The administrative law judge is authorized to modify all time periods pertaining to the
course of the hearing (under §§ 600.615 and 600.620) to expedite the proceedings, upon application
and appropriate showing of need or emergency circumstances by a party.
(2) Intervention. Intervention by persons not parties is not allowed.

§ 600.625 Secretary's decision.
(a) The Secretary will, on the basis of the hearing, record the administrative law judge's recommended
decision:
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50 CFR 600.625(a)(1)

(1) Accept or reject any of the findings or conclusions of the administrative law judge and decide
whether the factual findings exist for Federal preemption of a state's authority within its boundaries
(other than in its internal waters) with respect to the fishery in question;
(2) Reserve decision on the merits or withdraw the notice of proposed preemption; or
(3) Remand the case to the administrative law judge for further proceedings as may be appropriate,
along with a statement of reasons for the remand.
(b) Notification.
(1) If the factual findings for Federal preemption are determined to exist, the Secretary will notify in
writing the Attorney General of that state and the appropriate Council(s) of the preemption of that
state's authority. The Secretary will also direct the Administrator to promulgate appropriate
regulations proposed under § 600.615(d) and otherwise to begin regulating the fishery within the
state's boundaries (other than in its internal waters).
(2) If the factual findings for Federal preemption are determined not to exist, the Secretary will notify, in
writing, the Attorney General of the state and the appropriate Council(s) of that determination. The
Secretary will also direct the Administrator to issue a notice withdrawing any regulations proposed
under § 600.615(d).

§ 600.630 Application for reinstatement of state authority.
(a) Application or notice.
(1) At any time after the promulgation of regulations under § 600.625(b)(1) to regulate a fishery within a
state's boundaries, the affected state may apply to the Secretary for reinstatement of state authority.
The Secretary may also serve upon such state a notice of intent to terminate such Federal
regulation. A state's application must include a clear and concise statement of:
(i)

The action taken by the State to correct the action or omission found to have substantially and
adversely affected the carrying out of the FMP; or

(ii) Any changed circumstances that affect the relationship of the state's action or omission to take
action to the carrying out of the FMP (including any amendment to such plan); and
(iii) Any laws, regulations, or other materials that the state believes support the application.
(2) Any such application received by the Secretary or notice issued to the State will be published in the
FEDERAL REGISTER.
(b) Informal response. The Secretary has sole discretion to accept or reject the application or response. If the
Secretary accepts the application or rejects any responses and finds that the reasons for regulation of the
fishery within the boundaries of the state no longer prevail, the Secretary will promptly terminate such
regulation and publish in the FEDERAL REGISTER any regulatory amendments necessary to accomplish that
end.
(c) Hearing. The Secretary has sole discretion to direct the Administrator to schedule hearings for the receipt
of evidence by an administrative law judge. Hearings before the administrative law judge to receive such
evidence will be conducted in accordance with § 600.620. Upon conclusion of such hearings, the
administrative law judge will certify the record and a recommended decision to the Secretary. If the
Secretary, upon consideration of the state's application or any response to the notice published under §
600.630(a)(2), the hearing record, the recommended decision, and any other relevant materials finds that
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50 CFR 600.705

the reasons for regulation of the fishery within the boundaries of the state no longer prevail, the Secretary
will promptly terminate such regulation and publish in the FEDERAL REGISTER any regulatory amendments
necessary to accomplish that end.

Subpart H—General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries
§ 600.705 Relation to other laws.
(a) General. Persons affected by these regulations should be aware that other Federal and state statutes and
regulations may apply to their activities. Vessel operators may wish to refer to USCG regulations found in
the Code of Federal Regulations title 33—Navigation and Navigable Waters and 46—Shipping; 15 CFR part
904, subpart D—Permit Sanctions and Denials; and title 43—Public Lands (in regard to marine
sanctuaries).
(b) State responsibilities. Certain responsibilities relating to data collection and enforcement may be
performed by authorized state personnel under a state/Federal agreement for data collection and a
tripartite agreement among the state, the USCG, and the Secretary for enforcement.
(c) Submarine cables. Fishing vessel operators must exercise due care in the conduct of fishing activities
near submarine cables. Damage to the submarine cables resulting from intentional acts or from the
failure to exercise due care in the conduct of fishing operations subjects the fishing vessel operator to the
criminal penalties prescribed by the Submarine Cable Act (47 U.S.C. 21) which implements the
International Convention for the Protection of Submarine Cables. Fishing vessel operators also should be
aware that the Submarine Cable Act prohibits fishing operations at a distance of less than 1 nautical mile
(1.85 km) from a vessel engaged in laying or repairing a submarine cable; or at a distance of less than
0.25 nautical mile (0.46 km) from a buoy or buoys intended to mark the position of a cable when being
laid or when out of order or broken.
(d) Marine mammals. Regulations governing exemption permits and the recordkeeping and reporting of the
incidental take of marine mammals are set forth in part 229 of this title.
(e) Halibut fishing. Fishing for halibut is governed by regulations of the International Pacific Halibut
Commission set forth at part 300 of this title.
(f) Marine sanctuaries. Regulations governing fishing activities inside the boundaries of national marine
sanctuaries are set forth in 15 CFR part 922.
(g) High seas fishing activities. Regulations governing permits and requirements for fishing activities on the
high seas are set forth in 50 CFR part 300, subparts A and R. Any vessel operating on the high seas must
obtain a permit issued pursuant to the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 80 FR 62500, Oct. 16, 2015; 81 FR 51138, Aug. 3, 2016; 85 FR 15392, Mar. 18, 2020]

§ 600.710 Permits.
Regulations pertaining to permits required for certain fisheries are set forth in the parts of this chapter governing
those fisheries.

§ 600.715 Recordkeeping and reporting.
Regulations pertaining to records and reports required for certain fisheries are set forth in the parts of this chapter
governing those fisheries.
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50 CFR 600.720

§ 600.720 Vessel and gear identification.
Regulations pertaining to special vessel and gear markings required for certain fisheries are set forth in the parts of
this chapter governing those fisheries.

§ 600.725 General prohibitions.
It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following:
(a) Possess, have custody or control of, ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, land, import, export or reexport, any fish or parts thereof taken or retained in violation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any other
statute administered by NOAA or any regulation or permit issued thereunder, or import, export, transport,
sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any fish taken, possessed,
transported, or sold in violation of any foreign law or regulation, or any treaty or in contravention of a
binding conservation measure adopted by an international agreement or organization to which the United
States is a party.
(b) Transfer or attempt to transfer, directly or indirectly, any U.S.-harvested fish to any foreign fishing vessel,
while such vessel is in the EEZ, unless the foreign fishing vessel has been issued a permit under section
204 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which authorizes the receipt by such vessel of U.S.- harvested fish.
(c) Fail to comply immediately with enforcement and boarding procedures specified in § 600.730.
(d) Refuse to allow an authorized officer to board a fishing vessel or to enter areas of custody for purposes of
conducting any search, inspection, or seizure in connection with the enforcement of the MagnusonStevens Act or any other statute administered by NOAA.
(e) Dispose of fish or parts thereof or other matter in any manner, after any communication or signal from an
authorized officer, or after the approach by an authorized officer or an enforcement vessel or aircraft.
(f) Assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any authorized officer in the conduct
of any search, inspection, or seizure in connection with enforcement of the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any
other statute administered by NOAA.
(g) Interfere with, delay, or prevent by any means, the apprehension of another person, knowing that such
person has committed any act prohibited by the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any other statute administered
by NOAA.
(h) Resist a lawful arrest for any act prohibited under the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any other statute
administered by NOAA.
(i)

Make any false statement, oral or written, to an authorized officer concerning the taking, catching,
harvesting, landing, purchase, sale, offer of sale, possession, transport, import, export, or transfer of any
fish, or attempts to do any of the above.

(j)

Interfere with, obstruct, delay, or prevent by any means an investigation, search, seizure, or disposition of
seized property in connection with enforcement of the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any other statute
administered by NOAA.

(k) Fish in violation of the terms or conditions of any permit or authorization issued under the MagnusonStevens Act or any other statute administered by NOAA.
(l)

Fail to report catches as required while fishing pursuant to an exempted fishing permit.

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50 CFR 600.725(m)

(m) On a scientific research vessel, engage in fishing other than recreational fishing authorized by applicable
state or Federal regulations.
(n) Trade, barter, or sell; or attempt to trade, barter, or sell fish possessed or retained while fishing pursuant to
an authorization for an exempted educational activity.
(o) Harass or sexually harass an authorized officer or an observer.
(p) Fail to show proof of passing the USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination or the alternate
NMFS safety equipment examination, or fail to maintain the vessel safety conditions necessary to pass
the examination, when required by NMFS pursuant to § 600.746.
(q) Fail to display a Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination decal or a valid certificate of compliance
or inspection pursuant to § 600.746.
(r) Fail to provide to an observer, a NMFS employee, or a designated observer provider information that has
been requested pursuant to § 600.746, or fail to allow an observer, a NMFS employee, or a designated
observer provider to inspect any item described at § 600.746.
(s) Fish without an observer when the vessel is required to carry an observer.
(t) Assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with a NMFS-approved observer.
(u)
(1) Prohibit or bar by command, impediment, threat, coercion, interference, or refusal of reasonable
assistance, an observer from conducting his or her duties as an observer; or
(2) Tamper with or destroy samples or equipment.
(v) The use of any gear or participation in a fishery not on the following list of authorized fisheries and gear is
prohibited after December 1, 1999. A fish, regardless whether targeted, may be retained only if it is taken
within a listed fishery, is taken with a gear authorized for that fishery, and is taken in conformance with all
other applicable regulations. Listed gear can only be used in a manner that is consistent with existing
laws and regulations. The list of fisheries and authorized gear does not, in any way, alter or supersede any
definitions or regulations contained elsewhere in this chapter. A person or vessel is prohibited from
engaging in fishing or employing fishing gear when such fishing gear is prohibited or restricted by
regulation under an FMP or other applicable law. However, after December 1, 1999, an individual
fisherman may notify the appropriate Council, or the Director, in the case of Atlantic highly migratory
species, of the intent to use a gear or participate in a fishery not already on the list. Ninety days after such
notification, the individual may use the gear or participate in that fishery unless regulatory action is taken
to prohibit the use of the gear or participate in the fishery (e.g., through emergency or interim regulations).
The list of authorized fisheries and gear is as follows:

Fishery

Authorized gear types

I. NEW ENGLAND FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (NEFMC)
1. Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery (FMP):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

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Fishery

Authorized gear types

C. Hand harvest fishery

C. Hand harvest.

D. Recreational fishery

D. Hand harvest.

2. Iceland Scallop Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

3. Atlantic Salmon Fishery (FMP)

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

4. Striped Bass Fishery (Non-FMP)

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

5. Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery (FMP):
A. NE multispecies sink gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. North Atlantic bottom trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Groundfish hook and line fishery

C. Longline, handline, rod and reel.

D. Mixed species trap and pot fishery

D. Trap, pot.

E. Dredge fishery

E. Dredge.

F. Seine fishery

F. Seine.

G. Recreational fishery

G. Rod and reel, handline, spear.

6. American Lobster Fishery (FMP):
A. Lobster pot and trap fishery

A. Pot, trap.

B. North Atlantic bottom trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Dredge fishery

C. Dredge.

D. Hand harvest fishery

D. Hand harvest.

E. Gillnet fishery

E. Gillnet.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Pot, trap, hand harvest.

7. Atlantic Herring Fishery (FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Purse seine fishery

B. Purse seine.

C. Gillnet fishery

C. Gillnet.

D. Herring pair trawl fishery

D. Pair trawl.

E. Dredge fishery

E. Dredge.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Hook and line, gillnet.

8. Spiny Dogfish Fishery (FMP jointly managed
by MAFMC and NEFMC):
A. Gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Hook and line fishery

C. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Longline fishery

E. Longline.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear.

9. Atlantic Bluefish Fishery (FMP managed by
MAFMC):
A. Pelagic longline and hook and line fishery

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Fishery

Authorized gear types

B. Seine fishery

B. Purse seine, seine.

C. Mixed species pot and trap fishery

C. Pot, trap.

D. Bluefish, croaker, flounder trawl fishery

D. Trawl.

E. Gillnet fishery

E. Gillnet.

F. Dredge fishery

F. Dredge.

G. Recreational fishery

G. Rod and reel, handline, trap, pot, spear.

10. Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish
Fishery (FMP managed by the MAFMC):
A. Mackerel, squid, and butterfish trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Longline and hook-and-line fishery

C. Longline, handline, rod and reel.

D. Purse seine fishery

D. Purse seine.

E. Mixed species pot and trap fishery

E. Pot, trap.

F. Dredge fishery

F. Dredge.

G. Dip net fishery

G. Dip net.

H. Bandit gear fishery

H. Bandit gear.

I. Recreational fishery

I. Rod and reel, handline, pot, spear.

11. Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery (FMP
managed by the MAFMC):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Dredge, hand harvest.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Hand harvest.

12. Atlantic Menhaden Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Purse seine fishery

A. Purse seine.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Gillnet fishery

C. Gillnet.

D. Commercial hook-and-line fishery

D. Hook and line.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Hook and line, snagging, cast nets.

13. Weakfish Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Trawl, gillnet, hook and line.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Hook and line, spear.

14. Atlantic Mussel and Sea Urchin Fishery
(Non-FMP):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Hand harvest fishery

B. Hand harvest.

C. Recreational fishery

C. Hand harvest.

15. Atlantic Skate Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Hook-and-line fishery

C. Longline and handline.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

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Fishery
E. Recreational fishery

Authorized gear types
E. Rod and reel.

16. Crab Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Trap and pot fishery

C. Trap, pot.

17. Northern Shrimp Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Shrimp trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Shrimp pot fishery

B. Pot.

18. Monkfish Fishery (FMP jointly managed by
NEFMC and MAFMC):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Longline fishery

C. Longline.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Trap and pot fishery

E. Trap, pot.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Rod and reel, spear.

19. Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass
Fishery (FMP managed by MAFMC):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Longline and hook and line fishery

B. Longline, handline.

C. Mixed species pot and trap fishery

C. Pot, trap.

D. Gillnet fishery

D. Gillnet.

E. Dredge fishery

E. Dredge.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Rod and reel, handline, pot, trap, spear.

20. Hagfish Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trap, pot.

21. Tautog Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. Pot and trap fishery

B. Pot, trap.

C. Rod and reel, hook and line fishery

C. Rod and reel, handline, hook and line.

D. Trawl fishery

D. Trawl.

E. Spear fishery

E. Spear.

F. Fyke net fishery

F. Fyke net.

G. Recreational fishery

G. Rod and reel, hook and line, handline, spear.

22. Recreational Fishery (Non-FMP)

Rod and reel, handline, spear, hook and line, hand
harvest, bandit gear, powerhead, gillnet, cast net,
pot, trap, dip net, bully net, snare.

23. Commercial Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl, pot, trap, gillnet, pound net, dredge, seine,
handline, longline, hook and line, rod and reel,
hand harvest, purse seine, spear, bandit gear,
powerhead, dip net, bully net, snare, cast net,

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Fishery

Authorized gear types
barrier net, slurp gun, allowable chemicals.

24. Dolphin/wahoo fishery (FMP managed by
SAFMC)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, handline, pelagic
longline, rod and reel, spear (including
powerheads).

II. MID-ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (MAFMC)
1. Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass
Fishery (FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Pelagic longline and hook and line fishery

B. Longline, handline, rod and reel.

C. Mixed species pot and trap fishery

C. Pot, trap.

D. Gillnet fishery

D. Gillnet.

E. Dredge fishery

E. Dredge.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Rod and reel, handline, pot, trap, spear.

2. Atlantic Bluefish Fishery (FMP):
A. Bluefish, croaker, and flounder trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Pelagic longline and hook and line fishery

B. Longline, handline, bandit gear, rod and reel.

C. Mixed species pot and trap fishery

C. Pot, trap.

D. Gillnet fishery

D. Gillnet.

E. Seine fishery

E. Purse seine, seine.

F. Dredge fishery

F. Dredge.

G. Recreational fishery

G. Rod and reel, handline, trap, pot, spear.

3. Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish
Fishery (FMP):
A. Mackerel, squid, and butterfish trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Longline and hook-and-line fishery

C. Longline, handline, rod and reel.

D. Purse seine fishery

D. Purse seine.

E. Mixed species pot and trap fishery

E. Pot, trap.

F. Dredge fishery

F. Dredge.

G. Dip net fishery

G. Dip net.

H. Bandit gear fishery

H. Bandit gear.

I. Recreational fishery

I. Rod and reel, handline, pot, spear.

4. Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery (FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Dredge, hand harvest.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Hand harvest.

5. Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery (FMP managed
by NEFMC):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Hand harvest fishery

C. Hand harvest.

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D. Recreational fishery

Authorized gear types
D. Hand harvest.

6. Atlantic Menhaden Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Purse seine fishery

A. Purse seine.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Gillnet fishery

C. Gillnet.

D. Commercial hook-and-line fishery

D. Hook and line.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Hook and line, snagging, cast nets.

7. Striped Bass Fishery (Non-FMP)

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

8. Northern Shrimp Trawl Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl.

9. American Lobster Fishery (FMP managed by
NEFMC):
A. Pot and trap fishery

A. Pot, trap.

B. Hand harvest fishery

B. Hand harvest.

C. Trawl fishery

C. Trawl.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Gillnet fishery

E. Gillnet.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Pot, trap, hand harvest.

10. Weakfish Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Trawl, gillnet, hook and line, rod and reel.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Hook and line, spear.

11. Whelk Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Pot and trap fishery

B. Pot, trap.

C. Dredge

C. Dredge.

D. Pound net, gillnet, seine

D. Pound net, gillnet, seine.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Hand harvest.

12. Monkfish Fishery (FMP jointly managed by
NEFMC and MAFMC):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Longline fishery

B. Longline, rod and reel.

C. Gillnet fishery

C. Gillnet.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Trap and pot fishery

E. Trap and pot.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Rod and reel, spear.

13. Tilefish Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Groundfish hook-and-line fishery

A. Longline, handline, rod and fishery reel.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Recreational fishery

C. Rod and reel, spear.

14. Spiny Dogfish Fishery (FMP jointly managed
by MAFMC and NEFMC):

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Fishery

Authorized gear types

A. Gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Hook and line fishery

C. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Longline fishery

E. Longline.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear.

15. Tautog Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. Pot and trap fishery

B. Pot, trap.

C. Rod and reel, hook and line handline fishery

C. Rod and reel, hook and line, handline.

D. Trawl fishery

D. Trawl.

E. Spear fishery

E. Spear.

F. Fyke net fishery

F. Fyke net.

G. Recreational fishery

G. Rod and reel, handline, hook and line, spear.

16. Coastal Gillnet Fishery (Non-FMP)

Gillnet

17. Recreational Fishery (Non-FMP)

Rod and reel, handline, spear, hook and line, hand
harvest, bandit gear, powerhead, gillnet, cast net.

18. NE Multispecies Fishery (FMP managed by
NEFMC):
A. NE multispecies sink gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. North Atlantic bottom trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Groundfish hook and line

C. Longline, handline, rod and fishery reel.

D. Mixed species trap and pot fishery

D. Trap, pot.

E. Dredge fishery

E. Dredge.

F. Seine fishery

F. Seine.

G. Recreational fishery

G. Rod and reel, handline, spear.

19. Atlantic Skate Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Hook-and-line fishery

C. Longline and handline.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Rod and reel.

20. Crab Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Trap and pot fishery

C. Trap, pot.

21. Atlantic Herring Fishery (FMP managed by
the NEFMC):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Purse seine fishery

B. Purse seine.

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Authorized gear types

C. Gillnet fishery

C. Gillnet.

D. Herring pair trawl fishery

D. Pair trawl.

E. Dredge fishery

E. Dredge.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Hook and line, gillnet.

22. South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery
(FMP managed by the SAFMC):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Longline, rod and reel, bandit gear, handline,
spear, powerhead.

B. Black sea bass trap and pot fishery

B. Pot, trap.

C. Wreckfish fishery

C. Rod and reel, bandit gear, handline.

D. Recreational fishery

D. Handline, rod and reel, bandit gear, spear,
powerhead.

23. South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics
Fishery (FMP managed by the SAFMC):
A. Commercial Spanish mackerel fishery

A. Handline, rod and reel, bandit gear, gillnet, cast
net.

B. Commercial king mackerel fishery

B. Handline, rod and reel, bandit gear.

C. Other commercial coastal migratory pelagics
fishery

C. Longline, handline, rod and reel, bandit gear.

D. Recreational fishery

D. Bandit gear, rod and reel, handline, spear.

24. Calico Scallops Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Dredge fishery

B. Dredge.

C. Recreational fishery

C. Hand harvest.

25. Sargassum Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl.

26. South Atlantic Shrimp Fishery (FMP)

Trawl.

27. Commercial Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl, pot, trap, gillnet, pound net, dredge, seine,
handline, longline, hook and line, rod and reel,
spear.

28. Dolphin/wahoo fishery (FMP managed by
SAFMC)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, handline, pelagic
longline, rod and reel, spear (including
powerheads).

III. SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
1. Golden Crab Fishery (FMP)

Trap.

2. Crab Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Trap and pot fishery

C. Trap, pot.

3. Atlantic Red Drum Fishery (FMP)

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

4. Coral and Coral Reef Fishery (FMP):

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Authorized gear types

A. Octocoral commercial fishery

Hand harvest.

B. Live rock aquaculture fishery

Hand harvest.

5. South Atlantic Shrimp Fishery (FMP)

Trawl.

6. South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery
(FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Longline, rod and reel, bandit gear, handline,
spear, powerhead.

B. Black sea bass pot fishery

B. Pot.

C. Wreckfish fishery

C. Rod and reel, bandit gear, handline.

D. Recreational fishery

D. Handline, rod and reel, bandit gear, spear,
powerhead.

7. South Atlantic Spiny Lobster Fishery (FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Trap, pot, dip net, bully net, snare, hand
harvest.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Dip net, bully net, snare, hand harvest.

8. South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics
Fishery (FMP):
A. Commercial Spanish mackerel fishery

A. Handline, rod and reel, bandit gear, gillnet, cast
net.

B. Commercial king mackerel fishery

B. Handline, rod and reel, bandit gear.

C. [Reserved]
D. Recreational fishery

D. Bandit gear, rod and reel, handline, spear.

9. Spiny Dogfish Fishery (FMP jointly managed
by NEFMC and SAFMC):
A. Gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Hook and line fishery

C. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear, bandit gear.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Longline fishery

E. Longline.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear.

10. Smooth Dogfish Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Gillnet fishery

A. Gillnet.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Hook and line fishery

C. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear, bandit gear.

D. Dredge fishery

D. Dredge.

E. Longline fishery

E. Longline.

F. Recreational fishery

F. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear.

11. Atlantic Menhaden Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Purse seine fishery

A. Purse seine.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

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Authorized gear types

C. Gillnet fishery

C. Gillnet.

D. Commercial hook-and-line

D. Hook and line fishery.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Hook and line, snagging, cast nets.

12. Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish
Trawl Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl.

13. Bait Fisheries (Non-FMP)

Purse seine.

14. Weakfish Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Trawl, gillnet, hook and line.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Hook and line, spear.

15. Whelk Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Pot and trap fishery

B. Pot, trap.

C. Dredge fishery

C. Dredge.

D. Recreational fishery

D. Hand harvest.

16. Marine Life Aquarium Fishery (Non-FMP)

Dip net, slurp gun, barrier net, drop net, allowable
chemical, trap, pot, trawl.

17. Calico Scallop Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Dredge fishery

A. Dredge.

B. Trawl fishery

B. Trawl.

C. Recreational fishery

C. Hand harvest.

18. Summer Flounder Fishery (FMP managed by
MAFMC):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Trawl, longline, handline, rod and reel, pot, trap,
gillnet, dredge.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Rod and reel, handline, pot, trap, spear.

19. Bluefish, Croaker, and Flounder Trawl and
Gillnet Fishery (Bluefish FMP managed by
MAFMC)

Trawl, gillnet.

20. Commercial Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl, gillnet, longline, handline, hook and line,
rod and reel, bandit gear, cast net, pot, trap,
lampara net, spear.

21. Recreational Fishery (Non-FMP)

Rod and reel, handline, spear, hook and line, hand
harvest, bandit gear, powerhead, gillnet, cast net.

22. Sargassum Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl.

23. Octopus Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trap, pot.

24. Dolphin/wahoo fishery (FMP)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, handline, pelagic
longline, rod and reel, spear (including
powerheads).

25. Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial Fishery

50 CFR 600.725(v) (enhanced display)

A. Longline, handline, rod and reel, bandit gear,
spear.

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B. Recreational Fishery

Authorized gear types
B. Bandit gear, rod and reel, handline, spear.

IV. GULF OF MEXICO FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
1. Gulf of Mexico Red Drum Fishery (FMP)

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

2. Coral Reef Fishery (FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Hand harvest.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Hand harvest.

3. Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery (FMP):
A. Snapper-Grouper reef fish longline and hook
and line fishery

A. Longline, handline, bandit gear, rod and reel,
buoy gear.

B. Other commercial fishery

B. Spear, powerhead, cast net, trawl.

C. Recreational fishery

C. Spear, powerhead, bandit gear, handline, rod
reel, cast net.

4. Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fishery (FMP):
A. Gulf of Mexico commercial fishery

A. Trawl butterfly net, skimmer, cast net.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Trawl.

5. Gulf of Mexico Coastal Migratory Pelagics
Fishery (FMP):
A. Large pelagics longline fishery

A. Longline.

B. King/Spanish mackerel gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Pelagic hook and line fishery

C. Bandit gear, handline, rod and reel.

D. Pelagic species purse seine fishery

D. Purse seine.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Bandit gear, handline, rod and reel, spear.

Gulf of Mexico Spiny Lobster Fishery (FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Trap, pot, dip net, bully net, hoop net, trawl,
snare, hand harvest.

C. Recreational fishery

C. Dip net, bully net, pot, trap, snare, hand
harvest.

6. Stone Crab Fishery (FMP):
A. Trap and pot fishery

A. Trap, pot

B. Recreational fishery

B. Trap, pot, hand harvest.

7. Blue Crab Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trap, pot.

8. Golden Crab Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trap.

9. Mullet Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Pair trawl fishery

C. Pair trawl.

D. Cast net fishery

D. Cast net.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Bandit gear, handline, rod and reel, spear, cast
net.

10. Inshore Coastal Gillnet Fishery (Non-FMP)

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Gillnet.

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Authorized gear types

11. Octopus Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trap, pot.

12. Marine Life Aquarium Fishery (Non-FMP)

Dip net, slurp gun, barrier net, drop net, allowable
chemical, trap, pot, trawl.

13. Coastal Herring Trawl Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl.

14. Butterfish Trawl Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl.

15. Gulf of Mexico Groundfish (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Trawl, purse seine, gillnet.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Hook and line, rod and reel, spear.

16. Gulf of Mexico Menhaden Purse Seine
Fishery (Non-FMP)

Purse seine.

17. Sardine Purse Seine Fishery (Non-FMP)

Purse seine.

18. Oyster Fishery (Non-FMP)

Dredge, tongs.

19. Commercial Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl, gillnet, hook and line, longline, handline,
rod and reel, bandit gear, cast net, lampara net,
spear.

20. Recreational Fishery (Non-FMP)

Bandit gear, handline, rod and reel, spear, bully
net, gillnet, dip net, longline, powerhead, seine,
slurp gun, trap, trawl, harpoon, cast net, hoop net,
hook and line, hand harvest.

21. Offshore aquaculture (FMP)

Cages, net pens

V. CARIBBEAN FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
1. Exclusive Economic Zone around Puerto Rico
A. Puerto Rico Reef Fish Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel, trap, pot, spear.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Dip net, handline, rod and reel, slurp gun, spear,
trap, pot.

B. Puerto Rico Pelagic Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel, gillnet.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Spear, handline, longline, rod and reel.

C. Puerto Rico Spiny Lobster Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Trap, pot, dip net, hand harvest, snare.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Trap, pot, dip net, hand harvest, snare.

D. Puerto Rico Coral Reef Resources Fishery
(FMP):

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

E. Puerto Rico Queen Conch Fishery (FMP):

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

F. Puerto Rico Pelagic Fishery (Non-FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Gillnet, automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Spear, handline, longline, rod and reel.

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50 CFR 600.725(v)

Authorized gear types

G. Puerto Rico Commercial Fishery (Non-FMP)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear, handline,
longline, rod and reel, trawl, gillnet, cast net,
spear.

H. Puerto Rico Recreational Fishery (Non-FMP)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, handline, longline,
rod and reel, spear, powerhead, hand harvest,
cast net.

2. Exclusive Economic Zone around St. Croix
A. St. Croix Reef Fish Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel, trap, pot, spear.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Dip net, handline, rod and reel, slurp gun, spear,
trap, pot.

B. St. Croix Pelagic Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Gillnet, automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Spear, handline, longline, rod and reel.

C. St. Croix Spiny Lobster Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Trap, pot, dip net, hand harvest, snare.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Trap, pot, dip net, hand harvest, snare.

D. St. Croix Coral Reef Resource Fishery (FMP):

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

E. St. Croix Queen Conch Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Hand harvest.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Hand harvest.

F. St. Croix Pelagic Fishery (Non-FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Gillnet, automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Spear, handline, longline, rod and reel.

G. St. Croix Commercial Fishery (Non-FMP)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear, handline,
longline, rod and reel, trawl, gillnet, cast net,
spear.

H. St. Croix Recreational Fishery (Non-FMP)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, handline, longline,
rod and reel, spear, powerhead, hand harvest,
cast net.

3. Exclusive Economic Zone around St. Thomas
and St. John
A. St. Thomas and St. John Reef Fish Fishery
(FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel, trap, pot, spear.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Dip net, handline, rod and reel, slurp gun, spear,
trap, pot.

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Authorized gear types

B. St. Thomas and St. John Pelagic Fishery
(FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel, gillnet.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Spear, handline, longline, rod and reel.

C. St. Thomas and St. John Spiny Lobster
Fishery (FMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Trap, pot, dip net, hand harvest, snare.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Trap, pot, dip net, hand harvest, snare.

D. St. Thomas and St. John Coral Reef Resource
Fishery (FMP):

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

E. St. Thomas and St. John Queen Conch
Fishery (FMP):

No harvest or possession in the EEZ.

F. St. Thomas and St. John Pelagic Fishery (NonFMP):
i. Commercial fishery

i. Gillnet, automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear,
handline, longline, rod and reel.

ii. Recreational fishery

ii. Spear, handline, longline, rod and reel.

G. St. Thomas and St. John Commercial Fishery
(Non-FMP)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear, handline,
longline, rod and reel, trawl, gillnet, cast net,
spear.

H. St. Thomas and St. John Recreational Fishery
(Non-FMP)

Automatic reel, bandit gear, handline, longline,
rod and reel, spear, powerhead, hand harvest,
cast net.

VI. PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
1. Pacific Coast Salmon Fisheries (FMP):
A. Commercial

A. Hook and line.

B. Recreational

B. Hook and line.

2. Pacific Coast Groundfish Fisheries (FMP):
A. Commercial

A. Trawl, hook and line, pot/trap, demersal seine,
set net, spear, and hand collection.

B. Recreational

B. Hook and line, spear.

3. Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries (FMP):
A. Commercial

A. Purse seine, lampara net, brail net, dip net,
cast net, hook and line.

B. Recreational

B. Hook and line, spear, pot/trap, dip net, cast
net, hand harvest, rake, harpoon, bow and arrow.

4. Highly Migratory Species Fisheries (FMP):
A. Commercial

A. Hook and line, gillnet, harpoon, purse seine.

B. Recreational

B. Hook and line, spear, harpoon, bow and arrow.

5. Pacific Halibut Fisheries (Non-FMP):

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Fishery

Authorized gear types

A. Commercial

A. Hook and line.

B. Recreational

B. Hook and line, spear.

6. Dungeness Crab Fisheries (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial

A. Pot/trap.

B. Recreational North of 46°15′ N. lat

B. Pot/trap, dip net, hand harvest.

C. Recreational South of 46°15′ N. lat. and North of C. Pot/trap, hook and line, dip net, hand harvest,
42° N. lat
rake, crab loop.
D. Recreational South of 42° N. lat

D. Pot/trap, hand harvest, hoop net, crab loop.

7. Crab Fisheries for Species other than
Dungeness crab (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial Pot/Trap Fisheries South of 46°15′
N. lat

A. Pot/trap.

B. Recreational North of 46°15′ N. lat

B. Pot/trap, dip net, hand harvest.

C. Recreational South of 46°15′ N. lat. and North of C. Pot/trap, hook and line, dip net, hand harvest,
42° N. lat
rake, crab loop.
D. Recreational South of 42° N. lat

D. Pot/trap, hand harvest, hoop net, crab loop.

8. Shrimp and Prawn Fisheries (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial spot prawn

A. Pot/trap.

B. Commercial pink shrimp North of 46°15′ N. lat

B. Trawl.

C. Commercial pink shrimp South of 46°15′ N. lat

C. Pot/trap, trawl.

D. Commercial coonstripe shrimp South of 46°15′
N. lat

D. Pot/trap.

E. Commercial ridgeback prawn South of 42° N. lat

E. Trawl.

F. Recreational North of 46°15′ N. lat

F. Pot/trap, dip net, hand harvest.

G. Recreational South of 46°15′ N. lat. and North of G. Pot/trap, hook and line, dip net, hand harvest,
42° N. lat
rake.
H. Recreational South of 42° N. lat
9. Hagfish Commercial Fisheries (Non-FMP)

H. Pot/trap, hand harvest, dip net.
Pot/trap.

10. Squid, all spp. except market squid or not
otherwise prohibited, and Octopus Fisheries
(Non-FMP):
A. Commercial

A. Hook and line, pot/trap, dip net, seine, trawl,
set net, spear, hand harvest.

B. Recreational Squid North of 42° N. lat

B. Hook and line, cast net, dip net, hand harvest.

C. Recreational Octopus North of 42° N. lat

C. Hook and line, pot/trap, dip net, hand harvest.

D. Recreational South of 42° N. lat

D. Hook and line, dip net, hand harvest.

11. White Sturgeon Fisheries (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial South of 46°15′ N. lat. and North of
42° N. lat

A. Trawl, pot/trap, hook and line, seine, dip net,
spear.

B. Recreational North of 42° N. lat

B. Hook and line.

C. Recreational South of 42° N. lat

C. Hook and line, spear.

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Fishery

Authorized gear types

12. Sea Cucumber Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial hand harvest fishery South of
46°15′ N. lat

A. Hand harvest.

B. Commercial trawl South of 42° N. lat

B. Trawl.

13. Minor Finfish Commercial Fisheries South of Trawl, pot/trap, hook and line, seine, dipnet,
46°15′ N. lat. and North of 42° N. lat. for: Salmon spear.
shark, Pacific pomfret, slender sole, wolf-eel,
eelpout species, Pacific sandfish, skilfish, and
walleye pollock Fisheries (Non-FMP)
14. Weathervane Scallop Commercial Fishery
South of 46°15′ N. lat. and North of 42° N. lat.
(Non-FMP)

Trawl.

15. California Halibut, White Seabass
Commercial Fisheries South of 42° N. lat. (NonFMP):
A. California halibut trawl

A. Trawl.

B. California halibut and white seabass set net

B. Gillnet, trammel net.

C. California halibut hook and line

C. Hook and line.

D. White seabass hook and line

D. Hook and line.

16. California Barracuda, White Seabass, and
Yellowtail Drift-Net Commercial Fishery South of
42° N. lat. (Non-FMP)

Gillnet.

17. Pacific Bonito Commercial Net Fishery South Purse seine.
of 42° N. lat. (Non-FMP)
18. Lobster Commercial Pot and Trap Fishery
South of 42° N. lat. (Non-FMP)

Pot/trap.

19. Finfish and Invertebrate Fisheries Not Listed
Above and Not Otherwise Prohibited (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial South of 46°15′ N. lat

A. Hook and line, pot/trap, spear.

B. Recreational

B. Hook and line, spear, pot/trap, dip net, cast
net, hand harvest, rake, harpoon, bow and arrow.
VII. NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

1. Alaska Scallop Fishery (FMP)

Dredge.

2. Bering Sea (BS) and Aleutian Islands (AI) King
and Tanner Crab Fishery (FMP):
Pot fishery

Pot.

3. Bering Sea (BS) and Aleutian Islands (AI) King
and Tanner Crab Fishery (FMP):
Recreational fishery

Pot.

4. BS and AI Groundfish Fishery (FMP):
A. Groundfish trawl fishery

50 CFR 600.725(v) (enhanced display)

A. Trawl.

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Fishery

Authorized gear types

B. Bottomfish hook-and-line, and handline fishery

B. Hook and line, handline.

C. Longline fishery

C. Longline.

D. BS and AI pot and trap fishery

D. Pot, trap.

5. BS and AI Groundfish Recreational Fishery
(Non-FMP)

Handline, rod and reel, hook and line, pot, trap.

6. Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Groundfish Fishery
(FMP):
A. Groundfish trawl fishery

A. Trawl.

B. Bottomfish hook-and-line and handline fishery

B. Hook and line, handline.

C. Longline fishery

C. Longline.

D. GOA pot and trap fishery

D. Pot, trap.

E. Recreational fishery

E. Handline, rod and reel, hook and line, pot, trap.

7. Pacific Halibut Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Commercial (IFQ and CDQ)

A. Hook and line, pot.

B. Recreational

B. Single line with no more than 2 hooks
attached or spear.

C. Subsistence

C. Setline gear and hand held gear of not more
than 30 hooks, including longline, handline, rod
and reel, spear, jig, and hand-troll gear.

8. Alaska Salmon Fishery (FMP):
A. East Area

A. Hook and line.

B. Cook Inlet EEZ Area

B. Drift gillnet, handline, rod and reel, hook and
line.

9. Alaska Salmon Fishery (Non-FMP):
A. Hook-and-line fishery

A. Hook and line.

B. Gillnet fishery

B. Gillnet.

C. Purse seine fishery.

C. Purse seine.

D. Recreational fishery

D. Handline, rod and reel, hook and line.

10. Finfish Purse Seine Fishery (Non-FMP)

Purse seine.

11. Octopus/Squid Longline Fishery (Non-FMP)

Longline.

12. Finfish Handline and Hook-and-line Fishery
(Non-FMP)

Handline, hook and line.

13. Recreational Fishery (Non-FMP)

Handline, rod and reel, hook line.

14. Commercial Fishery (Non-FMP)

Trawl, gillnet, hook and line, longline, handline,
rod and reel, bandit gear, cast net, spear.

VIII. Western Pacific Fishery Management Council
1. Western Pacific Crustacean Fishery (FMP)
(Fishery Ecosystem Plan, FEP)

Trap, hand harvest, hoop net.

2. Western Pacific Crustacean Fishery (NonFEP):

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50 CFR 600.725(v)

Fishery

Authorized gear types

A. Commercial fishery

A. Gillnet, hand harvest, hoop net, spear, snare,
trap, trawl.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Gillnet, hand harvest, hoop net, spear, snare,
trap.

C. Charter fishery

C. Hand harvest, spear.

3. Western Pacific Precious Corals Fishery
(FEP):
A. Tangle net dredge fishery

A. Tangle net dredge.

B. Submersible fishery

B. Submersible.

C. Dive fishery

C. Hand harvest.

D. Recreational fishery

D. Hand harvest.

4. Western Pacific Precious Corals Fishery (NonFEP)

Hand harvest, submersible, tangle net dredge.

5. Western Pacific Bottomfish and Seamount
Groundfish Fishery (FEP)
A. Bottomfish hook-and-line fishery

A. Bandit gear, buoy gear, handline, hook and line,
rod and reel, hand harvest.

B. Seamount groundfish fishery

B. Longline, trawl.

C. Bottom longline fishery

C. Longline, hook and line.

D. Trap fishery

D. Trap.

E. Spear fishery

E. Spear, powerhead.

6. Western Pacific Bottomfish and Seamount
Groundfish Fishery (Non-FEP):
A. Commercial fishery

A. Bandit gear, buoy gear, gillnet, handline, hookand-line, longline, rod and reel, spear, trap.

B. Recreational fishery

B. Bandit gear, buoy gear, Gillnet, handline, hook
and line, longline, rod and reel, spear, trap, slurp
gun, hand harvest.

C. Charter fishery

C. Bandit gear, buoy gear, handline, hook-andline, rod and reel, spear.

7. Western Pacific Pelagics Fishery (FEP):
A. Longline Fishery

A. Longline.

B. Hook and line fishery

B. Bandit gear, buoy gear, handline, hook and line,
rod and reel.

C. Purse seine fishery

C. Lampara net, purse seine.

D. Spear fishery

D. Spear, powerhead.

E. Squid jig fishery

E. Squid jig.

8. Western Pacific Pelagics Fishery (Non-FEP):
A. Recreational fishery

50 CFR 600.725(v) (enhanced display)

A. Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net, handline, hook
and line, hoop net, powerhead, rod and real,
spear.

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Fishery

Authorized gear types

B. Commercial fishery

B. Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net, handline, hook
and line, hoop net, powerhead, rod and reel,
spear.

C. Charter fishery

C. Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net, handline, hook
and line, hoop net, powerhead, rod and reel,
spear.

9. Western Pacific Coastal Pelagics Fishery
(Non-FEP)

Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net, gillnet, handline,
hook and line, hoop net, lampara net, purse
seine, rod and reel, spear.

10. Western Pacific Squid and Octopus Fishery
(Non-FEP)

Bandit gear, hand harvest, hook and line, rod and
reel, spear, trap.

11. Western Pacific Coral Reef Fishery (NonFEP)

Allowable chemical, barrier net, dip net, gillnet,
hand harvest, seine, slurp gun, trap, spear, rod
and reel, hook and line.

12. Recreational Fishery (Non-FEP)

Rod and reel, hook and line, handline, hand
harvest, spear.

13. Commercial Fishery (Non-FEP)

Trawl, gillnet, hook and line, longline, handline,
rod and reel, bandit gear, cast net, spear.
IX. SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

1. Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fisheries
(FMP):
A. Swordfish handgear fishery

A. Rod and reel, harpoon, handline, bandit gear,
buoy gear, green-stick gear.

B. Swordfish recreational fishery

B. Rod and reel, handline.

C. Pelagic longline fishery

C. Longline.

D. Shark gillnet fishery

D. Gillnet

E. Shark bottom longline fishery

E. Longline.

F. Shark handgear fishery

F. Rod and reel, handline, bandit gear.

G. Shark recreational fishery

G. Rod and reel, handline.

H. [Reserved]
I. Tuna recreational fishery

I. Speargun gear (for bigeye, albacore, yellowfin,
and skipjack tunas only); Rod and reel, handline
(all tunas); green-stick gear (HMS Charter/
Headboat Category only).

J. Tuna handgear fishery

J. Rod and reel, harpoon, handline, bandit gear.

K. Tuna harpoon fishery

K. Harpoon.

L. Atlantic billfish recreational fishery

L. Rod and reel.

M. Tuna green-stick fishery

M. Green-stick gear.

N. Commercial Caribbean Small Boat Fishery

N. Rod and reel, handline, harpoon, bandit gear,
green-stick gear, buoy gear.

2. Commercial Fisheries (Non-FMP)

50 CFR 600.725(v) (enhanced display)

Rod and reel, handline, longline, gillnet, harpoon,

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Fishery

50 CFR 600.725(w)

Authorized gear types
bandit gear, purse seine, green-stick gear.

(w) Fail to maintain safe conditions for the protection of observers including compliance with all U.S. Coast
Guard and other applicable rules, regulations, or statutes applicable to the vessel and which pertain to
safe operation of the vessel.
(x) Fish for commercial purposes within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument,
as defined in § 600.10, consistent with Presidential Proclamations 9496 and 10287. Fishing for
commercial purposes means fishing that is intended to, or results in, the barter, trade, transfer, or sale of
fish, either in whole or in part.
(1) Vessels may transit the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, provided
commercial fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use during passage without
interruption through the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.
(2) [Reserved]
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996]

Editorial Note: For FEDERAL REGISTER citations affecting § 600.725, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which
appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

§ 600.730 Facilitation of enforcement.
(a) General. The operator of, or any other person aboard, any fishing vessel subject to parts 622 through 699
of this chapter must immediately comply with instructions and signals issued by an authorized officer to
stop the vessel and with instructions to facilitate safe boarding and inspection of the vessel, its gear,
equipment, fishing record (where applicable), and catch for purposes of enforcing the Magnuson-Stevens
Act or any other statute administered by NOAA and this chapter.
(1) For the purposes of this section “freeboard” means the working distance between the top rail of the
gunwale of a vessel and the water's surface. Where cut-outs are provided in the bulwarks for the
purpose of boarding personnel, freeboard means the distance between the threshold of the bulwark
cut-out and the water's surface.
(2) For the purposes of this section, “pilot ladder” means a flexible ladder constructed and approved to
meet the U.S. Coast Guard standards for pilot ladders at 46 CFR subpart 163.003 entitled Pilot
Ladder.
(b) Communications.
(1) Upon being approached by a USCG vessel or aircraft, or other vessel or aircraft with an authorized
officer aboard, the operator of a fishing vessel must be alert for communications conveying
enforcement instructions.

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50 CFR 600.730(b)(2)

(2) VHF-FM radiotelephone is the preferred method for communicating between vessels. If the size of
the vessel and the wind, sea, and visibility conditions allow, a loudhailer may be used instead of the
radio. Hand signals, placards, high frequency radiotelephone, or voice may be employed by an
authorized officer, and message blocks may be dropped from an aircraft.
(3) If other communications are not practicable, visual signals may be transmitted by flashing light
directed at the vessel signaled. USCG units will normally use the flashing light signal “L” as the signal
to stop. In the International Code of Signals, “L” (.-..) means “you should stop your vessel instantly.”
(Period (.) means a short flash of light; dash (-) means a long flash of light.)
(4) Failure of a vessel's operator promptly to stop the vessel when directed to do so by an authorized
officer using loudhailer, radiotelephone, flashing light signal, or other means constitutes prima facie
evidence of the offense of refusal to permit an authorized officer to board.
(5) The operator of a vessel who does not understand a signal from an enforcement unit and who is
unable to obtain clarification by loudhailer or radiotelephone must consider the signal to be a
command to stop the vessel instantly.
(c) Boarding. The operator of a vessel directed to stop must:
(1) Guard Channel 16, VHF-FM, if so equipped.
(2) Stop immediately and lay to or maneuver in such a way as to allow the authorized officer and his/her
party to come aboard.
(3) Except for fishing vessels with a freeboard of 4 feet (1.25 m) or less, provide, when requested by an
authorized officer or observer personnel, a pilot ladder capable of being used for the purpose of
enabling personnel to embark and disembark the vessel safely. The pilot ladder must be maintained
in good condition and kept clean.
(4) When necessary to facilitate the boarding or when requested by an authorized officer or observer,
provide a manrope or safety line, and illumination for the pilot ladder.
(5) Take such other actions as necessary to facilitate boarding and to ensure the safety of the
authorized officer and the boarding party.
(d) Signals. The following signals, extracted from the International Code of Signals, may be sent by flashing
light by an enforcement unit when conditions do not allow communications by loudhailer or
radiotelephone. Knowledge of these signals by vessel operators is not required. However, knowledge of
these signals and appropriate action by a vessel operator may preclude the necessity of sending the
signal “L” and the necessity for the vessel to stop instantly. (Period (.) means a short flash of light; dash (-)
means a long flash of light.)
(1) “AA” repeated (.-.-) is the call to an unknown station. The operator of the signaled vessel should
respond by identifying the vessel by radiotelephone or by illuminating the vessel's identification.
(2) “RY-CY” (.-. -.— -.-. -.—) means “you should proceed at slow speed, a boat is coming to you.” This
signal is normally employed when conditions allow an enforcement boarding without the necessity
of the vessel being boarded coming to a complete stop, or, in some cases, without retrieval of fishing
gear which may be in the water.
(3) “SQ3” (... —.- ...—) means “you should stop or heave to; I am going to board you.”

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50 CFR 600.735

[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 61 FR 37225, July 17, 1996; 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 73 FR 67809, Nov. 17, 2008;
81 FR 88998, Dec. 9, 2016]

§ 600.735 Penalties.
Any person committing, or fishing vessel used in the commission of a violation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any
other statute administered by NOAA and/or any regulation issued under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, is subject to
the civil and criminal penalty provisions and civil forfeiture provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, to this section,
to 15 CFR part 904 (Civil Procedures), and to other applicable law.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.740 Enforcement policy.
(a) The Magnuson-Stevens Act provides four basic enforcement remedies for violations, in ascending order
of severity, as follows:
(1) Issuance of a citation (a type of warning), usually at the scene of the offense (see 15 CFR part 904,
subpart E).
(2) Assessment by the Administrator of a civil money penalty.
(3) For certain violations, judicial forfeiture action against the vessel and its catch.
(4) Criminal prosecution of the owner or operator for some offenses. It shall be the policy of NMFS to
enforce vigorously and equitably the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act by utilizing that form
or combination of authorized remedies best suited in a particular case to this end.
(b) Processing a case under one remedial form usually means that other remedies are inappropriate in that
case. However, further investigation or later review may indicate the case to be either more or less serious
than initially considered, or may otherwise reveal that the penalty first pursued is inadequate to serve the
purposes of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Under such circumstances, the Agency may pursue other
remedies either in lieu of or in addition to the action originally taken. Forfeiture of the illegal catch does
not fall within this general rule and is considered in most cases as only the initial step in remedying a
violation by removing the ill-gotten gains of the offense.
(c) If a fishing vessel for which a permit has been issued under the Magnuson-Stevens Act is used in the
commission of an offense prohibited by section 307 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NOAA may impose
permit sanctions, whether or not civil or criminal action has been undertaken against the vessel or its
owner or operator. In some cases, the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires permit sanctions following the
assessment of a civil penalty or the imposition of a criminal fine. In sum, the Magnuson-Stevens Act
treats sanctions against the fishing vessel permit to be the carrying out of a purpose separate from that
accomplished by civil and criminal penalties against the vessel or its owner or operator.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.745 Scientific research activity, exempted fishing, and exempted educational activity.
(a) Scientific research activity. Nothing in this part is intended to inhibit or prevent any scientific research
activity conducted by a scientific research vessel. Persons planning to conduct scientific research
activities on board a scientific research vessel in the EEZ or on the high seas are encouraged to submit to
the appropriate Regional Administrator or Director, 60 days or as soon as practicable prior to its start, a
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50 CFR 600.745(b)

scientific research plan for each scientific activity. The Regional Administrator or Director will
acknowledge notification of scientific research activity by issuing to the operator or master of that vessel,
or to the sponsoring institution, a Letter of Acknowledgment. This Letter of Acknowledgment is separate
and distinct from any permit or consultation required by the MMPA, the ESA, or any other applicable law.
The Regional Administrator or Director will include text in the Letter of Acknowledgment informing the
applicant that such a permit may be required and should be obtained from the agency prior to embarking
on the activity. If the Regional Administrator or Director, after review of a research plan, determines that it
does not constitute scientific research but rather fishing, the Regional Administrator or Director will inform
the applicant as soon as practicable and in writing. In making this determination, the Regional
Administrator, Director, or designee shall consider: the merits of the individual proposal and the
institution(s) involved; whether the proposed activity meets the definition of scientific research activity;
and whether the vessel meets all the requirements for a scientific research vessel. The Regional
Administrator or Director may also make recommendations to revise the research plan to ensure the
activity will be considered to be scientific research activity or recommend the applicant request an EFP.
The Regional Administrator or Director may designate a Science and Research Director, or the Assistant
Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, to receive scientific research plans and issue Letters of
Acknowledgment. In order to facilitate identification of the activity as scientific research, persons
conducting scientific research activities are advised to carry a copy of the scientific research plan and the
Letter of Acknowledgment on board the scientific research vessel and to make it available for inspection
upon the request of any authorized officer. It is recommended that for any scientific research activity, any
fish, or parts thereof, retained pursuant to such activity be accompanied, during any ex-vessel activities,
by a copy of the Letter of Acknowledgment. Activity conducted in accordance with a scientific research
plan acknowledged by such a Letter of Acknowledgment is presumed to be scientific research activity. An
authorized officer may overcome this presumption by showing that an activity does not fit the definition of
scientific research activity or is outside the scope of the scientific research plan.
(b) Exempted fishing —
(1) General. A NMFS Regional Administrator or Director may authorize, for limited testing, public display,
data collection, exploratory fishing, compensation fishing, conservation engineering, health and
safety surveys, environmental cleanup, and/or hazard removal purposes, the target or incidental
harvest of species managed under an FMP or fishery regulations that would otherwise be prohibited.
Exempted fishing may not be conducted unless authorized by an EFP issued by a Regional
Administrator or Director in accordance with the criteria and procedures specified in this section.
Compensation fishing must be conducted under an EFP if the activity would otherwise be prohibited
by applicable regulations unless the activity is specifically authorized under an FMP or a scientific
research permit. Conservation engineering that does not meet the definition of scientific research
activity, but does meet the definition of fishing must be conducted under an EFP if the activity would
otherwise be prohibited by applicable regulations. Data collection designed to capture and land
quantities of fish for product development, market research, and/or public display must be permitted
under exempted fishing procedures. An EFP exempts a vessel only from those regulations specified
in the EFP. All other applicable regulations remain in effect. The Regional Administrator or Director
may charge a fee to recover the administrative expenses of issuing an EFP. The amount of the fee
will be calculated, at least annually, in accordance with procedures of the NOAA Handbook for
determining administrative costs of each special product or service; the fee may not exceed such
costs. Persons may contact the appropriate Regional Administrator or Director to determine the
applicable fee.

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50 CFR 600.745(b)(2)

(2) Application. An applicant for an EFP shall submit a completed application package to the appropriate
Regional Administrator or Director, as soon as practicable and at least 60 days before the desired
effective date of the EFP. Submission of an EFP application less than 60 days before the desired
effective date of the EFP may result in a delayed effective date because of review requirements. The
application package must include payment of any required fee as specified by paragraph (b)(1) of
this section, and a written application that includes, but is not limited to, the following information:
(i)

The date of the application.

(ii) The applicant's name, mailing address, and telephone number.
(iii) A statement of the purposes and goals of the exempted fishery for which an EFP is needed,
including justification for issuance of the EFP.
(iv) For each vessel to be covered by the EFP, as soon as the information is available and before
operations begin under the EFP:
(A) A copy of the USCG documentation, state license, or registration of each vessel, or the
information contained on the appropriate document.
(B) The current name, address, and telephone number of the owner and master, if not included
on the document provided for the vessel.
(v) The species (target and incidental) expected to be harvested under the EFP, the amount(s) of
such harvest necessary to conduct the exempted fishing, the arrangements for disposition of
all regulated species harvested under the EFP, and any anticipated impacts on the environment,
including impacts on fisheries, marine mammals, threatened or endangered species, and EFH.
(vi) For each vessel covered by the EFP, the approximate time(s) and place(s) fishing will take place,
and the type, size, and amount of gear to be used.
(vii) The signature of the applicant.
(viii) The Regional Administrator or Director, as appropriate, may request from an applicant
additional information necessary to make the determinations required under this section. An
incomplete application or an application for which the appropriate fee has not been paid will
not be considered until corrected in writing and the fee paid. An applicant for an EFP need not
be the owner or operator of the vessel(s) for which the EFP is requested.
(3) Issuance.
(i)

The Regional Administrator or Director, as appropriate, will review each application and will
make a preliminary determination whether the application contains all of the required
information and constitutes an activity appropriate for further consideration. If the Regional
Administrator or Director finds that any application does not warrant further consideration, both
the applicant and the affected Council(s) will be notified in writing of the reasons for the
decision. If the Regional Administrator or Director determines that any application warrants
further consideration, notification of receipt of the application will be published in the FEDERAL
REGISTER with a brief description of the proposal. Interested persons will be given a 15- to
45-day opportunity to comment on the notice of receipt of the EFP application. In addition,
comments may be requested during public testimony at a Council meeting. If the Council
intends to take comments on EFP applications at a Council meeting, it must include a
statement to this effect in the Council meeting notice and meeting agenda. Multiple

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applications for EFPs may be published in the same FEDERAL REGISTER document and may be
discussed under a single Council agenda item. The notification may establish a cut-off date for
receipt of additional applications to participate in the same, or a similar, exempted fishing
activity. The Regional Administrator or Director will also forward copies of the application to the
Council(s), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the appropriate fishery management agencies of affected
states, accompanied by the following information:
(A) The effect of the proposed EFP on the target and incidental species, including the effect
on any TAC.
(B) A citation of the regulation or regulations that, without the EFP, would prohibit the
proposed activity.
(C) Biological information relevant to the proposal, including appropriate statements of
environmental impacts, including impacts on fisheries, marine mammals, threatened or
endangered species, and EFH.
(ii) If the application is complete and warrants additional consultation, the Regional Administrator
or Director may consult with the appropriate Council(s) concerning the permit application
during the period in which comments have been requested. The Council(s) or the Regional
Administrator or Director shall notify the applicant in advance of any public meeting at which
the application will be considered, and offer the applicant the opportunity to appear in support
of the application.
(iii) As soon as practicable after receiving a complete application, including all required analyses
and consultations (e.g., NEPA, EFH, ESA and MMPA), and having received responses from the
public, the agencies identified in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, and/or after the
consultation, if any, described in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section, the Regional Administrator
or Director shall issue the EFP or notify the applicant in writing of the decision to deny the EFP
and the reasons for the denial. Grounds for denial of an EFP include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(A) The applicant has failed to disclose material information required, or has made false
statements as to any material fact, in connection with his or her application; or
(B) According to the best scientific information available, the harvest to be conducted under
the permit would detrimentally affect the well-being of the stock of any regulated species
of fish, marine mammal, threatened or endangered species, or EFH; or
(C) Issuance of the EFP would have economic allocation as its sole purpose (other than
compensation fishing); or
(D) Activities to be conducted under the EFP would be inconsistent with the intent of this
section, the management objectives of the FMP, or other applicable law; or
(E) The applicant has failed to demonstrate a valid justification for the permit; or
(F) The activity proposed under the EFP could create a significant enforcement problem.
(iv) The decision of a Regional Administrator or Director to grant or deny an EFP is the final action
of NMFS. If the permit, as granted, is significantly different from the original application, or is
denied, NMFS may publish notification in the FEDERAL REGISTER describing the exempted fishing
to be conducted under the EFP or the reasons for denial.
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(v) The Regional Administrator or Director should attach, as applicable, terms and conditions to the
EFP, consistent with the purpose of the exempted fishing and as otherwise necessary for the
conservation and management of the fishery resources and the marine environment, including,
but not limited to:
(A) The maximum amount of each regulated species that can be harvested and landed during
the term of the EFP, including trip limitations, where appropriate.
(B) The number, size(s), name(s), and identification number(s) of the vessel(s) authorized to
conduct fishing activities under the EFP.
(C) A citation of the regulations from which the vessel is exempted.
(D) The time(s) and place(s) where exempted fishing may be conducted.
(E) The type, size, and amount of gear that may be used by each vessel operated under the
EFP.
(F) Whether observers, a vessel monitoring system, or other electronic equipment must be
carried on board vessels operating under the EFP, and any necessary conditions, such as
predeployment notification requirements.
(G) Data reporting requirements necessary to document the activities, including catches and
incidental catches, and to determine compliance with the terms and conditions of the EFP
and established time frames and formats for submission of the data to NMFS.
(H) Other conditions as may be necessary to assure compliance with the purposes of the EFP,
consistent with the objectives of the FMP and other applicable law.
(I)

Provisions for public release of data obtained under the EFP that are consistent with
NOAA confidentiality of statistics procedures at set out in subpart E. An applicant may be
required to waive the right to confidentiality of information gathered while conducting
exempted fishing as a condition of an EFP.

(4) Acknowledging permit conditions. Upon receipt of an EFP, the permit holder must date and sign the
permit, and retain the permit on board the vessel(s). The permit is not valid until signed by the permit
holder. In signing the permit, the permit holder:
(i)

Agrees to abide by all terms and conditions set forth in the permit, and all restrictions and
relevant regulations; and

(ii) Acknowledges that the authority to conduct certain activities specified in the permit is
conditional and subject to authorization and revocation by the Regional Administrator or
Director.
(5) Duration. Unless otherwise specified in the EFP or a superseding notice or regulation, an EFP is valid
for no longer than 1 year. EFPs may be renewed following the application procedures in this section.
(6) Alteration. Any permit that has been altered, erased, or mutilated is invalid.
(7) Inspection. Any EFP issued under this section must be carried on board the vessel(s) for which it was
issued. The EFP must be presented for inspection upon request of any authorized officer. Any fish, or
parts thereof, retained pursuant to an EFP issued under this paragraph must be accompanied, during
any ex-vessel activities, by a copy of the EFP.
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(8) Inspection. Any EFP issued under this section must be carried on board the vessel(s) for which it was
issued. The EFP must be presented for inspection upon request of any authorized officer.
(9) Sanctions. Failure of a permittee to comply with the terms and conditions of an EFP may be grounds
for revocation, suspension, or modification of the EFP with respect to all persons and vessels
conducting activities under the EFP. Any action taken to revoke, suspend, or modify an EFP for
enforcement purposes will be governed by 15 CFR part 904, subpart D.
(c) Reports.
(1) NMFS requests that persons conducting scientific research activities from scientific research
vessels submit a copy of any report or other publication created as a result of the activity, including
the amount, composition, and disposition of their catch, to the appropriate Science and Research
Director and Regional Administrator or Director.
(2) Upon completion of the activities of the EFP, or periodically as required by the terms and conditions
of the EFP, persons fishing under an EFP must submit a report of their catches and any other
information required, to the appropriate Regional Administrator or Director, in the manner and within
the time frame specified in the EFP, but no later than 6 months after concluding the exempted fishing
activity. Persons conducting EFP activities are also requested to submit a copy of any publication
prepared as a result of the EFP activity.
(d) Exempted educational activities —
(1) General. A NMFS Regional Administrator or Director may authorize, for educational purposes, the
target or incidental harvest of species managed under an FMP or fishery regulations that would
otherwise be prohibited. The trade, barter or sale of fish taken under this authorization is prohibited.
The decision of a Regional Administrator or Director to grant or deny an exempted educational
activity authorization is the final action of NMFS. Exempted educational activities may not be
conducted unless authorized in writing by a Regional Administrator or Director in accordance with
the criteria and procedures specified in this section. Such authorization will be issued without
charge.
(2) Application. An applicant for an exempted educational activity authorization shall submit to the
appropriate Regional Administrator or Director, at least 15 days before the desired effective date of
the authorization, a written application that includes, but is not limited to, the following information:
(i)

The date of the application.

(ii) The applicant's name, mailing address, and telephone number.
(iii) A brief statement of the purposes and goals of the exempted educational activity for which
authorization is requested, including a general description of the arrangements for disposition
of all species collected.
(iv) Evidence that the sponsoring institution is a valid educational institution, such as accreditation
by a recognized national or international accreditation body.
(v) The scope and duration of the activity.
(vi) For each vessel to be covered by the authorization:
(A) A copy of the U.S. Coast Guard documentation, state license, or registration of the vessel,
or the information contained on the appropriate document.
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(B) The current name, address, and telephone number of the owner and master, if not included
on the document provided for the vessel.
(vii) The species and amounts expected to be caught during the exempted educational activity, and
any anticipated impacts on the environment, including impacts on fisheries, marine mammals,
threatened or endangered species, and EFH.
(viii) For each vessel covered by the authorization, the approximate time(s) and place(s) fishing will
take place, and the type, size, and amount of gear to be used.
(ix) The signature of the applicant.
(x) The Regional Administrator or Director may request from an applicant additional information
necessary to make the determinations required under this section. An incomplete application
will not be considered until corrected in writing.
(3) Issuance.
(i)

The Regional Administrator or Director, as appropriate, will review each application and will
make a determination whether the application contains all of the required information, is
consistent with the goals, objectives, and requirements of the FMP or regulations and other
applicable law, and constitutes a valid exempted educational activity. The applicant will be
notified in writing of the decision within 5 working days of receipt of the application.

(ii) The Regional Administrator or Director should attach, as applicable, terms and conditions to the
authorization, consistent with the purpose of the exempted educational activity and as
otherwise necessary for the conservation and management of the fishery resources and the
marine environment, including, but not limited to:
(A) The maximum amount of each regulated species that may be harvested.
(B) A citation of the regulations from which the vessel is being exempted.
(C) The time(s) and place(s) where the exempted educational activity may be conducted.
(D) The type, size, and amount of gear that may be used by each vessel operated under the
authorization.
(E) Data reporting requirements necessary to document the activities and to determine
compliance with the terms and conditions of the exempted educational activity.
(F) Such other conditions as may be necessary to assure compliance with the purposes of the
authorization, consistent with the objectives of the FMP or regulations.
(G) Provisions for public release of data obtained under the authorization, consistent with
NOAA confidentiality of statistics procedures in subpart E. An applicant may be required
to waive the right to confidentiality of information gathered while conducting exempted
educational activities as a condition of the authorization.
(iii) The authorization will specify the scope of the authorized activity and will include, at a
minimum, the duration, vessel(s), persons, species, and gear involved in the activity, as well as
any additional terms and conditions specified under paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section.

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(4) Duration. Unless otherwise specified, authorization for an exempted educational activity is effective
for no longer than 1 year, unless revoked, suspended, or modified. Authorizations may be renewed
following the application procedures in this section.
(5) Alteration. Any authorization that has been altered, erased, or mutilated is invalid.
(6) Transfer. Authorizations issued under this paragraph (d) are not transferable or assignable.
(7) Inspection. Any authorization issued under this paragraph (d) must be carried on board the vessel(s)
for which it was issued, or be in the possession of at least one of the persons identified in the
authorization, who must be present while the exempted educational activity is being conducted. The
authorization must be presented for inspection upon request of any authorized officer. Activities that
meet the definition of “fishing,” despite an educational purpose, are fishing. An authorization may
allow covered fishing activities; however, fishing activities conducted outside the scope of an
authorization for exempted educational activities are illegal. Any fish, or parts thereof, retained
pursuant to an authorization issued under this paragraph must be accompanied, during any exvessel activities, by a copy of the authorization.
(e) Observers. NMFS-sanctioned observers or biological technicians conducting activities within NMFSapproved sea sampling and/or observer protocols are exempt from the requirement to obtain an EFP. For
purposes of this section, NMFS-sanctioned observers or biological technicians include NMFS employees,
NMFS observers, observers who are employees of NMFS-contracted observer providers, and observers
who are employees of NMFS-permitted observer providers.
[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 74 FR 42794, Aug. 25, 2009; 80 FR 62500, Oct. 16, 2015]

§ 600.746 Observers.
(a) Applicability. This section applies to any fishing vessel required to carry an observer as part of a
mandatory observer program or carrying an observer as part of a voluntary observer program under the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the ATCA (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.), the South
Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 973 et seq.), or any other U.S. law.
(b) Observer safety. An observer will not be deployed on, or stay aboard, a vessel that is inadequate for
observer deployment as described in paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) Vessel inadequate for observer deployment. A vessel is inadequate for observer deployment if it:
(1) Does not comply with the applicable regulations regarding observer accommodations (see 50 CFR
parts 229, 285, 300, 600, 622, 635, 648, 660, and 679), or
(2) Has not passed a USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination, or for vessels less than 26 ft
(8 m) in length, has not passed an alternate safety equipment examination, as described in
paragraph (g) of this section.
(d) Display or show proof. A vessel that has passed a USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination
must display or show proof of a valid USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination decal that
certifies compliance with regulations found in 33 CFR Chapter 1 and 46 CFR Chapter 1, and which was
issued within the last 2 years or at a time interval consistent with current USCG regulations or policy.

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(1) In situations of mitigating circumstances, which may prevent a vessel from displaying a valid safety
decal (broken window, etc.), NMFS, the observer, or NMFS' designated observer provider may accept
the following associated documentation as proof of the missing safety decal described in paragraph
(d) of this section:
(i)

A certificate of compliance issued pursuant to 46 CFR 28.710;

(ii) A certificate of inspection pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 3311; or
(iii) For vessels not required to obtain the documents identified in (d)(1)(i) and (d)(1)(ii) of this
section, a dockside examination report form indicating the decal number and date and place of
issue.
(e) Visual inspection. Upon request by an observer, a NMFS employee, or a designated observer provider, a
vessel owner or operator must provide correct information concerning any item relating to any safety or
accommodation requirement prescribed by law or regulation, in a manner and according to a timeframe
as directed by NMFS. A vessel owner or operator must also allow an observer, a NMFS employee, or a
designated observer provider to visually examine any such item.
(f) Vessel safety check. Prior to the initial deployment, the vessel owner or operator or the owner or operator's
designee must accompany the observer in a walk through the vessel's major spaces to ensure that no
obviously hazardous conditions exist. This action may be a part of the vessel safety orientation to be
provided by the vessel to the observer as required by 46 CFR 28.270. The vessel owner or operator or the
owner or operator's designee must also accompany the observer in checking the following major items as
required by applicable USCG regulations:
(1) Personal flotation devices/ immersion suits;
(2) Ring buoys;
(3) Distress signals;
(4) Fire extinguishing equipment;
(5) Emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), when required, shall be registered to the vessel
at its documented homeport;
(6) Survival craft, when required, with sufficient capacity to accommodate the total number of persons,
including the observer(s), that will embark on the voyage; and
(7) Other fishery-area and vessel specific items required by the USCG.
(g) Alternate safety equipment examination. If a vessel is under 26 ft (8 m) in length, and in a remote location,
and NMFS has determined that the USCG cannot provide a USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety
Examination due to unavailability of inspectors or to unavailability of transportation to or from an
inspection station, the vessel will be adequate for observer deployment if it passes an alternate safety
equipment examination conducted by a NMFS certified observer, observer provider, or a NMFS observer
program employee, using a checklist of USCG safety requirements for commercial fishing vessels under
26 ft (8 m) in length. Passage of the alternative examination will only be effective for the single trip
selected for observer coverage.
(h) Duration. The vessel owner or operator is required to comply with the requirements of this section when
the vessel owner or operator is notified orally or in writing by an observer, a NMFS employee, or a
designated observer provider, that his or her vessel has been selected to carry an observer. The
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requirements of this section continue to apply through the time of the observer's boarding, at all times the
observer is aboard, and at the time the observer disembarks from the vessel at the end of the observed
trip.
(i)

Effect of inadequate status. A vessel that would otherwise be required to carry an observer, but is
inadequate for the purposes of carrying an observer, as described in paragraph (c) of this section, and for
allowing operation of normal observer functions, is prohibited from fishing without observer coverage.

[63 FR 27217, May 18, 1998, as amended at 67 FR 64312, Oct. 18, 2002; 72 FR 61818, Nov. 1, 2007]

§ 600.747 Guidelines and procedures for determining new fisheries and gear.
(a) General. Section 305(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the Secretary to prepare a list of all
fisheries under the authority of each Council, or the Director in the case of Atlantic highly migratory
species, and all gear used in such fisheries. This section contains guidelines in paragraph (b) for
determining when fishing gear or a fishery is sufficiently different from those listed in § 600.725(v) as to
require notification of a Council or the Director in order to use the gear or participate in the unlisted
fishery. This section also contains procedures in paragraph (c) for notification of a Council or the Director
of potentially new fisheries or gear, and for amending the list of fisheries and gear.
(b) Guidelines. The following guidance establishes the basis for determining when fishing gear or a fishery is
sufficiently different from those listed to require notification of the appropriate Council or the Director.
(1) The initial step in the determination of whether a fishing gear or fishery is sufficiently different to
require notification is to compare the gear or fishery in question to the list of authorized fisheries and
gear in § 600.725(v) and to the existing gear definitions in § 600.10.
(2) If the gear in question falls within the bounds of a definition in § 600.10 for an allowable gear type
within that fishery, as listed under § 600.725(v), then the gear is not considered different, is
considered allowable gear, and does not require notification of the Council or Secretary 90 days
before it can be used in that fishery.
(3) If, for any reason, the gear is not consistent with a gear definition for a listed fishery as described in
paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the gear is considered different and requires Council or Secretarial
notification as described in paragraph (c) of this section 90 days before it can be used in that fishery.
(4) If a fishery falls within the bounds of the list of authorized fisheries and gear in § 600.725(v) under
the Council's or Secretary's authority, then the fishery is not considered different, is considered an
allowable fishery and does not require notification of the Council or Director before that fishery can
occur.
(5) If a fishery is not already listed in the list of authorized fisheries and gear in § 600.725(v), then the
fishery is considered different and requires notification as described in paragraph (c) of this section
90 days before it can occur.
(c) Procedures. If a gear or fishery does not appear on the list in § 600.725(v), or if the gear is different from
that defined in § 600.10, the process for notification, and consideration by a Council or the Director, is as
follows:
(1) Notification. After July 26, 1999, no person or vessel may employ fishing gear or engage in a fishery
not included on the list of approved gear types in § 600.725(v) without notifying the appropriate
Council or the Director at least 90 days before the intended use of that gear.
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(2) Notification procedures.
(i)

A signed return receipt for the notice serves as adequate evidence of the date that the
notification was received by the appropriate Council or the Director, in the case of Atlantic
highly migratory species, and establishes the beginning of the 90-day notification period, unless
required information in the notification is incomplete.

(ii) The notification must include:
(A) Name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the notification.
(B) Description of the gear.
(C) The fishery or fisheries in which the gear is or will be used.
(D) A diagram and/or photograph of the gear, as well as any specifications and dimensions
necessary to define the gear.
(E) The season(s) in which the gear will be fished.
(F) The area(s) in which the gear will be fished.
(G) The anticipated bycatch species associated with the gear, including protected species,
such as marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds, or species listed as endangered or
threatened under the ESA.
(H) How the gear will be deployed and fished, including the portions of the marine
environment where the gear will be deployed (surface, midwater, and bottom).
(iii) Failure to submit complete and accurate information will result in a delay in beginning the
90-day notification period. The 90-day notification period will not begin until the information
received is determined to be accurate and complete.
(3) Action upon receipt of notification —
(i)

Species other than Atlantic Highly Migratory Species.
(A) Upon signing a return receipt of the notification by certified mail regarding an unlisted
fishery or gear, a Council must immediately begin consideration of the notification and
send a copy of the notification to the appropriate Regional Administrator.
(B) If the Council finds that the use of an unlisted gear or participation in a new fishery would
not compromise the effectiveness of conservation and management efforts, it shall:
(1) Recommend to the RA that the list be amended;
(2) Provide rationale and supporting analysis, as necessary, for proper consideration of
the proposed amendment; and
(3) Provide a draft proposed rule for notifying the public of the proposed addition, with a
request for comment.

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(C) If the Council finds that the proposed gear or fishery will be detrimental to conservation
and management efforts, it will recommend to the RA that the authorized list of fisheries
and gear not be amended, that a proposed rule not be published, give reasons for its
recommendation of a disapproval, and may request NMFS to publish emergency or
interim regulations, and begin preparation of an FMP or amendment to an FMP, if
appropriate.
(D) After considering information in the notification and Council's recommendation, NMFS will
decide whether to publish a proposed rule. If information on the new gear or fishery being
considered indicates it is likely that it will compromise conservation and management
efforts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and no additional new information is likely to be
gained from a public comment period, then a proposed rule will not be published and
NMFS will notify the appropriate Council. In such an instance, NMFS will publish
emergency or interim regulations to prohibit or restrict use of the gear or participation in
the fishery. If NMFS determines that the proposed amendment is not likely to compromise
conservation and management efforts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS will
publish a proposed rule in the FEDERAL REGISTER with a request for public comment.
(ii) Atlantic Highly Migratory Species.
(A) Upon signing a return receipt of the notification by certified mail regarding an unlisted
fishery or gear for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS), NMFS will immediately begin
consideration of the notification.
(B) Based on information in the notification and submitted by the Council, NMFS will make a
determination whether the use of an unlisted gear or participation in an unlisted HMS
fishery will compromise the effectiveness of conservation and management efforts under
the Magnuson-Stevens Act. If it is determined that the proposed amendment will not
compromise conservation and management efforts, NMFS will publish a proposed rule.
(C) If NMFS finds that the proposed gear or fishery will be detrimental to conservation and
management efforts in this initial stage of review, it will not publish a proposed rule and
notify the applicant of the negative determination with the reasons therefor.
(4) Final determination and publication of a final rule. Following public comment, NMFS will approve or
disapprove the amendment to the list of gear and fisheries.
(i)

If approved, NMFS will publish a final rule in the FEDERAL REGISTER and notify the applicant and
the Council, if appropriate, of the final approval.

(ii) If disapproved, NMFS will withdraw the proposed rule, notify the applicant and the Council, if
appropriate, of the disapproval; publish emergency or interim regulations, if necessary, to
prohibit or restrict the use of gear or the participation in a fishery; and either notify the Council
of the need to amend an FMP or prepare an amendment to an FMP in the case of Atlantic
highly migratory species.
[64 FR 4043, Jan. 27, 1999]

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§ 600.748 National Minimum Observer Provider Insurance Standard.
(a) Applicability. As part of regulations for observer provider companies to obtain approval or a permit to
deploy a person in any mandatory or voluntary observer program, or regulations that specify approved or
permitted observer provider responsibilities, NMFS must reference and ensure compliance with the
following national minimum insurance standard.
(b) Policies and Coverage Amounts.
(1) Marine General Liability ($1 million any one occurrence or as provided under paragraph (d) of this
section).
(2) Marine Employers Liability ($1 million any one occurrence or as provided under paragraph (d) of this
section) for an observer provider that is authorized, or has applied to be authorized, to deploy
observers or monitors at-sea.
(3) State workers' compensation as required by each state in which the observer provider is authorized,
or has applied to be authorized, to deploy observers or monitors at-sea or shoreside.
(4) U.S. Longshore and Harbor Workers' Act coverage, either as a stand-alone policy or as a state
workers' compensation policy endorsement, if that policy or a policy endorsement is required by the
respective state(s) in which the observer provider is authorized, or has applied to be authorized, to
deploy observers or monitors at-sea or shoreside.
(5) Excess or umbrella coverage ($2 million any one occurrence).
(c) Scope of coverages. Coverage must extend to injury, liability, and accidental death during the period of
employment, including training, of observers or monitors at-sea or shoreside.
(d) Combined coverage amounts. Coverage amounts specified for Marine General Liability and Marine
Employers Liability may be higher or lower for each respective policy so long as the combined coverage
for these policies is $2 million.
[87 FR 54909, Sept. 8, 2022]

Subpart I—Fishery Negotiation Panels
Source: 62 FR 23669, May 1, 1997, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.750 Definitions.
Consensus means unanimous concurrence among the members on a Fishery Negotiation Panel established
under this rule, unless such Panel:
(1) Agrees to define such term to mean a general but not unanimous concurrence; or
(2) agrees upon another specified definition.
Fishery negotiation panel (FNP) means an advisory committee established by one or more Councils or the
Secretary in accordance with these regulations to assist in the development of fishery conservation and
management measures.

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50 CFR 600.750 “Interest”

Interest means, with respect to an issue or matter, multiple parties that have a similar point of view or that are
likely to be affected in a similar manner.
Report means a document submitted by an FNP in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
[62 FR 23669, May 1, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 7075, Feb. 12, 1998]

§ 600.751 Determination of need for a fishery negotiation panel.
A Council or NMFS may establish an FNP to assist in the development of specific fishery conservation and
management measures. In determining whether to establish an FNP, NMFS or the Council, as appropriate, shall
consider whether:
(a) There is a need for specific fishery conservation and management measures.
(b) There are a limited number of identifiable interests that will be significantly affected by the conservation
and management measure.
(c) There is a reasonable likelihood that an FNP can be convened with a balanced representation of persons
who:
(1) Can adequately represent the interests identified under paragraph (b) of this section.
(2) Are willing to negotiate in good faith to reach a consensus on a report regarding the issues
presented.
(d) There is a reasonable likelihood that an FNP will reach a consensus on a report regarding the issues
presented within 1 year from date of establishment of the FNP.
(e) The use of an FNP will not unreasonably delay Council or NMFS fishery management plan development or
rulemaking procedures.
(f) The costs of establishment and operation of an FNP are reasonable when compared to fishery
management plan development or rulemaking procedures that do not use FNP procedures.
(g) The Council or NMFS has adequate resources and is willing to commit such resources, including technical
assistance, to an FNP.
(h) The use of an FNP is in the public interest.

§ 600.752 Use of conveners and facilitators.
(a) Purposes of conveners. A Council or NMFS may use the services of a trained convener to assist the
Council or NMFS in:
(1) Conducting discussions to identify the issues of concern, and to ascertain whether the
establishment of an FNP regarding such matter is feasible and appropriate.
(2) Identifying persons who will be significantly affected by the issues presented in paragraph (a)(1) of
this section.
(b) Duties of conveners. The convener shall report findings under paragraph (a)(2) of this section and shall
make recommendations to the Council or NMFS. Upon request of the Council or NMFS, the convener shall
ascertain the names of persons who are willing and qualified to represent interests that will be

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significantly affected by the potential conservation and management measures relevant to the issues to
be negotiated. The report and any recommendations of the convener shall be made available to the public
upon request.
(c) Selection of facilitator. Notwithstanding section 10(e) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), a
Council or NMFS may nominate a person trained in facilitation either from the Federal Government or
from outside the Federal Government to serve as an impartial, neutral facilitator for the negotiations of
the FNP, subject to the approval of the FNP, by consensus. The facilitator may be the same person as the
convener used under paragraph (a) of this section. If the FNP does not approve the nominee of the
Council or NMFS for facilitator, the FNP shall submit a substitute nomination. If an FNP does not approve
any nominee of the Council or NMFS for facilitator, the FNP shall select, by consensus, a person to serve
as facilitator. A person designated to represent the Council or NMFS in substantive issues may not serve
as facilitator or otherwise chair the FNP.
(d) Roles and duties of facilitator. A facilitator shall:
(1) Chair the meetings of the FNP in an impartial manner.
(2) Impartially assist the members of the FNP in conducting discussions and negotiations.
(3) Manage the keeping of minutes and records as required under section 10(b) and (c) of FACA.

§ 600.753 Notice of intent to establish a fishery negotiation panel.
(a) Publication of notice. If, after considering the report of a convener or conducting its own assessment, a
Council or NMFS decides to establish an FNP, NMFS shall publish in the FEDERAL REGISTER and, as
appropriate, in trade or other specialized publications, a document that shall include:
(1) An announcement that the Council or NMFS intends to establish an FNP to negotiate and develop a
report concerning specific conservation and management measures.
(2) A description of the subject and scope of the conservation and management measure, and the
issues to be considered.
(3) A list of the interests that are likely to be significantly affected by the conservation and management
measure.
(4) A list of the persons proposed to represent such interests and the person or persons proposed to
represent the Council or NMFS.
(5) A proposed agenda and schedule for completing the work of the FNP.
(6) A description of administrative support for the FNP to be provided by the Council or NMFS, including
technical assistance.
(7) A solicitation for comments on the proposal to establish the FNP, and the proposed membership of
the FNP.
(8) An explanation of how a person may apply or nominate another person for membership on the FNP,
as provided under paragraph (b) of this section.

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(b) Nomination of members and public comment. Persons who may be significantly affected by the
development of conservation and management measure and who believe that their interests will not be
adequately represented by any person specified in a document under paragraph (a)(4) of this section may
apply for, or nominate another person for, membership on the FNP to represent such interests. Each
application or nomination shall include:
(1) The name of the applicant or nominee and a description of the interests such person shall represent.
(2) Evidence that the applicant or nominee is authorized to represent parties related to the interests the
person proposes to represent.
(3) A written commitment that the applicant or nominee shall actively participate in good faith in the
development of the conservation and management measure under consideration.
(4) The reasons that the persons specified in the document under paragraph (a)(4) of this section do not
adequately represent the interests of the person submitting the application or nomination.
(c) Public comment. The Council or NMFS shall provide at least 30 calendar days for the submission of
comments and applications under this section.

§ 600.754 Decision to establish a fishery negotiation panel.
(a) Determination to establish an FNP. If, after considering comments and applications submitted under §
600.753, the Council or NMFS determines that an FNP can adequately represent the interests that will be
significantly affected and that it is feasible and appropriate in the particular case, the Council or NMFS
may establish an FNP.
(b) Determination not to establish FNP. If, after considering such comments and applications, the Council or
NMFS decides not to establish an FNP, the Council or NMFS shall promptly publish notification of such
decision and the reasons therefor in the FEDERAL REGISTER and, as appropriate, in trade or other specialized
publications, a copy of which shall be sent to any person who applied for, or nominated another person for
membership on the FNP to represent such interests with respect to the issues of concern.

§ 600.755 Establishment of a fishery negotiation panel.
(a) General authority.
(1) A Council may establish an FNP to assist in the development of specific conservation and
management measures for a fishery under its authority.
(2) NMFS may establish an FNP to assist in the development of specific conservation and management
measures required for:
(i)

A fishery for which the Secretary has authority under section 304(e)(5) of the MagnusonStevens Act, regarding rebuilding of overfished fisheries;

(ii) A fishery for which the Secretary has authority under 16 U.S.C. section 304(g), regarding highly
migratory species; or
(iii) Any fishery with the approval of the appropriate Council.
(b) Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) In establishing and administering such an FNP, the Council or
NMFS shall comply with the FACA with respect to such FNP.

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(c) Balance. Each potentially affected organization or individual does not necessarily have to have its own
representative, but each interest must be adequately represented. The intent is to have a group that as a
whole reflects a proper balance and mix of interests. Representatives must agree, in writing, to negotiate
in good faith.
(d) Membership. The Council or NMFS shall limit membership on an FNP to no more than 25 members,
unless the Council or NMFS determines that a greater number of members is necessary for the
functioning of the FNP or to achieve balanced membership. Each FNP shall include at least one person
representing the Council in addition to at least one person representing NMFS.

§ 600.756 Conduct and operation of a fishery negotiation panel.
(a) Roles and duties of an FNP. Each FNP shall consider the issue proposed by the Council or NMFS for
consideration and shall attempt to reach a consensus concerning a report to assist in the development of
a conservation and management measure with respect to such matter and any other matter the FNP
determines is relevant to the development of a conservation and management measure. An FNP may
adopt procedures for the operation of the FNP.
(b) Roles and duties of representative of the council or NMFS. The person or persons representing the Council
or NMFS on an FNP shall participate in the deliberations and activities of the FNP with the same rights
and responsibilities as other members of the FNP, and shall be authorized to fully represent the Council or
NMFS in the discussions and negotiations of the FNP.

§ 600.757 Operational protocols.
(a) Services of conveners and facilitators. A Council or NMFS may employ or enter into contracts for the
services of an individual or organization to serve as a convener or facilitator for an FNP established under
§ 600.755, or may use the services of a government employee to act as a convener or a facilitator for
such an FNP.
(b) Councils. For an FNP proposed and established by one or more Councils approved expenses shall be paid
out of the Council's operating budget.
(c) Expenses of FNP members. Members of an FNP shall be responsible for their own expenses of
participation in such an FNP, except that NMFS or the Council may, in accordance with section 7(d) of
FACA, pay for a member's reasonable travel and per diem expenses, and a reasonable rate of
compensation, if:
(1) Such member certifies a lack of adequate financial resources to participate in the FNP.
(2) The Council or NMFS determines that such member's participation in the FNP is necessary to assure
an adequate representation of the member's interest.
(d) Administrative support. The Council or NMFS shall provide appropriate administrative support to an FNP
including technical assistance.

§ 600.758 Preparation of report.
(a) At the conclusion of the negotiations, an FNP may submit a report. Such report shall specify:
(1) All the areas where consensus was reached by the FNP, including, if appropriate, proposed
conservation and management measures.
(2) Any other information submitted by members of the FNP.
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(b) Upon receipt of the report, the Council or NMFS shall publish such report in the FEDERAL REGISTER for public
comment.

§ 600.759 Use of report.
A Council or NMFS may, at its discretion, use all or a part of a report prepared in accordance with § 600.758 in the
development of conservation and management measures. Neither a Council nor NMFS, whichever is appropriate, is
required to use such report.

§ 600.760 Fishery Negotiation Panel lifetime.
(a) An FNP shall terminate upon either:
(1) Submission of a report prepared in accordance with § 600.758; or
(2) Submission of a written statement from the FNP to the Council or NMFS that no consensus can be
reached.
(b) In no event shall an FNP exist for longer than 1 year from the date of establishment unless granted an
extension. Upon written request by the FNP to the Council or NMFS, and written authorization from the
Council or NMFS (whichever is appropriate), the Secretary may authorize an extension for a period not to
exceed 6 months. No more than one extension may be granted per FNP.

Subpart J—Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)
Source: 67 FR 2376, Jan. 17, 2002, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.805 Purpose and scope.
(a) Purpose. This subpart provides guidelines for Councils and the Secretary to use in adding the required
EFH provisions to an FMP, i.e., description and identification of EFH, adverse effects on EFH (including
minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse effects from fishing), and actions to conserve and enhance
EFH.
(b) Scope —
(1) Species covered. An EFH provision in an FMP must include all fish species in the fishery
management unit (FMU). An FMP may describe, identify, and protect the habitat of species not in an
FMU; however, such habitat may not be considered EFH for the purposes of sections 303(a)(7) and
305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(2) Geographic. EFH may be described and identified in waters of the United States, as defined in 33 CFR
328.3, and in the exclusive economic zone, as defined in § 600.10. Councils may describe, identify,
and protect habitats of managed species beyond the exclusive economic zone; however, such
habitat may not be considered EFH for the purposes of sections 303(a)(7) and 305(b) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. Activities that may adversely affect such habitat can be addressed through
any process conducted in accordance with international agreements between the United States and
the foreign nation(s) undertaking or authorizing the action.

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§ 600.810 Definitions and word usage.
(a) Definitions. In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and § 600.10, the terms in this
subpart have the following meanings:
Adverse effect means any impact that reduces quality and/or quantity of EFH. Adverse effects may include
direct or indirect physical, chemical, or biological alterations of the waters or substrate and loss of,
or injury to, benthic organisms, prey species and their habitat, and other ecosystem components, if
such modifications reduce the quality and/or quantity of EFH. Adverse effects to EFH may result
from actions occurring within EFH or outside of EFH and may include site-specific or habitat-wide
impacts, including individual, cumulative, or synergistic consequences of actions.
Council includes the Secretary, as applicable, when preparing FMPs or amendments under sections 304(c)
and (g) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Ecosystem means communities of organisms interacting with one another and with the chemical and
physical factors making up their environment.
Habitat areas of particular concern means those areas of EFH identified pursuant to § 600.815(a)(8).
Healthy ecosystem means an ecosystem where ecological productive capacity is maintained, diversity of
the flora and fauna is preserved, and the ecosystem retains the ability to regulate itself. Such an
ecosystem should be similar to comparable, undisturbed ecosystems with regard to standing crop,
productivity, nutrient dynamics, trophic structure, species richness, stability, resilience,
contamination levels, and the frequency of diseased organisms.
Overfished means any stock or stock complex, the status of which is reported as overfished by the
Secretary pursuant to section 304(e)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(b) Word usage. The terms “must”, “shall”, “should”, “may”, “may not”, “will”, “could”, and “can” are used in the
same manner as in § 600.305(c).

§ 600.815 Contents of Fishery Management Plans.
(a) Mandatory contents —
(1) Description and identification of EFH —
(i)

Overview. FMPs must describe and identify EFH in text that clearly states the habitats or habitat
types determined to be EFH for each life stage of the managed species. FMPs should explain
the physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of EFH and, if known, how these
characteristics influence the use of EFH by the species/life stage. FMPs must identify the
specific geographic location or extent of habitats described as EFH. FMPs must include maps
of the geographic locations of EFH or the geographic boundaries within which EFH for each
species and life stage is found.

(ii) Habitat information by life stage.
(A) Councils need basic information to understand the usage of various habitats by each
managed species. Pertinent information includes the geographic range and habitat
requirements by life stage, the distribution and characteristics of those habitats, and
current and historic stock size as it affects occurrence in available habitats. FMPs should
summarize the life history information necessary to understand each species' relationship
to, or dependence on, its various habitats, using text, tables, and figures, as appropriate.
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FMPs should document patterns of temporal and spatial variation in the distribution of
each major life stage (defined by developmental and functional shifts) to aid in
understanding habitat needs. FMPs should summarize (e.g., in tables) all available
information on environmental and habitat variables that control or limit distribution,
abundance, reproduction, growth, survival, and productivity of the managed species. The
information should be supported with citations.
(B) Councils should obtain information to describe and identify EFH from the best available
sources, including peer-reviewed literature, unpublished scientific reports, data files of
government resource agencies, fisheries landing reports, and other sources of
information. Councils should consider different types of information according to its
scientific rigor. FMPs should identify species-specific habitat data gaps and deficits in
data quality (including considerations of scale and resolution; relevance; and potential
biases in collection and interpretation). FMPs must demonstrate that the best scientific
information available was used in the description and identification of EFH, consistent
with national standard 2.
(iii) Analysis of habitat information.
(A) The following approach should be used to organize the information necessary to describe
and identify EFH.
(1) Level 1: Distribution data are available for some or all portions of the geographic
range of the species. At this level, only distribution data are available to describe the
geographic range of a species (or life stage). Distribution data may be derived from
systematic presence/absence sampling and/or may include information on species
and life stages collected opportunistically. In the event that distribution data are
available only for portions of the geographic area occupied by a particular life stage
of a species, habitat use can be inferred on the basis of distributions among habitats
where the species has been found and on information about its habitat requirements
and behavior. Habitat use may also be inferred, if appropriate, based on information
on a similar species or another life stage.
(2) Level 2: Habitat-related densities of the species are available. At this level,
quantitative data (i.e., density or relative abundance) are available for the habitats
occupied by a species or life stage. Because the efficiency of sampling methods is
often affected by habitat characteristics, strict quality assurance criteria should be
used to ensure that density estimates are comparable among methods and habitats.
Density data should reflect habitat utilization, and the degree that a habitat is utilized
is assumed to be indicative of habitat value. When assessing habitat value on the
basis of fish densities in this manner, temporal changes in habitat availability and
utilization should be considered.
(3) Level 3: Growth, reproduction, or survival rates within habitats are available. At this
level, data are available on habitat-related growth, reproduction, and/or survival by life
stage. The habitats contributing the most to productivity should be those that
support the highest growth, reproduction, and survival of the species (or life stage).

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(4) Level 4: Production rates by habitat are available. At this level, data are available that
directly relate the production rates of a species or life stage to habitat type, quantity,
quality, and location. Essential habitats are those necessary to maintain fish
production consistent with a sustainable fishery and the managed species'
contribution to a healthy ecosystem.
(B) Councils should strive to describe habitat based on the highest level of detail (i.e., Level 4).
If there is no information on a given species or life stage, and habitat usage cannot be
inferred from other means, such as information on a similar species or another life stage,
EFH should not be designated.
(iv) EFH determination.
(A) Councils should analyze available ecological, environmental, and fisheries information and
data relevant to the managed species, the habitat requirements by life stage, and the
species' distribution and habitat usage to describe and identify EFH. The information
described in paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) and (iii) of this section will allow Councils to assess the
relative value of habitats. Councils should interpret this information in a risk-averse
fashion to ensure adequate areas are identified as EFH for managed species. Level 1
information, if available, should be used to identify the geographic range of the species at
each life stage. If only Level 1 information is available, distribution data should be
evaluated (e.g., using a frequency of occurrence or other appropriate analysis) to identify
EFH as those habitat areas most commonly used by the species. Level 2 through 4
information, if available, should be used to identify EFH as the habitats supporting the
highest relative abundance; growth, reproduction, or survival rates; and/or production
rates within the geographic range of a species. FMPs should explain the analyses
conducted to distinguish EFH from all habitats potentially used by a species.
(B) FMPs must describe EFH in text, including reference to the geographic location or extent
of EFH using boundaries such as longitude and latitude, isotherms, isobaths, political
boundaries, and major landmarks. If there are differences between the descriptions of
EFH in text, maps, and tables, the textual description is ultimately determinative of the
limits of EFH. Text and tables should explain pertinent physical, chemical, and biological
characteristics of EFH for the managed species and explain any variability in habitat
usage patterns, but the boundaries of EFH should be static.
(C) If a species is overfished and habitat loss or degradation may be contributing to the
species being identified as overfished, all habitats currently used by the species may be
considered essential in addition to certain historic habitats that are necessary to support
rebuilding the fishery and for which restoration is technologically and economically
feasible. Once the fishery is no longer considered overfished, the EFH identification should
be reviewed and amended, if appropriate.
(D) Areas described as EFH will normally be greater than or equal to aquatic areas that have
been identified as “critical habitat” for any managed species listed as threatened or
endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
(E) Ecological relationships among species and between the species and their habitat require,
where possible, that an ecosystem approach be used in determining the EFH of a
managed species. EFH must be designated for each managed species, but, where
appropriate, may be designated for assemblages of species or life stages that have
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similar habitat needs and requirements. If grouping species or using species assemblages
for the purpose of designating EFH, FMPs must include a justification and scientific
rationale. The extent of the EFH should be based on the judgment of the Secretary and the
appropriate Council(s) regarding the quantity and quality of habitat that are necessary to
maintain a sustainable fishery and the managed species' contribution to a healthy
ecosystem.
(F) If degraded or inaccessible aquatic habitat has contributed to reduced yields of a species
or assemblage and if, in the judgment of the Secretary and the appropriate Council(s), the
degraded conditions can be reversed through such actions as improved fish passage
techniques (for stream or river blockages), improved water quality measures (removal of
contaminants or increasing flows), and similar measures that are technologically and
economically feasible, EFH should include those habitats that would be necessary to the
species to obtain increased yields.
(v) EFH mapping requirements.
(A) FMPs must include maps that display, within the constraints of available information, the
geographic locations of EFH or the geographic boundaries within which EFH for each
species and life stage is found. Maps should identify the different types of habitat
designated as EFH to the extent possible. Maps should explicitly distinguish EFH from
non-EFH areas. Councils should confer with NMFS regarding mapping standards to ensure
that maps from different Councils can be combined and shared efficiently and effectively.
Ultimately, data used for mapping should be incorporated into a geographic information
system (GIS) to facilitate analysis and presentation.
(B) Where the present distribution or stock size of a species or life stage is different from the
historical distribution or stock size, then maps of historical habitat boundaries should be
included in the FMP, if known.
(C) FMPs should include maps of any habitat areas of particular concern identified under
paragraph (a)(8) of this section.
(2) Fishing activities that may adversely affect EFH —
(i)

Evaluation. Each FMP must contain an evaluation of the potential adverse effects of fishing on
EFH designated under the FMP, including effects of each fishing activity regulated under the
FMP or other Federal FMPs. This evaluation should consider the effects of each fishing activity
on each type of habitat found within EFH. FMPs must describe each fishing activity, review and
discuss all available relevant information (such as information regarding the intensity, extent,
and frequency of any adverse effect on EFH; the type of habitat within EFH that may be affected
adversely; and the habitat functions that may be disturbed), and provide conclusions regarding
whether and how each fishing activity adversely affects EFH. The evaluation should also
consider the cumulative effects of multiple fishing activities on EFH. The evaluation should list
any past management actions that minimize potential adverse effects on EFH and describe the
benefits of those actions to EFH. The evaluation should give special attention to adverse
effects on habitat areas of particular concern and should identify for possible designation as
habitat areas of particular concern any EFH that is particularly vulnerable to fishing activities.
Additionally, the evaluation should consider the establishment of research closure areas or
other measures to evaluate the impacts of fishing activities on EFH. In completing this

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evaluation, Councils should use the best scientific information available, as well as other
appropriate information sources. Councils should consider different types of information
according to its scientific rigor.
(ii) Minimizing adverse effects. Each FMP must minimize to the extent practicable adverse effects
from fishing on EFH, including EFH designated under other Federal FMPs. Councils must act to
prevent, mitigate, or minimize any adverse effects from fishing, to the extent practicable, if there
is evidence that a fishing activity adversely affects EFH in a manner that is more than minimal
and not temporary in nature, based on the evaluation conducted pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)(i)
of this section and/or the cumulative impacts analysis conducted pursuant to paragraph (a)(5)
of this section. In such cases, FMPs should identify a range of potential new actions that could
be taken to address adverse effects on EFH, include an analysis of the practicability of potential
new actions, and adopt any new measures that are necessary and practicable. Amendments to
the FMP or to its implementing regulations must ensure that the FMP continues to minimize to
the extent practicable adverse effects on EFH caused by fishing. FMPs must explain the
reasons for the Council's conclusions regarding the past and/or new actions that minimize to
the extent practicable the adverse effects of fishing on EFH.
(iii) Practicability. In determining whether it is practicable to minimize an adverse effect from
fishing, Councils should consider the nature and extent of the adverse effect on EFH and the
long and short-term costs and benefits of potential management measures to EFH, associated
fisheries, and the nation, consistent with national standard 7. In determining whether
management measures are practicable, Councils are not required to perform a formal cost/
benefit analysis.
(iv) Options for managing adverse effects from fishing. Fishery management options may include,
but are not limited to:
(A) Fishing equipment restrictions. These options may include, but are not limited to: seasonal
and areal restrictions on the use of specified equipment, equipment modifications to allow
escapement of particular species or particular life stages (e.g., juveniles), prohibitions on
the use of explosives and chemicals, prohibitions on anchoring or setting equipment in
sensitive areas, and prohibitions on fishing activities that cause significant damage to
EFH.
(B) Time/area closures. These actions may include, but are not limited to: closing areas to all
fishing or specific equipment types during spawning, migration, foraging, and nursery
activities and designating zones for use as marine protected areas to limit adverse effects
of fishing practices on certain vulnerable or rare areas/species/life stages, such as those
areas designated as habitat areas of particular concern.
(C) Harvest limits. These actions may include, but are not limited to, limits on the take of
species that provide structural habitat for other species assemblages or communities and
limits on the take of prey species.
(3) Non-Magnuson-Stevens Act fishing activities that may adversely affect EFH. FMPs must identify any
fishing activities that are not managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Act that may adversely affect
EFH. Such activities may include fishing managed by state agencies or other authorities.
(4) Non-fishing related activities that may adversely affect EFH. FMPs must identify activities other than
fishing that may adversely affect EFH. Broad categories of such activities include, but are not limited
to: dredging, filling, excavation, mining, impoundment, discharge, water diversions, thermal additions,
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actions that contribute to non-point source pollution and sedimentation, introduction of potentially
hazardous materials, introduction of exotic species, and the conversion of aquatic habitat that may
eliminate, diminish, or disrupt the functions of EFH. For each activity, the FMP should describe
known and potential adverse effects to EFH.
(5) Cumulative impacts analysis. Cumulative impacts are impacts on the environment that result from
the incremental impact of an action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable
future actions, regardless of who undertakes such actions. Cumulative impacts can result from
individually minor, but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time. To the extent
feasible and practicable, FMPs should analyze how the cumulative impacts of fishing and nonfishing activities influence the function of EFH on an ecosystem or watershed scale. An assessment
of the cumulative and synergistic effects of multiple threats, including the effects of natural stresses
(such as storm damage or climate-based environmental shifts) and an assessment of the ecological
risks resulting from the impact of those threats on EFH, also should be included.
(6) Conservation and enhancement. FMPs must identify actions to encourage the conservation and
enhancement of EFH, including recommended options to avoid, minimize, or compensate for the
adverse effects identified pursuant to paragraphs (a)(3) through (5) of this section, especially in
habitat areas of particular concern.
(7) Prey species. Loss of prey may be an adverse effect on EFH and managed species because the
presence of prey makes waters and substrate function as feeding habitat, and the definition of EFH
includes waters and substrate necessary to fish for feeding. Therefore, actions that reduce the
availability of a major prey species, either through direct harm or capture, or through adverse
impacts to the prey species' habitat that are known to cause a reduction in the population of the prey
species, may be considered adverse effects on EFH if such actions reduce the quality of EFH. FMPs
should list the major prey species for the species in the fishery management unit and discuss the
location of prey species' habitat. Adverse effects on prey species and their habitats may result from
fishing and non-fishing activities.
(8) Identification of habitat areas of particular concern. FMPs should identify specific types or areas of
habitat within EFH as habitat areas of particular concern based on one or more of the following
considerations:
(i)

The importance of the ecological function provided by the habitat.

(ii) The extent to which the habitat is sensitive to human-induced environmental degradation.
(iii) Whether, and to what extent, development activities are, or will be, stressing the habitat type.
(iv) The rarity of the habitat type.
(9) Research and information needs. Each FMP should contain recommendations, preferably in priority
order, for research efforts that the Councils and NMFS view as necessary to improve upon the
description and identification of EFH, the identification of threats to EFH from fishing and other
activities, and the development of conservation and enhancement measures for EFH.
(10) Review and revision of EFH components of FMPs. Councils and NMFS should periodically review the
EFH provisions of FMPs and revise or amend EFH provisions as warranted based on available
information. FMPs should outline the procedures the Council will follow to review and update EFH
information. The review of information should include, but not be limited to, evaluating published
scientific literature and unpublished scientific reports; soliciting information from interested parties;
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and searching for previously unavailable or inaccessible data. Councils should report on their review
of EFH information as part of the annual Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report
prepared pursuant to § 600.315(e). A complete review of all EFH information should be conducted
as recommended by the Secretary, but at least once every 5 years.
(b) Development of EFH recommendations for Councils. After reviewing the best available scientific
information, as well as other appropriate information, and in consultation with the Councils, participants
in the fishery, interstate commissions, Federal agencies, state agencies, and other interested parties,
NMFS will develop written recommendations to assist each Council in the identification of EFH, adverse
impacts to EFH, and actions that should be considered to ensure the conservation and enhancement of
EFH for each FMP. NMFS will provide such recommendations for the initial incorporation of EFH
information into an FMP and for any subsequent modification of the EFH components of an FMP. The
NMFS EFH recommendations may be provided either before the Council's development of a draft EFH
document or later as a review of a draft EFH document developed by a Council, as appropriate.
(c) Relationship to other fishery management authorities. Councils are encouraged to coordinate with state
and interstate fishery management agencies where Federal fisheries affect state and interstate managed
fisheries or where state or interstate fishery regulations affect the management of Federal fisheries.
Where a state or interstate fishing activity adversely affects EFH, NMFS will consider that action to be an
adverse effect on EFH pursuant to paragraph (a)(3) of this section and will provide EFH Conservation
Recommendations to the appropriate state or interstate fishery management agency on that activity.

Subpart K—EFH Coordination, Consultation, and Recommendations
Source: 67 FR 2376, Jan. 17, 2002, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.905 Purpose, scope, and NMFS/Council cooperation.
(a) Purpose. These procedures address the coordination, consultation, and recommendation requirements of
sections 305(b)(1)(D) and 305(b)(2-4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The purpose of these procedures is
to promote the protection of EFH in the review of Federal and state actions that may adversely affect EFH.
(b) Scope. Section 305(b)(1)(D) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the Secretary to coordinate with, and
provide information to, other Federal agencies regarding the conservation and enhancement of EFH.
Section 305(b)(2) requires all Federal agencies to consult with the Secretary on all actions or proposed
actions authorized, funded, or undertaken by the agency that may adversely affect EFH. Sections
305(b)(3) and (4) direct the Secretary and the Councils to provide comments and EFH Conservation
Recommendations to Federal or state agencies on actions that affect EFH. Such recommendations may
include measures to avoid, minimize, mitigate, or otherwise offset adverse effects on EFH resulting from
actions or proposed actions authorized, funded, or undertaken by that agency. Section 305(b)(4)(B)
requires Federal agencies to respond in writing to such comments. The following procedures for
coordination, consultation, and recommendations allow all parties involved to understand and implement
the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(c) Cooperation between Councils and NMFS. The Councils and NMFS should cooperate closely to identify
actions that may adversely affect EFH, to develop comments and EFH Conservation Recommendations to
Federal and state agencies, and to provide EFH information to Federal and state agencies. NMFS will work

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with each Council to share information and to coordinate Council and NMFS comments and
recommendations on actions that may adversely affect EFH. However, NMFS and the Councils also have
the authority to act independently.

§ 600.910 Definitions and word usage.
(a) Definitions. In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and § 600.10, the terms in this
subpart have the following meanings:
Adverse effect means any impact that reduces quality and/or quantity of EFH. Adverse effects may include
direct or indirect physical, chemical, or biological alterations of the waters or substrate and loss of,
or injury to, benthic organisms, prey species and their habitat, and other ecosystem components, if
such modifications reduce the quality and/or quantity of EFH. Adverse effects to EFH may result
from actions occurring within EFH or outside of EFH and may include site-specific or habitat-wide
impacts, including individual, cumulative, or synergistic consequences of actions.
Anadromous fishery resource under Council authority means an anadromous species managed under an
FMP.
Federal action means any action authorized, funded, or undertaken, or proposed to be authorized, funded,
or undertaken by a Federal agency.
Habitat areas of particular concern means those areas of EFH identified pursuant to § 600.815(a)(8).
State action means any action authorized, funded, or undertaken, or proposed to be authorized, funded, or
undertaken by a state agency.
(b) Word usage. The terms “must”, “shall”, “should”, “may”, “may not”, “will”, “could”, and “can” are used in the
same manner as in § 600.305(c).

§ 600.915 Coordination for the conservation and enhancement of EFH.
To further the conservation and enhancement of EFH in accordance with section 305(b)(1)(D) of the MagnusonStevens Act, NMFS will compile and make available to other Federal and state agencies, and the general public,
information on the locations of EFH, including maps and/or narrative descriptions. NMFS will also provide
information on ways to improve ongoing Federal operations to promote the conservation and enhancement of EFH.
Federal and state agencies empowered to authorize, fund, or undertake actions that may adversely affect EFH are
encouraged to contact NMFS and the Councils to become familiar with areas designated as EFH, potential threats
to EFH, and opportunities to promote the conservation and enhancement of EFH.

§ 600.920 Federal agency consultation with the Secretary.
(a) Consultation generally —
(1) Actions requiring consultation. Pursuant to section 305(b)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Federal
agencies must consult with NMFS regarding any of their actions authorized, funded, or undertaken,
or proposed to be authorized, funded, or undertaken that may adversely affect EFH. EFH
consultation is not required for actions that were completed prior to the approval of EFH
designations by the Secretary, e.g., issued permits. Consultation is required for renewals, reviews, or
substantial revisions of actions if the renewal, review, or revision may adversely affect EFH.
Consultation on Federal programs delegated to non-Federal entities is required at the time of
delegation, review, and renewal of the delegation. EFH consultation is required for any Federal
funding of actions that may adversely affect EFH. NMFS and Federal agencies responsible for
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funding actions that may adversely affect EFH should consult on a programmatic level under
paragraph (j) of this section, if appropriate, with respect to these actions. Consultation is required for
emergency Federal actions that may adversely affect EFH, such as hazardous material clean-up,
response to natural disasters, or actions to protect public safety. Federal agencies should contact
NMFS early in emergency response planning, but may consult after-the-fact if consultation on an
expedited basis is not practicable before taking the action.
(2) Approaches for conducting consultation. Federal agencies may use one of the five approaches
described in paragraphs (f) through (j) of this section to fulfill the EFH consultation requirements.
The selection of a particular approach for handling EFH consultation depends on the nature and
scope of the actions that may adversely affect EFH. Federal agencies should use the most efficient
approach for EFH consultation that is appropriate for a given action or actions. The five approaches
are: use of existing environmental review procedures, General Concurrence, abbreviated
consultation, expanded consultation, and programmatic consultation.
(3) Early notification and coordination. The Federal agency should notify NMFS in writing as early as
practicable regarding actions that may adversely affect EFH. Notification will facilitate discussion of
measures to conserve EFH. Such early coordination should occur during pre-application planning for
projects subject to a Federal permit or license and during preliminary planning for projects to be
funded or undertaken directly by a Federal agency.
(b) Designation of lead agency. If more than one Federal agency is responsible for a Federal action, the
consultation requirements of sections 305(b)(2) through (4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act may be fulfilled
through a lead agency. The lead agency should notify NMFS in writing that it is representing one or more
additional agencies. Alternatively, if one Federal agency has completed an EFH consultation for an action
and another Federal agency acts separately to authorize, fund, or undertake the same activity (such as
issuing a permit for an activity that was funded via a separate Federal action), the completed EFH
consultation may suffice for both Federal actions if it adequately addresses the adverse effects of the
actions on EFH. Federal agencies may need to consult with NMFS separately if, for example, only one of
the agencies has the authority to implement measures necessary to minimize adverse effects on EFH and
that agency does not act as the lead agency.
(c) Designation of non-Federal representative. A Federal agency may designate a non-Federal representative
to conduct an EFH consultation by giving written notice of such designation to NMFS. If a non-Federal
representative is used, the Federal action agency remains ultimately responsible for compliance with
sections 305(b)(2) and 305(b)(4)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(d) Best available information. The Federal agency and NMFS must use the best scientific information
available regarding the effects of the action on EFH and the measures that can be taken to avoid,
minimize, or offset such effects. Other appropriate sources of information may also be considered.
(e) EFH Assessments —
(1) Preparation requirement. For any Federal action that may adversely affect EFH, Federal agencies
must provide NMFS with a written assessment of the effects of that action on EFH. For actions
covered by a General Concurrence under paragraph (g) of this section, an EFH Assessment should
be completed during the development of the General Concurrence and is not required for the
individual actions. For actions addressed by a programmatic consultation under paragraph (j) of this
section, an EFH Assessment should be completed during the programmatic consultation and is not
required for individual actions implemented under the program, except in those instances identified
by NMFS in the programmatic consultation as requiring separate EFH consultation. Federal agencies
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are not required to provide NMFS with assessments regarding actions that they have determined
would not adversely affect EFH. Federal agencies may incorporate an EFH Assessment into
documents prepared for other purposes such as Endangered Species Act (ESA) Biological
Assessments pursuant to 50 CFR part 402 or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents
and public notices pursuant to 40 CFR part 1500. If an EFH Assessment is contained in another
document, it must include all of the information required in paragraph (e)(3) of this section and be
clearly identified as an EFH Assessment. The procedure for combining an EFH consultation with
other environmental reviews is set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.
(2) Level of detail. The level of detail in an EFH Assessment should be commensurate with the
complexity and magnitude of the potential adverse effects of the action. For example, for relatively
simple actions involving minor adverse effects on EFH, the assessment may be very brief. Actions
that may pose a more serious threat to EFH warrant a correspondingly more detailed EFH
Assessment.
(3) Mandatory contents. The assessment must contain:
(i)

A description of the action.

(ii) An analysis of the potential adverse effects of the action on EFH and the managed species.
(iii) The Federal agency's conclusions regarding the effects of the action on EFH.
(iv) Proposed mitigation, if applicable.
(4) Additional information. If appropriate, the assessment should also include:
(i)

The results of an on-site inspection to evaluate the habitat and the site-specific effects of the
project.

(ii) The views of recognized experts on the habitat or species that may be affected.
(iii) A review of pertinent literature and related information.
(iv) An analysis of alternatives to the action. Such analysis should include alternatives that could
avoid or minimize adverse effects on EFH.
(v) Other relevant information.
(5) Incorporation by reference. The assessment may incorporate by reference a completed EFH
Assessment prepared for a similar action, supplemented with any relevant new project specific
information, provided the proposed action involves similar impacts to EFH in the same geographic
area or a similar ecological setting. It may also incorporate by reference other relevant environmental
assessment documents. These documents must be provided to NMFS with the EFH Assessment.
(f) Use of existing environmental review procedures —
(1) Purpose and criteria. Consultation and commenting under sections 305(b)(2) and 305(b)(4) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act should be consolidated, where appropriate, with interagency consultation,
coordination, and environmental review procedures required by other statutes, such as NEPA, the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Clean Water Act, ESA, and Federal Power Act. The requirements
of sections 305(b)(2) and 305(b)(4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, including consultations that
would be considered to be abbreviated or expanded consultations under paragraphs (h) and (i) of
this section, can be combined with existing procedures required by other statutes if such processes
meet, or are modified to meet, the following criteria:
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(i)

50 CFR 600.920(f)(1)(i)

The existing process must provide NMFS with timely notification of actions that may adversely
affect EFH. The Federal agency should notify NMFS according to the same timeframes for
notification (or for public comment) as in the existing process. Whenever possible, NMFS
should have at least 60 days notice prior to a final decision on an action, or at least 90 days if
the action would result in substantial adverse impacts. NMFS and the action agency may agree
to use shorter timeframes provided that they allow sufficient time for NMFS to develop EFH
Conservation Recommendations.

(ii) Notification must include an assessment of the impacts of the action on EFH that meets the
requirements for EFH Assessments contained in paragraph (e) of this section. If the EFH
Assessment is contained in another document, the Federal agency must identify that section of
the document as the EFH Assessment.
(iii) NMFS must have made a finding pursuant to paragraph (f)(3) of this section that the existing
process can be used to satisfy the requirements of sections 305(b)(2) and 305(b)(4) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(2) NMFS response to Federal agency. If an existing environmental review process is used to fulfill the
EFH consultation requirements, the comment deadline for that process should apply to the submittal
of NMFS EFH Conservation Recommendations under section 305(b)(4)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, unless NMFS and the Federal agency agree to a different deadline. If NMFS EFH Conservation
Recommendations are combined with other NMFS or NOAA comments on a Federal action, such as
NOAA comments on a draft Environmental Impact Statement, the EFH Conservation
Recommendations will be clearly identified as such (e.g., a section in the comment letter entitled
“EFH Conservation Recommendations”) and a Federal agency response pursuant to section
305(b)(4)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act is required for only the identified portion of the
comments.
(3) NMFS finding. A Federal agency with an existing environmental review process should contact NMFS
at the appropriate level (regional offices for regional processes, headquarters office for national
processes) to discuss how to combine the EFH consultation requirements with the existing process,
with or without modifications. If, at the conclusion of these discussions, NMFS determines that the
existing or modified process meets the criteria of paragraph (f)(1) of this section, NMFS will make a
finding that the process can be used to satisfy the EFH consultation requirements of the MagnusonStevens Act. If NMFS does not make such a finding, or if there are no existing consultation
processes relevant to the Federal agency's actions, the agency and NMFS should follow one of the
approaches for consultation discussed in the following sections.
(g) General Concurrence —
(1) Purpose. A General Concurrence identifies specific types of Federal actions that may adversely affect
EFH, but for which no further consultation is generally required because NMFS has determined,
through an analysis of that type of action, that it will likely result in no more than minimal adverse
effects individually and cumulatively. General Concurrences may be national or regional in scope.
(2) Criteria.
(i)

For Federal actions to qualify for General Concurrence, NMFS must determine that the actions
meet all of the following criteria:
(A) The actions must be similar in nature and similar in their impact on EFH.

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(B) The actions must not cause greater than minimal adverse effects on EFH when
implemented individually.
(C) The actions must not cause greater than minimal cumulative adverse effects on EFH.
(ii) Actions qualifying for General Concurrence must be tracked to ensure that their cumulative
effects are no more than minimal. In most cases, tracking actions covered by a General
Concurrence will be the responsibility of the Federal agency. However, NMFS may agree to track
such actions. Tracking should include numbers of actions and the amount and type of habitat
adversely affected, and should specify the baseline against which the actions will be tracked.
The agency responsible for tracking such actions should make the information available to
NMFS, the applicable Council(s), and to the public on an annual basis.
(iii) Categories of Federal actions may also qualify for General Concurrence if they are modified by
appropriate conditions that ensure the actions will meet the criteria in paragraph (g)(2)(i) of this
section. For example, NMFS may provide General Concurrence for additional actions contingent
upon project size limitations, seasonal restrictions, or other conditions.
(iv) If a General Concurrence is proposed for actions that may adversely affect habitat areas of
particular concern, the General Concurrence should be subject to a higher level of scrutiny than
a General Concurrence not involving a habitat area of particular concern.
(3) General Concurrence development. A Federal agency may request a General Concurrence for a
category of its actions by providing NMFS with an EFH Assessment containing a description of the
nature and approximate number of the actions, an analysis of the effects of the actions on EFH,
including cumulative effects, and the Federal agency's conclusions regarding the magnitude of such
effects. If NMFS agrees that the actions fit the criteria in paragraph (g)(2)(i) of this section, NMFS
will provide the Federal agency with a written statement of General Concurrence that further
consultation is not required. If NMFS does not agree that the actions fit the criteria in paragraph
(g)(2)(i) of this section, NMFS will notify the Federal agency that a General Concurrence will not be
issued and that another type of consultation will be required. If NMFS identifies specific types of
Federal actions that may meet the requirements for a General Concurrence, NMFS may initiate and
complete a General Concurrence.
(4) Further consultation. NMFS may request notification for actions covered under a General
Concurrence if NMFS concludes there are circumstances under which such actions could result in
more than a minimal impact on EFH, or if it determines that there is no process in place to
adequately assess the cumulative impacts of actions covered under the General Concurrence. NMFS
may request further consultation for these actions on a case-by-case basis. Each General
Concurrence should establish specific procedures for further consultation, if appropriate.
(5) Notification. After completing a General Concurrence, NMFS will provide a copy to the appropriate
Council(s) and will make the General Concurrence available to the public by posting the document on
the internet or through other appropriate means.
(6) Revisions. NMFS will periodically review and revise its General Concurrences, as appropriate.
(h) Abbreviated consultation procedures —
(1) Purpose and criteria. Abbreviated consultation allows NMFS to determine quickly whether, and to
what degree, a Federal action may adversely affect EFH. Federal actions that may adversely affect
EFH should be addressed through the abbreviated consultation procedures when those actions do
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not qualify for a General Concurrence, but do not have the potential to cause substantial adverse
effects on EFH. For example, the abbreviated consultation procedures should be used when the
adverse effect(s) of an action could be alleviated through minor modifications.
(2) Notification by agency and submittal of EFH Assessment. Abbreviated consultation begins when
NMFS receives from the Federal agency an EFH Assessment in accordance with paragraph (e) of
this section and a written request for consultation.
(3) NMFS response to Federal agency. If NMFS determines, contrary to the Federal agency's assessment,
that an action would not adversely affect EFH, or if NMFS determines that no EFH Conservation
Recommendations are needed, NMFS will notify the Federal agency either informally or in writing of
its determination. If NMFS believes that the action may result in substantial adverse effects on EFH,
or that additional analysis is needed to assess the effects of the action, NMFS will request in writing
that the Federal agency initiate expanded consultation. Such request will explain why NMFS believes
expanded consultation is needed and will specify any new information needed. If expanded
consultation is not necessary, NMFS will provide EFH Conservation Recommendations, if
appropriate, pursuant to section 305(b)(4)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
(4) Timing. The Federal agency must submit its EFH Assessment to NMFS as soon as practicable, but at
least 60 days prior to a final decision on the action. NMFS must respond in writing within 30 days.
NMFS and the Federal agency may agree to use a compressed schedule in cases where regulatory
approvals or emergency situations cannot accommodate 30 days for consultation, or to conduct
consultation earlier in the planning cycle for actions with lengthy approval processes.
(i)

Expanded consultation procedures —
(1) Purpose and criteria. Expanded consultation allows maximum opportunity for NMFS and the Federal
agency to work together to review the action's impacts on EFH and to develop EFH Conservation
Recommendations. Expanded consultation procedures must be used for Federal actions that would
result in substantial adverse effects to EFH. Federal agencies are encouraged to contact NMFS at
the earliest opportunity to discuss whether the adverse effects of an action make expanded
consultation appropriate.
(2) Notification by agency and submittal of EFH Assessment. Expanded consultation begins when NMFS
receives from the Federal agency an EFH Assessment in accordance with paragraph (e) of this
section and a written request for expanded consultation. Federal agencies are encouraged to provide
in the EFH Assessment the additional information identified under paragraph (e)(4) of this section to
facilitate review of the effects of the action on EFH.
(3) NMFS response to Federal agency. NMFS will:
(i)

Review the EFH Assessment, any additional information furnished by the Federal agency, and
other relevant information.

(ii) Conduct a site visit, if appropriate, to assess the quality of the habitat and to clarify the impacts
of the Federal agency action. Such a site visit should be coordinated with the Federal agency
and appropriate Council(s), if feasible.
(iii) Coordinate its review of the action with the appropriate Council(s).
(iv) Discuss EFH Conservation Recommendations with the Federal agency and provide such
recommendations to the Federal agency, pursuant to section 305(b)(4)(A) of the MagnusonStevens Act.
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(4) Timing. The Federal agency must submit its EFH Assessment to NMFS as soon as practicable, but at
least 90 days prior to a final decision on the action. NMFS must respond within 60 days of submittal
of a complete EFH Assessment unless consultation is extended by agreement between NMFS and
the Federal agency. NMFS and Federal agencies may agree to use a compressed schedule in cases
where regulatory approvals or emergency situations cannot accommodate 60 days for consultation,
or to conduct consultation earlier in the planning cycle for actions with lengthy approval processes.
(5) Extension of consultation. If NMFS determines that additional data or analysis would provide better
information for development of EFH Conservation Recommendations, NMFS may request additional
time for expanded consultation. If NMFS and the Federal agency agree to an extension, the Federal
agency should provide the additional information to NMFS, to the extent practicable. If NMFS and
the Federal agency do not agree to extend consultation, NMFS must provide EFH Conservation
Recommendations to the Federal agency using the best scientific information available to NMFS.
(j)

Programmatic consultation —
(1) Purpose. Programmatic consultation provides a means for NMFS and a Federal agency to consult
regarding a potentially large number of individual actions that may adversely affect EFH.
Programmatic consultation will generally be the most appropriate option to address funding
programs, large-scale planning efforts, and other instances where sufficient information is available
to address all reasonably foreseeable adverse effects on EFH of an entire program, parts of a
program, or a number of similar individual actions occurring within a given geographic area.
(2) Process. A Federal agency may request programmatic consultation by providing NMFS with an EFH
Assessment in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section. The description of the proposed
action in the EFH Assessment should describe the program and the nature and approximate number
(annually or by some other appropriate time frame) of the actions. NMFS may also initiate
programmatic consultation by requesting pertinent information from a Federal agency.
(3) NMFS response to Federal agency. NMFS will respond to the Federal agency with programmatic EFH
Conservation Recommendations and, if applicable, will identify any potential adverse effects that
could not be addressed programmatically and require project-specific consultation. NMFS may also
determine that programmatic consultation is not appropriate, in which case all EFH Conservation
Recommendations will be deferred to project-specific consultations. If appropriate, NMFS' response
may include a General Concurrence for activities that qualify under paragraph (g) of this section.

(k) Responsibilities of Federal agency following receipt of EFH Conservation Recommendations —
(1) Federal agency response. As required by section 305(b)(4)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the
Federal agency must provide a detailed response in writing to NMFS and to any Council commenting
on the action under section 305(b)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act within 30 days after receiving an
EFH Conservation Recommendation from NMFS. Such a response must be provided at least 10 days
prior to final approval of the action if the response is inconsistent with any of NMFS' EFH
Conservation Recommendations, unless NMFS and the Federal agency have agreed to use
alternative time frames for the Federal agency response. The response must include a description of
measures proposed by the agency for avoiding, mitigating, or offsetting the impact of the activity on
EFH. In the case of a response that is inconsistent with NMFS Conservation Recommendations, the
Federal agency must explain its reasons for not following the recommendations, including the
scientific justification for any disagreements with NMFS over the anticipated effects of the action
and the measures needed to avoid, minimize, mitigate, or offset such effects.

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(2) Further review of decisions inconsistent with NMFS or Council recommendations. If a Federal agency
decision is inconsistent with a NMFS EFH Conservation Recommendation, the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries may request a meeting with the head of the Federal agency, as well as
with any other agencies involved, to discuss the action and opportunities for resolving any
disagreements. If a Federal agency decision is also inconsistent with a Council recommendation
made pursuant to section 305(b)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Council may request that the
Assistant Administrator initiate further review of the Federal agency's decision and involve the
Council in any interagency discussion to resolve disagreements with the Federal agency. The
Assistant Administrator will make every effort to accommodate such a request. NMFS may develop
written procedures to further define such review processes.
(l)

Supplemental consultation. A Federal agency must reinitiate consultation with NMFS if the agency
substantially revises its plans for an action in a manner that may adversely affect EFH or if new
information becomes available that affects the basis for NMFS EFH Conservation Recommendations.

§ 600.925 NMFS EFH Conservation Recommendations to Federal and state agencies.
(a) General. Under section 305(b)(4)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is required to provide EFH
Conservation Recommendations to Federal and state agencies for actions that would adversely affect
EFH. NMFS will not recommend that state or Federal agencies take actions beyond their statutory
authority.
(b) Recommendations to Federal agencies. For Federal actions, EFH Conservation Recommendations will be
provided to Federal agencies as part of EFH consultations conducted pursuant to § 600.920. If NMFS
becomes aware of a Federal action that would adversely affect EFH, but for which a Federal agency has
not initiated an EFH consultation, NMFS may request that the Federal agency initiate EFH consultation, or
NMFS will provide EFH Conservation Recommendations based on the information available.
(c) Recommendations to state agencies —
(1) Establishment of procedures. The Magnuson-Stevens Act does not require state agencies to consult
with the Secretary regarding EFH. NMFS will use existing coordination procedures or establish new
procedures to identify state actions that may adversely affect EFH, and to determine the most
appropriate method for providing EFH Conservation Recommendations to state agencies.
(2) Coordination with states on recommendations to Federal agencies. When an action that would
adversely affect EFH is authorized, funded, or undertaken by both Federal and state agencies, NMFS
will provide the appropriate state agencies with copies of EFH Conservation Recommendations
developed as part of the Federal consultation procedures in § 600.920. NMFS will also seek
agreements on sharing information and copies of recommendations with Federal or state agencies
conducting similar consultation and recommendation processes to ensure coordination of such
efforts.
(d) Coordination with Councils. NMFS will coordinate with each Council to identify the types of actions on
which Councils intend to comment pursuant to section 305(b)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. For such
actions NMFS will share pertinent information with the Council, including copies of NMFS' EFH
Conservation Recommendations.

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50 CFR 600.930

§ 600.930 Council comments and recommendations to Federal and state agencies.
Under section 305(b)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Councils may comment on and make recommendations to
the Secretary and any Federal or state agency concerning any activity or proposed activity authorized, funded, or
undertaken by the agency that, in the view of the Council, may affect the habitat, including EFH, of a fishery resource
under its authority. Councils must provide such comments and recommendations concerning any activity that, in
the view of the Council, is likely to substantially affect the habitat, including EFH, of an anadromous fishery resource
under Council authority.
(a) Establishment of procedures. Each Council should establish procedures for reviewing Federal or state
actions that may adversely affect the habitat, including EFH, of a species under its authority. Each Council
may receive information on actions of concern by methods such as directing Council staff to track
proposed actions, recommending that the Council's habitat committee identify actions of concern, or
entering into an agreement with NMFS to have the appropriate Regional Administrator notify the Council
of actions of concern that would adversely affect EFH. Federal and state actions often follow specific
timetables which may not coincide with Council meetings. Therefore, Councils should consider
establishing abbreviated procedures for the development of Council recommendations.
(b) Early involvement. Councils should provide comments and recommendations on proposed state and
Federal actions of concern as early as practicable in project planning to ensure thorough consideration of
Council concerns by the action agency. Each Council should provide NMFS with copies of its comments
and recommendations to state and Federal agencies.

Subpart L—Fishing Capacity Reduction Framework
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1861a(b)-(e).
Source: 65 FR 31443, May 18, 2000, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.1000 Definitions.
In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MagnusonStevens Act) and in § 600.10 of this title, the terms used in this subpart have the following meanings:
Address of Record means the business address of a person, partnership, or corporation. Addresses listed on
permits or other NMFS records are presumed to be business addresses, unless clearly indicated
otherwise.
Bid

means the price a vessel owner or reduction fishery permit holder requests for reduction of his/her fishing
capacity. It is an irrevocable offer in response to the invitation to bid in § 600.1009.

Borrower means, individually and collectively, each post-reduction fishing permit holder and/or fishing vessel
owner fishing in the reduction fishery.
Business plan means the document containing the information specified in § 600.1003(n) and required to be
submitted with a request for a financed program.
Business week means a 7-day period, Saturday through Friday.

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50 CFR 600.1000 “Controlling fishery management plan or
program (CFMP)”

Controlling fishery management plan or program (CFMP) means either any fishery management plan or any state
fishery management plan or program, including amendments to the plan or program, pursuant to which a
fishery is managed.
Delivery value means:
(1) For unprocessed fish, all compensation that a fish buyer pays to a fish seller in exchange for fee fish;
and
(2) For processed fish, all compensation that a fish buyer would have paid to a fish seller in exchange for
fee fish if the fee fish had been unprocessed fish instead of processed fish.
Delivery value encompasses fair market value, as defined herein, and includes the value of all in-kind
compensation or all other goods or services exchanged in lieu of cash. It is synonymous with the
statutory term “ex-vessel value” as used in section 312 of the Magnuson Act.
Deposit principal means all collected fee revenue that a fish buyer deposits in a segregated account maintained
at a federally insured financial institution for the sole purpose of aggregating collected fee revenue before
sending the fee revenue to NMFS for repaying a reduction loan.
Fair market value means the amount that a buyer pays a seller in an arm's length transaction or, alternatively,
would pay a seller if the transaction were at arm's length.
Fee

means the amount that fish buyers deduct from the delivery value under a financed reduction program.
The fee is the delivery value times the reduction fishery's applicable fee rate under section 600.1013.

Fee fish means all fish harvested from a reduction fishery involving a financed program during the period in
which any amount of the reduction loan remains unpaid. The term fee fish excludes fish harvested
incidentally while fishing for fish not included in the reduction fishery.
Final development plan means the document NMFS prepares, under § 600.1006(b) and based on the preliminary
development plan the requester submits, for a subsidized program.
Financed means funded, in any part, by a reduction loan.
Fish buyer means the first ex-vessel party who:
(1) In an arm's—length transaction, purchases fee fish from a fish seller;
(2) Takes fish on consignment from a fish seller; or
(3) Otherwise receives fish from a fish seller in a non arm's-length transaction.
Fish delivery means the point at which a fish buyer first purchases fee fish or takes possession of fee fish from a
fish seller.
Fishing capacity reduction specifications means the minimum amount of fishing capacity reduction and the
maximum amount of reduction loan principal specified in a business plan.
Fish seller means the party who harvests and first sells or otherwise delivers fee fish to a fish buyer.
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) means any Federal fishery management plan, including amendments to the
plan, that the Secretary of Commerce approves or adopts pursuant to section 303 of the MagnusonStevens Act.

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50 CFR 600.1000 “Fund”

Fund means the Fishing Capacity Reduction Fund, and each subaccount for each program, established in the
U.S. Treasury for the deposit into, and disbursement from, all funds, including all reduction loan capital
and all fee revenue, involving each program.
Implementation plan means the plan in § 600.1008 for carrying out each program.
Implementation regulations mean the regulations in § 600.1008 for carrying out each program.
Net delivery value means the delivery value minus the fee.
Post-bidding referendum means a referendum that follows bidding under § 600.1009.
Post-reduction means after a program reduces fishing capacity in a reduction fishery.
Pre-bidding referendum means a referendum that occurs at any time after a request for a financed program but
before a proposal under § 600.1008 of an implementation plan and implementation regulations.
Preliminary development plan means the document specified in § 600.1005(g) and required to be submitted with
a request for a subsidized program.
Processed fish means fish in any form different from the form in which the fish existed at the time the fish was
first harvested, unless any such difference in form represents, in the reduction fishery involved, the
standard ex-vessel form upon which fish sellers and fish buyers characteristically base the delivery value
of unprocessed fish.
Program means each instance of reduction under this subpart, in each reduction fishery—starting with a request
and ending, for a financed program, with full reduction loan repayment.
Reduction means the act of reducing fishing capacity under any program.
Reduction amendment means any amendment, or, where appropriate, framework adjustment, to a CFMP that
may be necessary for a program to meet the requirements of this subpart.
Reduction amendment specifications mean the reduction amendment to a CFMP specified in a business plan.
Reduction contract means the invitation to bid under § 600.1009, together with each bidder's irrevocable offer
and NMFS' conditional or non-conditional acceptance of each such bid under § 600.1009.
Reduction cost means the total dollar amount of all reduction payments to fishing permit owners, fishing vessel
owners, or both, in a reduction fishery.
Reduction fishery means the fishery or portion of a fishery to which a program applies. The reduction fishery
must specify each included species, as well as any limitations by gear type, fishing vessel size,
geographic area, and any other relevant factor(s).
Reduction loan means a loan, under section 1111 and section 1112 of Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936,
as amended (46 U.S.C. 1279f and g App.), for financing any portion, or all, of a financed program's
reduction cost and repayable by a fee under, and in accordance with, § 600.1012, § 600.1013, and §
600.1014.
Reduction payment means the Federal Government's fishing capacity reduction payment to a fishing permit
owner, fishing vessel owner, or both, under a reduction contract. Additionally, it is payment for reduction to
each bidder whose bid NMFS accepts under § 600.1009. In a financed program each reduction payment
constitutes a disbursement of a reduction loan's proceeds and is for either revoking a fishing permit or
both revoking a fishing permit and withdrawing a vessel from fishing either by scrapping or title
restriction.
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50 CFR 600.1000 “Reduction permit”

Reduction permit means any fishing permit revoked in a program in exchange for a reduction payment under a
reduction contract.
Reduction vessel means any fishing vessel withdrawn from fishing either by scrapping or title restriction in
exchange for a reduction payment under a reduction contract.
Referendum means the voting process under § 600.1010 for approving the fee system for repaying a reduction
loan.
Request means a request, under § 600.1001, for a program.
Requester means a Council for a fishery identified in § 600.1001(c) or a state governor for a fishery identified in
§ 600.1001(d), or a majority of permit holders in the fishery.
Scrap means to completely and permanently reduce a fishing vessel's hull, superstructures, and other fixed
structural components to fragments having value, if any, only as raw materials for reprocessing or for
other non-fisheries use.
Subsidized means wholly funded by anything other than a reduction loan.
Treasury percentage means the annual percentage rate at which NMFS must pay interest to the U.S. Treasury on
any principal amount that NMFS borrows from the U.S. Treasury in order to generate the funds with which
to later disburse a reduction loan's principal amount.
Unprocessed fish means fish in the same form as the fish existed at the time the fish was harvested, unless any
difference in form represents, in the reduction fishery involved, the standard ex-vessel form upon which
fish sellers and fish buyers characteristically base the delivery value of unprocessed fish.
Vote means a vote in a referendum.
[65 FR 31443, May 18, 2000, as amended at 75 FR 62328, Oct. 8, 2010]

§ 600.1001 Requests.
(a) A Council, the Governor of a State under whose authority a proposed reduction fishery is subject, or a
majority of permit holders in the fishery may request that NMFS conduct a program in that fishery. Each
request shall be in writing. Each request shall satisfy the requirements of § 600.1003 or § 600.1005, as
applicable, and enable NMFS to make the determinations required by § 600.1004 or § 600.1006, as
applicable.
(b) NMFS cannot conduct a program in any fishery subject to the jurisdiction of a Council or a state unless
NMFS first receives a request from the Council or the governor to whose jurisdiction the fishery is subject.
(c) For a fishery subject to the jurisdiction of a Council, only that Council can or must make the request. If the
fishery is subject to the jurisdiction of two or more Councils, those Councils must make a joint request.
No Council may make a request, or join in making a request, until after the Council conducts a public
hearing about the request.
(d) For a fishery subject to the jurisdiction of a State, only the Governor of that State can make the request. If
the fishery is subject to the jurisdiction of two or more states, the Governors of those States shall make a
joint request. No Governor of a State may make a request, or join in making a request, until the State
conducts a public hearing about the request.

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50 CFR 600.1001(e)

(e) For a fishery under the direct management authority of the Secretary, NMFS may conduct a program on
NMFS' own motion by fulfilling the requirements of this subpart that reasonably apply to a program not
initiated by a request.
(f) Where necessary to accommodate special circumstances in a particular fishery, NMFS may waive, as
NMFS deems necessary and appropriate, compliance with any specific requirements under this subpart
not required by statute.
[65 FR 31443, May 18, 2000, as amended at 75 FR 62328, Oct. 8, 2010]

§ 600.1002 General requirements.
(a) Each program must be:
(1) Necessary to prevent or end overfishing, rebuild stocks of fish, or achieve measurable and significant
improvements in the conservation and management of the reduction fishery;
(2) Accompanied by the appropriate environmental, economic and/or socioeconomic analyses, in
accordance with applicable statutes, regulations, or other authorities; and
(3) Consistent with the CFMP, including any reduction amendment, for the reduction fishery.
(b) Each CFMP for a reduction fishery must:
(1) Prevent the replacement of fishing capacity removed by the program through a moratorium on new
entrants, restrictions on vessel upgrades, and other effort control measures, taking into account the
full potential fishing capacity of the fleet;
(2) Establish a specified or target total allowable catch or other measures that trigger closure of the
fishery or adjustments to reduce catch; and
(3) Include, for a financed program in a reduction fishery involving only a portion of a fishery, appropriate
provisions for the post-reduction allocation of fish between the reduction fishery and the rest of the
fishery that both protect the borrower's reduction investment in the program and support the
borrower's ability to repay the reduction loan.
(c) The Secretary may not make a fishing capacity reduction program payment with respect to a reduction
vessel that will not be scrapped unless the Secretary certifies that the vessel will not be used for fishing in
the waters of the U.S., a foreign nation, or on the high seas.
[65 FR 31443, May 18, 2000, as amended at 75 FR 62328, Oct. 8, 2010]

§ 600.1003 Content of a request for a financed program.
A request for a financed program shall:
(a) Specify the reduction fishery.
(b) Project the amount of the reduction and specify what a reduction of that amount achieves in the reduction
fishery.
(c) Specify whether the program is to be wholly or partially financed and, if the latter, specify the amount and
describe the availability of all funding from sources other than a reduction loan.
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50 CFR 600.1003(d)

(d) Project the availability of all Federal appropriation authority or other funding, if any, that the financed
program requires, including the time at which funding from each source will be available and how that
relates to the time at which elements of the reduction process are projected to occur.
(e) Demonstrate how the program meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the
requirements in § 600.1002(a).
(f) Demonstrate how the CFMP meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the
requirements in § 600.1002(b).
(g) If a reduction amendment is necessary, include an actual reduction amendment or the requester's
endorsement in principle of the reduction amendment specifications in the business plan. Endorsement in
principle is non-binding.
(h) Request that NMFS conduct, at the appropriate time, a referendum under § 600.1010 of this subpart.
(i)

List the names and addresses of record of all fishing permit or fishing vessel owners who are currently
authorized to harvest fish from the reduction fishery, excluding those whose authority is limited to
incidentally harvesting fish from the reduction fishery during directed fishing for fish not in the reduction
fishery. The list shall be based on the best information available to the requester. The list shall take into
account any limitation by type of fishing gear operated, size of fishing vessel operated, geographic area of
operation, or other factor that the proposed program involves. The list may include any relevant
information that NMFS may supply to the requester.

(j)

Specify the aggregate total allowable catch in the reduction fishery during each of the preceding 5 years
and the aggregate portion of such catch harvested by the parties listed under paragraph (i) of this section.

(k) Specify the criteria for determining the types and number of fishing permits or fishing permits and fishing
vessels that are eligible for reduction under the program. The criteria shall take into account:
(1) The characteristics of the fishery;
(2) Whether the program is limited to a particular gear type within the reduction fishery or is otherwise
limited by size of fishing vessel operated, geographic area of operation, or other factor;
(3) Whether the program is limited to fishing permits or involves both fishing permits and fishing
vessels;
(4) The reduction amendment required;
(5) The needs of fishing communities;
(6) Minimizing the program's reduction cost; and
(7) All other relevant factors.
(l)

Include the requester's assessment of the program's potential impact on fisheries other than the reduction
fishery, including an evaluation of the likely increase in participation or effort in such other fisheries, the
general economic impact on such other fisheries, and recommendations that could mitigate, or enable
such other fisheries to mitigate, any undesirable impacts.

(m) Include any other information or guidance that would assist NMFS in developing an implementation plan
and implementation regulations.
(n) Include a business plan, prepared by, or on behalf of, knowledgeable and concerned harvesters in the
reduction fishery, that:
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50 CFR 600.1003(n)(1)

(1) Specifies a detailed reduction methodology that accomplishes the maximum sustained reduction in
the reduction fishery's fishing capacity at the least reduction cost and in the minimum period of time,
and otherwise achieves the program result that the requester specifies under paragraph (b) of this
section. The methodology shall:
(i)

Establish the appropriate point for NMFS to conduct a pre-bidding referendum and be
sufficiently detailed to enable NMFS to readily:
(A) Design, propose, and adopt a timely and reliable implementation plan,
(B) Propose and issue timely and reliable implementation regulations,
(C) Invite bids,
(D) Accept or reject bids, and
(E) Complete a program in accordance with this subpart, and

(ii) Address, consistently with this subpart:
(A) The contents and terms of invitations to bid,
(B) Bidder eligibility,
(C) The type of information that bidders shall supply,
(D) The criteria for accepting or rejecting bids,
(E) The terms of bid acceptances,
(F) Any referendum procedures in addition to, but consistent with, those in § 600.1010, and
(G) All other technical matters necessary to conduct a program;
(2) Projects and supports the reduction fishery's annual delivery value during the reduction loan's
repayment period based on documented analysis of actual representative experience for a
reasonable number of past years in the reduction fishery;
(3) Includes the fishing capacity reduction specifications upon which both the pre-bidding referendum
and the bidding under § 600.1009 will be based. The reduction loan's maximum principal amount
cannot, at the interest rate projected to prevail at the time of reduction, exceed the principal amount
that can be amortized in 20 years by 5 percent of the projected delivery value;
(4) States the reduction loan's repayment term and the fee rate, or range of fee rates, prospectively
necessary to amortize the reduction loan over its repayment term;
(5) Analyzes and demonstrates the ability to repay the reduction loan at the minimum reduction level
and at various reduction-level increments reasonably greater than the minimum one, based on the:
(i)

Best and most representative historical fishing revenue and expense data and any other
relevant productivity measures available in the reduction fishery, and

(ii) Projected effect of the program on the post-reduction operating economics of typical
harvesters in the reduction fishery, with particular emphasis on the extent to which the
reduction increases the ratio of delivery value to fixed cost and improves harvesting's other
relevant productivity measures;

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50 CFR 600.1003(n)(6)

(6) Demonstrates how the business plan's proposed program meets, or will meet after an appropriate
reduction amendment, the requirements in § 600.1002(a);
(7) Demonstrates how the CFMP meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the
requirements in § 600.1002(b);
(8) Includes, if a reduction amendment is necessary, the reduction amendment specifications upon
which the pre-bidding referendum will be based;
(9) Includes an assessment of the program's potential impact on fisheries other than the reduction
fishery, including an evaluation of the likely increase in participation or effort in such other fisheries,
the general economic impact on such other fisheries, and recommendations that could mitigate, or
enable such other fisheries to mitigate, any undesirable impacts;
(10) Specifies the names and addresses of record of all fish buyers who can, after reduction, reasonably
be expected to receive deliveries of fee fish. This shall be based on the best information available,
including any information that NMFS may be able to supply to the business planners;
(11) Specifies, after full consultation with fish buyers, any special circumstances in the reduction fishery
that may require the implementing regulations to contain provisions in addition to, or different from,
those contained in § 600.1013 and/or § 600.1014 in order to accommodate the circumstances of,
and practices in, the reduction fishery while still fulfilling the intent and purpose of § 600.1013 and/
or § 600.1014—including, but not limited to:
(i)

In the case of reduction fisheries in which state data confidentiality laws or other impediments
may negatively affect the efficient and effective conduct of the same, specification of who
needs to take what action to resolve any such impediments, and

(ii) In the case of reduction fisheries in which some fish sellers sell unprocessed, and other fish
sellers sell processed fish to fish buyers, specification of an accurate and efficient method of
establishing the delivery value of processed fish; and
(12) Demonstrates by a survey of potential voters, or by any other convincing means, a substantial degree
of potential voter support for the business plan and confidence in its feasibility.
(o) Include the requester's statement of belief that the business plan, the CFMP, the reduction amendment
specifications, and all other request aspects constitute a complete, realistic, and practical prospect for
successfully completing a program in accordance with this subpart.

§ 600.1004 Accepting a request for, and determinations about initiating, a financed program.
(a) Accepting a request. Once it receives a request, NMFS will review any request for a financed program to
determine whether the request conforms with the requirements of § 600.1003. If the request does not
conform, NMFS will return the request with guidance on how to make the request conform. If the request
conforms, NMFS shall accept it and publish a notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER requesting public comments
on the request. Such notice shall state the name and address of record of each eligible voter, as well as
the basis for having determined the eligibility of those voters. This shall constitute notice and opportunity
to respond about adding eligible voters, deleting ineligible voters, and/or correcting any voter's name and
address of record. If, in NMFS' discretion, the comments received in response to such notice warrants it,
or other good cause warrants it, NMFS may modify such list by publishing another notice in the FEDERAL
REGISTER.

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50 CFR 600.1004(b)

(b) Determination about initiating a financed program. After receipt of a conforming request for a financed
program, NMFS will, after reviewing and responding to any public comments received in response to the
notice published in the FEDERAL REGISTER under paragraph (a) of this section, initiate the program if NMFS
determines that:
(1) The program meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the requirements in §
600.1002(a);
(2) The CFMP meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the requirements in §
600.1002(b);
(3) The program, if successfully implemented, is cost effective;
(4) The reduction requested constitutes a realistic and practical prospect for successfully completing a
program in accordance with this subpart and the borrower is capable of repaying the reduction loan.
This includes enabling NMFS to readily design, propose, and adopt a timely and reliable
implementation plan as well as propose and issue timely and reliable implementation regulations
and otherwise complete the program in accordance with this subpart; and
(5) The program accords with all other applicable law.

§ 600.1005 Content of a request for a subsidized program.
A request for a subsidized program shall:
(a) Specify the reduction fishery.
(b) Project the amount of the reduction and specify what a reduction of that amount achieves in the reduction
fishery.
(c) Project the reduction cost, the amount of reduction cost to be funded by Federal appropriations, and the
amount, if any, to be funded by other sources.
(d) Project the availability of Federal appropriations or other funding, if any, that completion of the program
requires, including the time at which funding from each source will be available and how that relates to
the time at which elements of the reduction process are projected to occur.
(e) List the names and addresses of record of all fishing permit or fishing vessel owners who are currently
authorized to harvest fish from the reduction fishery, excluding those whose authority is limited to
incidentally harvesting fish from the reduction fishery during directed fishing for fish not in the reduction
fishery. The list shall be based on the best information available to the requester, including any
information that NMFS may supply to the requester, and take into account any limitation by type of fishing
gear operated, size of fishing vessel operated, geographic area of operation, or other factor that the
proposed program involves.
(f) Specify the aggregate total allowable catch in the reduction fishery during each of the preceding 5 years
and the aggregate portion of such catch harvested by the parties listed under paragraph (e) of this
section.
(g) Include a preliminary development plan that:

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50 CFR 600.1005(g)(1)

(1) Specifies a detailed reduction methodology that accomplishes the maximum sustained reduction in
the reduction fishery's fishing capacity at the least cost and in a minimum period of time, and
otherwise achieves the program result that the requester specifies under paragraph (b) of this
section. The methodology shall:
(i)

Be sufficiently detailed to enable NMFS to prepare a final development plan to serve as the
basis for NMFS to readily design, propose, and adopt a timely and reliable implementation plan
and propose and issue timely and reliable implementation regulations, and

(ii) Include:
(A) The contents and terms of invitations to bid,
(B) Eligible bidders,
(C) The type of information that bidders shall supply,
(D) The criteria for accepting or rejecting bids, and
(E) The terms of bid acceptances;
(2) Specifies the criteria for determining the types and numbers of fishing permits or fishing permits and
fishing vessels that are eligible for reduction under the program. The criteria shall take into account:
(i)

The characteristics of the fishery,

(ii) Whether the program is limited to a particular gear type within the reduction fishery, or is
otherwise limited by size of fishing vessel operated, geographic area of operation, or other
factor,
(iii) Whether the program is limited to fishing permits or involves both fishing permits and fishing
vessels,
(iv) The reduction amendment required,
(v) The needs of fishing communities, and
(vi) The need to minimize the program's reduction cost; and
(3) Demonstrates the program's cost effectiveness.
(h) Demonstrate how the program meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the
requirements in § 600.1002(a).
(i)

Demonstrate how the CFMP meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the
requirements in § 600.1002(b)(1) and (2).

(j)

Specify any other information or guidance that assists NMFS in preparing a final development plan and a
proposed implementation plan and proposed implementation regulations.

(k) Include the requester's statement of belief that the program constitutes a reasonably realistic and
practical prospect for successfully completing a program in accordance with this subpart.

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50 CFR 600.1006

§ 600.1006 Accepting a request for, and determinations about conducting, a subsidized
program.
(a) Accepting a request. NMFS will review any request for a subsidized program submitted to NMFS to
determine whether the request conforms with the requirements of § 600.1005. If the request does not
conform, NMFS will return it with guidance on how to make the request conform. If the request conforms,
NMFS shall accept it and publish a notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER requesting public comments about the
request.
(b) Final development plan. After receipt of a conforming request, NMFS will prepare a final development plan
if NMFS determines that the reduction requested constitutes a realistic and practical prospect for
successfully completing a program in accordance with this subpart. This includes enabling NMFS to
readily design, propose, and adopt a timely and reliable implementation plan as well as propose and issue
timely and reliable implementation regulations and otherwise complete the program in accordance with
this subpart. NMFS will, as far as possible, base the final development plan on the requester's preliminary
development plan. Before completing the final development plan, NMFS will consult, as NMFS deems
necessary, with the requester, Federal agencies, state and regional authorities, affected fishing
communities, participants in the reduction fishery, conservation organizations, and other interested
parties in preparing the final development plan.
(c) Reaffirmation of the request. After completing the final development plan, NMFS will submit the plan to
the requester for the requester's reaffirmation of the request. Based on the final development plan, the
reaffirmation shall:
(1) Certify that the final development plan meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction
amendment, the requirements in § 600.1002(a);
(2) Certify that the CFMP meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the
requirements in § 600.1002(b)(1) and (2); and
(3) Project the date on which the requester will forward any necessary reduction amendment and, if the
requester is a Council, proposed regulations to implement the reduction amendment. The requester
shall base any necessary reduction amendment on the final development plan.
(d) Determinations about conducting a subsidized program. After NMFS' receipt of the requester's
reaffirmation, any required reduction amendment, and any proposed regulations required to implement
the amendment, NMFS will initiate the program if NMFS determines that:
(1) The program meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the requirements in §
600.1002(a);
(2) The CFMP meets, or will meet after an appropriate reduction amendment, the requirements in §
600.1002(b)(1) and (2); and
(3) The program is reasonably capable of being successfully implemented;
(4) The program, if successfully implemented, will be cost effective; and
(5) The program is in accord with all other applicable provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and this
subpart.

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§ 600.1007 Reduction amendments.
(a) Each reduction amendment may contain provisions that are either dependent upon or independent of a
program. Each provision of a reduction amendment is a dependent provision unless the amendment
expressly designates the provision as independent.
(b) Independent provisions are effective without regard to any subsequent program actions.
(c) Dependent provisions are initially effective for the sole limited purpose of enabling initiation and
completion of the pre-reduction processing stage of a program.
(d) All dependent provisions of a reduction amendment for a financed program are fully in force and effect for
all other purposes only when NMFS either:
(1) For bidding results that conform to the fishing capacity reduction specifications and are not subject
to any other condition, notifies bidders, under § 600.1009(e)(3), that reduction contracts then exist
between the bidders and the United States; or
(2) For bidding results that do not conform to the fishing capacity reduction specifications or are subject
to any other condition, notifies bidders whose bids NMFS had conditionally accepted, under §
600.1010 (d)(8)(iii), that the condition pertaining to the reduction contracts between them and the
United States is fulfilled.
(e) If NMFS does not, in accordance with this subpart and any special provisions in the implementation
regulations, subsequently make all reduction payments that circumstances, in NMFS' judgment,
reasonably permit NMFS to make and, thus, complete a program, no dependent provisions shall then have
any further force or effect for any purpose and all final regulations involving such dependent provisions
shall then be repealed.

§ 600.1008 Implementation plan and implementation regulations.
(a) As soon as practicable after deciding to initiate a program, NMFS will prepare and publish, for a 60-day
public comment period, a proposed implementation plan and implementation regulations. During the
public comment period, NMFS will conduct a public hearing of the proposed implementation plan and
implementation regulations in each state that the program affects.
(b) To the greatest extent practicable, NMFS will base the implementation plan and implementation
regulations for a financed program on the business plan. The implementation plan for a financed program
will describe in detail all relevant aspects of implementing the program, including:
(1) The reduction fishery;
(2) The reduction methodology;
(3) The maximum reduction cost;
(4) The maximum reduction loan amount, if different from the maximum reduction cost;
(5) The reduction cost funding, if any, other than a reduction loan;
(6) The minimum acceptable reduction level;
(7) The potential amount of the fee;
(8) The criteria for determining the types and number of fishing permits or fishing permits and fishing
vessels eligible to participate in the program;
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(9) The invitation to bid and bidding procedures;
(10) The criteria for determining bid acceptance;
(11) The referendum procedures; and
(12) Any relevant post-referendum reduction procedures other than those in the implementation
regulations or this subpart.
(c) NMFS will base each implementation plan and implementation regulations for a subsidized program on
the final development plan. The implementation plan will describe in detail all relevant aspects of
implementing the program, including:
(1) The reduction fishery;
(2) The reduction methodology;
(3) The maximum reduction cost;
(4) The reduction-cost funding, if any, other than Federal appropriations;
(5) The criteria for determining the types and number of fishing permits or fishing permits and fishing
vessels eligible to participate in the program;
(6) The invitation to bid and bidding procedures;
(7) The criteria for determining bid acceptance; and
(8) Any relevant post-bidding program procedures other than those in the implementation regulations or
this subpart.
(d) The implementation regulations will:
(1) Specify, for invitations to bid, bids, and reduction contracts under § 600.1009:
(i)

Bidder eligibility,

(ii) Bid submission requirements and procedures,
(iii) A bid opening date, before which a bidder may not bid, and a bid closing date, after which a
bidder may not bid,
(iv) A bid expiration date after which the irrevocable offer contained in each bid expires unless
NMFS, before that date, accepts the bid by mailing a written acceptance notice to the bidder at
the bidder's address of record,
(v) The manner of bid submission and the information each bidder shall supply for NMFS to deem
a bid responsive,
(vi) The conditions under which NMFS will accept or reject a bid,
(vii) The manner in which NMFS will accept or reject a bid, and
(viii) The manner in which NMFS will notify each bidder of bid acceptance or rejection;
(2) Specify any other special referendum procedures or criteria; and

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(3) Specify such other provisions, in addition to and consistent with those in this subpart, necessary to
regulate the individual terms and conditions of each program and reduction loan. This includes, but
is not limited to:
(i)

Provisions for the payment of costs and penalties for non-payment, non-collection, non-deposit,
and/or non-disbursement of the fee in accordance with § 600.1013 and § 600.1014,

(ii) Prospective fee rate determinations, and
(iii) Any other aspect of fee payment, collection, deposit, disbursement, accounting, record keeping,
and/or reporting.
(e) NMFS will issue final implementation regulations and adopt a final implementation plan within 45 days of
the close of the public-comment period.
(f) NMFS may repeal the final implementation regulations for any program if:
(1) For a financed program, the bidding results do not conform to the fishing capacity reduction
specifications or a post-bidding referendum does not subsequently approve an industry fee system
based on the bidding results;
(2) For a subsidized program, NMFS does not accept bids; and
(3) For either a financed program or a subsidized program, if NMFS is unable to make all reduction
payments due to a material adverse change.

§ 600.1009 Bids.
(a) Each invitation to bid, bid, bid acceptance, reduction contract, and bidder—or any other party in any way
affected by any of the foregoing—under this subpart is subject to the terms and conditions in this section:
(1) Each invitation to bid constitutes the entire terms and conditions of a reduction contract under
which:
(i)

Each bidder makes an irrevocable offer to the United States of fishing capacity for reduction,
and

(ii) NMFS accepts or rejects, on behalf of the United States, each bidder's offer;
(2) NMFS may, at any time before the bid expiration date, accept or reject any or all bids;
(3) For a financed program in which bidding results do not conform to the fishing capacity reduction
specifications, NMFS' acceptance of any bid is subject to the condition that the industry fee system
necessary to repay the reduction loan is subsequently approved by a successful post-bidding
referendum conducted under § 600.1010. Approval or disapproval of the industry fee system by
post-bidding referendum is an event that neither the United States nor the bidders can control.
Disapproval of the industry fee system by an unsuccessful post-bidding referendum fully excuses
both parties from any performance and fully discharges all duties under any reduction contract;
(4) For a financed program in one reduction fishery that is being conducted under appropriate
implementation regulations simultaneously with another financed program in another reduction
fishery, where the acceptance of bids for each financed program is conditional upon successful
post-bidding referenda approving industry fee systems for both financed programs, NMFS'

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acceptance of all bids is, in addition to any condition under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, also
subject to the additional conditions that both referenda approve the industry fee systems required
for both financed programs—all as otherwise provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section;
(5) Upon NMFS' acceptance of the bid and tender of a reduction payment, the bidder consents to:
(i)

The revocation, by NMFS, of any reduction permit, and

(ii) Where the program also involves the withdrawal of reduction vessels from fishing:
(A) Title restrictions imposed by the U.S. Coast Guard on any reduction vessel that is Federally
documented to forever prohibit and effectively prevent any future use of the reduction
vessel for fishing:
(1) In any area subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, or any state, territory,
commonwealth, or possession of the United States, or
(2) On the high seas, or
(3) In the waters of a foreign nation; or
(B) Scrapping of all reduction vessels involved in a fishing capacity reduction program, unless
the reduction program vessel has been certified by the Secretary, and the requirements
established under § 600.1002(c) are met. Where reduction vessel scrapping is involved
and the reduction vessel's owner does not comply with the owner's obligation under the
reduction contract to scrap the reduction vessel, the Secretary may take such measures
as necessary to cause the reduction vessel's prompt scrapping. The scrapping will be at
the reduction vessel owner's risk and expense. Upon completion of scrapping, NMFS will
take such action as may be necessary to recover from the reduction vessel owner any
cost, damages, or other expense NMFS incurred in the scrapping of the reduction vessel.
(6) Money damages not being an adequate remedy for a bidder's breach of a reduction contract, the
United States is, in all particulars, entitled to specific performance of each reduction contract. This
includes, but is not limited to, the scrapping of a reduction vessel;
(7) Any reduction payment is available, upon timely and adequately documented notice to NMFS, to
satisfy liens, as allowed by law, against any reduction permit/and or reduction vessel; provided,
however, that:
(i)

No reduction payment to any bidder either relieves the bidder of responsibility to discharge the
obligation which gives rise to any lien or relieves any lien holder of responsibility to protect the
lien holder's interest,

(ii) No reduction payment in any way gives rise to any liability of the United States for the obligation
underlying any lien,
(iii) No lien holder has any right or standing, not otherwise provided by law, against the United
States in connection with the revocation of any reduction permit or the title restriction or
scrapping of any reduction vessel under this subpart, and

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(iv) This subpart does not provide any lien holder with any right or standing to seek to set aside any
revocation of any reduction permit or the title restriction or scrapping of any reduction vessel
for which the United States made, or has agreed to make, any reduction payment. A lien holder
is limited to recovery against the holder of the reduction permit or the owner of the reduction
vessel as otherwise provided by law; and
(8) Each invitation to bid may specify such other terms and conditions as NMFS believes necessary to
enforce specific performance of each reduction contract or otherwise to ensure completing each
program. This includes, but is not limited to, each bidder's certification, subject to the penalties in §
600.1017, of the bidder's full authority to submit each bid and to dispose of the property involved in
the bid in the manner contemplated by each invitation to bid.
(b) NMFS will not invite bids for any program until NMFS determines that:
(1) Any necessary reduction amendment is fully and finally approved and all provisions except those
dependent on the completion of reduction are implemented;
(2) The final implementation plan is adopted and the final implementation regulations are issued;
(3) All required program funding is approved and in place, including all Federal appropriation and
apportionment authority;
(4) Any reduction loan involved is fully approved;
(5) Any non-Federal funding involved is fully available at the required time for NMFS disbursement as
reduction payments; and
(6) All other actions necessary to disburse reduction payments, except for matters involving bidding and
post-bidding referenda, are completed.
(c) After making the affirmative determinations required under paragraph (b) of this section, NMFS will
publish a FEDERAL REGISTER notice inviting eligible bidders to offer to the United States, under this subpart,
fishing capacity for reduction.
(d) NMFS may extend a bid closing date and/or a bid expiration date for a reasonable period. NMFS may also
issue serial invitations to bid if the result of previous bidding, in NMFS' judgment, warrant this.
(e) After the bid expiration date, NMFS will:
(1) Analyze responsive bids;
(2) Determine which bids, if any, NMFS accepts; and
(3) Notify, by U.S. mail at each bidder's address of record, those bidders whose bids NMFS accepts that
a reduction contract now exists between them and the United States—subject, where appropriate, to
the conditions provided for elsewhere in this subpart.
(f) NMFS will keep confidential the identity of all bidders whose bids NMFS does not accept. In financed
programs where bidding results do not conform to the fishing capacity reduction specifications, NMFS
also will keep confidential the identity of all bidders whose bids NMFS does accept until after completing
a successful post-bidding referendum under § 600.1010.
[65 FR 31443, May 18, 2000, as amended at 75 FR 62329, Oct. 8, 2010]

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§ 600.1010 Referenda.
(a) Referendum success. A referendum is successful if at least a majority of the permit holders in the fishery
who participate in the fishery cast ballots in favor of an industry fee system.
(b) Pre-bidding referendum —
(1) Initial referendum. An initial pre-bidding referendum shall be conducted for each financed program.
The business plan shall, subject to this subpart, determine the chronological relationship of the initial
pre-bidding referendum to other pre-bidding aspects of the reduction process sequence. The initial
pre-bidding referendum shall be based on the fishing capacity reduction specifications. If the initial
pre-bidding referendum precedes the adoption of any necessary reduction amendment, the initial
pre-bidding referendum shall also be based on the reduction amendment specifications. If the initial
pre-bidding referendum follows the adoption of any necessary reduction amendment, the initial prebidding referendum shall also be based on the adopted reduction amendment;
(2) Successful initial pre-bidding referendum. If the initial pre-bidding referendum is successful, the
reduction process will proceed as follows:
(i)

If the initial pre-bidding referendum follows reduction amendment adoption, no second prebidding referendum shall be conducted,

(ii) If the initial pre-bidding referendum precedes reduction amendment adoption, a second prebidding referendum shall be conducted if, in NMFS' judgment, the reduction amendment
subsequently adopted differs, in any respect materially affecting the borrower's reduction
investment in the program and the borrower's ability to repay the reduction loan, from the
reduction amendment specifications upon which the initial pre-bidding referendum successfully
occurred. The sole purpose of any second pre-bidding referendum shall be to determine
whether the voters authorize an industry fee system despite any such difference between the
reduction amendment specifications and a subsequently adopted reduction amendment.
(3) Unsuccessful initial pre-bidding referendum. If the initial pre-bidding referendum is unsuccessful, the
reduction process will either cease or NMFS may suspend the process pending an appropriate
amendment of the business plan and the request.
(c) Post-bidding referendum. A post-bidding referendum shall occur only if, in NMFS' judgment, the result of
bidding under § 600.1009 does not conform, in any material respect, to the fishing capacity reduction
specifications and such result justifies, in NMFS' judgment, conducting a post-bidding referendum.
Bidding that results in reducing fishing capacity in any amount not less than the minimum fishing capacity
reduction amount for any reduction loan amount not more than the maximum reduction loan amount, and
otherwise achieves all material requirements of the fishing capacity reduction specifications, shall
conform to the fishing capacity reduction specifications. The sole purpose of any post-bidding
referendum shall be to determine whether voters authorize an industry fee system for bidding that results
in reducing fishing capacity in any amount materially less than the minimum amount in the fishing
capacity reduction specifications.
(d) NMFS will conduct referenda in accordance with the following:
(1) Eligible voters. The parties eligible to vote in each referendum are the parties whose names are listed
as being eligible to vote in the notice published in the FEDERAL REGISTER under § 600.1004(a);

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(2) Ballot issuance. NMFS will mail, by U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested, a ballot to each
eligible voter. Each ballot will bear a randomly derived, 5-digit number assigned to each eligible voter.
Each ballot will contain a place for the voter to vote for or against the proposed industry fee system
and a place, adjacent to the 5-digit number, for the signature of the fishing permit or fishing vessel
owner to whom the ballot is addressed or, if the fishing permit or fishing vessel owner is an
organization, the person having authority to vote and cast the ballot on the organization's behalf.
Each ballot will contain a place for the person signing the ballot to print his or her name. NMFS will
enclose with each ballot a specially-marked, postage-paid, pre-addressed envelope that each voter
shall use to return the ballot to NMFS;
(3) Voter certification. Each ballot will contain a certification, subject to the penalties set forth in §
600.1017, that the person signing the ballot is the fishing permit or fishing vessel owner to whom the
ballot is addressed or, if the fishing permit or fishing vessel owner is an organization, the person
having authority to vote and cast the ballot on the organization's behalf;
(4) Information included on a ballot. Each ballot mailing will:
(i)

Summarize the referendum's nature and purpose,

(ii) Specify the date by which NMFS must receive a ballot in order for the ballot to be counted as a
qualified vote,
(iii) Identify the place on the ballot for the voter to vote for or against the proposed industry fee
system, the place on the ballot where the voter shall sign the ballot, and the purpose of the
return envelope,
(iv) For each pre-bidding referendum, state:
(A) The fishing capacity reduction specifications,
(B) The reduction loan's repayment term, and
(C) The fee rate, or range of fee rates, prospectively necessary to amortize the reduction loan
over the loan's term,
(v) For each initial pre-bidding referendum that precedes reduction amendment adoption, state the
reduction amendment specifications,
(vi) For each initial pre-bidding referendum that follows reduction amendment adoption, summarize
the material aspects of the reduction amendment adopted,
(vii) For each second pre-bidding referendum, summarize how the adopted reduction amendment
materially differs from the reduction amendment specifications upon which a successful initial
pre-bidding referendum occurred and how this material difference affects the borrower's
reduction investment in the program and the borrower's ability to repay the reduction loan,
(viii) For each post-bidding referendum, specify the actual bidding results that do not conform to the
fishing capacity reduction specifications, and
(ix) State or include whatever else NMFS deems appropriate;
(5) Enclosures to accompany a ballot. Each ballot mailing will include:
(i)

A specially-marked, postage-paid, and pre-addressed envelope that a voter must use to return
the original of a ballot to NMFS by whatever means of delivery the voter chooses, and

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(ii) Such other materials as NMFS deems appropriate;
(6) Vote qualification. A completed ballot qualifies to be counted as a vote if the ballot:
(i)

Is physically received by NMFS on or before the last day NMFS specifies for receipt of the ballot,

(ii) Is cast for or against the proposed industry fee system,
(iii) Is signed by the voter,
(iv) Is the original ballot NMFS sent to the voter bearing the same 5-digit number that NMFS
assigned to the voter, and
(v) Was returned to NMFS in the specially-marked envelope that NMFS provided for the ballot's
return;
(6) Vote tally and notification. NMFS will:
(i)

Tally all ballots qualified to be counted as referendum votes,

(ii) Notify, by U.S. mail at the address of record, all eligible voters who received ballots of:
(A) The number of potential voters,
(B) The number of actual voters who returned a ballot,
(C) The number of returned ballots that qualified to be counted as referendum votes,
(D) The number of votes for and the number of votes against the industry fee system, and
(E) Whether the referendum was successful and approved the industry fee system or
unsuccessful and disapproved the industry fee system, and
(iii) If a successful referendum is a post-bidding referendum, NMFS will, at the same time and in the
same manner, also notify the bidders whose bids were conditionally accepted that the
condition pertaining to the reduction contracts between them and the United States is fulfilled;
(7) Conclusiveness of referendum determinations. NMFS' determinations about ballot qualifications and
about all other referendum matters, including, but not limited to, eligible voters and their addresses
of record, are conclusive and final as of the date NMFS makes such determinations. No matter
respecting such determinations shall impair, invalidate, avoid, or otherwise render unenforceable any
referendum, reduction contract, reduction loan, or fee payment and collection obligation under §
600.1013 and § 600.1014 necessary to repay any reduction loan;
(8) Ballot confidentiality. NMFS will not voluntarily release the name of any party who voted. NMFS will
restrict the availability of all voter information to the maximum extent allowed by law; and
(9) Conclusive authorization of industry fee system. Each successful referendum conclusively authorizes
NMFS' imposition of an industry fee system—including the fee payment, collection, and other
provisions regarding fee payment and collection under § 600.1013 and § 600.1014—to repay the
reduction loan for each financed program that NMFS conducts under this subpart.
[65 FR 31443, May 18, 2000, as amended at 75 FR 62329, Oct. 8, 2010]

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§ 600.1011 Reduction methods and other conditions.
(a) Reduction permits or reduction permits and reduction vessels. Each program may involve either the
surrender and revocation of reduction permits or both the surrender and revocation of reduction permits
and the withdrawal from fishing either by title restriction or by scrapping of reduction vessels. No financed
program may, however, require such title restriction or scrapping of reduction vessels unless the business
plan voluntarily includes the same.
(b) Reduction permit revocation and surrender. Each reduction permit is, upon NMFS' tender of the reduction
payment for the reduction permit, forever revoked. Each reduction permit holder shall, upon NMFS' tender
of the reduction payment, surrender the original reduction permit to NMFS. The reduction permit holder,
upon NMFS' tender of the reduction payment, forever relinquishes any claim associated with the reduction
permit and with the fishing vessel that was used to harvest fishery resources under the reduction permit
that could qualify the reduction permit holder or the fishing vessel owner for any present or future limited
access system fishing permit in the reduction fishery.
(c) Reduction vessel title restriction or scrapping. For each program that involves reduction vessel title
restriction or scrapping:
(1) Each reduction vessel that is subject to title restriction only and is thus not required to be scrapped,
is, upon NMFS' tender of the reduction payment, forever prohibited from any future use for fishing in
any area subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or any State, territory, possession, or
commonwealth of the United States. NMFS will request that the U.S. Coast Guard permanently
restrict each such reduction vessel's title to exclude the reduction vessel's future use for fishing in
any such area;
(2) Each reduction vessel owner whose reduction vessel is required to be scrapped shall, upon NMFS'
tender of the reduction payment, immediately cease all further use of the reduction vessel and
arrange, without delay and at the reduction vessel owner's expense, to scrap the reduction vessel to
NMFS' satisfaction, including adequate provision for NMFS to document the physical act of
scrapping; and
(3) Each reduction vessel owner, upon NMFS' tender of the reduction payment, forever relinquishes any
claim associated with the reduction vessel and with the reduction permit that could qualify the
reduction vessel owner or the reduction permit holder for any present or future limited access
system fishing permit in the reduction fishery.
(d) Fishing permits in a non-reduction fishery. A financed program that does not involve the withdrawal from
fishing or scrapping of reduction vessels may not require any holder of a reduction permit in a reduction
fishery to surrender any fishing permit in any non-reduction fishery or restrict or revoke any fishing permit
other than a reduction permit in the reduction fishery, except those fishing permits authorizing the
incidental harvesting of species in any non-reduction fishery during, and as a consequence of, directed
fishing for species in the reduction fishery.
(e) Reduction vessels disposition. Where a business plan requires the withdrawal from fishing of reduction
vessels as well as the revocation of reduction permits:
(1) Each reduction vessel that is not documented under Federal law must in every case always be
scrapped, without regard to whether a program is a financed program or a subsidized program;

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(2) No financed program may require any disposition of a reduction vessel documented under Federal
law other than the title restriction in paragraph (b) of this section unless the business plan volunteers
to do otherwise; and
(3) Any subsidized program may require the scrapping of reduction vessels documented under Federal
law.
(f) Reduction payments. NMFS will disburse all reduction payments in the amount and in the manner
prescribed in reduction contracts, except reduction payments that a bidder's reduction-contract
nonperformance prevents NMFS from disbursing. In financed programs, the reduction loan's principal
amount is the total amount of all reduction payments that NMFS disburses from the proceeds of a
reduction loan. Any reduction payment that NMFS, because of a bidder's reduction-contract
nonperformance, disburses but subsequently recovers, shall reduce the principal amount of the reduction
loan accordingly.
(g) Effect of reduction-contract nonperformance. No referendum, no reduction contract, no reduction loan,
and no fee payment and collection obligation under § 600.1013 and § 600.1014 necessary to repay any
reduction loan, shall be impaired, invalidated, avoided, or otherwise rendered unenforceable by virtue of
any reduction contract's nonperformance. This is without regard to the cause of, or reason for,
nonperformance. NMFS shall endeavor to enforce the specific performance of all reduction contracts, but
NMFS' inability, for any reason, to enforce specific performance for any portion of such reduction
contracts shall not relieve fish sellers of their obligation to pay, and fish buyers of their obligation to
collect, the fee necessary to fully repay the full reduction loan balance that results from all reduction
payments that NMFS actually makes and does not recover.
(h) Program completion. Other than the payment and collection of the fee that repays a reduction loan and
any other residual matters regarding reduction payments and the disposition of reduction permits and
reduction vessels, a program shall be completed when NMFS tenders or makes all reduction payments
under all reduction contracts that circumstances, in NMFS' judgment, reasonably permit NMFS to make.

§ 600.1012 Reduction loan.
(a) Obligation. The borrower shall be obligated to repay a reduction loan. The borrower's obligation to repay a
reduction loan shall be discharged by fish sellers paying a fee in accordance with § 600.1013. Fish buyers
shall be obligated to collect the fee in accordance with § 600.1013 and to deposit and disburse the fee
revenue in accordance with § 600.1014.
(b) Principal amount, interest rate, repayment term, and penalties for non-payment or non-collection. The
reduction loan shall be:
(1) In a principal amount that shall be determined by subsequent program events under this subpart, but
which shall not exceed the maximum principal amount in the fishing capacity reduction
specifications;
(2) At an annual rate, that shall be determined by subsequent events, of simple interest on the reduction
loan's principal balance that shall equal 2 percent plus the Treasury percentage;
(3) Repayable over the repayment term specified in the business plan or otherwise determined by
subsequent events; and
(4) Subject to such provisions as implementation regulations shall specify for the payment of costs and
penalties for non-payment, non-collection, non-deposit, and/or non-disbursement in accordance with
§ 600.1013 and § 600.1014.
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50 CFR 600.1012(c)

(c) Effect of prospective interest rate. Any difference between a prospective interest rate projected, for the
purpose of any aspect of reduction planning or processing under this subpart, before the U.S. Treasury
determines the Treasury percentage and an interest rate first known after the U.S. Treasury determines
the Treasury percentage shall not void, invalidate, or otherwise impair any reduction contract, any
reduction loan repayment obligation, or any other aspect of the reduction process under this subpart.
Should any such difference result in a reduction loan that cannot, at the maximum fee rate allowed by law,
be repaid, as previously projected, within the maximum maturity, any amount of the reduction loan
remaining unpaid at maturity shall be repaid after maturity by continuing fee payment and collection
under this subpart at such maximum fee rate until the reduction loan's unpaid principal balance and
accrued interest is fully repaid. The above notwithstanding, at the discretion of the Secretary, the
reduction contract can be voided if a material adverse change affects the reduction contract, reduction
loan obligation, or any other aspect of the reduction process under this subpart.

§ 600.1013 Fee payment and collection.
(a) Amount. The fee amount is the delivery value times the fee rate.
(b) Rate. NMFS will establish the fee rate. The fee rate may not exceed 5 percent of the delivery value. NMFS
will establish the initial fee rate by calculating the fee revenue annually required to amortize a reduction
loan over the reduction loan's term, projecting the annual delivery value, and expressing such fee revenue
as a percentage of such delivery value. Before each anniversary of the initial fee rate determination, NMFS
will recalculate the fee rate reasonably required to ensure reduction loan repayment. This will include any
changed delivery value projections and any adjustment required to correct for previous delivery values
higher or lower than projected.
(c) Payment and collection.
(1) The full fee is due and payable at the time of fish delivery. Each fish buyer shall collect the fee at the
time of fish delivery by deducting the fee from the delivery value before paying, or promising to pay,
the net delivery value. Each fish seller shall pay the fee at the time of fish delivery by receiving from
the fish buyer the net delivery value, or the fish buyer's promise to pay the net delivery value, rather
than the delivery value. Regardless of when the fish buyer pays the net delivery value, the fish buyer
shall collect the fee at the time of fish delivery;
(2) In the event of any post-delivery payment for fee fish—including, but not limited to bonuses—whose
amount depends on conditions that cannot be known until after fish delivery, that either first
determines the delivery value or later increases the previous delivery value, the fish seller shall pay,
and the fish buyer shall collect, at the time the amount of such post-delivery payment first becomes
known, the fee that would otherwise have been due and payable as if the amount of the post-delivery
payment had been known, and as if the post-delivery payment had consequently occurred, at the
time of initial fish delivery;
(3)
(i)

Each fish seller shall be deemed to be, for the purpose of the fee collection, deposit,
disbursement, and accounting requirements of this subpart, both the fish seller and the fish
buyer, and shall be responsible for all requirements and liable for any penalties under this
subpart applicable to fish sellers and/or fish buyers, each time that a fish seller sells fee fish to:

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50 CFR 600.1013(c)(3)(i)(A)

(A) Any party whose place of business is not located in the United States, who does not take
delivery or possession of the fee fish in the United States, who is not otherwise subject to
this subpart, or to whom or against whom NMFS cannot otherwise apply or enforce this
subpart,
(B) Any party who is a general food-service wholesaler or supplier, a restaurant, a retailer, a
consumer, some other type of end-user, or some other party not engaged in the business
of buying fish from fish sellers for the purpose of reselling the fish, either with or without
processing the fish, or
(C) Any other party who the fish seller has good reason to believe is a party not subject to this
subpart or to whom or against whom NMFS cannot otherwise apply or enforce this
subpart,
(ii) In each such case the fish seller shall, with respect to the fee fish involved in each such case,
discharge, in addition to the fee payment requirements of this subpart, all the fee collection,
deposit, disbursement, accounting, record keeping, and reporting requirements that this
subpart otherwise imposes on the fish buyer, and the fish seller shall be subject to all the
penalties this subpart provides for a fish buyer's failure to discharge such requirements;
(4) Fee payment begins on the date NMFS specifies under the notification procedures of paragraph (d)
of this section and continues without interruption at the fee rates NMFS specifies in accordance this
subpart until NMFS determines that the reduction loan is fully repaid. If a reduction loan is, for any
reason, not fully repaid at the maturity of the reduction loan's original amortization period, fee
payment and collection shall continue until the reduction loan is fully repaid, notwithstanding that
the time required to fully repay the reduction loan exceeds the reduction loan's initially permissible
maturity.
(d) Notification.
(1) At least 30 days before the effective date of any fee or of any fee rate change, NMFS will publish a
FEDERAL REGISTER notice establishing the date from and after which the fee or fee rate change is
effective. NMFS will then also send, by U.S. mail, an appropriate notification to each affected fish
seller and fish buyer of whom NMFS has notice;
(2) When NMFS determines that a reduction loan is fully repaid, NMFS will publish a FEDERAL REGISTER
notice that the fee is no longer in effect and should no longer be either paid or collected. NMFS will
then also send, by U.S. mail, notification to each affected fish seller and fish buyer of whom NMFS
has knowledge;
(3) If NMFS fails to notify a fish seller or a fish buyer by U.S. mail, or if the fish seller or fish buyer
otherwise does not receive the notice, of the date fee payments start or of the fee rate in effect, each
fish seller is, nevertheless, obligated to pay the fee at the fee rate in effect and each fish buyer is,
nevertheless, obligated to collect the fee at the fee rate in effect.
(e) Failure to pay or collect.
(1) If a fish buyer refuses to collect the fee in the amount and manner that this subpart requires, the fish
seller shall then advise the fish buyer of the fish seller's fee payment obligation and of the fish
buyer's fee collection obligation. If the fish buyer still refuses to properly collect the fee, the fish
seller, within the next 7 calendar days, shall forward the fee to NMFS. The fish seller at the same time
shall also advise NMFS in writing of the full particulars, including:
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(i)

50 CFR 600.1013(e)(1)(i)

The fish buyer's and fish seller's name, address, and telephone number,

(ii) The name of the fishing vessel from which the fish seller made fish delivery and the date of
doing so,
(iii) The quantity and delivery value of each species of fee fish that the fish seller delivered, and
(iv) The fish buyer's reason, if known, for refusing to collect the fee in accordance with this subpart;
(2) If a fish seller refuses to pay the fee in the amount and manner that this subpart requires, the fish
buyer shall then advise the fish seller of the fish buyer's collection obligation and of the fish seller's
payment obligation. If the fish seller still refuses to pay the fee, the fish buyer shall then either deduct
the fee from the delivery value over the fish seller's protest or refuse to buy the fee fish. The fish
buyer shall also, within the next 7 calendar days, advise NMFS in writing of the full particulars,
including:
(i)

The fish buyer's and fish seller's name, address, and telephone number,

(ii) The name of the fishing vessel from which the fish seller made or attempted to make fish
delivery and the date of doing so,
(iii) The quantity and delivery value of each species of fee fish the fish seller delivered or attempted
to deliver,
(iv) Whether the fish buyer deducted the fee over the fish seller's protest or refused to buy the fee
fish, and
(v) The fish seller's reason, if known, for refusing to pay the fee in accordance with this subpart.
(f) Implementation regulations at variance with this section. If any special circumstances in a reduction
fishery require, in NMFS's judgment, fee payment and/or collection provisions in addition to, or different
from, those in this section in order to accommodate the circumstances of, and practices in, a reduction
fishery while still fulfilling the intent and purpose of this section, NMFS may, notwithstanding this section,
include such provisions in the implementation regulations for such reduction fishery.

§ 600.1014 Fee collection deposits, disbursements, records, and reports.
(a) Deposit accounts. Each fish buyer that this subpart requires to collect a fee shall maintain a segregated
account at a federally insured financial institution for the sole purpose of depositing collected fee revenue
and disbursing the fee revenue directly to NMFS in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.
(b) Fee collection deposits. Each fish buyer, no less frequently than at the end of each business week, shall
deposit, in the deposit account established under paragraph (a) of this section, all fee revenue, not
previously deposited, that the fish buyer collects through a date not more than two calendar days before
the date of deposit. Neither the deposit account nor the principal amount of deposits in the account may
be pledged, assigned, or used for any purpose other than aggregating collected fee revenue for
disbursement to the Fund in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. The fish buyer is entitled, at
any time, to withdraw deposit interest, if any, but never deposit principal, from the deposit account for the
fish buyer's own use and purposes.
(c) Deposit principal disbursement. On the last business day of each month, or more frequently if the amount
in the account exceeds the account limit for insurance purposes, the fish buyer shall disburse to NMFS
the full amount of deposit principal then in the deposit account. The fish buyer shall do this by check
made payable to the Fund subaccount to which the deposit principal relates. The fish buyer shall mail
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50 CFR 600.1014(d)

each such check to the Fund subaccount lockbox that NMFS establishes for the receipt of the
disbursements for each program. Each disbursement shall be accompanied by the fish buyer's settlement
sheet completed in the manner and form that NMFS specifies. NMFS will specify the Fund subaccount
lockbox and the manner and form of settlement sheet by means of the notification in § 600.1013(d).
(d) Records maintenance. Each fish buyer shall maintain, in a secure and orderly manner for a period of at
least 3 years from the date of each transaction involved, at least the following information:
(1) For all deliveries of fee fish that the fish buyer buys from each fish seller:
(i)

The date of delivery,

(ii) The seller's identity,
(iii) The weight, number, or volume of each species of fee fish delivered,
(iv) The identity of the fishing vessel that delivered the fee fish,
(v) The delivery value of each species of fee fish,
(vi) The net delivery value,
(vii) The identity of the party to whom the net delivery value is paid, if other than the fish seller,
(viii) The date the net delivery value was paid, and
(ix) The total fee amount collected;
(2) For all fee collection deposits to and disbursements from the deposit account:
(i)

The dates and amounts of deposits,

(ii) The dates and amounts of disbursements to the Fund's lockbox account, and
(iii) The dates and amounts of disbursements to the fish buyer or other parties of interest earned on
deposits.
(e) Annual report. In each year, on the date to be specified in each implementation regulation, succeeding the
year during which NMFS first implemented a fee, each fish buyer shall submit to NMFS a report, on or in
the form NMFS specifies, containing the following information for the preceding year, or whatever longer
period may be involved in the first annual report, for all fee fish each fish buyer purchases from fish
sellers:
(1) Total weight, number, or volume bought;
(2) Total delivery value paid;
(3) Total fee amounts collected;
(4) Total fee collection amounts deposited by month;
(5) Dates and amounts of monthly disbursements to each Fund lockbox account;
(6) Total amount of interest earned on deposits; and
(7) Depository account balance at year-end.

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50 CFR 600.1014(f)

(f) State records. If landing records that a state requires from fish sellers contain some or all of the data that
this section requires and state confidentiality laws or regulations do not prevent NMFS' access to the
records maintained for the state, then fish buyers can use such records to meet appropriate portions of
this section's recordkeeping requirements. If, however, state confidentiality laws or regulations make such
records unavailable to NMFS, then fish buyers shall maintain separate records for NMFS that meet the
requirements of this section. If any state law or regulation prohibits fish buyers, or fish sellers where
appropriate, from keeping, for the purpose of complying with any requirement of this section, separate
records that involve some or all of the same data elements as the landing records that the fish buyers
also keep, for state purposes and under state law or regulation, then a financed reduction program will not
be possible.
(g) Audits. NMFS or its agents may audit, in whatever manner NMFS believes reasonably necessary for the
duly diligent administration of reduction loans, the financial records of fish buyers and fish sellers in each
reduction fishery in order to ensure proper fee payment, collection, deposit, disbursement, accounting,
record keeping, and reporting. Fish buyers and fish sellers shall make all records of all program
transactions involving post-reduction fish harvests, fish deliveries, and fee payments, collections,
deposits, disbursements, accounting, record keeping, and reporting available to NMFS or NMFS' agents at
reasonable times and places and promptly provide all requested information reasonably related to these
records that such fish sellers and fish buyers may otherwise lawfully provide. Trip tickets (or similar
accounting records establishing the pounds of fee fish that each fish buyer buys from each fish seller
each time that each fish buyer does so and each price that each fish buyer then pays to each fish seller
for the fee fish) are essential audit documentation.
(h) Confidentiality of records. NMFS and NMFS' auditing agents shall maintain the confidentiality of all data to
which NMFS has access under this section and shall neither release the data nor allow the data's use for
any purpose other than the purpose of this subpart; provided, however, that NMFS may aggregate such
data so as to preclude their identification with any fish buyer or any fish seller and use them in the
aggregate for other purposes).
(i)

Refunds. When NMFS determines that a reduction loan is fully repaid, NMFS will refund any excess fee
receipts, on a last-in/first-out basis, to the fish buyers. Fish buyers shall return the refunds, on a last-in/
first-out basis, to the fish sellers who paid the amounts refunded.

(j)

Implementation regulations at variance with this section. If any special circumstances in a reduction
fishery require, in NMFS's judgment, fee collection deposit, disbursement, or records provisions in addition
to, or different from, those in this section in order to accommodate the circumstances of, and practices in,
a reduction fishery while still fulfilling the intent and purpose of this section, NMFS may, notwithstanding
this section, include such provisions in the implementation regulations for such reduction fishery.

§ 600.1015 Late charges.
The late charge to fish buyers for fee payment, collection, deposit, and/or disbursement shall be one and one-half
(1.5) percent per month, or the maximum rate permitted by state law, for the total amount of the fee not paid,
collected, deposited, and/or disbursed when due to be paid, collected, deposited, and/or disbursed. The full late
charge shall apply to the fee for each month or portion of a month that the fee remains unpaid, uncollected,
undeposited, and/or undisbursed.

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50 CFR 600.1016

§ 600.1016 Enforcement.
In accordance with applicable law or other authority, NMFS may take appropriate action against each fish seller
and/or fish buyer responsible for non-payment, non-collection, non-deposit, and/or non-disbursement of the fee in
accordance with this subpart to enforce the collection from such fish seller and/or fish buyer of any fee (including
penalties and all costs of collection) due and owing the United States on account of the loan that such fish seller
and/or fish buyer should have, but did not, pay, collect, deposit, and/or disburse in accordance with this subpart. All
such loan recoveries shall be applied to reduce the unpaid balance of the loan.

§ 600.1017 Prohibitions and penalties.
(a) The following activities are prohibited, and it is unlawful for any party to:
(1) Vote in any referendum under this subpart if the party is ineligible to do so;
(2) Vote more than once in any referendum under this subpart;
(3) Sign or otherwise cast a ballot on behalf of a voter in any referendum under this subpart unless the
voter has fully authorized the party to do so and doing so otherwise comports with this subpart;
(4) Interfere with or attempt to hinder, delay, buy, or otherwise unduly or unlawfully influence any eligible
voter's vote in any referendum under this subpart;
(5) Submit a fraudulent, unauthorized, incomplete, misleading, unenforceable by specific performance,
or inaccurate bid in response to an invitation to bid under this subpart or, in any other way, interfere
with or attempt to interfere with, hinder, or delay, any invitation to bid, any bid submitted under any
invitation to bid, any reduction contract, or any other reduction process in connection with any
invitation to bid;
(6) Revoke or attempt to revoke any bid under this subpart;
(7) Fail to comply with the terms and conditions of any invitation to bid, bid, or reduction contract under
this subpart, including NMFS' right under such reduction contracts to specific performance;
(8) Fail to fully and properly pay and collect any fee due payable, and collectible under this subpart or
otherwise avoid, decrease, interfere with, hinder, or delay any such payment and collection,
(9) Convert, or otherwise use for any purpose other than the purpose this subpart intends, any paid or
collected fee;
(10) Fail to fully and properly deposit on time the full amount of all fee revenue collected under this
subpart into a deposit account and disburse the full amount of all deposit principal to the Fund's
lockbox account—all as this subpart requires;
(11) Fail to maintain full, timely, and proper fee payment, collection, deposit, and/or disbursement records
or make full, timely, and proper reports of such information to NMFS-all as this subpart requires;
(12) Fail to advise NMFS of any fish seller's refusal to pay, or of any fish buyer's refusal to collect, any fee
due and payable under this subpart;
(13) Refuse to allow NMFS or agents that NMFS designates to review and audit at reasonable times all
books and records reasonably pertinent to fee payment, collection, deposit, disbursement, and
accounting under this subpart or otherwise interfere with, hinder, or delay NMFS or it agents in the
course of their activities under this subpart;
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50 CFR 600.1017(a)(14)

(14) Make false statements to NMFS, any of the NMFS' employees, or any of NMFS' agents about any of
the matters in this subpart;
(15) Obstruct, prevent, or unreasonably delay or attempt to obstruct, prevent, or unreasonably delay any
audit or investigation NMFS or its agents conduct, or attempt to conduct, in connection with any of
the matters in this subpart; and/or
(16) Otherwise materially interfere with the efficient and effective conduct of reduction and the repayment
of reduction loans under this subpart.
(b) Any party who violates one or more of the prohibitions of paragraph (a) of this section is subject to the full
range of penalties the Magnuson-Stevens Act and 15 CFR part 904 provide—including, but not limited to:
civil penalties, sanctions, forfeitures, and punishment for criminal offenses—and to the full penalties and
punishments otherwise provided by any other applicable law of the United States.
(c) Additionally, NMFS may take any and all appropriate actions, including the communication of action at
law, against each party responsible for the non-payment, non-collection, non-deposit, and/or nondisbursement in accordance with § 600.1013 and/or § 600.1014 to enforce the United States' receipt
from such party of any fee—including penalties and all costs of collection—due and owing the United
States on account of the reduction loan that such party should have, but did not, pay, collect, deposit, and/
or disburse in accordance with § 600.1013 and/or § 600.1014. All such reduction loan recoveries shall be
applied to reduce the unpaid balances of reduction loans.

Subpart M—Specific Fishery or Program Fishing Capacity Reduction Regulations
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 561, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 1861a(b) through (e), 46 App. U.S.C. 53735, section
144(d) of Division B of Pub. L. 106-554, section 2201 of Pub. L. 107-20, and section 205 of Pub. L. 107-117, Pub. L.
107-206, Pub. L. 108-7, Pub. L. 108-199, and Pub. L. 108-447.

Source: 69 FR 53361, Sept. 1, 2004, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.1100 [Reserved]
§ 600.1101 Inshore fee system for repayment of the loan to harvesters of Pollock from the
directed fishing allowance allocated to the inshore component under section 206(b)(1) of the
AFA.
(a) Definition. In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and in § 679.2 of this title, the terms
used in this subpart have the following meanings:
American Fisheries Act (AFA) means Title II of Pub.L. 105-277.
Borrower means (individually and collectively) all persons who, after January 1, 2000, harvest fee fish from
the IC directed fishing allowance.
Business week means a 7-day period, Saturday through Friday.
Delivery value means the gross ex-vessel value of all fee fish at fish delivery.

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50 CFR 600.1101(a) “Deposit principal”

Deposit principal means all collected fee revenue that a fish buyer deposits in a segregated deposit
account maintained in a federally chartered national bank for the sole purpose of aggregating
collected fee revenue before sending the fee revenue to NMFS for repaying the loan.
Fee

means the six-tenths (0.6) of one cent that fish buyers deduct at fish delivery from the delivery value
of each pound of round weight fee fish.

Fee fish means all pollock harvested from the IC directed fishing allowance beginning on February 10, 2000
and ending at such time as the loan's principal and interest are fully repaid.
Fish buyer means the first ex-vessel fish buyer who purchases fee fish from a fish seller.
Fish delivery means the point at which a fish buyer first takes delivery or possession of fee fish from a fish
seller.
Fish seller means the harvester who catches and first sells fee fish to a fish buyer.
IC directed fishing allowance means the directed fishing allowance allocated to the inshore component
under section 206(b)(1) of the AFA.
Loan means the loan authorized by section 207(a) of the AFA.
Net delivery value means the delivery value minus the fee.
Subaccount means the Inshore Component Pollock Subaccount of the Fishing Capacity Reduction Fund in
the U.S. Treasury for the deposit of all funds involving the loan.
(b) Loan —
(1) Principal amount. The loan's principal amount is $75,000,000 (seventy five million dollars).
(2) Interest. Interest shall, from December 30, 1998, when NMFS disbursed the loan, until the date the
borrower fully repays the loan, accrue at a fixed rate of 7.09 percent. Interest shall be simple interest
and shall accrue on the basis of a 365-day year.
(3) Repayment. The fee shall be the exclusive source of loan repayment. The fee shall be paid on all fee
fish.
(4) Application of fee receipts. NMFS shall apply all fee receipts it receives, first, to payment of the loan's
accrued interest and, second, to reduction of the loan's principal balance.
(5) Obligation. The borrower shall repay the loan in accordance with the AFA and this subpart.
(c) Fee payment and collection —
(1) Payment and collection.
(i)

The fee is due and payable at the time of fish delivery. Each fish buyer shall collect the fee at the
time of fish delivery by deducting the fee from the delivery value before paying or promising
later to pay the net delivery value. Each fish seller shall pay the fee at the time of fish delivery by
receiving from the fish buyer the net delivery value or the fish buyer's promise later to pay the
net delivery value rather than the delivery value. Regardless of when the fish buyer pays the net
delivery value, the fish buyer shall collect the fee at the time of fish delivery;

(ii)

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50 CFR 600.1101(c)(1)(ii)(A)

(A) Each fish seller shall be deemed, for the purpose of the fee collection, deposit,
disbursement, and accounting requirements of this subpart, to be both the fish seller and
the fish buyer—and all requirements and penalties under this subpart applicable to both a
fish seller and a fish buyer shall equally apply to the fish seller—each time that the fish
seller sells fee fish to:
(1) Any fish buyer whose place of business is not located in the United States, who does
not take delivery or possession of the fee fish in the United States, who is not
otherwise subject to this subpart, or to whom or against whom NMFS cannot
otherwise apply or enforce this subpart,
(2) Any fish buyer who is a general food-service wholesaler or supplier, a restaurant, a
retailer, a consumer, some other type of end-user, or some other fish buyer not
engaged in the business of buying fish from fish sellers for the purpose of reselling
the fish, or
(3) Any other fish buyer who the fish seller has good reason to believe is a fish buyer not
subject to this subpart or to whom or against whom NMFS cannot otherwise apply or
enforce this subpart,
(B) In each such case the fish seller shall, with respect to the fee fish involved in each such
case, discharge, in addition to the fee payment requirements of this subpart, all the fee
collection, deposit, disbursement, accounting, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements
that this subpart otherwise imposes on the fish buyer, and the fish seller shall be subject
to all the penalties this subpart provides for a fish buyer's failure to discharge such
requirements;
(2) Notification.
(i)

NMFS will send an appropriate fee payment and collection commencement notification to each
affected fish seller and fish buyer of whom NMFS has knowledge.

(ii) When NMFS determines that the loan is fully repaid, NMFS will publish a FEDERAL REGISTER
notification that the fee is no longer in effect and should no longer be either paid or collected.
NMFS will then also send an appropriate fee termination notification to each affected fish seller
and fish buyer of whom NMFS has knowledge;
(3) Failure to pay or collect.
(i)

If a fish buyer refuses to collect the fee in the amount and manner that this subpart requires, the
fish seller shall then advise the fish buyer of the fish seller's fee payment obligation and of the
fish buyer's fee collection obligation. If the fish buyer still refuses to properly collect the fee, the
fish seller, within the next 7 calendar days, shall forward the fee to NMFS. The fish seller at the
same time shall also advise NMFS in writing of the full particulars, including:
(A) The fish buyer's and fish seller's name, address, and telephone number,
(B) The name of the fishing vessel from which the fish seller made fish delivery and the date
of doing so,
(C) The quantity and delivery value of fee fish that the fish seller delivered, and
(D) The fish buyer's reason (if known) for refusing to collect the fee in accordance with this
subpart;

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50 CFR 600.1101(c)(3)(ii)

(ii) If a fish seller refuses to pay the fee in the amount and manner that this subpart requires, the
fish buyer shall then advise the fish seller of the fish buyer's collection obligation and of the fish
seller's payment obligation. If the fish seller still refuses to pay the fee, the fish buyer shall then
either deduct the fee from the delivery value over the fish seller's protest or refuse to buy the fee
fish. The fish buyer shall also, within the next 7 calendar days, advise NMFS in writing of the full
particulars, including:
(A) The fish buyer's and fish seller's name, address, and telephone number,
(B) The name of the fishing vessel from which the fish seller made or attempted to make fish
delivery and the date of doing so,
(C) The quantity and delivery value of fee fish the fish seller delivered or attempted to deliver,
(D) Whether the fish buyer deducted the fee over the fish seller's protest or refused to buy the
fee fish, and
(E) The fish seller's reason (if known) for refusing to pay the fee in accordance with this
subpart.
(d) Fee collection deposits, disbursements, records, and reports —
(1) Deposit accounts. Each fish buyer that this subpart requires to collect a fee shall maintain a
segregated account at a federally insured financial institution for the sole purpose of depositing
collected fee revenue and disbursing the fee revenue directly to NMFS in accordance with paragraph
(c) of this section.
(2) Fee collection deposits. Each fish buyer, no less frequently than at the end of each business week,
shall deposit, in the deposit account established under paragraph (a) of this section, all fee revenue,
not previously deposited, that the fish buyer has collected through a date not more than 2 calendar
days before the date of deposit. Neither the deposit account nor the principal amount of deposits in
the account may be pledged, assigned, or used for any purpose other than aggregating collected fee
revenue for disbursement to the subaccount in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. The
fish buyer is entitled, at any time, to withdraw deposit interest, if any, but never deposit principal, from
the deposit account for the fish buyer's own use and purposes.
(3) Deposit principal disbursement. On the last business day of each month, or more frequently if the
amount in the account exceeds the account limit for insurance purposes, the fish buyer shall
disburse to NMFS the full amount of deposit principal then in the deposit account. The fish buyer
shall do this by check made payable to “NOAA Inshore Component Pollock Loan Subaccount.” The
fish buyer shall mail each such check to the subaccount lockbox account that NMFS establishes for
the receipt of the disbursements of deposit principal. Each disbursement shall be accompanied by
the fish buyer's settlement sheet completed in the manner and form that NMFS specifies. NMFS will
specify the subaccount's lockbox and the manner and form of settlement sheet by means of the
notification in § 600.1101(c).
(4) Records maintenance. Each fish buyer shall maintain, in a secure and orderly manner for a period of
at least 3 years from the date of each transaction involved, at least the following information:
(i)

For all deliveries of fee fish that the fish buyer buys from each fish seller:
(A) The date of delivery,
(B) The fish seller's identity,

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(C) The round weight of fee fish delivered,
(D) The identity of the fishing vessel that delivered the fee fish,
(E) The delivery value,
(F) The net delivery value,
(G) The identity of the party to whom the net delivery value is paid, if other than the fish seller,
(H) The date the net delivery value was paid, and
(I)

The total fee amount collected;

(ii) For all fee collection deposits to and disbursements from the deposit account:
(A) The dates and amounts of deposits,
(B) The dates and amounts of disbursements to the subaccount's lockbox account, and
(C) The dates and amounts of disbursements to the fish buyer or other parties of interest
earned on deposits.
(5) Annual report. By January 15, 2001, and by each January 15 thereafter until the loan is fully repaid,
each fish buyer shall submit to NMFS a report, on or in the form NMFS specifies, containing the
following information for the preceding year for all fee fish each fish buyer purchases from fish
sellers:
(i)

Total round weight bought;

(ii) Total delivery value paid;
(iii) Total fee amount collected;
(iv) Total fee collection amounts deposited by month;
(v) Dates and amounts of monthly disbursements to the subaccount lockbox;
(vi) Total amount of interest earned on deposits; and
(vii) Depository account balance at year-end.
(6) State records. If landing records that a state requires from fish sellers contain some or all of the data
that this section requires and state confidentiality laws or regulations do not prevent NMFS' access
to the records maintained for the state, then fish buyers can use such records to meet appropriate
portions of this section's recordkeeping requirements. If, however, state confidentiality laws or
regulations make such records unavailable to NMFS, then fish buyers shall maintain separate
records for NMFS that meet the requirements of this section.
(7) Audits. NMFS or its agents may audit, in whatever manner NMFS believes reasonably necessary for
the duly diligent administration of the loan, the financial records of the fish buyers and the fish
sellers in order to ensure proper fee payment, collection, deposit, disbursement, accounting,
recordkeeping, and reporting. Fish buyers and fish sellers shall make all records of all transactions
involving fee fish catches, fish deliveries, and fee payments, collections, deposits, disbursements,
accounting, recordkeeping, and reporting available to NMFS or its agents at reasonable times and
places and promptly provide all requested information reasonably related to these records that such

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fish sellers and fish buyers may otherwise lawfully provide. Trip tickets (or similar accounting
records establishing the round weight pounds of fee fish that each fish buyer buys from each fish
seller each time that each fish buyer does so) are essential audit documentation.
(8) Confidentiality of records. NMFS and its auditing agents shall maintain the confidentiality of all data
to which NMFS has access under this section and shall neither release the data nor allow the data's
use for any purpose other than the purpose of this subpart, unless otherwise required by law;
provided, however, that NMFS may aggregate such data so as to preclude their identification with
any fish buyer or any fish seller and use them in the aggregate for other purposes.
(9) Refunds. When NMFS determines that the loan is fully repaid, NMFS will refund any excess fee
receipts, on a last-in/first-out basis, to the fish buyers. Fish buyers shall return the refunds, on a lastin/first-out basis, to the fish sellers who paid the amounts refunded.
(e) Late charges. The late charge to fish buyers for fee payment, collection, deposit, and/or disbursement
shall be one and one-half (1.5) percent per month, or the maximum rate permitted by state law, for the
total amount of the fee not paid, collected, deposited, and/or disbursed when due to be paid, collected,
deposited, and/or disbursed within 5 days of the date due. The full late charge shall apply to the fee for
each month or portion of a month that the fee remains unpaid, uncollected, undeposited, and/or
undisbursed.
(f) Enforcement. In accordance with applicable law or other authority, NMFS may take appropriate action
against each fish seller and/or fish buyer responsible for non-payment, non-collection, non-deposit, and/or
non-disbursement of the fee in accordance with this subpart to enforce the collection from such fish
seller and/or fish buyer of any fee (including penalties and all costs of collection) due and owing the
United States on account of the loan that such fish seller and/or fish buyer should have, but did not, pay,
collect, deposit, and/or disburse in accordance with this subpart. All such loan recoveries shall be applied
to reduce the unpaid balance of the loan.
(g) Prohibitions and penalties.
(1) The following activities are prohibited, and it is unlawful for anyone to:
(i)

Avoid, decrease, interfere with, hinder, or delay payment or collection of, or otherwise fail to fully
and properly pay or collect, any fee due and payable under this subpart or convert, or otherwise
use for any purpose other than the purpose this subpart intends, any paid or collected fee;

(ii) Fail to fully and properly deposit on time the full amount of all fee revenue collected under this
subpart into a deposit account and disburse the full amount of all deposit principal to the
subaccount's lockbox account—all as this subpart requires;
(iii) Fail to maintain full, timely, and proper fee payment, collection, deposit, and/or disbursement
records or make full, timely, and proper reports of such information to NMFS-all as this subpart
requires;
(iv) Fail to advise NMFS of any fish seller's refusal to pay, or of any fish buyer's refusal to collect, any
fee due and payable under this subpart;
(v) Refuse to allow NMFS or agents that NMFS designates to review and audit at reasonable times
all books and records reasonably pertinent to fee payment, collection, deposit, disbursement,
and accounting under this subpart or otherwise interfere with, hinder, or delay NMFS or it
agents in the course of their activities under this subpart;

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(vi) Make false statements to NMFS, any of the NMFS' employees, or any of NMFS' agents about
any of the matters in this subpart;
(vii) Obstruct, prevent, or unreasonably delay or attempt to obstruct, prevent, or unreasonably delay
any audit or investigation NMFS or its agents conduct, or attempt to conduct, in connection
with any of the matters in this subpart; and/or
(viii) Otherwise materially interfere with the efficient and effective repayment of the loan.
(2) Anyone who violates one or more of the prohibitions of paragraph (a) of this section is subject to the
full range of penalties the Magnuson-Stevens Act and 15 CFR part 904 provide (including, but not
limited to: civil penalties, sanctions, forfeitures, and punishment for criminal offenses) and to the full
penalties and punishments otherwise provided by any other applicable law of the United States.

§ 600.1102 Pacific Coast groundfish fee.
(a) Purpose. This section implements the fee for repaying the reduction loan financing the Pacific Coast
Groundfish Program authorized by section 212 of Division B, Title II, of Public Law 108-7 and implemented
by a final notification in the FEDERAL REGISTER (July 18, 2003; 68 FR 42613).
(b) Definitions. Unless otherwise defined in this section, the terms defined in § 600.1000 of subpart L
expressly apply to this section. The following terms have the following meanings for the purpose of this
section:
Borrower means, individually and collectively, each post-reduction fishing permit holder and/or fishing
vessel owner fishing in the reduction fishery, in any or all of the fee-share fisheries, or in both the
reduction fishery and any or all of the fee-share fisheries.
Deposit principal means all collected fee revenue that a fish buyer deposits in an account maintained at a
federally insured financial institution for the purpose of aggregating collected fee revenue before
sending the fee revenue to NMFS for repaying the reduction loan.
Fee fish means all fish harvested from the reduction fishery during the period in which any portion of the
reduction fishery's subamount is outstanding and all fish harvested from each of the fee-share
fisheries during the period in which any portion of each fee-share fishery's subamount is
outstanding.
Fee-share fishery means each of the fisheries for coastal Dungeness crab and pink shrimp in each of the
States of California and Oregon and the fishery for coastal Dungeness crab and ocean pink shrimp in
the State of Washington.
Fee-share fishery subaccount means each of the six subaccounts established in the groundfish program's
fund subaccount in which each of the six fee-share fishery subamounts are deposited.
Reduction fishery means all species in, and that portion of, the limited entry trawl fishery under the Federal
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan that is conducted under permits, excluding
those registered to whiting catcher-processors, which are endorsed for trawl gear operation.
Reduction fishery subaccount means the subaccount established in the groundfish program's fund
subaccount in which the reduction fishery subamount is deposited.
Subamount means each portion of the reduction loan's original principal amount which is allocated either
to the reduction fishery or to any one of the fee-share fisheries.
(c) Reduction loan amount. The reduction loan's original principal amount is $35,662,471.
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(d) Subamounts. The subamounts of the reduction loan amount are:
(1) Reduction fishery, $28,428,719; and
(2) Fee-share fisheries:
(i)

California coastal Dungeness crab fee-share fishery, $2,334,334,

(ii) California pink shrimp fee-share fishery, $674,202,
(iii) Oregon coastal Dungeness crab fee-share fishery, $1,367,545,
(iv) Oregon pink shrimp fee-share fishery, $2,228,845,
(v) Washington coastal Dungeness crab fee-share fishery, $369,426, and
(vi) Washington ocean pink shrimp fee-share fishery, $259,400.
(e) Interest accrual inception. Interest began accruing on each portion of the reduction loan amount on and
from the date each such portion was disbursed.
(f) Interest rate. The reduction loan's interest rate is 6.97 percent. This is a fixed rate of interest for the full
term of the reduction loan's life.
(g) Repayment term. For the purpose of determining fee rates, the reduction loan's repayment term shall be 30
years from March 1, 2004, but each fee shall continue for as long as necessary to fully repay each
subamount.
(h) Reduction loan. The reduction loan shall be subject to the provisions of § 600.1012 of subpart L, except
that:
(1) The borrower's obligation to repay the reduction loan shall be discharged by fish sellers in the
reduction fishery and in each of the fee-share fisheries paying the fee applicable to each such
fishery's subamount in accordance with § 600.1013 of subpart L, and
(2) Fish buyers in the reduction fishery and in each of the fee-share fisheries shall be obligated to collect
the fee applicable to each such fishery's subamount in accordance with § 600.1013 of this subpart.
(i)

Fee collection, deposits, disbursements, records, and reports. Fish buyers in the reduction fishery and in
each of the fee share fisheries shall deposit and disburse, as well as keep records for and submit reports
about, the fees applicable to each such fishery in accordance with § 600.1014 of this subpart, except that:
(1) Deposit accounts. Each fish buyer that this section requires to collect a fee shall maintain an account
at a federally insured financial institution for the purpose of depositing collected fee revenue and
disbursing the deposit principal directly to NMFS in accordance with paragraph (i)(3) of this section.
The fish buyer may use this account for other operational purposes as well, but the fish buyer shall
ensure that the account separately accounts for all deposit principal collected from the reduction
fishery and from each of the six fee-share fisheries. The fish buyer shall separately account for all fee
collections as follows:
(i)

All fee collections from the reduction fishery shall be accounted for in a reduction fishery
subaccount,

(ii) All fee collections from the California pink shrimp fee-share fishery shall be accounted for in a
California shrimp fee-share fishery subaccount,

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50 CFR 600.1102(i)(1)(iii)

(iii) All fee collections from the California coastal Dungeness crab fishery shall be accounted for in
a California crab fee-share fishery subaccount,
(iv) All fee collections from the Oregon pink shrimp fee-share fishery shall be accounted for in an
Oregon shrimp fee-share fishery subaccount,
(v) All fee collections from the Oregon coastal Dungeness crab fee-share fishery shall be
accounted for in an Oregon crab fee-share fishery subaccount,
(vi) All fee collections from the Washington ocean pink shrimp fee-share fishery shall be accounted
for in a Washington ocean shrimp fee-share fishery subaccount, and
(vii) All fee collections from the Washington coastal Dungeness crab fishery shall be accounted for
in a Washington crab fee-share fishery subaccount;
(2) Fee collection deposits. Each fish buyer, no less frequently than at the end of each month, shall
deposit, in the deposit account established under paragraph (i)(1) of this section, all collected fee
revenue not previously deposited that the fish buyer collects through a date not more than two
calendar days before the date of deposit. The deposit principal may not be pledged, assigned, or
used for any purpose other than aggregating collected fee revenue for disbursement to the fund in
accordance with paragraph (i)(3) of this section. The fish buyer is entitled, at any time, to withdraw
interest (if any) on the deposit principal, but never the deposit fee principal itself, for the fish buyer's
own use and purposes;
(3) Deposit principal disbursement. Not later than the 14th calendar day after the last calendar day of
each month, or more frequently if the amount in the account exceeds the account limit for insurance
purposes, the fish buyer shall disburse to NMFS the full deposit principal then in the deposit account,
provided that the deposit principal then totals $100 or more. If the deposit principal then totals less
than $100, the fish buyer need not disburse the deposit principal until either the next month during
which the deposit principal then totals $100 or more, or not later than the 14th calendar day after the
last calendar day of any year in which the deposit principal has not since the last required
disbursement totaled $100 or more, whichever comes first. The fish buyer shall disburse deposit
principal by check made payable to the groundfish program's fund subaccount. The fish buyer shall
mail each such check to the groundfish program's fund subaccount lockbox that NMFS establishes
for the receipt of groundfish program disbursements. Each disbursement shall be accompanied by
the fish buyer's fee collection report completed in the manner and form which NMFS specifies.
NMFS will, before fee payment and collection begins, specify the groundfish program's fund
subaccount lockbox and the manner and form of fee collection report. NMFS will do this by means
of the notification in § 600.1013(d) of subpart L. NMFS' fee collection report instructions will include
provisions for the fish buyer to specify the amount of each disbursement which was disbursed from
the reduction fishery subaccount and/or from each of the six fee-share fishery subaccounts;
(4) Records maintenance. Each fish buyer shall maintain, in a secure and orderly manner for a period of
at least 3 years from the date of each transaction involved, at least the following information:
(i)

For all deliveries of fee fish that the fish buyer buys from each fish seller:
(A) The date of delivery,
(B) The fish seller's identity,
(C) The weight, number, or volume of each species of fee fish delivered,

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50 CFR 600.1102(i)(4)(i)(D)

(D) Information sufficient to specifically identify the fishing vessel which delivered the fee fish,
(E) The delivery value of each species of fee fish,
(F) The net delivery value of each species of fee fish,
(G) The identity of the payor to whom the net delivery value is paid, if different than the fish
seller,
(H) The date the net delivery value was paid,
(I)

The total fee amount collected as a result of all fee fish, and

(J) The total fee amount collected as a result of all fee fish from the reduction fishery and/or
all fee fish from each of the six fee-share fisheries; and
(ii) For all collected fee deposits to, and disbursements of deposit principal from, the deposit
account include:
(A) The date of each deposit,
(B) The total amount deposited,
(C) The total amount deposited in the reduction fishery subaccount and/or in each of the six
fee-share fishery subaccounts,
(D) The date of each disbursement to the Fund's lockbox,
(E) The total amount disbursed,
(F) The total amount disbursed from the reduction fishery subaccount and/or from each of
the six fee-share fishery subaccounts, and
(G) The dates and amounts of disbursements to the fish buyer, or other parties, of interest
earned on deposits; and
(5) Annual report. No fish buyer needs to submit an annual report about fee fish collection activities
unless, during the course of an audit under § 600.1014(g), NMFS requires a fish buyer to submit
such a report or reports.
(j)

Other provisions. The reduction loan is, in all other respects, subject to the provisions of § 600.1012
through applicable portions of § 600.1017, except § 600.1014(e).

[70 FR 40229, July 13, 2005, as amended at 71 FR 28, Jan. 3, 2006]

§ 600.1103 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab species program.
(a) Purpose. This section's purpose is to implement the program that Section 144(d) of Division B of Pub. L.
106-554, as amended by section 2201 of Pub. L. 107-20 and section 205 of Pub. L. 107-117, enacted for
BSAI crab species.
(b) Terms. Unless otherwise defined in this section, the terms defined in § 600.1000 expressly apply to the
program for BSAI crab. Likewise, the terms defined in § 679.2 of this chapter also apply to terms not
otherwise defined in either § 600.1000 or this section. The following terms used in this section have the
following meanings for the purpose of this section:
Acceptance means NMFS' acceptance, on behalf of the United States, of a bid.
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Bid means a bidder's irrevocable offer, in response to an invitation to bid under this section, to surrender,
to have revoked, to have restricted, to relinquish, to have withdrawn, or to have extinguished by other
means, in the manner this section requires, the bidder's reduction fishing interest.
Bid amount means the dollar amount of each bid.
Bidder means either a qualifying bidder bidding alone or a qualifying bidder and a co-bidder bidding
together who at the time of bidding holds the reduction fishing interests specified at § 600.1018(e).
Bid crab means the crab that NMFS determines each bidder's reduction/history vessel (see definition)
harvested, according to the State of Alaska's records of the documented harvest of crab, from each
reduction endorsement fishery and from the Norton Sound fishery during the most recent 5 calendar
years in which each reduction endorsement fishery was for any length of time open for directed crab
fishing during a 10-calendar-year period beginning on January 1, 1990, and ending on December 31,
1999.
Bid score means the criterion by which NMFS decides in what order to accept bids in the reverse auction
this section specifies.
Co-bidder means a person who is not a qualifying bidder, but who at the time of bidding owns the
reduction/privilege vessel this section requires to be included in a bid and is bidding together with a
qualifying bidder.
Crab means the crab species covered by the Fishery Management Plan for the Bering Sea/Aleutian
Islands King and Tanner Crabs pursuant to § 679.2 of this chapter.
Crab license means a License Limitation Program license for crab issued pursuant to § 679.4(k)(5) of this
chapter.
Crab reduction permit means a non-interim crab license endorsed for one or more reduction endorsement
fisheries, regardless of whether it is also endorsed for the Norton Sound fishery.
FSD means NMFS' Financial Services Division, located in NMFS' Silver Spring, MD, headquarters office.
Non-crab reduction permit means a fishing license, including all of its predecessor history, for which a
bidder is the holder of record on December 12, 2003 and which was issued based on the fishing
history of the bidder's -reduction/history vessel.
Norton Sound fishery means the non-reduction fishery defined in § 679.2 of this chapter as the area/
species endorsement for Norton Sound red king and Norton Sound blue king crab.
NVDC means the U.S. Coast Guard's National Vessel Documentation Center located in Falling Waters, WV.
Qualifying bidder means a person who at the time of bidding is the license holder of record of a crab
reduction permit.
Qualifying voter means a person who at the time of voting in a referendum is the license holder of record
either of an interim or a non-interim crab license, except a crab license whose sole area/species
endorsement is for the Norton Sound fishery.
RAM Program means NMFS' Restricted Access Management Program located in NMFS' Juneau, AK,
regional office.
Reduction endorsement fishery means any of the seven fisheries that § 679.2 of this chapter defines as
area/species endorsements except the area/species endorsement for the Norton Sound fishery.
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Reduction fishery means the fishery for all crab covered by the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and
Tanner Crabs Fishery Management Plan under all area/species endorsements that section 679.2 of
the chapter defines, except the area/species endorsement for the Norton Sound fishery.
Reduction fishing history means, for each bid, the complete documented harvest of the bidder's reduction/
history vessel, upon any part of which such harvest NMFS based issuance of the crab license
included in the bid as a crab reduction permit, plus such fishing history, after the issuance of such
crab license, of any other vessel upon which the bidder used such crab license.
Reduction fishing interest means, for each bid, the bidder's:
(1) Reduction fishing privilege (see definition);
(2) Crab reduction permit;
(3) Non-crab reduction permit;
(4) Reduction fishing history (see definition); and
(5) Any other claim that could in any way qualify the owner, holder, or retainer of any of the
reduction components, or any person claiming under such owner, holder, or retainer, for any
present or future limited access system fishing license or permit in any United States fishery
(including, but not limited to, any harvesting privilege or quota allocation under any present or
future individual fishing quota system).
Reduction fishing privilege means the worldwide fishing privileges of a bid's reduction/privilege vessel (see
definition).
Reduction/history vessel means the vessel or vessels which generated the reduction fishing history.
Reduction loan sub-amount means the portion of the original principal amount of reduction loan this
section specifies each reduction endorsement fishery must repay with interest.
Reduction/privilege vessel means the vessel designated on a crab license on December 12, 2003.
Referendum means a referendum under this section to determine whether voters approve the fee required
to repay this program's reduction loan.
Replacement vessel means a reduction/history vessel which replaced the lost or destroyed one whose
reduction fishing history qualified during the general qualification period and the endorsement
qualification period and, which under the exceptions in Amendment 10, qualified during the recent
participation period.
(c) Relationship to this subpart —
(1) Provisions that apply. The provisions of § 600.1000 through § 600.1017 of this subpart apply to this
program except as paragraph (c)(2) of this section provides; and
(2) Provisions that do not apply. The following sections, or portions of them, of this subpart do not apply
to this program:
(i)

All of:
(A) Section 600.1001,
(B) Section 600.1002,

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(C) Section 600.1003,
(D) Section 600.1004,
(E) Section 600.1005,
(F) Section 600.1006, and
(G) Section 600.1007,
(ii) The portions of § 600.1008:
(A) Pertaining to an implementation plan,
(B) Pertaining to a 60-day comment period for a proposed implementation regulation,
(C) Pertaining to public hearings in each State that the this program affects,
(D) Pertaining to basing the implementation regulation on a business plan,
(E) Within paragraphs (d)(1)(ii) through (viii),
(F) Within paragraph (d)(2)(ii),
(G) Within paragraph (e), and
(H) Within paragraph (f) and pertaining to fishing capacity reduction specifications and a
subsidized program,
(iii) The portions of § 600.1009:
(A) Pertaining to fishing capacity reduction specifications,
(B) Within paragraph (a)(4),
(C) Pertaining to a reduction amendment,
(D) Within paragraph (a)(5)(ii), to the extent that the paragraph is inconsistent with the
requirements of this section,
(E) Within paragraph (b)(i), and
(F) Pertaining to an implementation plan,
(iv) The portions of § 600.1010:
(A) Within paragraph (b),
(B) Pertaining to fishing capacity reduction specifications,
(C) Within paragraph (d)(1), and
(D) Within paragraphs (d)(4))(iv) through (vii),
(v) The portions of § 600.1011:
(A) That comprise the last sentence of paragraph (a),
(B) Within paragraph (d), and
(C) Within paragraph (e)(2),
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(vi) The portions of § 600.1012:
(A) Within paragraph (b)(3) following the word “subpart”, and
(B) Within paragraph (b)(3), and
(vii) The last sentence of § 600.1014(f).
(d) Reduction cost financing. NMFS will use the proceeds of a reduction loan, authorized for this purpose, to
finance 100 percent of the reduction cost. The original principal amount of the reduction loan will be the
total of all reduction payments that NMFS makes under reduction contracts. This amount shall not
exceed $100 million.
(e) Who constitutes a bidder. A bidder is a person or persons who is the:
(1) Holder of record and person otherwise fully and legally entitled to offer, in the manner this section
requires, the bid's crab reduction permit and the bid's non-crab reduction permit;
(2) Reduction/privilege vessel owner, title holder of record, and person otherwise fully and legally
entitled to offer, in the manner this section requires, the bid's reduction fishing privilege; and
(3) Retainer and person otherwise fully and legally entitled to offer, in the manner this section requires,
the bid's reduction fishing history.
(f) How crab licenses determine qualifying bidders and qualifying voters —
(1) Non-interim crab licenses. Each person who is the record holder of a non-interim crab license
endorsed for one or more reduction endorsement fisheries is both a qualifying bidder and a
qualifying voter and can both bid and vote;
(2) Interim crab licenses. Each person who is the record holder of an interim crab license endorsed for
one or more reduction endorsement fisheries is a qualifying voter but not a qualifying bidder and can
vote but not bid;
(3) Crab licenses endorsed solely for the Norton Sound Fishery. Each person who is the record holder of
any crab license endorsed solely for the Norton Sound fishery is neither a qualifying bidder nor a
qualifying voter and can neither bid nor vote; and
(4) Time at which qualifying bidders and voters must hold required crab licenses. A qualifying bidder
must be the record holder of the required crab license at the time the qualifying bidder submits its
bid. A qualifying voter must be the record holder of the required crab license at the time the
qualifying voter submits its referendum ballot.
(g) Qualifying bidders and co-bidders —
(1) Qualifying bidders bidding alone. There is no co-bidder when a qualifying bidder owns, holds, or
retains all the required components of the reduction fishing interest;
(2) Qualifying bidders bidding together with co-bidders. When a qualifying bidder does not own the
reduction/privilege vessel, the person who does may be the qualifying bidder's co-bidder; and
(3) Minimum reduction components that qualifying bidders must hold or retain when bidding with cobidders. At a minimum, a qualifying bidder must hold the crab reduction permit and the non-crab
reduction permit and retain the reduction fishing history. The reduction/privilege vessel may,
however, be owned by another person who is a co-bidder.
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(h) Reduction fishing interest —(1) General requirements. Each bidder must:
(i)

In its bid, offer to surrender, to have revoked, to have restricted, to relinquish, to have withdrawn, or to have
extinguished by other means, in the manner that this section requires, the reduction fishing interest,
(ii) At the time of bidding, hold, own, or retain the reduction fishing interest and be fully and legally entitled
to offer, in the manner that this section requires, the reduction fishing interest, and
(iii) Continuously thereafter hold, own, or retain the reduction fishing interest and remain fully and legally
entitled to offer, in the manner that this section requires, the reduction fishing interest until:
(A) The bid expires without NMFS first having accepted the bid,
(B) NMFS notifies the bidder that NMFS rejects the bid,
(C) NMFS notifies the bidder that a reduction contract between the bidder and the United States no longer
exists, or
(D) NMFS tenders reduction payment to the bidder;
(2) Reduction/privilege vessel requirements. The reduction/privilege vessel in each bid must be:
(i)

The vessel designated, at the time this final rule is published in the FEDERAL REGISTER, on a crab
license which becomes a bid's crab reduction permit, and

(ii) Be neither lost nor destroyed at the time of bidding;
(3) Reduction fishing privilege requirements. The reduction fishing privilege in each bid must be the
reduction/privilege vessel's:
(i)

Fisheries trade endorsement under the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C.A. 12108),

(ii) Qualification for any present or future U.S. Government approval under section (9)(c)(2) of the
Shipping Act, 1916 (46 U.S.C. App. 808(c)(2)) for placement under foreign registry or operation
under the authority of a foreign country, and
(iii) Any other privilege to ever fish anywhere in the world;
(4) Crab reduction permit requirements.
(i)

Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (i) of this section, the crab reduction permit must in
each bid:
(A) Be the crab license that NMFS issued on the basis of the bidder's reduction fishing history,
(B) Be non-interim at the time each bidder submits its bid, and
(C) Include an area/species endorsement for any one or more reduction endorsement
fisheries,

(ii) Although the Norton Sound fishery is not a reduction endorsement fishery, an area/species
endorsement for the Norton Sound fishery occurring on a crab reduction permit must be
surrendered and revoked (and all fishing history involving it relinquished) in the same manner
as all other reduction endorsement fisheries occurring on the crab reduction permit;
(5) Non-crab reduction permit requirements. The non-crab reduction permit must in each bid be every
license, permit, or other harvesting privilege that:
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(i)

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NMFS issued on the basis of the fishing history of the bidder's reduction/history vessel, and

(ii) For which the bidder was the license holder of record on the effective date of this section; and
(6) Reduction fishing history requirements. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (i) of this section,
the reduction fishing history in each bid must that of a single reduction/history vessel.
(i)

Exceptions to the reduction fishing interest requirements —(1) Lost or destroyed vessel salvaged.
When a bidder has salvaged a lost or destroyed vessel and has made from the salvaged vessel
the documented harvest of crab § 679.4(k)(5)(iii)(B)(3) of this chapter requires, the crab portion
of the reduction fishing history is the salvaged vessel's documented harvest of crab; and
(2) Lost or destroyed vessel not salvaged. When a bidder has not salvaged the lost or destroyed
vessel but has made from a replacement vessel the documented harvest of crab §
679.4(k)(5)(iii)(B)(3) of this chapter requires:

(i)

The crab portion of the reduction fishing history is the total of the lost or destroyed vessel's
documented harvest of crab through the date of such vessel's loss or destruction plus the
replacement vessel's documented harvest of crab after such date, and

(ii) For the purposes of this program, the lost or destroyed vessel's documented harvest of crab
merges with, and becomes a part of, the replacement vessel's documented harvest of crab; and
(3) Acquired crab fishing history. When a bidder, in the manner § 679.4(k)(5)(iv) of this chapter requires, has made a
documented harvest of crab from one vessel and has acquired a replacement vessel's documented harvest of crab:
(i)

The crab portion of the reduction fishing history is the total of the acquired documented harvest
of crab through December 31, 1994, plus the documented harvest of crab after December 31,
1994, of the vessel from which the bidder made the documented crab harvest § 679.4(k)(5)(iv)
of this chapter requires, and

(ii) [Reserved]
(iii) For the purposes of this program, the acquired documented harvest of crab merges with, and
becomes a part of, the non-acquired documented harvest of crab.
(j)

Determining value of reduction/history vessels' bid crab —
(1) In each fishery. NMFS will determine the dollar value of each reduction/history vessel's bid crab in
each reduction endorsement fishery and in the Norton Sound Fishery by multiplying each reduction/
history vessel's number of pounds of each species of bid crab by the average ex-vessel price per
pound that the State of Alaska annually publishes for each crab species in the bid crab; and
(2) In all fisheries. NMFS will determine the dollar value of each reduction/history vessel's bid crab in all
reduction endorsement fisheries and in the Norton Sound fishery by adding each of the products of
the multiplications in paragraph (j)(1) of this section; and
(3) Crab excluded from bid crab. A reduction/history vessel's bid crab may not include, to the extent that
NMFS has knowledge:
(i)

Triangle tanner crab, grooved tanner crab, and any other crab not involved in the various area/
species endorsements,

(ii) Discarded crab,
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(iii) Crab caught for personal use,
(iv) Unspecified crab, and
(v) Any other crab for which the dollar value, crab fishery, landing date, or harvesting vessel NMFS
cannot, for whatever reason, determine.
(k) Determining bid score. NMFS will determine each bid score by dividing each bid amount by the sum in
paragraph (j)(2) of this section.
(l)

Determining reduction loan sub-amount —
(1) Value of all bid crab in each fishery. NMFS will add the dollar value of bid crab of all accepted bidders'
reduction/history vessels in each reduction endorsement fishery;
(2) Value of all bid crab in all fisheries. NMFS will add the dollar value of bid crab of all accepted bidders'
reduction/history vessels in all reduction endorsement fisheries plus the Norton Sound fishery;
(3) Each fishery as a percentage of all fisheries. NMFS will divide each of the sums in paragraph (l)(1) of
this section by the sum in paragraph (l)(2) of this section. The result of this calculation will be the
dollar value of all bid crab in each reduction endorsement fishery as a percentage of the dollar value
of all bid crab in all reduction endorsement fisheries plus the Norton Sound fishery;
(4) Applying percentages to loan amount. NMFS will multiply the reduction loan's full original principal
amount by each of the yields in paragraph (l)(3) of this section; and
(5) Loan sub-amount. Each of the amounts resulting from the calculation in paragraph (l)(4) of this
section will be the reduction loan subamount that a reduction endorsement fishery must repay.

(m) Prospectively qualifying bidder and voter notification —
(1) General. At the appropriate point before issuing an invitation to bid, NMFS will publish a notification
in the FEDERAL REGISTER listing all persons who at the time of publishing the notification prospectively
are qualifying bidders and qualifying voters;
(2) Qualifying bidder list. The prospectively qualifying bidder list will include the names and addresses of
record of each license holder of record for all non-interim crab licenses except only crab licenses
whose sole area/species endorsement is for the Norton Sound fishery;
(3) Qualifying voter list. The prospectively qualifying voter list will include the names and addresses of
record of each license holder of record for all non-interim and interim crab licenses except only crab
licenses whose sole area/species endorsement is for the Norton Sound fishery;
(4) Basis of lists. NMFS will base both the lists on the RAM Program's license holder records for crab
licenses meeting the requirements of § 679.4(k)(5) of this chapter as well as the requirements of
this section;
(5) Purpose. The purpose of the notification is to provide the public notice of:
(i)

The prospectively qualifying bidders, and

(ii) The prospectively qualifying voters; and
(6) Public comment. Any person who wants to comment about the notification has 30 days from the
notification's publication date to do so. Persons should send their comments to both FSD and the
RAM Program (at addresses that the notification will specify). Comments may address:
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(i)

50 CFR 600.1103

Persons who appear on one or more lists but should not,

(ii) Persons who do not appear on one or more lists but should, and
(iii) Persons who believe their names and/or business mailing addresses appearing on one or more
lists are incorrect.
(n) Invitation to bid —
(1) Notification. At the appropriate point after issuing the notification in paragraph (m) of this section,
NMFS will publish the invitation to bid in the FEDERAL REGISTER notification further specified in §
600.1009(c) of this subpart, along with a bidding form and terms of capacity reduction agreement.
No person may, however, bid at this stage;
(2) Notification contents. The invitation to bid notification will state all applicable bid submission
requirements and procedures (including, but not limited to, those included in this section). In
particular, the invitation to bid notification will:
(i)

State the date on which NMFS will invite bids by mailing an invitation to bid to each person on
the prospectively qualifying bidder list,

(ii) State a bid opening date, before which a bidder may not bid, and a bid closing date, after which
a bidder may not bid,
(iii) State a bid expiration date after which each bid expires unless, prior to that date, NMFS accepts
the bid by mailing a written acceptance notice to the bidder at the bidder's address of record,
(iv) State the manner of bid submission and the information each bidder must submit for NMFS to
deem a bid responsive,
(v) State any other information required for bid submission, and
(vi) Include a facsimile of the invitation to bid, along with a bidding form and terms of capacity
reduction agreement comprising the entire terms and conditions of the reduction contract
under which each bidder must bid and under which NMFS must accept a bid; and
(3) Mailing. On the date specified in this notification, NMFS will invite bids by mailing the invitation to bid
and a bidding package, including a bidding form terms of capacity reduction agreement, to each
person then on the prospectively qualifying bidder list. NMFS will not mail the invitation to bid to any
potential co-bidder because NMFS will not then know which bids may include a co-bidder. Each
qualifying bidder is solely responsible to have any required co-bidder properly complete the bid. No
person may bid before receiving the invitation to bid and the bidding package that NMFS mailed to
that person.
(o) Bids —
(1) Content. Each invitation to bid that NMFS mails to a qualifying bidder will have a bid form requiring
each bid to:
(i)

Identify, by name, regular mail address, telephone number, and (if available) electronic mail
address, the qualifying bidder and each co-bidder,

(ii) State the bid amount in U.S. dollars,
(iii) Identify, by crab license number, the qualifying bidder's crab reduction permit and include an
exact copy of this crab license (which the RAM Program issued),
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(iv) Identify, by vessel name and official number, the bidder's reduction/privilege vessel, and include
an exact copy of this vessel's official document (which NVDC issued),
(v) Identify, by license or permit number, each of the bidder's non-crab reduction permits; and
include an exact copy of each of these licenses or permits (which the RAM Program issued for
licenses or permits involving species under the jurisdiction of NMFS' Alaska Region and which
other NMFS offices issued for licenses or permits involving species under those offices'
jurisdiction),
(vi) Identify, separately for crab and for each other species:
(A) The qualifying bidder's reduction fishing history, and
(B) The dates that each portion of the reduction fishing history encompasses; the name and
official number of the reduction/history vessel or vessels which gave rise to it; and the
dates during which the qualifying bidder owned such vessels or, if the qualifying bidder
acquired any reduction fishing history from another person, the name of the person from
which the qualifying bidder acquired such reduction fishing history and the manner in
which and the date on which the qualifying bidder did so,
(vii) State, declare, and affirm that the qualifying bidder holds the crab reduction permit and retains
the complete reduction fishing history, and is fully and legally entitled to offer both in the
manner this section requires,
(viii) State, declare, and affirm that either the qualifying bidder or the co-bidder owns the reduction/
privilege vessel and holds the non-crab reduction permit and is fully and legally entitled to offer
both in the manner that this section requires, and
(ix) Provide any other information or materials that NMFS believes is necessary and appropriate;
and
(2) Rejection. NMFS, regardless of bid scores, will reject any bid that NMFS believes is unresponsive to
the invitation to bid. All bid rejections will constitute final agency action as of the date of rejection.
Before rejection, NMFS may, however, contact any bidder to attempt to correct a bid deficiency if
NMFS, in its discretion, believes the attempt warranted.
(p) Acceptance —
(1) Reverse auction. NMFS will determine which responsive bids NMFS accepts by using a reverse
auction in which NMFS first accepts the responsive bid with the lowest bid score and successively
accepts each additional responsive bid with the next lowest bid score until either there are no more
responsive bids to accept or acceptance of the last responsive bid with the next lowest bid score
would cause the reduction cost to exceed $100 million. If two or more responsive bid scores are
exactly the same, NMFS will first accept the bid that NMFS first received;
(2) Notification. NMFS will, after the conclusion of a successful referendum, notify accepted bidders that
NMFS had, before the referendum, accepted their bids; and
(3) Post-acceptance reduction permit transfer. After NMFS has accepted bids, neither the RAM Program
(nor any other NMFS office) will transfer to other persons any reduction permits that accepted
bidders included in the bids unless and until FSD advises the RAM Program (or some other NMFS
office) that the resulting reduction contracts are no longer in effect because a referendum failed to
approve the fee that this section requires to repay this program's reduction loan.
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(q) Reduction contracts subject to successful post-bidding referendum condition. Although this program
involves no fishing capacity reduction specifications under this subpart, each bid, each acceptance, and
each reduction contract is nevertheless subject to the successful post-bidding referendum condition that
§ 600.1009(a)(3) of this subpart specifies for bidding results that do not conform to the fishing capacity
reduction specifications.
(r) Post-bidding referendum —
(1) Purpose. NMFS will conduct a post-bidding referendum whose sole purpose is to determine whether,
based on the bidding results, qualifying voters who cast referendum ballots in the manner that this
section requires authorize the fee required to repay this program's reduction loan;
(2) Manner of conducting. NMFS will mail a referendum ballot to each person then on the prospectively
qualifying voter list for each crab license that the person holds and otherwise conduct the
referendum as specified in § 600.1010 of this subpart;
(3) One vote per crab license. Each qualifying voter may cast only one vote for each crab license that
each qualifying voter holds;
(4) Crab license numbers on ballots. Each referendum ballot that NMFS mails will contain the license
number of the prospectively qualifying voter's crab license to which the ballot relates;
(5) Potential reduction results stated. Each referendum ballot that NMFS mails will state the aggregate
potential reduction results of all the bids that NMFS accepted, including:
(i)

The amount of reduction that all accepted bids potentially effect, including:
(A) The number of crab reduction permits, together with each area/species endorsement for
which each of these licenses is endorsed,
(B) The number of reduction/privilege vessels and reduction/history vessels, and
(C) The aggregate and average dollar value of bid crab (together with the number of pounds of
bid crab upon which NMFS based the dollar value), in each reduction endorsement fishery
and in the reduction fishery, for all reduction/history vessels during the period for which
NMFS calculates the dollar value of bid crab,

(ii) The reduction loan sub-amount that each reduction endorsement fishery must repay if a
referendum approves the fee, and
(iii) Any other useful information NMFS may then have about the potential sub-fee rate initially
necessary in each reduction endorsement fishery to repay each reduction loan sub-amount; and
(6) Notice that condition fulfilled. If the referendum is successful, NMFS will notify accepted bidders, in
the manner that § 600.1010(d)(6)(iii) of this subpart specifies, that a successful referendum has
fulfilled the reduction contracts' successful post-bidding referendum condition specified in
paragraph (q) of this section.
(s) Reduction method. In return for each reduction payment, NMFS will permanently:
(1) Revoke each crab reduction permit;
(2) Revoke each non-crab reduction permit;

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(3) Revoke each reduction fishing privilege (which revocation will run with the reduction/privilege
vessel's title in the manner § 600.1009(a)(5)(ii)(A) of this subpart requires and in accordance with 46
U.S.C. 12108(d));
(4) Effect relinquishment of each reduction fishing history for the purposes specified in this section by
noting in the RAM Program records (or such other records as may be appropriate for reduction
permits issued elsewhere) that the reduction fishing history has been relinquished under this section
and will never again be available to anyone for any fisheries purpose; and
(5) Otherwise restrict in accordance with this subpart each reduction/privilege vessel and fully effect the
surrender, revocation, restriction, relinquishment, withdrawal, or extinguishment by other means of all
components of each reduction fishing interest.
(t) Reduction payment tender and disbursement —
(1) Fishing continues until tender. Each accepted bidder may continue fishing as it otherwise would have
absent the program until NMFS, after a successful referendum, tenders reduction payment to the
accepted bidder;
(2) Notification to the public. After a successful referendum but before tendering reduction payment,
NMFS will publish a notification in the FEDERAL REGISTER listing all proposed reduction payments and
putting the public on notice:
(i)

Of the crab reduction permits, the reduction/privilege vessels, the reduction fishing histories,
and the non-crab reduction permits upon whose holding, owning, retaining, or other legal
authority representations accepted bidders based their bids and NMFS based its acceptances,
and

(ii) That NMFS intends, in accordance with the reduction contracts, to tender reduction payments in
return for the actions specified in paragraph (s) of this section;
(3) Public response. The public has 30 days after the date on which NMFS publishes the reduction
payment tender notification to advise NMFS in writing of any holding, owning, or retaining claims
that conflict with the representations upon which the accepted bidders based their bids and on
which NMFS based its acceptances;
(4) Tender and disbursement parties. NMFS will tender reduction payments only to accepted bidders,
unless otherwise provided contrary written instructions by accepted bidders. Creditors or other
parties with secured or other interests in reduction/privilege vessels or reduction permits are
responsible to make their own arrangements with accepted bidders;
(5) Time of tender. At the end of the reduction payment tender notification period, NMFS will tender
reduction payments to accepted bidders, unless NMFS then knows of a material dispute about an
accepted bidder's authority to enter into the reduction contract with respect to any one or more
components of the reduction fishing interest that warrants, in NMFS' discretion, an alternative course
of action;
(6) Method of tender and disbursement. NMFS will tender reduction payment by requesting from each
accepted bidder specific, written instructions for paying the reduction payments. Upon receipt of
these payment instructions, NMFS will immediately disburse reduction payments in accordance with
the payment instructions; and
(7) Effect of tender. Concurrently with NMFS' tender of reduction payment to each accepted bidder:
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(i)

50 CFR 600.1103

All fishing activity for any species anywhere in the world in any way associated with each
accepted bidder's reduction fishing interest must cease,

(ii) Each accepted bidder must retrieve all fixed fishing gear for whose deployment the accepted
bidder's reduction/privilege vessel was responsible, and
(iii) NMFS will fully exercise its reduction contract rights with respect to the reduction fishing
interest by taking the actions specified in paragraph (s) of this section.
(u) Fee payment and collection —
(1) Fish sellers who pay the fee. Any person who harvests any crab, but whom ADF&G's fisheries
reporting requirements do not require to record and submit an ADF&G fish ticket for that crab, is a
fish seller for the purpose of paying any fee on that crab and otherwise complying with the
requirements of § 600.1013 of this subpart;
(2) Fish buyers who collect the fee. Any person whom ADF&G's fisheries reporting requirements require
to record and submit an ADF&G fish ticket for any crab that another person harvested is a fish buyer
for the purpose of collecting the fee on that crab and otherwise complying with the requirements of
§ 600.1013 of this subpart; and
(3) Persons who are both fish sellers and fish buyers and both pay and collect the fee. Any person who
harvests any crab, and whom ADF&G's fisheries reporting requirements require to record and submit
an ADF&G fish ticket for that crab, is both a fish seller and a fish buyer for the purpose of paying and
collecting the fee on that crab and otherwise complying with the requirements of § 600.1013 of this
subpart.
(v) Fishing prohibition and penalties —
(1) General. Fishing, for the purpose of this section, includes the full range of activities defined in the
term “fishing” in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801),
(2) Prohibitions. Concurrently with NMFS' tender of each reduction payment, and with the sole exception
in paragraph (t)(7)(i) of this section, no person whatsoever may, and it is unlawful for any person to:
(i)

Fish with or attempt to fish with, or allow others to fish with or attempt to fish with, the
reduction/privilege vessel anywhere in the world for any species under any conditions and
regardless of the reduction/privilege vessel's ownership or registry for so long as the reduction/
privilege vessel exists. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, fishing on the high seas or
in the jurisdiction of any foreign country (to the extent prohibited by law) while operating under
U.S. flag,

(ii) Place or attempt to place, or allow others to place or attempt to place, the reduction/privilege
vessel under foreign flag or registry,
(iii) Operate or attempt to operate, or allow others to operate or attempt to operate, the reduction/
privilege vessel under the authority of a foreign country to the extent prohibited by law,
(iv) Otherwise avoid or attempt to avoid, or allow others to avoid or attempt to avoid, the revocation
of the reduction fishing privilege with respect to any reduction/privilege vessel, and
(v) Make any claim or attempt to make any claim, or allow others to claim or attempt to make any
claim, for any present or future limited access fishing license or permit in any U.S. fishery
(including, but not limited to, any quota allocation under any present or future individual quota
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allocation system) based in any way on any portion of a reduction fishing interest surrendered,
revoked, restricted, relinquished, withdrawn, or extinguished by other means under this section;
and
(3) Penalties. The activities that this paragraph prohibits are subject to the full penalties provided in §
600.1017 of this subpart, and immediate cause for NMFS to take action to, among other things:
(i)

At the reduction/privilege vessel owner's expense, seize and scrap the reduction/privilege
vessel, and

(ii) Pursue such other remedies and enforce such other penalties as may be applicable.
(w) Program administration —
(1) FSD responsibilities. FSD is responsible for implementing and administering this program. FSD will:
(i)

Issue all notifications and mailings that this section requires,

(ii) Prepare and issue the invitation to bid,
(iii) Receive bids,
(iv) Reject bids,
(v) Score bids,
(vi) Make acceptances,
(vii) Prepare and issue referendum ballots,
(viii) Receive referendum ballots,
(ix) Tally referendum ballots,
(x) Determine referendum success or failure,
(xi) Tender and disburse reduction payments,
(xii) Administer reduction contracts,
(xiii) Administer fees and reduction loan repayment, and
(xiv) Discharge all other management and administration functions that this section requires;
(2) RAM Program responsibilities. Upon FSD's advice, the RAM Program (for fishing licenses under the
jurisdiction of NMFS's Alaska Region) and any other appropriate NMFS authority (for fishing licenses
under the jurisdiction of any other NMFS office) will revoke reduction permits and effect the
surrender of fishing histories in accordance with this section; and
(3) NVDC and MARAD responsibilities. FSD will advise NVDC, MARAD, such other agency or agencies as
may be involved, or all of them to revoke reduction/privilege vessels' fisheries trade endorsements
and otherwise restrict reduction/privilege vessels in accordance with this section.
(x) Reduction loan and reduction loan sub-amounts. [Reserved]
[68 FR 69337, Dec. 12, 2003. Redesignated at 69 FR 53362, Sept. 1, 2004]

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50 CFR 600.1104

§ 600.1104 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab species fee payment and collection
system.
(a) Purpose. As authorized by Public Law 106-554, this section's purpose is to:
(1) In accordance with § 600.1012 of subpart L, establish:
(i)

The borrower's obligation to repay a reduction loan, and

(ii) The loan's principal amount, interest rate, and repayment term; and
(2) In accordance with § 600.1013 through § 600.1016 of subpart L, implement an industry fee system
for the reduction fishery.
(b) Definitions. Unless otherwise defined in this section, the terms defined in § 600.1000 of subpart L and §
600.1103 of this subpart expressly apply to this section. The following terms have the following meanings
for the purpose of this section:
Crab rationalization crab means the same as in § 680.2 of this chapter.
Crab rationalization fisheries means the same as in § 680.2 of this chapter.
Reduction endorsement fishery means any of the seven fisheries that § 679.2 of this chapter formerly
(before adoption of part 680 of this chapter) defined as crab area/species endorsements, except the
area/species endorsement for Norton Sound red king. More specifically, the reduction endorsement
fisheries, and the crab rationalization fisheries which (after adoption of part 680 of this chapter)
correspond to the reduction endorsement fisheries, are:
(1) Bristol Bay red king (the corresponding crab rationalization fishery is Bristol Bay red king crab),
(2) Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area C. opilio and C. bairdi (the corresponding crab
rationalization fisheries are two separate fisheries, one for Bering Sea snow crab and another
for Bering Sea Tanner crab),
(3) Aleutian Islands brown king (the corresponding crab rationalization fisheries are the two
separate fisheries, one for Eastern Aleutian Islands golden king crab and another for Western
Aleutian Islands golden king crab),
(4) Aleutian Islands red king (the corresponding crab rationalization fishery is Western Aleutian
Islands red king crab),
(5) Pribilof red king and Pribilof blue king (the corresponding crab rationalization fishery is Pribilof
red king and blue king crab), and
(6) St. Matthew blue king (the corresponding crab rationalization fishery is also St. Matthew blue
king crab).
Reduction fishery means the fishery for all crab rationalization crab, excluding CDQ allocations, in all crab
rationalization fisheries.
Sub-amount means the portion of the reduction loan amount for whose repayment the borrower in each
reduction endorsement fishery is obligated.
(c) Reduction loan amount. The reduction loan's original principal amount is $97,399,357.11.
(d) Sub-amounts. The sub-amounts are:
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(1) For Bristol Bay red king, $17,129,957.23;
(2) For Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area C. opilio and C. bairdi, $66,410,767.20;
(3) For Aleutian Islands brown king, $6,380,837.19;
(4) For Aleutian Islands red king, $237,588.04;
(5) For Pribilof red king and Pribilof blue king, $1,571,216.35; and
(6) For St. Matthew blue king, $5,668,991.10.
(e) Interest accrual from inception. Interest began accruing on each portion of the reduction loan amount on
and from the date on which NMFS disbursed each such portion.
(f) Interest rate. The reduction loan's interest rate shall be the applicable rate which the U.S. Treasury
determines at the end of fiscal year 2005 plus 2 percent.
(g) Repayment term. For the purpose of determining fee rates, the reduction loan's repayment term is 30 years
from January 19, 2005, but each fee shall continue indefinitely for as long as necessary to fully repay each
subamount.
(h) Reduction loan repayment.
(1) The borrower shall, in accordance with § 600.1012, repay the reduction loan;
(2) Fish sellers in each reduction endorsement fishery shall, in accordance with § 600.1013, pay the fee
at the rate applicable to each such fishery's subamount;
(3) Fish buyers in each reduction endorsement fishery shall, in accordance with § 600.1013, collect the
fee at the rate applicable to each such fishery;
(4) Fish buyers in each reduction endorsement fishery shall in accordance with § 600.1014, deposit and
disburse, as well as keep records for and submit reports about, the fees applicable to each such
fishery; except the requirements specified under paragraph (c) of this section concerning the deposit
principal disbursement shall be made to NMFS not later than the 7th calendar day of each month;
and the requirements specified under paragraph (e) of this section concerning annual reports which
shall be submitted to NMFS by July 1 of each calendar year; and,
(5) The reduction loan is, in all other respects, subject to the provisions of § 600.1012 through §
600.1017.
[70 FR 54656, Sept. 16, 2005, as amended at 71 FR 27210, May 10, 2006]

§ 600.1105 Longline catcher processor subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI)
non-pollock groundfish fishery program.
(a) Purpose. This section implements the capacity reduction program that Title II, Section 219(e) of Public
Law 108-447 enacted for the longline catcher processor subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
(BSAI) non-pollock groundfish fishery.
(b) Definitions. Unless otherwise defined in this section, the terms defined in § 600.1000 of subpart L of this
part expressly apply to this section. The following terms have the following meanings for the purpose of
this section:

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Act

means Title II, Section 219 of Public Law 108-447.

AI

means the Aleutian Islands.

50 CFR 600.1105(b) “Act”

Application Form means the form published on the FLCC's website that sets forth whether the qualifying
LLP License is a Latent License and identifies the individual(s) authorized to execute and deliver
Offers and Offer Ranking Ballots on behalf of the Subsector Member.
Auditor means Jack V. Tagart, Ph.D., d.b.a. Tagart Consulting.
Authorized Party means the individuals authorized by Subsector Members on the application form to
execute and submit Offers, Rankings, protests and other documents and/or notices on behalf of
Subsector Member.
Ballot means the form found on the auditor's website used to cast a vote in favor of, or in opposition to, the
currently Selected Offers.
BS

means the Bering Sea.

BSAI means the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands.
BSAI Pacific Cod ITAC means the Total Allowable Catch for Pacific cod after the subtraction of the 7.5
percent Community Development Program reserve.
Capacity Reduction Agreement or Reduction Agreement means an agreement entered into by the Subsector
Members and the FLCC under which the FLCC is permitted to develop and submit a Capacity
Reduction Plan to the Secretary.
Certificate of Documentation (COD) means a document issued by the U.S. Coast Guard's National
Documentation Center that registers the vessel with the United States Government.
Closing Vote means a vote held pursuant to paragraph (d)(7) of this section, after two-thirds (2⁄3) or more
of the Nonoffering Subsector Members submit Ranking Forms electing to accept the Selected
Offerors and close the Selection Process, and there are no unresolved Protests or Arbitrations.
Current Offer means an Offer submitted by a Subsector Member to the Auditor during any Submission
Period and, with regard to such Offer, Offeror has not become a Rejected Offeror. The term “Current
Offer” includes Selected Offers.
Current Offeror means an Offering Subsector Member that has submitted an Offer to the Auditor during any
Submission Period and, with regard to such Offer, Offeror has not become a Rejected Offeror. The
term “Current Offeror” includes Selected Offerors.
Database means the online LLP License database maintained by NMFS as downloaded by the Auditor
pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
Effective Date means the date the Capacity Reduction Agreement becomes effective pursuant to section
4.e of the Capacity Reduction Agreement.
Fishing Capacity Reduction Contract or Reduction Contract means the contract that any Current Offeror
must sign and agree to abide by if NMFS accepts the offer by signing the Reduction Contract.
FLCC Counsel means Bauer Moynihan & Johnson LLP or other counsel representing the FLCC in any review
or arbitration under the Capacity Reduction Agreement.

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50 CFR 600.1105(b) “Latent License”

Latent License means an LLP License on which a vessel was not designated at the time an Offer is
submitted.
LLP License means a Federal License Limitation Program groundfish license issued pursuant to § 679.4(k)
of this chapter or successor regulation that is noninterim and transferable, or that is interim and
subsequently becomes noninterim and transferable, and that is endorsed for BS or AI catcher
processor fishing activity, C/P, Pacific cod and hook and line gear.
Longline Subsector means the longline catcher processor subsector of the BSAI non-pollock groundfish
fishery as defined in the Act.
Longline Subsector ITAC means the longline catcher processor subsector remainder of the Total Allowable
Catch after the subtraction of the 7.5 percent Community Development Program reserve.
Nonoffering Subsector Member shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in paragraph (d)(5)(i) of this
section.
Offer Content means all information included in Offers submitted to the Auditor pursuant to paragraph
(d)(2)(ii) of this section.
Offer Form means the form found on the Auditor's website used to make an offer.
Offer(s) means a binding offer(s) from a Subsector Member to sell its LLP, right to participate in the
fisheries, the fishing history associated with such LLP, and any vessel set forth on the Offer Form
submitted by Offeror pursuant to the terms of this Capacity Reduction Agreement.
Opening Date means the first Monday following the Effective Date set forth in paragraph (c)(3) of this
section.
Person includes any natural person(s) and any corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability
company, association or any other entity whatsoever, organized under the laws of the United States
or of a state.
Prequalification Offer shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section.
Ranking Form means the form posted by the Auditor pursuant to paragraph (d)(5)(iii) of this section.
Ranking Period shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in paragraph (d)(5)(ii) of this section.
Reduction Fishery means the BSAI non-pollock groundfish fishery.
Reduction Fishing Interests shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Fishing Capacity Reduction
Contract.
Reduction Plan means a business plan prepared by the Subsector Members in accordance with Section 1
of the Capacity Reduction Agreement and forwarded to the Secretary for approval.
Reduction Privilege Vessel means the vessel listed on the Offeror's License Limitation Program license.
Rejected Offer means an Offer that has been through one or more Rankings and is not a Selected Offer
following the latest Ranking Period, with respect to which the Offering Subsector Member's
obligations have terminated pursuant to paragraphs (d)(2)(i) and (d)(6)(v) of this section.
Rejected Offeror means a Subsector Member that has submitted an Offer which has been ranked and was
not posted as a Selected Offer pursuant to paragraph (d)(6)(ii) of this section.

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50 CFR 600.1105(b) “Restricted Access Management”

Restricted Access Management (RAM) means the Restricted Access Management Program in the Alaska
Region, NMFS, located in Juneau, Alaska.
Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or a designee.
Selected Offer shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in paragraph (d)(6)(iv) of this section.
Selected Offeror means a Subsector Member that has submitted an Offer which has been ranked and is
posted as a Selected Offer pursuant to paragraph (d)(6)(ii) of this section.
Selection Process means the process set forth in paragraph (d) of this section for selecting the fishing
capacity to be removed by the Reduction Plan.
Submission Period(s) or Submitting Period(s) shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in paragraph
(d)(3)(ii) of this section.
Subsector Member(s) means a member(s) of the Longline Subsector.
Web site means the internet Web site developed and maintained on behalf of the FLCC for implementation
of the Selection Process described herein with a URL address of http://www.freezerlonglinecoop.org.
(c) Qualification and enrollment of subsector members —
(1) Distribution. A copy of the Reduction Agreement, Application Form, and Reduction Contract shall be
mailed to each holder of record of an LLP License endorsed for BS or AI catcher processor activity,
C/P, Pacific cod and hook and line gear, as the Auditor determines from the Database downloaded by
the Auditor as of January 30, 2006, regardless of whether the LLP License is indicated in the
Database as noninterim and transferable or otherwise.
(2) Application. Any person, regardless of whether having received the mailing described in paragraph
(c)(1) of this section, may as a Subsector Member apply to enroll with the FLCC to participate in the
Reduction Program, by submitting all of the following documents:
(i)

Fully executed Reduction Agreement;

(ii) Photocopy of the LLP License(s) evidencing Subsector Member's qualification as a member of
the Longline Subsector;
(iii) Unless applying as the holder of a Latent License, a photocopy of Federal Fisheries Permit for
the vessel(s) designated on the LLP License(s) on the date the Reduction Agreement is signed
by the Subsector Member;
(iv) Unless applying as the holder of a Latent License, a photocopy of the Certificate of
Documentation (COD) for the vessel(s) designated on the LLP License(s) on the date the
Reduction Agreement is signed by the Subsector Member; and
(v) An executed Application Form which sets forth whether the qualifying LLP License is a Latent
License and identifies the individual(s) authorized to execute and deliver Offers and Offer
Ranking Ballots on behalf of the Subsector Member.
(3) Examination by Auditor —
(i)

In general. Each application must be submitted to the Auditor who will examine applications for
completeness and inconsistencies, whether on the face of the documents or with the
Database. Any application which is incomplete or which contains inconsistencies shall be

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50 CFR 600.1105(c)(3)(ii)

invalid. The Auditor shall notify by e-mail or mail an applicant of the basis for the Auditor's
finding an application invalid. An applicant may resubmit a revised application. If the
application meets all requirements, the Auditor may accept the application as valid and enroll
the applicant.
(ii) Interim LLP Licenses. If an LLP License is interim and/or nontransferable, the applicant's
enrollment shall be accepted as a Subsector Member and may fully participate in the Selection
Process. However, any posting of an Offer submitted with respect to such LLP License shall
note the status of such LLP License until that Subsector Member submits to the Auditor a letter
from the RAM confirming that it is within the Subsector Member's control to cause the
qualifying LLP License to be issued as noninterim and transferable upon withdrawal of all
applicable appeals.
(4) Enrollment period. Applications that meet all requirements will be accepted until the Selection
Process is completed.
(5) Effective date. The Effective Date of any Reduction Agreement shall be ten (10) calendar days after
written notice is sent by the Auditor to each holder of record of an LLP License endorsed for BS or AI
catcher processor activity, C/P, Pacific cod and hook and line gear (as determined by the Auditor
from the Auditor's examination of the Database) advising that the number of Subsector Members
that have delivered to the Auditor a complete Application, including a fully executed Reduction
Agreement, exceeds seventy percent (70 percent) of the members of the Longline Subsector (as
determined by the Auditor from the Auditor's examination of the Database).
(6) Notice. All notices related to the effective date of the Reduction Agreement shall be sent by the
Auditor via registered mail.
(7) Withdrawal. A Subsector Member, unless such Subsector Member is a Current Offeror or Selected
Offeror, may terminate the Reduction Agreement at any time with respect to that Subsector Member
by giving ten (10) calendar days written notice to the Auditor preferably via e-mail. Withdrawal of a
Subsector Member shall not affect the validity of the Reduction Agreement with respect to any other
Subsector Members. Once effective, the Reduction Agreement shall continue in full force and effect
regardless of whether subsequent withdrawals reduce the number of Subsector Members below that
level required to effectuate the Reduction Agreement. Attempted withdrawal by a Current Offeror or
Selected Offeror shall be invalid, and such Offer shall remain a binding, irrevocable Offer, unaffected
by the attempted withdrawal.
(d) Selection of fishing capacity to be removed by Reduction Plan. The fishing capacity removed by the
Reduction Plan will be the Reduction Fishing Interests voluntarily offered through the Reduction Plan by
offering Subsector Members and as selected by the Nonoffering Subsector Members, up to an aggregate
amount of thirty six million dollars ($36,000,000) as set forth in this paragraph (d).
(1) Overview. The Selection Process will begin upon the Effective Date of the Reduction Agreement. The
Selection Process will alternate on a weekly basis between:
(i)

Submitting Periods, during which individual Subsector Members may submit Offers of fishing
capacity they wish to include in the Reduction Plan; and

(ii) Ranking Periods, during which Nonoffering Subsector Members will rank the submitted Offers.
(2) Offers —

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(i)

50 CFR 600.1105(d)(2)(i)

Binding agreement. An Offer from a Subsector Member shall be a binding, irrevocable offer
from a Subsector Member to relinquish to NMFS the Reduction Fishing Interests for the price
set forth on the Offer contingent on such Offer being a Selected Offer at the closing of the
Selection Process. Once submitted, an Offer may not be revoked or withdrawn while that Offer
is a Current Offer or Selected Offer. An Offer that is submitted by a Subsector Member, but is
not a Selected Offer during the subsequent Ranking Period, shall be deemed to be terminated
and the Subsector Member shall have no further obligation with respect to performance of that
Offer.

(ii) Offer content. All Offers submitted to the Auditor shall include the following information: LLP
License number; LLP License number(s) of any linked crab LLP Licenses; license MLOA
(MLOA—maximum length overall of a vessel is defined at § 679.2 of this chapter); the license
area, gear and species endorsements; a summary of the Pacific cod catch history for the
calendar years 1995-2004; and the offered price. The Offer shall also state whether a vessel is
currently designated on the LLP License and as such will be withdrawn from all fisheries if the
Offer is selected for reduction in the Reduction Plan. If so, the Offer shall identify such vessel by
name, official number, and current owner. In addition, the Offer shall provide a summary of the
Pacific cod catch history for the calendar years 1995-2004 of the vessel to be retired from the
fisheries. All summary catch histories included in Offers shall be calculated utilizing both the
weekly production report and best blend methodology and shall separately state for each
methodology the Pacific cod catch in metric tons and as a percentage of the overall catch for
the longline catcher processor subsector on an annual basis for each of the required years. If
the vessel stated to be withdrawn from the fisheries is not owned by the LLP License owner of
record, the Offer shall be countersigned by the owner of record of the vessel. An Offer offering a
Latent License shall state on the Offer Form that the offered LLP License is a Latent License.
The Offer Form shall also include a comment section for any additional information that
Offerors wish to provide to the Subsector Members concerning the Offer.
(iii) Prequalification of offers. A Subsector Member may submit a Prequalification Offer to the
Auditor at any time prior to the Opening Date. A Prequalification Offer shall contain all elements
of an Offer, except that a price need not be provided. The Auditor shall notify the Subsector
Member submitting a Prequalification Offer as to any deficiencies as soon as practicable. All
details of a Prequalification Offer shall be kept confidential by the Auditor.
(3) Submitting an offer —
(i)

Offer submission. Commencing on the first Tuesday following the Opening Date and during all
Submission Periods until the Selection Process is closed, any Subsector Member may submit
an Offer. All Offers are to be on the applicable form provided on the FLCC website, executed by
an Authorized Party and submitted to the Auditor by facsimile. Any Subsector Member may
submit an Offer during any Submission Period, even if that Subsector Member has not
submitted an Offer in any previous Submission Period. If a Subsector Member holds more than
one LLP License, such Subsector Member may, but is not required to, submit an Offer for each
LLP License held during a Submission Period.

(ii) Submission periods. The initial Submission Period shall commence at 9 a.m. (Pacific time) on
the Tuesday following the Opening Date and end at 5 p.m. (Pacific time) on the Friday of that
week. Subsequent Submission Periods shall commence at 9 a.m. (Pacific time) on the first
Tuesday following the preceding Ranking Period and end at 5 p.m. (Pacific time) on the Friday

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50 CFR 600.1105(d)(3)(iii)

of that week. All times set forth in the Reduction Agreement and used in the Offer process shall
be the time kept in the Pacific time zone as calculated by the National Institute of Standards
and Technology.
(iii) Validity of offer. The Auditor shall examine each Offer for consistency with the Database and
information contained in the enrollment documents. If there is an inconsistency in the
information contained in the Offer, any of the elements required of an Offer pursuant to
paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section are missing, or the Auditor does not receive the original Offer
Form before the Offers are to be posted pursuant to paragraph (d)(4) of this section, the Auditor
shall notify the offering Subsector Member by e-mail or mail that the Offer is nonconforming as
soon as practicable after discovering the basis of invalidity. The Subsector Member may submit
a revised, conforming Offer prior to the close of that Submission Period or, in any subsequent
Submission Period. Only one Offer may be submitted with respect to an LLP License during a
Submission Period. In the event a Subsector Member submits more than one Offer with respect
to an LLP License during a Submission Period, the first conforming Offer received by the
Auditor shall be binding and irrevocable and any subsequent Offers shall be deemed invalid.
(iv) Warranty. By submitting an Offer, the Offering Subsector Member, warrants and represents that
the Offering Subsector Member has read and understands the terms of the Reduction
Agreement, the Offer, and the Reduction Contract and has had the opportunity to seek
independent legal counsel regarding such documents and/or agreements and the
consequences of submitting an Offer.
(4) Posting offers —
(i)

Current offers. For each Offer received during a Submission Period, the Auditor shall post on the
Website no later than 5 p.m. (Pacific time) on the following Tuesday all of the details of such
Offer as set forth on the Offer Form. In addition, the Auditor shall post, as available to Auditor, a
summary by year of up to ten (10) years catch history during the period 1995-2004 in total
round weight equivalents and percentage of Longline Subsector ITAC harvested for any vessel
that is included in the Offer. Subsector Member (or vessel owner, if other than the Subsector
Member) expressly authorizes Auditor to release the catch history summary information
previously prepared for that Subsector Member or vessel owner by the Auditor as part of the
analysis of FLCC's membership's catch history previously conducted by the Auditor on behalf of
the FLCC.

(ii) Posting order. Offers shall be posted on the Website by the Auditor in alphabetical order of the
Offering Subsector Member's name.
(iii) Questions as to offer. The Auditor shall respond to no questions from Subsector Member
regarding Offers except to confirm that the posting accurately reflects the details of the Offer. If
an Offering Subsector Member notices an error in an Offer posting on the Website, such
Subsector Member shall notify the Auditor as soon as practicable. The Auditor shall review
such notice, the posting and the original Offer. If an error was made in posting the Auditor shall
correct the posting as soon as practicable and notify the Subsector Members via e-mail or mail
of the correction. In the event such an error is not discovered prior to Ranking, an Offering
Subsector Member shall be bound to the terms of the submitted Offer, not the terms of the
posted Offer.
(iv) Archive. The Auditor shall maintain on the Website an archive of prior Offers posted, which shall
be available for review by all Subsector Members.
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50 CFR 600.1105(d)(5)

(5) Ranking —
(i)

Eligibility. Each Subsector Member that has not submitted an Offer during the preceding
Submission Period, or whose vessel is not included as a withdrawing vessel in an Offer during
the preceding Submission Period (i.e., a Nonoffering Subsector Member), may submit to the
Auditor a Ranking Form during a Ranking Period. With respect to Ranking, a Subsector Member
that holds more than one LLP License may participate in the Ranking process for each LLP
License not included in an Offer.

(ii) Ranking period. The initial Ranking Period shall commence immediately after the Offers from
the preceding Submission Period have been posted and end at 5 p.m. (Pacific time) on the
Friday of that week. Subsequent Ranking Periods shall commence immediately after the Offers
from the preceding Submission Period have been posted and end at 5 p.m. (Pacific time) on the
Friday of that week.
(iii) Ranking form. Prior to each Ranking Period, the Auditor will post a Ranking Form on the Website
in “pdf” file format. Each eligible Subsector Member wishing to rank the current Offers shall
rank the Offers on the Ranking Form numerically in the Subsector Member's preferred order of
purchase. The Offer that Subsector Member would most like to have accepted should be
ranked number one (1), and subsequent Offers ranked sequentially until the Offer that the
Subsector Member would least like to see accepted is ranked with the highest numerical score.
A Subsector Member wishing to call for a Closing Vote shall, in lieu of ranking the Current
Offers, mark the Ranking Form to accept the Selected Offers selected during the prior Ranking
Period and close the Selection Process. To be valid, the Ranking Form must rank each Current
Offer listed on the Ranking Form or, if applicable, be marked to call for a Closing Vote. Ranking
Forms shall be submitted by sending a completed Ranking Form, signed by an Authorized Party,
to the Auditor by facsimile or mail prior to the end of the Ranking Period. A Subsector Member
is not required to rank the Offers during a Ranking Period or call for a Closing Vote.
(iv) Validity of subsector member ranking. The Auditor shall examine each Ranking Form for
completeness, whether the form either ranks the Offers or calls for a Closing Vote (but not
both), and authorized signature. Any incomplete or otherwise noncompliant Ranking Form(s)
shall be invalid, and shall not be included in the Rankings of the Current Offers. The Auditor
shall notify the Subsector Member of the reason for declaring any Ranking Form invalid as soon
as practicable. A Subsector Member may cure the submission of an invalid Ranking Form by
submitting a complying Ranking Form if accomplished before the end of the applicable Ranking
Period.
(6) Ranking results —
(i)

Compiling the rankings. Unless two-thirds (2⁄3) of the Nonoffering Subsector Members have
called for a Closing Vote, the Auditor shall compile the results of the Ranking Forms by
assigning one point for each position on a Ranking Form. That is, the Offer ranked number one
(1) on a Ranking Form shall be awarded one (1) point, the Offer ranked two (2) shall receive two
(2) points, and continuing on in this manner until all Offers have been assigned points
correlating to its ranking on each valid Ranking Form. The Offer with the least number of total
points assigned shall be the highest ranked Offer, and the Offer with the greatest total points
assigned shall be the lowest ranked Offer.

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50 CFR 600.1105(d)(6)(ii)

(ii) Posting rankings. The Auditor shall post the results of the compilation of the Ranking Forms on
the Website in alphabetical order based on the Offering Subsector Member's name no later than
5 p.m. (Pacific time) on the Monday following the Ranking Period. The Auditor shall post the
highest consecutive ranking Offers that total thirty six million dollars ($36,000,000) or less.
Those Offering Subsector Members whose Offers are posted shall be deemed Selected
Offerors and their Offers shall be deemed Selected Offers. Those Offering Subsector Members
whose Offers are not posted shall be deemed Rejected Offerors.
(iii) Selected offer information or confidentiality. The Auditor shall post the name of the Offering
Subsector Member, the amount of the Offer, and a summary of the total number of Ranking
Forms received and the number of such forms on which the Members called for a Closing Vote.
Other than the foregoing, the Auditor shall not post any details of the compilation of the
Ranking Forms.
(iv) Selected offerors. Selected Offerors may not withdraw their Offers unless in subsequent
rankings their Offers no longer are within the highest ranking Offers and they become Rejected
Offerors. A Selected Offeror may, however, modify a Selected Offer solely to the extent such
modification consists of a reduction in the Offer price. A Selected Offeror may submit a
modified Offer to the Auditor during the next Offering Period as set forth in paragraph (d)(3) of
this section. Unless a Selected Offeror becomes a Rejected Offeror in a subsequent Ranking, a
Selected Offeror shall be bound by the terms of the lowest Selected Offer submitted as if such
modified Offer had been the original Selected Offer. In the event a Selected Offeror submits a
modified Offer and such Offer is not ranked because sufficient votes are received to call for a
Closing Vote, the previously Selected Offer shall remain the Selected Offer.
(v) Rejected offerors. The Offer of a Rejected Offeror is terminated and the Rejected Offeror is no
longer bound by the terms of its Offer. A Rejected Offeror may, at its sole discretion, resubmit
the same Offer, submit a revised Offer, or elect not to submit an Offer during any subsequent
Submission Period until the Selection Process is closed.
(vi) Ties. In the event there is a tie with respect to Offers which results in the tied Offers exceeding
thirty-six million dollars ($36,000,000), the tied Offers and all Offers ranked lower than the tied
Offers shall be deemed to be rejected and the Rejected Offerors may, at their option, submit an
Offer in a subsequent Submission Period.
(vii) Archive. Auditor shall maintain on the Website an archive of prior Offer Rankings as posted over
the course of the Selection Process, which shall be available for Subsector Member review.
(7) Closing. The Selection Process will close when two-thirds (2⁄3) or more of the Nonoffering Subsector
Members of the Longline Subsector, as determined by the Auditor, affirmatively vote to accept the
Selected Offerors selected during the prior Ranking Period as part of the Reduction Plan to be
submitted to the Secretary.
(i)

Call for vote. A Closing Vote will be held when: at least two-thirds (2⁄3) of the Nonoffering
Subsector Members submit Ranking Forms electing to accept the Selected Offerors and close
the Selection Process in lieu of Ranking the current Offers; and there are no unresolved Protests
or Arbitrations. The Auditor shall notify all Subsector Members by e-mail or mail and posting a
notice on the Website as soon as practicable that a Closing Vote is to be held. Such notice shall

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state the starting and ending dates and times of the voting period, which shall be not less than
three (3) nor more than seven (7) calendar days from the date of such notice. A voting period
shall commence at 9 a.m. (Pacific time) on Monday and end at 5 p.m. on the Friday of that
week.
(ii) Voting. No less than three (3) calendar days prior to the voting period, the Auditor will post a
Closing Ballot on the Website in “pdf” file format. Each eligible Nonoffering Subsector Member
wishing to vote shall print out the Closing Ballot, and, with respect to each of the currently
Selected Offers on the Closing Ballot, vote either in favor of or opposed to accepting that
Selected Offer and submit a completed and signed Closing Ballot to the Auditor preferably by
facsimile prior to the end of the Voting Period.
(iii) Ballot verification. The Auditor shall examine each submitted Closing Ballot for completeness
and authorized signature. Any incomplete Closing Ballot shall be void, and shall not be included
in the voting results. The Auditor shall not notify the Subsector Member of an invalid Closing
Ballot.
(iv) Voting results. The Auditor shall post the results of the Vote as soon as practicable after voting
closes. Each Offer on the Closing Ballot that receives votes approving acceptance of such Offer
from two-thirds (2⁄3) or more of the total number of Nonoffering Subsector Members shall be a
Selected Offeror and shall be the basis for the Reduction Plan submitted to NMFS. Any Offer on
the Closing Ballot that does not receive such two-thirds (2⁄3) approval shall be rejected and shall
not be included among the Offers included among the Reduction Plan submitted to NMFS.
(v) Notification to NMFS. Upon closing of the Selection Process, FLCC shall notify NMFS in writing
of the identities of the Selected Offerors and provide to NMFS a completed and fully executed
original Reduction Agreement from each of the Selected Offerors and a certified copy of the
fully executed Reduction Agreement and Reduction Contract.
(e) Submission of reduction plan, including repayment. Upon completion of the offering process, the FLCC on
behalf of the Subsector Members shall submit to NMFS the Reduction Plan which shall include the
provisions set forth in this paragraph (e).
(1) Capacity reduction. The Reduction Plan shall identify as the proposed capacity reduction, without
auction process, the LLP Licenses as well as the vessels and the catch histories related to the LLP
Licenses, linked crab LLP Licenses, and any other fishing rights or other interests associated with
the LLP Licenses and vessels included in the Selected Offers. The aggregate of all Reduction
Agreements and Reduction Contracts signed by Subsector Members whose offers to participate in
this buyback were accepted by votes of the Subsector Members, will together with the FLCC's
supporting documents and rationale for recognizing that these offers represent the expenditure of
the least money for the greatest capacity reduction, constitute the Reduction Plan to be submitted to
NMFS for approval on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce.
(2) Loan repayment —
(i)

Term. As authorized by Section 219(B)(2) of the Act, the capacity reduction loan (the “Reduction
Loan”) shall be amortized over a thirty (30) year term. The Reduction Loan's original principal
amount may not exceed thirty-six million dollars ($36,000,000), but may be less if the reduction
cost is less. Subsector Members acknowledge that in the event payments made under the
Reduction Plan are insufficient to repay the actual loan, the term of repayment shall be
extended by NMFS until the loan is paid in full.

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(ii) Interest. The Reduction Loan's interest rate will be the U.S. Treasury's cost of borrowing
equivalent maturity funds plus 2 percent. NMFS will determine the Reduction Loan's initial
interest rate when NMFS borrows from the U.S. Treasury the funds with which to disburse
reduction payments. The initial interest rate will change to a final interest rate at the end of the
Federal fiscal year in which NMFS borrows the funds from the U.S. Treasury. The final interest
rate will be 2 percent plus a weighted average, throughout that fiscal year, of the U.S. Treasury's
cost of borrowing equivalent maturity funds. The final interest rate will be fixed, and will not
vary over the remainder of the reduction loan's 30-year term. The Reduction loan will be subject
to a level debt amortization. There is no prepayment penalty.
(iii) Fees. The Reduction Loan shall be repaid by fees collected from the Longline Subsector. The
fee amount will be based upon: The principal and interest due over the next twelve months
divided by the product of the Hook & Line, Catcher Processor (Longline Subsector; sometimes
referred to as the “H&LCP Subsector”) portion of the BSAI Pacific cod ITAC (in metric tons) set
by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) in December of each year
multiplied by 2,205 (i.e., the number of pounds in a metric ton). In the event that the Longline
Subsector portion for the ensuing year is not available, the Longline Subsector portion forecast
from the preceding year will be used to calculate the fee.
(A) The fee will be expressed in cents per pound rounded up to the next one-tenth of a cent.
For example: If the principal and interest due equal $2,900,000 and the Longline Subsector
portion equals 100,000 metric tons, then the fee per round weight pound of Pacific cod will
equal 1.4 cents per pound. [2,900,000 /(100,000 × 2,205) = .01315]. The fee will be
accessed and collected on Pacific cod to the extent possible and if not, will be accessed
and collected as provided for in this paragraph (e).
(B) Fees must be accessed and collected on Pacific cod used for bait or discarded. Although
the fee could be up to 5 percent of the ex-vessel production value of all post-reduction
Longline Subsector landings, the fee will be less than 5 percent if NMFS projects that a
lesser rate can amortize the fishery's reduction loan over the reduction loan's 30-year term.
In the event that the total principal and interest due exceeds 5 percent of the ex-vessel
Pacific cod revenues, a penny per pound round weight fee will be calculated based on the
latest available revenue records and NMFS conversion factors for pollock, arrowtooth
flounder, Greenland turbot, skate, yellowfin sole and rock sole.
(C) The additional fee will be limited to the amount necessary to amortize the remaining
twelve months principal and interest in addition to the 5 percent fee accessed against
Pacific cod. The additional fee will be a minimum of one cent per pound. In the event that
collections exceed the total principal and interest needed to amortize the payment due,
the principal balance of the loan will be reduced. To verify that the fees collected do not
exceed 5 percent of the fishery revenues, the annual total of principal and interest due will
be compared to the latest available annual Longline Subsector revenues to ensure it is
equal to or less than 5 percent of the total ex-vessel production revenues. In the event that
any of the components necessary to calculate the next year's fee are not available, or for
any other reason NMFS believes the calculation must be postponed, the fee will remain at
the previous year's amount until such a time that new calculations are made and
communicated to the post reduction fishery participants.

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(D) It is possible that the fishery may not open during some years and no Longline Subsector
portion of the ITAC is granted. Consequently, the fishery will not produce fee revenue with
which to service the reduction loan during those years. However, interest will continue to
accrue on the principal balance. When this happens, if the fee rate is not already at the
maximum 5 percent, NMFS will increase the fisheries' fee rate to the maximum 5 percent
of the revenues for Pacific cod and the species mentioned in paragraph (e)(2)(iii)(B), apply
all subsequent fee revenue first to the payment of accrued interest, and continue the
maximum fee rates until all principal and interest payments become current. Once all
principal and interest payments are current, NMFS will make a determination about
adjusting the fee rate.
(iv) Reduction loan. NMFS has promulgated framework regulations generally applicable to all
fishing capacity reduction programs (§ 600.1000 et seq.). The reduction loan shall be subject to
the provisions of § 600.1012, except that: the borrower's obligation to repay the reduction loan
shall be discharged by the owner of the Longline Subsector license regardless of which vessel
catches fish under this license and regardless of who processes the fish in the reduction fishery
in accordance with § 600.1013. Longline Subsector license owners in the reduction fishery
shall be obligated to collect the fee in accordance with § 600.1013.
(v) Collection. The LLP License holder of the vessel harvesting in the post-capacity reduction plan
Longline Subsector shall be responsible for self-collecting the repayment fees owed by that LLP
License holder. Fees shall be submitted to NMFS monthly and shall be due no later than fifteen
(15) calendar days following the end of each calendar month.
(vi) Record keeping and Reporting. The holder of the LLP License on which a vessel harvesting in
the post-capacity reduction plan Longline Subsector is designated shall be responsible for
compliance with the applicable record keeping and reporting requirements.
(3) Agreement with Secretary. Each Selected Offeror, and vessel owner if not the Subsector Member, that
has submitted a Selected Offer shall complete and deliver to the FLCC for inclusion in the Reduction
Plan submitted to NMFS, designee for the Secretary, a completed and fully executed Reduction
Contract. Any and all LLP License(s) and or vessels set forth on a Selected Offer shall be included as
Reduction Fishing Interests in such Reduction Contract.
(f) Decisions of the Auditor and the FLCC. Time is of the essence in developing and implementing a
Reduction Plan and, accordingly, the Offerors shall be limited to, and bound by, the decisions of the
Auditor and the FLCC.
(1) The Auditor's examination of submitted applications, Offers, Prequalification Offers and Rankings
shall be solely ministerial in nature. That is, the Auditor will verify whether the documents submitted
by Subsector Members are, on their face, consistent with each other and the Database, in
compliance with the requirements set forth in the Reduction Agreement, and, signed by an
Authorized Party. The Auditor may presume the validity of all signatures on documents submitted.
The Auditor shall not make substantive decisions as to compliance (e.g., whether an interim LLP
License satisfies the requirements of the Act, or whether a discrepancy in the name appearing on
LLP Licenses and other documents is material).
(2) [Reserved]
(g) Enforcement/specific performance. The parties to the Reduction Agreement have agreed that the
opportunity to develop and submit a capacity reduction program for the Longline Subsector under the
terms of the Act is both unique and finite and that failure of a Selected Offeror, and vessel owner, if not a
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Subsector Member, to perform the obligations provided by the Reduction Agreement will result in
irreparable damage to the FLCC, the Subsector Members and other Selected Offerors. Accordingly, the
parties to the Reduction Agreement expressly acknowledge that money damages are an inadequate
means of redress and agree that upon the failure of the Selected Offeror, and vessel owner if not a
Subsector Member, to fulfill its obligations under the Reduction Agreement that specific performance of
those obligations may be obtained by suit in equity brought by the FLCC in any court of competent
jurisdiction without obligation to arbitrate such action.
(h) Miscellaneous —
(1) Time/Holidays. All times related to the Selection Process shall be the time kept in the Pacific time
zone as calculated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In the event that any date
occurring within the Selection Process is a Federal holiday, the date shall roll over to the next
occurring business day.
(2) Termination. The Reduction Agreement shall automatically terminate if no vote of acceptance is
completed by December 31, 2007. The Reduction Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to
approval of the Reduction Plan by NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, by written notice from 50
percent of Subsector Members.
(3) Choice of law/venue. The Reduction Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with
the laws of the State of Washington without regard to its choice of law provisions. The parties
submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the United States District Court located in Seattle,
Washington, with respect to any litigation arising out of or relating to the Reduction Agreement or out
of the performance of services hereunder.
(4) Incorporation. All executed counterparts of the Reduction Agreement, Application Forms and Offers
constitute the agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of the Reduction
Agreement and are incorporated into the Reduction Agreement as if fully written.
(5) Counterparts. The Reduction Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts and will be
effective as to signatories on the Effective Date. The Reduction Agreement may be executed in
duplicate originals, each of which shall be deemed to be an original instrument. All such
counterparts and duplicate originals together shall constitute the same agreement, whether or not all
parties execute each counterpart.
(i)

The facsimile signature of any party to the Reduction Agreement shall constitute the duly
authorized, irrevocable execution and delivery of the Reduction Agreement as fully as if the
Reduction Agreement contained the original ink signatures of the party or parties supplying a
facsimile signature.

(ii) [Reserved]
(i)

Amendment. Subsector Member acknowledges that the Reduction Agreement, the Reduction Contract,
and the Reduction Plan may be subject to amendment to conform to the requirements for approval of the
Reduction Plan by NMFS on behalf of the Secretary. The Auditor shall distribute to each Subsector
Member in electronic format the amended form of the Reduction Agreement, the Reduction Contract, and
the Reduction Plan, which amended documents in the form distributed by the Auditor and identified by the
Auditor by date and version, the version of each such document then in effect at the time of any dispute
arising or action taken shall be deemed binding upon the parties with respect to such dispute and/or
action.

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(j)

50 CFR 600.1105(j)

Warranties. Subsector Member must expressly warrant and represent in the Reduction Agreement that:
(1) Subsector Member has had an opportunity to consult with Subsector Member's attorney or other
advisors of Subsector Member with respect to the Reduction Agreement, the Reduction Contract,
and the Act and the ramifications of the ratification of the Reduction Plan contemplated therein;
(2) Subsector Member has full understanding and appreciation of the ramifications of executing and
delivering the Reduction Agreement and, free from coercion of any kind by the FLCC or any of its
members, officers, agents and/or employees, executes and delivers the Reduction Agreement as the
free and voluntary act of Subsector Member;
(3) The execution and delivery of the Reduction Agreement, does not and will not conflict with any
provisions of the governing documents of Subsector Member;
(4) The person executing the Reduction Agreement has been duly authorized by Subsector Member to
execute and deliver the Reduction Agreement and to undertake and perform the actions
contemplated herein; and
(5) Subsector Member has taken all actions necessary for the Reduction Agreement to constitute the
valid and binding obligation of Subsector Member, enforceable in accordance with its terms.

(k) Approval of the reduction plan. Acceptance of the Offers are at the sole discretion of NMFS on behalf of
the Secretary of Commerce. To be approved by NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, any Reduction Plan
developed and submitted in accordance with this section and subpart M to this part must be found by the
Assistant Administrator of NMFS, to:
(1) Be consistent with the requirements of Section 219(e) of the FY 2005 Appropriations Act (Public Law
108-447);
(2) Be consistent with the requirements of Section 312(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861(a)) except for the requirement that a Council or
Governor of a State request such a program (as set out in section 312(b)(1)) and for the
requirements of section 312(b)(4);
(3) Contain provisions for a fee system that provides for full and timely repayment of the capacity
reduction loan by the Longline Subsector and that it provide for the assessment of such fees;
(4) Not require a bidding or auction process;
(5) Result in the maximum sustained reduction in fishing capacity at the least cost and in the minimum
amount of time; and
(6) Permit vessels in the Longline Subsector to be upgraded to achieve efficiencies in fishing operations
provided that such upgrades do not result in the vessel exceeding the applicable length, tonnage, or
horsepower limitations set out in Federal law or regulation.
(l)

Referenda. The provisions of § 600.1010 (including §§ 600.1004(a), 600.1008, 600.1009, 600.1013,
600.1014, and 600.1017(a)(5), (6) and (7)) shall apply to the Reduction Plan of this section to the extent
that they do not conflict with this section or with subpart M of this part.

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Appendix to § 600.1105—Fishing Capacity Reduction Contract: Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Longline Catcher Processor Subsector
Fishing Capacity Reduction Contract: Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Longline Catcher Processor Subsector
This agreement, (the “Reduction Contract”) is entered into by and between the party or parties named in
section 46 of this contract entitled, “Fishing Capacity Reduction Offer Submission Form and Reduction Fishing
Interests Identification,” as the qualifying Offeror and as the co-Offeror (if there is a co-Offeror) (collectively the
“Offeror”) and the United States of America, acting by and through the Secretary of Commerce, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Financial Services Division
(“NMFS”). The Reduction Contract is effective when NMFS signs the Reduction Contract and, thereby, accepts
the Offeror's offer, subject to the condition subsequent of NMFS' formal notification of a successful
referendum.

Witnesseth
Whereas, Section 219, Title II, Division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, as enacted on
December 8, 2004, (the “Act”) authorizes a fishing capacity reduction program implementing capacity reduction
plans submitted to NMFS by catcher processor subsectors of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (“BSAI”) nonpollock groundfish fishery as set forth in the Act;
Whereas, the longline catcher processor subsector (the “Longline Subsector”) is among the catcher processor
subsectors eligible to submit to NMFS a capacity reduction plan under the terms of the Act;
Whereas, the Freezer Longline Conservation Cooperative (the “FLCC”) has developed and is submitting to
NMFS concurrently with this Reduction Contract a capacity reduction plan for the Longline Subsector (the
“Reduction Plan”);
Whereas, the selection process will be pursuant to the fishing capacity Reduction Contract and the Reduction
Plan;
Whereas, the term “Reduction Fishery” is defined by the Reduction Plan as the longline catcher processor
subsector of the BSAI non-pollock groundfish fishery;
Whereas, the Reduction Plan's express objective is to permanently reduce harvesting capacity in the Reduction
Fishery; Whereas, NMFS implements the Reduction Plan pursuant to Section 219 of the Act as well as the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(b)-(e))(as excepted by the
Act, including inter alia, any requirement that the Reduction Plan include a bidding or auction process) and
other applicable law;
Whereas, NMFS has promulgated framework regulations generally applicable to all fishing capacity reduction
programs, portions of which are applicable to the Reduction Plan, (50 CFR 600.1000 et seq.);

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Whereas, NMFS can implement the Reduction Plan only after giving notice to all members of the Longline
Subsector of the Reduction Plan pursuant to Section 219(3)(b) of the Act and approval of the Reduction Plan by
referendum of the Longline Subsector; and
Whereas, this Reduction Contract is submitted by Offeror and the FLCC as an integral element of the Reduction
Plan and is expressly subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the framework regulations, the final
rule (as used in this contract “final rule” means the final rule promulgated by NMFS which sets forth the
regulations implementing the Reduction Plan for the Longline Subsector) and applicable law.
Now therefore, for good and valuable consideration and the premises and covenants hereinafter set forth the
receipt and sufficiency of which the parties to the Reduction Contract hereby acknowledge, and intending to be
legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Incorporation of Recitals. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are expressly incorporated herein by
this reference.
2. Further Incorporation. The Act, framework regulations, final rule and any other rule promulgated pursuant to
the Act are expressly incorporated herein by this reference. In the event of conflicting language, the framework
regulations, the final rule and any other rule promulgated pursuant to the Act, take precedence over the
Reduction Contract.
3. Contract Form. By completing and submitting the Reduction Contract to NMFS the Offeror hereby irrevocably
offers to relinquish its Reduction Fishing Interests. If NMFS discovers any deficiencies in the Offeror's
submission to NMFS, NMFS may, at its sole discretion, contact the Offeror in an attempt to correct such offer
deficiency. “Reduction Fishing Interests” means all of Offeror(s) rights, title and interest to the Groundfish
Reduction Permit, Reduction Permit(s), Reduction Fishing Privilege and Reduction Fishing History as defined in
this Reduction Contract.
4. Groundfish Reduction Permit. Offeror expressly acknowledges that it hereby offers to permanently surrender,
relinquish, and have NMFS permanently revoke the valid non-interim Federal License Limitation Program
groundfish license issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.4(k) (or successor regulation) endorsed for Bering Sea or
Aleutian Islands catcher processor fishing activity, C/P, Pacific cod, and hook and line gear identified in section
46 of this contract as well as any present or future claims of eligibility for any fishery privilege based upon such
permit, including any Latent License and any offered and accepted interim permit that Offeror causes to
become a non-interim permit, (the “Groundfish Reduction Permit”).
5. Reduction Permit(s). Offeror hereby acknowledges that it offers to permanently surrender, relinquish, and
have NMFS permanently revoke any and all Federal fishery licenses, fishery permits, and area and species
endorsements issued for any vessel named on the Groundfish Reduction Permit as well as any present or
future claims of eligibility for any fishery privilege based upon such permit, including any Latent License, (the
“Reduction Permits”).
6. Reduction Privilege Vessel. The Reduction Privilege Vessel is the vessel listed on the Offeror's License
Limitation Program license.

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7. Reduction Fishing Privilege. If a vessel is specified in section 46 of this contract (the “Reduction Privilege
Vessel”), Offeror hereby acknowledges that Offeror offers to relinquish and surrender the Reduction Privilege
Vessel's fishing privilege and consents to the imposition of Federal vessel documentation restrictions that have
the effect of permanently revoking the Reduction Privilege Vessel's legal ability to fish anywhere in the world as
well as its legal ability to operate under foreign registry or control—including the Reduction Privilege Vessel's:
fisheries trade endorsement under the Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Anti-Reflagging Act (46 U.S.C.
12108); eligibility for the approval required under section 9(c)(2) of the Shipping Act, 1916 (46 U.S.C. App.
808(c)(2)), for the placement of a vessel under foreign flag or registry, as well as its operation under the
authority of a foreign country; and the privilege otherwise to ever fish again anywhere in the world (the
“Reduction Fishing Privilege”). Offeror agrees to instruct the United States Coast Guard's Vessel
Documentation Center to remove the fishery endorsement from the Reduction Privilege Vessel. If the Reduction
Privilege Vessel is not a federally documented vessel, the Offeror offers to promptly scrap the vessel and allow
NMFS whatever access to the scrapping NMFS deems reasonably necessary to document and confirm the
scrapping.
8. Reduction Fishing History. Offeror surrenders, relinquishes, and consents to NMFS' permanent revocation of
the following Reduction Fishing History (the “Reduction Fishing History”):
a. The Reduction Privilege Vessel's full and complete documented harvest of groundfish;
b. For any documented harvest of the Reduction Privilege Vessel whatsoever, including that specified in section
8 of this contract, any right or privilege to make any claim in any way related to any fishery privilege derived in
whole or in part from any such other and documented harvest which could ever qualify any party for any future
limited access system fishing license, permit, and other harvest authorization of any kind; including without
limitation crab LLP licenses linked to License Limitation Program (“LLP”) licenses, state fishing rights
appurtenant to Reduction Fishing Vessels, and all fishing history associated therewith, but without prejudice to
any party who before submission of this offer may have for value independently acquired the fishing history
involving any such documented harvest;
c. Any documented harvest on any other vessel (Reduction Fishing Vessel) that gave rise to the Groundfish
Reduction Permit; and
d. All fishing history associated with the latent LLP license identified on the Selected Offer and any fishing
history associated with the fishing vessel that gave rise to the latent LLP license that remains in the Offeror's
possession as of August 11, 2006 (i.e., date of publication of the proposed rule in the FEDERAL REGISTER).
9. Halibut, Sablefish and Crab IFQs Excluded. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Reduction Contract, no
right, title and/or interest to harvest, process or otherwise utilize individual fishing quota (“IFQ”) quota share in
the halibut, sablefish and crab fisheries pursuant to 50 CFR parts 679 and 680, nor crab LLP license history to
the extent necessary for the issuance of crab IFQ pursuant to 50 CFR part 680 as in effect as of the date of this
Contract, shall be included among Offeror's Reduction Fishing Interests.
10. Representations and Warranties. Offeror represents and warrants that, as of the date of submission of this
Reduction Contract, Offeror is:
a. The holder of record, according to NMFS' official fishing license records, at the time of offer, of the
Groundfish Reduction Permit and the Reduction Permit(s).
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b. The Reduction Privilege Vessel's owner of record, according to the National Vessel Documentation Center's
official vessel documentation records, at the time of offer, and that the Reduction Privilege Vessel is neither
lost nor destroyed at the time of offer.
c. In retention of and fully and legally entitled to offer and dispose of hereunder, full and complete rights to the
Reduction Privilege Vessel's full and complete Reduction Fishing History necessary to fully and completely
comply with the requirements of section 8 of this contract.
11. Offer Amount. NMFS' payment to Offeror in the exact amount of the amount set forth by Offeror in section
46 of this contract is full and complete consideration for the Offeror's offer.
12. Additional Offer Elements. Offeror shall include with its offer an exact photocopy of the Reduction Privilege
Vessel's official vessel documentation or registration (i.e., the certificate of documentation the U.S. Coast
Guard's National Vessel Documentation Center issued for federally documented vessels or the registration a
State issues for State registered vessels) and an exact photocopy of the Groundfish Reduction Permit and all
Reduction Permit(s). The Offeror shall also include with the offer all other information required in this
Reduction Contract and otherwise comply with Reduction Contract requirements.
13. Use of Official Fishing License or Permit Databases. Offeror expressly acknowledges that NMFS shall use
the appropriate official governmental fishing license or permit database to:
Determine the Offeror's address of record; verify the Offeror's qualification to offer; determine the holder of
record of the Groundfish Reduction Permit and Reduction Permit(s); and verify the Offeror's inclusion in the
offer of all permits and licenses required to be offered in the Offer.
14. Use of National Vessel Documentation Center Database. Offeror expressly acknowledges that NMFS shall
use the records of the National Vessel Documentation Center to determine the owner of record for a federally
documented Reduction Privilege Vessel and the appropriate State records to determine the owner of record of
a non-federally documented Reduction Privilege Vessel.
15. Offeror to Ensure Accurate Records. Offeror shall, to the best of its ability, ensure that the records of the
databases relevant to sections 13 and 14 of this contract are true, accurate, and complete.
16. Submissions are Irrevocable. The parties hereto expressly acknowledge as the essence hereof that the
Offeror voluntarily submits to NMFS this firm and irrevocable offer. The Offeror expressly acknowledges that it
hereby waives any privilege or right to withdraw, change, modify, alter, rescind, or cancel any portion of the
Reduction Contract and that the receipt date and time which NMFS marks on the Reduction Contract
constitutes the date and time of the offer's submission.
17. Offer Rejection. NMFS shall reject an offer that NMFS deems is in any way unresponsive or not in
conformance with the Reduction Contract, and the applicable law or regulations unless the Offeror corrects the
defect and NMFS, in its sole discretion, accepts the correction.
18. Notarized Offeror Signature(s) Required. NMFS shall deem as non-responsive and reject an offer whose
Offer Submission Form does not contain the notarized signatures of all persons required to sign the form on
behalf of the Offeror.

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19. Offer Rejections Constitute Final Agency Action. NMFS's offer rejections are conclusive and constitute final
agency action as of the rejection date.
20. Effect of Offer Submission. Submitting an irrevocable offer conforming to the requirements stated herein
entitles the Offeror to have NMFS accept the offer if NMFS, in its sole discretion, deems that the offer is fully
responsive and complies with the Act, the final rule and any other rule promulgated pursuant to the Act.
21. Offeror Retains Use. After submitting an offer, the Offeror shall continue to hold, own, or retain unimpaired
every aspect of any and all LLP License(s) and or vessels set forth on an Offer included as Reduction Fishing
Interests, until such time as: NMFS notifies the Offeror that the Reduction Plan is not in compliance with the
Act or other applicable law and will not be approved by NMFS; notifies the Offeror that the referendum was
unsuccessful; NMFS tenders the reduction payment and the Offeror complies with its obligations under the
Reduction Contract; or NMFS otherwise excuses the Offeror's performance.
22. Acceptance by Referendum. NMFS shall formally notify the Offeror in writing whether the referendum is
successful, which written notice shall inform Offeror that the condition subsequent has been satisfied.
Therefore, Offeror expressly acknowledges that all parties must perform under the Reduction Contract and the
Reduction Contract is enforceable against, and binding on, the Reduction Contract parties in accordance with
the terms and conditions herein.
23. Reduction Contract Subject to Federal Law. The Reduction Contract is subject to Federal law.
24. Notice to Creditors. Upon NMFS' offer acceptance notice to the Offeror, Offeror agrees to notify all parties
with secured interests in the Reduction Fishing Interests that the Offeror has entered into the Reduction
Contract.
25. Referendum. Offeror acknowledges that the outcome of the referendum of the Reduction Plan is an
occurrence over which NMFS has no control.
26. Unsuccessful Referendum Excuses Performance. An unsuccessful referendum excuses all parties hereto
from every obligation to perform under the Reduction Contract. In such event, NMFS need not tender reduction
payment and the Offeror need not surrender and relinquish or allow the revocation or restriction of any element
of the Reduction Fishing Interest specified in the Reduction Contract. An unsuccessful referendum shall cause
the Reduction Contract to have no further force or effect.
27. Offeror Responsibilities upon Successful Referendum. Upon NMFS' formal notification to the Offeror that the
referendum was successful and that NMFS had accepted the Reduction Contract, Offeror shall immediately
become ready to surrender and relinquish and allow the revocation or restriction of (as NMFS deems
appropriate) the Reduction Fishing Interests.
28. Written Payment Instructions. After a successful referendum, NMFS shall tender reduction payment by
requesting the Offeror to provide to NMFS, and the Offeror shall subsequently so provide, written payment
instructions for NMFS' disbursement of the reduction payment to the Offeror or to the Offeror's order.
29. Request for Written Payment Instructions Constitutes Tender. NMFS' request to the Offeror for written
payment instructions constitutes reduction payment tender, as specified in 50 CFR 600.1011.

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30. Offeror Responsibilities upon Tender. Upon NMFS' reduction payment tender to the Offeror, the Offeror shall
immediately surrender and relinquish and allow the revocation or restriction of (as NMFS deems appropriate)
the Reduction Fishing Interests. The Offeror must then return the original of its Groundfish Reduction Permit
and Reduction Permit(s) to NMFS. Concurrently with NMFS' reduction payment tender, the Offeror shall forever
cease all fishing for any species with the Reduction Privilege Vessel and immediately retrieve all fishing gear,
irrespective of ownership, previously deployed from the Reduction Privilege Vessel. Offeror agrees to authorize
the United States Coast Guard to cancel the fishery endorsement in the Reduction Privilege Vessel.
31. Reduction Privilege Vessel Lacking Federal Documentation. Upon NMFS' reduction payment tender to the
Offeror, the Offeror shall immediately scrap any vessel which the Offeror specified as a Reduction Privilege
Vessel and which is documented solely under state law or otherwise lacks documentation under Federal law.
The Offeror shall scrap such vessel at the Offeror's expense. The Offeror shall allow NMFS, its agents, or its
appointees reasonable opportunity to observe and confirm such scrapping. The Offeror shall conclude such
scrapping within a reasonable time.
32. Future Harvest Privilege and Reduction Fishing History Extinguished. Upon NMFS' reduction payment tender
to the Offeror, the Offeror shall surrender and relinquish and consent to the revocation, restriction, withdrawal,
invalidation, or extinguishment by other means (as NMFS deems appropriate), of any claim in any way related
to any fishing privilege derived, in whole or in part, from the use or holdership of the Groundfish Reduction
Permits and the Reduction Permit(s), from the use or ownership of the Reduction Privilege Vessel (subject to
and in accordance with the provisions of section 8 of this contract), and from any documented harvest fishing
history arising under or associated with the same which could ever qualify the Offeror for any future limited
access fishing license, fishing permit, and other harvest authorization of any kind.
33. Post Tender Use of Federally Documented Reduction Privilege Vessel. After NMFS' reduction payment tender
to the Offeror, the Offeror may continue to use a federally documented Reduction Privilege Vessel for any lawful
purpose except “fishing” as defined under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and may transfer—subject to all
restrictions in the Reduction Contract, other applicable regulations, and the applicable law—the vessel to a new
owner. The Offeror or any subsequent owner shall only operate the Reduction Privilege Vessel under the United
States flag and shall not operate such vessel under the authority of a foreign country. In the event the Offeror
fails to abide by such restrictions, the Offeror expressly acknowledges and hereby agrees to allow NMFS to
pursue any and all remedies available to it, including, but not limited to, recovering the reduction payment and
seizing the Reduction Privilege Vessel and scrapping it at the Offeror's expense.
34. NMFS' Actions upon Tender. Contemporaneously with NMFS' reduction payment tender to the Offeror, and
without regard to the Offeror's refusal or failure to perform any of its Reduction Contract duties and obligations,
NMFS shall: Permanently revoke the Offeror's Groundfish Reduction Permit and Reduction Permit(s); notify the
National Vessel Documentation Center to permanently revoke the Reduction Privilege Vessel's fishery trade
endorsement; notify the U.S. Maritime Administration to make the Reduction Privilege Vessel permanently
ineligible for the approval of requests to place the vessel under foreign registry or operate the vessel under a
foreign country's authority; record in the appropriate NMFS records that the Reduction Fishing History
represented by any documented harvest fishing history accrued on, under, or as a result of the operation of the
Reduction Privilege Vessel and/or Reduction Fishing Vessel (subject to and in accordance with the provisions
of section 8 of this contract), the Groundfish Reduction Permit, and the Reduction Permit(s) which could ever
qualify the Offeror for any future limited access fishing license, fishing permit, or other harvesting privilege of
any kind shall never again be available to anyone for any fisheries purpose; and implement any other
restrictions the applicable law or regulations impose.
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35. Material Disputes to be Identified. Members of the public shall, up until NMFS receives the Offeror's written
payment instructions, be able to advise NMFS in writing of any material dispute with regard to any aspect of
any accepted Reduction Contract. Such a material dispute shall neither relieve the Offeror of any Reduction
Contract duties or obligations nor affect NMFS' right to enforce performance of the Reduction Contract terms
and conditions.
36. Reduction Payment Disbursement. Once NMFS receives the Offeror's written payment instructions and
certification of compliance with the Reduction Contract, NMFS shall as soon as practicable disburse the
reduction payment to the Offeror. Reduction payment disbursement shall be in strict accordance with the
Offeror's written payment instructions. Unless the Offeror's written payment instructions direct NMFS to the
contrary, NMFS shall disburse the whole of the reduction payment to the Offeror. If the qualifying Offeror offers
with a co-Offeror, both the qualifying Offeror and the co-Offeror must approve and sign the written payment
instructions.
37. Reduction Payment Withheld for Scrapping or for Other Reasons. In the event that a Reduction Privilege
Vessel which is not under Federal documentation must be scrapped, NMFS shall withhold from reduction
payment disbursement an amount sufficient to scrap such vessel. NMFS shall withhold such sum until the
vessel is completely scrapped before disbursing any amount withheld. NMFS may confirm, if NMFS so
chooses, that the vessel has been scrapped before disbursing any amount withheld. If NMFS has reason to
believe the Offeror has failed to comply with any of the Reduction Contract terms and conditions, NMFS shall
also withhold reduction payment disbursement until such time as the Offeror performs in accordance with the
Reduction Contract terms and conditions.
38. Offeror Assistance with Restriction. The Offeror shall, upon NMFS' request, furnish such additional
documents, undertakings, assurances, or take such other actions as may be reasonably required to enable
NMFS' revocation, restriction, invalidation, withdrawal, or extinguishment by other means (as NMFS deems
appropriate) of all components of the Reduction Contract's Reduction Fishing Interest in accordance with the
requirements of the Reduction Contract terms and conditions, applicable regulations and the applicable law.
39. Recordation of Restrictions. Upon the Reduction Fishing Privilege's revocation, the Offeror shall do
everything reasonably necessary to ensure that such revocation is recorded on the Reduction Privilege Vessel's
Federal documentation (which the National Vessel Documentation Center maintains in accordance with
Federal maritime law and regulations) in such manner as is acceptable to NMFS and as shall prevent the
Reduction Privilege Vessel, regardless of its subsequent ownership, from ever again being eligible for a fishery
trade endorsement or ever again fishing. The term “fishing” includes the full range of activities defined in the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802).
40. Reduction Element Omission. In the event NMFS accepts the offer and the Offeror has failed, for any reason,
to specify in the Reduction Contract any Groundfish Reduction Permit, non-Groundfish Reduction Permit(s),
Reduction Privilege Vessel, Reduction Fishing Vessel, Reduction Fishing History, or any other element of the
Reduction Fishing Interest which the Offeror should under Reduction Contract, applicable regulations and the
applicable law have specified in Reduction Contract, such omitted element shall nevertheless be deemed to be
included in the Reduction Contract and to be subject to the Reduction Contract's terms and conditions; and all
Reduction Contract terms and conditions which should have applied to such omitted element had it not be
omitted shall apply as if such element had not been omitted. Upon the Offeror discovering any such omission,

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the Offeror shall immediately and fully advise NMFS of such omission. Upon either NMFS or the Offeror
discovering any such omission, the Offeror shall act in accordance with the Reduction Contract, applicable
regulations and the applicable law.
41. Remedy for Breach. Because money damages are not a sufficient remedy for the Offeror breaching any one
or more of the Reduction Contract terms and conditions, the Offeror explicitly agrees to and hereby authorizes
specific performance of the Reduction Contract, in addition to any money damages, as a remedy for such
breach. In the event of such breach, NMFS shall take any reasonable action, including requiring and enforcing
specific performance of the Reduction Contract, NMFS deems necessary to carry out the Reduction Contract,
applicable regulations and the applicable law.
42. Waiver of Data Confidentiality. The Offeror consents to the public release of any information provided in
connection with the Reduction Contract or pursuant to Reduction Plan requirements, including any information
provided in the Reduction Contract or by any other means associated with, or necessary for evaluation of, the
Offeror's Reduction Contract if NMFS finds that the release of such information is necessary to achieve the
Reduction Plan's authorized purpose. The Offeror hereby explicitly waives any claim of confidentiality otherwise
afforded to catch, or harvest data and fishing histories otherwise protected from release under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1881 a(b)) or any other law. In the event of such
information release, the Offeror hereby forever fully and unconditionally releases and holds harmless the United
States and its officers, agents, employees, representatives, of and from any and all claims, demands, debts,
damages, duties, causes of action, actions and suits whatsoever, in law or equity, on account of any act, failure
to act or event arising from, out of, or in any way related to, the release of any information associated with the
Reduction Program.
43. Oral Agreement Invalid. The Reduction Contract, any addendums to section 46 of this contract, and
enclosures of photocopies of licenses and permits required under section 46 of this contract, contain the final
terms and conditions of the agreement between the Offeror and NMFS and represent the entire and exclusive
agreement between them. NMFS and the Offeror forever waive all right to sue, or otherwise counterclaim
against each other, based on any claim of past, present, or future oral agreement between them.
44. Severable Provisions. The Reduction Contract provisions are severable; and, in the event that any portion of
the Reduction Contract is held to be void, invalid, non-binding, or otherwise unenforceable, the remaining
portion thereof shall remain fully valid, binding, and enforceable against the Offeror and NMFS.
45. Disputes. Any and all disputes involving the Reduction Contract, and any other Reduction Plan aspect
affecting them shall in all respects be governed by the Federal laws of the United States; and the Offeror and all
other parties claiming under the Offeror irrevocably submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the Federal courts
of the United States and/or to any other Federal administrative body which the applicable law authorizes to
adjudicate such disputes.
46. Fishing Capacity Reduction Offer Submission Form and Reduction Fishing Interests Identification.
a. Completion and Submission. The Offeror must fully, faithfully, and accurately complete this section 46 of this
contract and thereafter submit the full and complete Reduction Contract to NMFS in accordance with the
Reduction Contract. If completing this section requires inserting more information than the places provided for
the insertion of such information allows, the Offeror should attach an addendum to the Reduction Contract
that: Includes and identifies the additional information, states that the addendum is a part of the Reduction
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Fishing Interests Identification portion of the Reduction Contract, states (as a means of identifying the
Reduction Contract to which the addendum relates) the NMFS license number designated on the Reduction
Contract's Groundfish Reduction Permit, and is signed by all persons who signed the Reduction Contract as the
Offeror.
b. Offeror Information.
(1) Offeror name(s). Insert in the table provided under this section 46.b(1) of this contract the name(s) of the
qualifying Offeror and of the co-Offeror (if there is a co-Offeror), and check the appropriate box for each name
listed.
Each name the Offeror inserts must be the full and exact legal name of record of each person, partnership,
corporation or other business entity identified on the offer. If any Reduction Fishing Interest element is coowned by more than one person, partnership, corporation or other business entity, the Offeror must insert each
co-owner's name.
In each case, the Offeror is the holder of record, at the time of Offeror's execution of this Reduction Contract, of
the Groundfish Reduction Permit and the Reduction Permit(s). A co-Offeror is not allowed for either the
Groundfish Reduction Permit or the Reduction Permit(s). If the Offeror is also the owner of record, at the time
of offering, of the Reduction Privilege Vessel, the qualifying Offeror is the sole Offeror. If, however, the owner of
record, at the time of execution of this Reduction Contract, of the Reduction Privilege Vessel is not exactly the
same as the Offeror, then the owner of record is the co-Offeror; and the Offeror and the co-Offeror jointly offer
together as the Offeror.

OFFEROR NAME(S)
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row
of this column to name each co-Offeror. If not, use only one row for
Offeror and one row for any co-Offeror

Check appropriate box
for each name listed in
the adjacent column
Offeror

Co-Offeror
(if any)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

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OFFEROR NAME(S)
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row
of this column to name each co-Offeror. If not, use only one row for
Offeror and one row for any co-Offeror

50 CFR 600.1105(l)

Check appropriate box
for each name listed in
the adjacent column
Offeror

Co-Offeror
(if any)

(5)

(2) Offeror address(s) of record. Insert in the table provided under this section 46.b(2) of this contract the
Offeror's and the co-Offeror's (if there is a co-Offeror) full and exact address(s) of record, and check the
appropriate box for each address listed.

OFFEROR ADDRESS(S)
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row
of this column for address of each co-owner. If not, use only one row
for Offeror and one row for any co-Offeror.
Always use the same row order as is Offeror Name(s) table in section
46.b(1), i.e., address (1) is for name (1), address (2) is for name (2),
address (3) is for name (3), etc.

Check appropriate box for
each address listed in the
adjacent column

Offeror

Co-Offeror
(if any)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

(3) Offeror business telephone number(s). Insert in the table provided under this section 46.b(3) the Offeror's
and the co-Offeror's (if there is a co-Offeror) full and exact business telephone number(s), and check the
appropriate box for each number listed.

OFFEROR BUSINESS TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row
of this column for the telephone number of each co-owner. If not,
use only one row for Offeror and one row for any co-Offeror.
Always use the same row order as is Offeror Name(s) table in section
46.b(1), i.e., telephone number (1) is for name (1), telephone number
(2) is for name (2), telephone number (3) is for name (3), etc.

Check appropriate box for
each telephone number
listed in the adjacent
column
Offeror

Co-Offeror
(if any)

(1)

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OFFEROR BUSINESS TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row
of this column for the telephone number of each co-owner. If not,
use only one row for Offeror and one row for any co-Offeror.
Always use the same row order as is Offeror Name(s) table in section
46.b(1), i.e., telephone number (1) is for name (1), telephone number
(2) is for name (2), telephone number (3) is for name (3), etc.

50 CFR 600.1105(l)

Check appropriate box for
each telephone number
listed in the adjacent
column
Offeror

Co-Offeror
(if any)

(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

(4) Offeror electronic mail address(s) (if available). Insert in the table printed under this section 46.b(4) the
Offeror's and the co-Offeror's (if there is a co-Offeror) full and exact electronic mail (e-mail) address(s), and
check the appropriate box for each address.

OFFEROR E-MAIL ADDRESS(S)
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row of this
column for the e-mail address of each co-owner. If not, use only one row for
Offeror and one row for any co-Offeror. Always use the same row order as is
Offeror Name in section 46.b(1) of this contract, i.e., e-mail (1) is for name (1),
e-mail (2) is for name (2), e-mail (3) is for name (3), etc

Check
appropriate box
for each e-mail
address listed in
the adjacent
column
Offeror

CoOfferor
(if any)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

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OFFEROR E-MAIL ADDRESS(S)
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row of this
column for the e-mail address of each co-owner. If not, use only one row for
Offeror and one row for any co-Offeror. Always use the same row order as is
Offeror Name in section 46.b(1) of this contract, i.e., e-mail (1) is for name (1),
e-mail (2) is for name (2), e-mail (3) is for name (3), etc

Check
appropriate box
for each e-mail
address listed in
the adjacent
column
Offeror

CoOfferor
(if any)

(5)

c. LLP license number for Groundfish Reduction Permit. Insert in the place this section 46.c provides the full and
exact license number which NMFS designated on the LLP license which the Offeror specifies as the Groundfish
Reduction Permit. Attach with the Reduction Contract an exact photocopy of such license.

LLP LICENSE NUMBER(S) AND FISHERY(S) OF Of LLP LICENSE(S) SPECIFIED AS GROUNDFISH
REDUCTION PERMIT(S)
License
number(s)

Fishery(s)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

d. License number(s) for Reduction Permit(s). Insert in the place this section 46.d provides the fishery(s)
involved in, and the full and exact license number(s) with NMFS designated on the license(s) which the Offeror
specifies in the Reduction Contract as the Reduction Permit(s). Enclose with the Reduction Contract an exact
photocopy of each such license.

LLP LICENSE NUMBER(S) AND FISHERY OF LICENSE(S) SPECIFIED AS REDUCTION PERMITS
License
number(s)

Fishery(s)

(1)
(2)
(3)

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LLP LICENSE NUMBER(S) AND FISHERY OF LICENSE(S) SPECIFIED AS REDUCTION PERMITS
License
number(s)

Fishery(s)

(4)
(5)

e. Reduction Fishing History. For all Reduction Fishing History insert in the place provided in the table under this
section 46.e the chronological and other information with each column heading therein requires. The
information required does not include any actual landing data. Any Offeror whose Groundfish Reduction Permit
whose issuance NMFS based on the fishing history of a lost or destroyed vessel plus a replacement vessel
must insert information for both vessels and meet the requirements of the framework regulations, final rule and
any other regulations promulgated pursuant to the Act. Any Offeror whose Groundfish Reduction Permit whose
issuance NMFS in any part based on acquisition of fishing history from another party must insert information
regarding such catch history.

NAMES(S) AND OFFICIAL
NUMBER OF REDUCTION
PRIVILEGE VESSEL AND
NAME(S) AND OFFICIAL
NUMBER(S) OF ANY VESSEL
FROM WHICH FISHING
HISTORY WAS ACQUIRED

FOR EACH FISHING HISTORY IN 2ND
FOR EACH
COLUMN
REDUCTION
License No. of
PRIVILEGE VESSEL IN
If Reduction Privilege
each Groundfish
1ST COLUMN
Vessel acquired
Reduction Permit
PROVIDE FROM TO
fishing history from
and Reduction
DATE OF EACH
another party, provide
Permit(s)
FISHING HISTORY
name of party, manner
associated with
OFFEROR
in which acquired, and
each vessel
POSSESSES
date acquired
involved

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

f. Reduction Privilege Vessel. Insert the full and exact name and official number which the National Vessel
Documentation Center designated for the Reduction Privilege Vessel which the Offeror or the co-Offeror (if
there is a co-Offeror) specifies in the Reduction Contract, and check the box appropriate for the vessel's
ownership of record.

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Enclose with the Reduction Contract an exact photocopy of such vessel's official certificate of documentation.

REDUCTION PRIVILEGE VESSEL
Official name

Official No.

Check appropriate ownership box below
Offeror

Co-Offeror (if any)

g. Offer Amount. Insert in the place this section 46.g provides the Offeror's full and exact offer amount, both in
words and in numbers.

OFFER AMOUNT [U.S. DOLLARS]
In words

In numbers

h. Reduction Contract Signature. In compliance with the Reduction Contract, applicable regulations and the
applicable law, the Offeror submits the Reduction Contract as the Offeror's irrevocable offer to NMFS for the
permanent surrender and relinquishment and revocation, restriction, withdrawal, invalidation, or extinguishment
by other means (as NMFS deems appropriate) of the Groundfish Reduction Permit, any Reduction Permit(s),
the Reduction Fishing Privilege, and the Reduction Fishing History—all as identified in the Reduction Contract or
as required under applicable regulations, or the applicable law.
The Offeror expressly acknowledges that NMFS' acceptance of the Offeror's offer hereunder and NMFS' tender,
following a successful referendum, of a reduction payment in the same amount specified in section 46.g of this
contract (less any sum withheld for scrapping any Reduction Privilege Vessel lacking Federal documentation or
for any other purpose) to the Offeror shall, among other things, render the Reduction Privilege Vessel
permanently ineligible or any fishing worldwide, including, but not limited to, fishing on the high seas or in the
jurisdiction of any foreign country while operating under United States flag, and shall impose or create other
legal and contractual restrictions, impediments, limitations, obligations, or other provisions which restrict,
revoke, withdraw, invalidate, or extinguish by other means (as NMFS deems appropriate) the complete
Reduction Fishing Interest and any other fishery privileges or claims associated with the Groundfish Reduction
Permit, any Reduction Permit(s), the Reduction Privilege Vessel, and the Reduction Fishing History—all as more
fully set forth in the Reduction Contract, applicable regulations, and the applicable law.
By completing and signing the Reduction Contract, the Offeror expressly acknowledges that the Offeror has
fully and completely read the entire Reduction Contract. The Offeror expressly states, declares, affirms, attests,
warrants, and represents to NMFS that the Offeror is fully able to enter into the Reduction Contract and that the
Offeror legally holds, owns, or retains, and is fully able under the Reduction Contract provisions to offer and
dispose of, the full Reduction Fishing Interest which the Reduction Contract specifies and the applicable
regulations, and the applicable law requires that any person or entity completing the Reduction Contract and/or
signing the Reduction Contract on behalf of another person or entity, expressly attests, warrants, and
represents to NMFS that such completing and/or signing person or entity has the express and written
permission or other grant of authority to bind such other person or entity to the Reduction Contract's terms and
conditions. The Offeror expressly attests, warrants, and represents to NMFS that every co-owner of the Offeror
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necessary to constitute the Offeror's full and complete execution of the Reduction Contract has signed the
Reduction Contract. The Offeror expressly attests, warrants, and represents to NMFS that the Offeror: Fully
understands the consequences of submitting the completed Reduction Contract of which it is a party to NMFS;
pledges to abide by the terms and conditions of the Reduction Contract; and is aware of, understands, and
consents to, any and all remedies available to NMFS for the Offeror's breach of the Reduction Contract or
submission of an offer which fails to conform with the Reduction Contract, final rule, applicable regulations and
the applicable law. The Offeror expressly attests, warrants, and represents to NMFS that all information which
the Offeror inserted in the Reduction Contract is true, accurate, complete, and fully in accordance with the
Reduction Contract, final rule, other applicable regulations and the applicable law.
In witness whereof, the Offeror has, in the place provided below, executed the Reduction Contract either as an
Offeror offering alone or as an Offeror and co-Offeror (if there is a co-Offeror) jointly offering together, in
accordance with the requirements specified above, and on the date written below. The Reduction Contract is
effective as of the date NMFS accepts the Offeror's offer by signing the Reduction Contract.
The Offeror and co-Offeror (if there is a co-Offeror) must each sign the Reduction Contract exactly as instructed
herein. Each co-owner (if there is a co-owner) of each Offeror and co-Offeror (if there is a co-Offeror) must also
sign the Reduction Contract exactly as instructed herein. A notary public must, for each person or entity signing
on behalf of the Offeror, complete and sign the acknowledgment and certification provision associated with
each such person or entity's signature.

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I. Offeror and co-Offeror's (if there is a co-Offeror) signature(s) and notary's acknowledgment(s) and
certification(s).

OFFEROR'S SIGNATURE AND NOTARY'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CERTIFICATION
If Offeror or co-Offeror consists of more than one owner, use one row of column 1 for each coowner's signature. If not, use only one row for Offeror and one row for co-Offeror (if any).
Always use same Offeror row order as in Offeror Name in the table under section 46.b(1) of this
contract (i.e., signature (1) is for name (1), signature (2) is for name (2) signature (3) is for name
(3), etc.)

OFFEROR SIGNATURE
(1) Sign. (2) Print: the
following: (a) signer's
name, (b) signer's title
(if signing for
corporation or other
business entity), and
(c) signing date

Check appropriate
column for each
signature in 1st
column

NOTARY SIGNATURE
(1) Sign. (2) Print: the following: (a) name, (b)
signing date, (3) date commission expires, and (4)
State and county. Each notary signature attests to
the following:
“I certify that I know or have satisfactory evidence
that the person who signed in the 1st column of this
same row is the person who appeared before me
and: (1) acknowledged his/her signature; (2) on
oath, stated that he/she was authorized to sign; and
(3) acknowledged that he/she did so freely and
voluntarily.”

CoQualifying
Offeror
Offeror
(if any)
(1)
(2)
(3)

II. United States of America's signature. United States of America, Acting by and through the Secretary of
Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Financial
Services Division.
Dated:
By:
Leo C. Erwin, Chief,
Financial Services Division, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[71 FR 57701, Sept. 29, 2006]

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§ 600.1106 Longline catcher processor subsector Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) nonpollock groundfish species fee payment and collection system.
(a) Purpose. As authorized by Public Law 108 447, this section's purpose is to:
(1) In accordance with § 600.1012, establish:
(i)

The borrower's obligation to repay a reduction loan, and

(ii) The loan's principal amount, interest rate, and repayment term; and
(2) In accordance with §§ 600.1013 through 600.1016, implement an industry fee system for the
reduction fishery.
(b) Definitions. Unless otherwise defined in this section, the terms defined in § 600.1000 and § 600.1105
expressly apply to this section. In addition, the following definition applies to this section:
Reduction fishery means the longline catcher processor subsector of the BSAI non-pollock groundfish
fishery that § 679.2 of this chapter defined as groundfish area/species endorsements.
(c) Reduction loan amount. The reduction loan's original principal amount is $35,000,000.
(d) Interest accrual from inception. Interest began accruing on the reduction loan from May 29, 2007, the date
on which NMFS disbursed such loan.
(e) Interest rate. The reduction loan's interest rate shall be the applicable rate which the U.S. Treasury
determines at the end of fiscal year 2007 plus 2 percent.
(f) Repayment term. For the purpose of determining fee rates, the reduction loan's repayment term is 30 years
from May 29, 2007, but fees shall continue indefinitely for as long as necessary to fully repay the loan.
(g) Reduction loan repayment.
(1) The borrower shall, in accordance with § 600.1012, repay the reduction loan;
(2) For the purpose of the fee collection, deposit, disbursement, and accounting requirements of this
subpart, subsector members are deemed to be both the fish buyer and fish seller. In this case, all
requirements and penalties of § 600.1013 that are applicable to both a fish seller and a fish buyer
shall equally apply to parties performing both functions;
(3) Subsector members in the reduction fishery shall pay and collect the fee amount in accordance with
§ 600.1105;
(4) Subsector members in the reduction fishery shall, in accordance with § 600.1014, deposit and
disburse, as well as keep records for and submit reports about, the fees applicable to such fishery;
except the requirements specified under paragraph (c) of this section concerning the deposit
principal disbursement shall be made to NMFS no later than fifteen (15) calendar days following the
end of each calendar month; and the requirements specified under paragraph (e) of this section
concerning annual reports which shall be submitted to NMFS by February 1 of each calendar year;
and
(5) The reduction loan is, in all other respects, subject to the provisions of §§ 600.1012 through
600.1017.
[72 FR 54222, Sept. 24, 2007]
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50 CFR 600.1107

§ 600.1107 Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery capacity reduction program, including
fee payment and collection system.
(a) Purpose. This section implements the fishing capacity reduction program for the Southeast Alaska purse
seine salmon fishery enacted by Section 209 of Public Law 108-447 and amended by Section 121 of
Public Law 109-479, with appropriations authorized by Section 121 of Public Law 109-479 and Public Law
110-161. The intent of the program is to permanently reduce, through an industry-financed permit
buyback, the most harvesting capacity in the Reduction Fishery at the least cost, increase harvesting
productivity for post-reduction Permit Holders and improve flexibility in the conservation and
management of the fishery. Fishery participants will finance this program through a federal loan that will
be repaid over 40 years through a fee collection system. The intent of the fee collection system is to
establish the post-reduction Permit Holders' obligation to repay the Reduction Loan's principal and
accrued interest over the repayment term, and to ensure repayment of the loan.
(b) Definitions. Unless otherwise defined in this section, the terms defined in § 600.1000 of subpart L of this
part expressly apply to this section. The following terms have the following meanings for the purpose of
this section:
Acceptance means SRA acceptance of a bid.
Act

means Section 209 of Title II of Division B of Public Law 108-447, Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2005, as amended by Section 121 of Public Law 109-447, Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act of
2006.

Authorized party means the individuals authorized by the Permit Holder on the application form to execute
and submit Bids, protests and other documents and/or notices on behalf of the Permit Holder.
Bid

means a bidder's irrevocable offer to relinquish a permit.

Bid amount means the dollar amount submitted by a bidder.
Bidder means a permit holder who submits a bid.
Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) means the Alaska state commission mandated to
conserve and maintain the economic health of Alaska's commercial fisheries by limiting the number
of participating fishers, by issuing permits and vessel licenses to qualified individuals in both limited
and unlimited fisheries, and by providing due process hearings and appeals.
CFEC documents means any documents issued by the CFEC in connection with the Southeast Alaska
purse seine salmon fishery.
Conditional notice means the CFEC form that any Bidder must sign and agree to abide by upon submission
of a Bid Agreement (Appendix B to § 600.1107).
Conditional relinquishment means the CFEC form that any Permit Holder, agreeing to relinquish a permit,
must sign and agree to abide by upon SRA acceptance of the bid (Appendix C to § 600.1107).
Fishery means the Southeast Alaska administrative area as defined under Title 5 Alaska Administrative
Code Section 33.100 for salmon with purse seine gear.
Magnuson-Stevens Act means the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act codified
at 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Permit (Southeast Salmon Purse Seine Entry Permit) means a valid entry permit issued by CFEC to operate
in the Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon fishery.
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50 CFR 600.1107(b) “Permit holder”

Permit holder means an individual who at the time of bidding is the holder of record of a permit.
Reduction fishery means the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery.
Reduction loan means the loan used to purchase the relinquished permits pursuant to the approved
Reduction Plan.
Reduction loan amount means the Reduction Loan's original principal amount up to $23,476,500.
Reduction plan means the aggregate of all Bids, Relinquishment Contracts, Conditional Notices,
Conditional Relinquishments, and supporting documents and rationale, submitted to the Secretary
for approval.
Relinquishment contract means the contract that any Permit Holder agreeing to relinquish a permit
pursuant to Alaska Statute (A.S. 16.43.150(i)) must sign and agree to abide by upon acceptance of
the Bid, and before payment of the bid amount (Appendix A to § 600.1107).
Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or his/her designee.
Southeast Revitalization Association (SRA) means the qualified fishery association authorized to develop
and implement this capacity reduction program under Alaska Statute 16.40.250 and Federal law.
(c) Enrollment in the capacity reduction program —
(1) Distribution. The SRA shall mail a copy of the following four documents via certified mail to each
Permit Holder: Bid; Fleet Consolidation Relinquishment Contract (Relinquishment Contract);
Conditional Notice to CFEC and Request by Permit Holder; and (Conditional Relinquishment of
Southeast Salmon Purse Seine Entry Permit. Such mailing shall include a closing date after which
the SRA will not accept new bids.
(2) Application. Any Permit Holder, regardless of whether having received the mailing described in
paragraph (c)(1) of this section, may participate in the Capacity Reduction Program by submitting all
of the following documents to the SRA no later than the bid closing date:
(i)

A fully executed Bid consistent with Appendix A to this section;

(ii) A photocopy of the permit evidencing the applicant's qualification as a participant in the fishery;
(iii) A fully executed Relinquishment Contract: Southeast Alaska Salmon Purse Seine Permit
Holders consistent with the appendix B to this section;
(iv) A fully executed Conditional Notice to CFEC and Request by Permit Holder consistent with the
appendix C to this section; and
(v) A fully executed Conditional Relinquishment of Southeast Salmon Purse Seine Entry Permit
consistent with the appendix D to this section.
(A) The submitted Bid shall include the following information: Name, address, telephone
number, social security number, and (if available) electronic mail address of the submitting
Permit Holder, permit number, and whether any authorized party holds a security interest
in the permit. Each application must be submitted to the SRA, c/o Elgee, Rehfeld, Mertz,
LLC, Professional Plaza Building B, 9309 Glacier Highway, Suite B-200, Juneau, Alaska
99801. The initial determination that an application conforms to the prescribed
requirements is made by this independent accounting firm and not the SRA.

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50 CFR 600.1107(c)(2)(v)(B)

(B) The SRA or the independent accounting firm will notify the Permit Holder if the Bid is nonconforming and, in such cases, the Permit Holder may submit a revised, conforming Bid
within the prescribed period (i.e., until the bid closing date).
(3) Enrollment period. Applications that meet all requirements will be accepted until the bid selection
process is completed but no later than the bid closing date specified by the SRA. The SRA will have a
period of 21 days after the bid closing date to consult with CFEC and examine bid results to
complete the selection process.
(4) Effective date. The effective date of any Bid shall be when the SRA has completed the selection
process and signed the Bid.
(5) Notice. The SRA will notify each Accepted Bidder, via certified mail, of the effective date of the Bid
Agreement.
(6) Conflicts. Where terms and conditions in the Bid, Relinquishment Contract, Conditional Notice, and
Conditional Relinquishment conflict with this regulation, the terms and conditions in the regulation
are controlling.
(d) Bid selection process. The fishing capacity removed by the Reduction Plan shall be represented by the
total number of valid CFEC permits, whether active or latent, that are voluntarily offered by Permit Holders
and selected by the SRA up to an aggregate amount of $23,476,500. Due to a rescission of funds, the
underlying appropriations for this Reduction Program were reduced from $250,000 to $234,765, resulting
in a loan ceiling of $23,476,500.
(1) Overview. The Selection Process shall begin upon the receipt by the SRA of the first application and
shall continue until: The bid closing date specified by the SRA (paragraph (c)(1) of this section); or
the ranking of the next lowest bid would cause the total program costs to exceed $23,476,500. The
SRA will have a period of 21 days after the bid closing date to consult with CFEC and examine bid
results to complete the selection process. When either one of these events is reached, the Selection
Process shall be completed.
(i)

During the selection process, the SRA in consultation with the CFEC shall examine each
submitted Bid for consistency and the necessary elements, including the validity of the permit
and whether any authorized party holds a security interest in the permit.

(ii) [Reserved]
(2) Bids. By submitting the Bid, the bidder expressly acknowledges that he makes an irrevocable offer to
relinquish to CFEC a permit for a specific price, and once having submitted the Bid, the bidder is not
entitled to withdraw or in any way amend the Bid. The permit will be relinquished for the price set
forth in the Bid contingent on such Bid being accepted by the SRA at the closing of the Selection
Process. Any attempted withdrawal by a bidder shall be invalid, and the Bid shall remain a binding,
irrevocable offer, unaffected by the attempted withdrawal. Any bid that is submitted by a Permit
Holder but is not accepted by the SRA shall be deemed terminated and both the Permit Holder and
the SRA will have no further obligation with respect to the Bid.
(i)

If a Permit Holder holds more than one permit, the Permit Holder must submit a separate Bid
for each permit that he/she offers to relinquish.

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50 CFR 600.1107(d)(2)(ii)

(ii) By submitting a Bid, the Permit Holder warrants and represents that he/she has read and
understands the terms of the Program Regulations, Bid, Relinquishment Contract, Conditional
Notice and Conditional Relinquishment, and has had the opportunity to seek independent legal
counsel regarding such documents and the consequences of submitting the Bid Agreement.
(3) Ranking. The SRA shall rank all conforming bids by using a reverse auction in which the SRA ranks
the Bid with the lowest dollar amount and successively ranks each additional Bid with the next
lowest dollar amount until there are no more Bids or the ranking of the next lowest bid would cause
the total program cost to exceed $23,476,500. In the event of a tie with bids which results in the tied
bids exceeding $23,476,500, the SRA will select the tied bid first received, if known. If the receipt
time cannot be determined, neither bid will be accepted.
(4) Acceptance and post-acceptance restriction of renewals and transfers. Upon expiration of the bid
closing date, the SRA shall determine whether the number of ranked bids it is willing to accept is
sufficient to achieve a substantial reduction in harvest capacity and increased economic efficiencies
for those Permit Holders remaining in the fishery. If the SRA makes such a determination and
thereafter accepts bids, the SRA shall send CFEC the Conditional Notice form restricting renewal and
transfer of each permit for which a bid was accepted. The Bid, Relinquishment Contract, Conditional
Notice and Conditional Relinquishment are terminated for any rejected bid and the applicant is no
longer bound by the terms of these documents.
(e) Plan submission and approval —
(1) Submitting the reduction plan. Within 30 days of concluding the selection process, the SRA shall
submit the Reduction Plan, consisting of the aggregate of all Bid Agreements, Relinquishment
Contracts, Conditional Notices and Conditional Relinquishments, together with supporting
documents and rationale, to NMFS for final approval on behalf of the Secretary. The Reduction Plan
shall include a listing of accepted bids arranged by bid amount from lowest to highest bid, attended
by a statement from the SRA that all other bids received were higher than the largest dollar amount
of the last bid accepted.
(2) Required findings. In order to approve a Reduction Plan, the Assistant Administrator of NMFS, on
behalf of the Secretary, must find that: The Reduction Plan is consistent with the amended
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 and applicable sections of the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
particularly that it is cost-effective; the Reduction Plan will result in the maximum sustained
reduction in fishing capacity at the least cost; and the Reduction Plan will increase harvesting
productivity for post-reduction Permit Holders participating in the fishery.
(3) The referendum. If NMFS approves the Reduction Plan and subsequent to the publication of a final
rule resulting from this rule, NMFS shall conduct a referendum to determine the industry's
willingness to repay a fishing capacity reduction loan to purchase the permits identified in the
Reduction Plan. NMFS shall publish a notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER requesting votes by Permit
Holders on whether to accept or reject the Reduction Plan for implementation. The notice shall state
the starting and ending dates and times of the voting period, which shall be not less than twenty one
(21) nor more than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of such notice.
(i)

Such notice shall state the name and address of record of each eligible voter, as well as the
basis for having determined the eligibility of those voters. This shall constitute notice and
opportunity to respond about adding eligible voters, deleting ineligible voters, and/or correcting
any voter's name and address of record, and will provide a 15 day period to make these
changes. If, in NMFS' discretion, the comments received in response to such notice warrants it,

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50 CFR 600.1107(e)(3)(ii)

or for other good cause, NMFS may modify such list by publishing another notice in the FEDERAL
REGISTER. NMFS shall issue ballots to eligible voters, tally votes, and notify voters whether the
referendum was successful or unsuccessful in approving the Reduction Plan consistent with
the provisions of § 600.1010.
(ii) A successful referendum by a majority of the Permit Holders in the Reduction Fishery shall bind
all parties and complete the reduction process. NMFS shall publish a notice in the FEDERAL
REGISTER advising the public that the referendum was successful. Thereafter the Reduction
Program shall be implemented.
(iii) The provisions of § 600.1010 and § 600.1017(a)(1)-(4) shall apply to any referendum on the
Reduction Plan of this section to the extent that they do not conflict with this section or with
subpart M of this part.
(f) Implementation —
(1) Reduction payments. Within 60 days of a successful referendum, the CFEC will provide notice to
NMFS of the permits retired from the Reduction Fishery. Upon receiving such notification, NMFS will
then tender the accepted bid amounts to the Permit Holders. Reduction payments may not exceed
$23,476,500 and if the SRA accepts a total number of bids in an aggregate amount less than
$23,476,500, any remaining funds would be available for reduction payments as part of a later,
separate Reduction Plan conforming to these regulations. Upon NMFS tendering the reduction
program's payments to the selected Permit Holders, each such Permit Holder must permanently stop
all fishing with the relinquished permit(s).
(2) Repayment term. As authorized by the Act, the Reduction Loan shall be amortized over a forty (40)
year term. The Reduction Loan's original principal amount may not exceed $23,476,500, but may be
less if the ultimate reduction cost is less. The final Reduction Loan periodic payment amount will be
determined by NMFS' analysis of the ability of the post-reduction fishery to service debt. The
provisions of §§ 600.1012-600.1017 shall apply to any reduction loan, fee payment and collection
under this section to the extent they do not conflict with this section or with subpart M of this part.
(3) Loan repayment. Permit Holders operating in the fishery shall be obligated to pay the fee in
accordance with this section. In the event that payments made under the Reduction Plan are
insufficient to pay the Reduction Loan within the 40-year term, NMFS shall extend the term of the
repayment until the Reduction Loan is paid in full.
(i)

Interest. The Reduction Loan's interest rate will be the U.S. Treasury's cost of borrowing
equivalent maturity funds plus two percent. NMFS will determine the Reduction Loan's initial
interest rate when NMFS borrows from the U.S. Treasury the funds with which to disburse
reduction payments. Interest will begin accruing on the Reduction Loan from the date on which
NMFS disburses such loan. The initial interest rate will change to a final interest rate at the end
of the Federal fiscal year in which NMFS borrows the funds from the U.S. Treasury. The final
interest rate will be two percent plus a weighted average, throughout that fiscal year, of the U.S.
Treasury's cost of borrowing equivalent maturity funds. The final interest rate will be fixed and
will not vary over the remainder of the reduction loan's 40-year term. The Reduction Loan will be
subject to a level debt amortization. There is no prepayment penalty.

(ii) Fees. Post-reduction Permit Holders operating in the fishery shall be obligated to pay the fee in
accordance with paragraph (f) of this section. The amount of such fee will be calculated by
NMFS on an annual basis as the principal and interest payment amount necessary to amortize
the loan over a 40-year term. The fee shall be expressed as a percentage of the ex-vessel value
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50 CFR 600.1107(f)(3)(ii)(A)

of all salmon harvested and landed in the fishery. In the event that payments made under the
Reduction Plan are insufficient to repay the Reduction Loan within the 40-year term, NMFS shall
extend the term of the repayment until the Reduction Loan is paid in full.
(A) Fees must be assessed and collected on all salmon harvested in the fishery. Although the
fee could be up to three percent of the ex-vessel price of all post-reduction landings, the
fee will be less than three percent if NMFS projects that a lesser rate can amortize the
Reduction Loan over the 40-year term. To verify that the fees collected do not exceed three
percent of the fishery revenues, NMFS will compare the annual total of principal and
interest due with the latest available annual revenues in the fishery to ensure that it is
equal to or less than three percent of the total ex-vessel production revenues. In the event
that any of the components necessary to calculate the next year's fee are not available, or
postponed, the fee will remain at the previous year's amount until such time as new
calculations are made and communicated to the post-reduction fishery participants.
(B) If the fishery does not open during a year, interest will continue to accrue on the principal
balance even though no fee revenue will be generated. When this happens, if the fee is not
already at the maximum three percent, NMFS shall increase the fee to the maximum three
percent, apply all subsequent fee revenue first to the payment of accrued interest, and
continue the maximum fee rates until the principal and interest payments become current.
Once all principal and interest payments are current, NMFS will make a determination
about adjusting the fee rate.
(iii) Collection. The buyer who first purchases the salmon landed in the fishery shall be responsible
for collecting and submitting the repayment fees to NMFS monthly. The fees shall be submitted
to NMFS no later than fifteen (15) calendar days following the end of each calendar month.
(iv) Recordkeeping and reporting. The dealer who first purchases the salmon landed in the fishery
shall be responsible for compliance with the applicable recordkeeping and reporting
requirements.
(A) All requirements and penalties set forth in the provisions of §§ 600.1013 (Fee payment
and collection), 600.1014 (Fee collection deposits, disbursements, records, and reports),
600.1015 (Late charges), and 600.1017 (Prohibitions and penalties) shall apply to any
dealer who purchases salmon in the fishery, and to any fee collection under this section, to
the extent they do not conflict with this section or with subpart M of this part.
(B) [Reserved]
(g) Specific performance under the relinquishment contract. The parties to the Relinquishment Contract have
agreed that the opportunity to develop and submit a capacity reduction program for the fishery under the
terms of the Act is both unique and finite. The failure of a Permit Holder, whose bid was accepted, to
perform the obligations under the Relinquishment Contract will result in irreparable damage to the SRA
and all the other Permit Holders. Accordingly, the parties to the Relinquishment Contract expressly
acknowledge that money damages are an inadequate means of redress and agree, that upon failure of the
Permit Holder to fulfill his/her obligations under the Relinquishment Contract, that specific performance
of those obligations may be obtained by suit in equity brought by the SRA in any court of competent
jurisdiction without obligation to arbitrate such action.
(h) Enforcement for failure to pay fees. The provisions and requirements of § 600.1016 (Enforcement) shall
also apply to fish sellers and fish buyers subject to this fishery.
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(i)

50 CFR 600.1107(i)

Prohibitions and penalties. Fish buyers are prohibited from purchasing fish from fish sellers who do not
pay the required landing fees. Fish sellers are prohibited from selling to fish buyers who do not pay the
required landing fees.

Appendix A to § 600.1107—Bid
This Bid (Bid) is entered between the individual named in section III, 11(a) of the Agreement and the Southeast
Revitalization Association (SRA).

I. Definitions
Unless otherwise defined, the following terms have the following meanings for the purpose of this Agreement.
Acceptance means SRA acceptance of a Bid.
Act means Section 209 of Title II of Division B of Public Law 108-447, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005;
as amended by Section 121 of Public Law 109-447, Magnuson-Stevens (MSA) Reauthorization Act of 2006.
Bid means a bidder's irrevocable offer to relinquish a permit.
Bid amount means the dollar amount submitted by a bidder.
Bidder means a permit holder who submits a bid.
Conditional notice means the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) form that any Bidder must sign
and agree to abide by upon submission of a Bid Agreement.
Conditional relinquishment means the CFEC form that any Permit Holder, agreeing to relinquish a permit, must
sign and agree to abide by upon SRA acceptance of the bid.
Fishery means the Southeast Alaska administrative area as defined under Title 5 Alaska Administrative Code
Section 33.100 for salmon with purse seine gear.
Permit means a valid entry permit issued by CFEC to operate in the Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon
fishery.
Permit holder means an individual who at the time of bidding is the holder of record of a permit.
Reduction plan means the aggregate of all Bids, Relinquishment Contracts (Appendix B), Commercial Fisheries
Entry Commission (“CFEC”) Conditional Notice and Conditional Relinquishment (Appendices C & D), and
supporting documents and rationale; submitted to the Secretary for approval.
Referendum means the voting procedure to determine the Permit Holder's willingness to repay a fishing
capacity reduction loan to purchase the permits identified in the Plan.

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50 CFR 600.1107(i)

Relinquishment contract means the contract that any bidder agreeing to relinquish a permit pursuant to Alaska
Statute (A.S. 16.43.150(i) must sign and agree to abide by upon acceptance of the Bid, and before payment of
the bid amount.
Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or his/her designee.
Southeast Revitalization Association (SRA) means the qualified fishery association authorized to develop and
implement this capacity reduction program under Alaska Statute 16.40.250 and Federal law.

II. Recitals
Whereas Alaska Statute 16.40.250 and the Act authorize a fishing capacity reduction program for the fishery;
Whereas, within 30 days of concluding the selection process, the SRA shall submit the Reduction Plan, together
with supporting documents and rationale, to NMFS for final approval on behalf of the Secretary;
Whereas, the reduction Plan's express objective is to reduce fishing capacity by permanently revoking permits
thereby promoting economic efficiency, improving flexibility in the conservation and management of the fishery
and obtain the maximum reduction in permits at the least cost;
Whereas, the SRA can implement the Reduction Plan only after giving notice to all Permit Holders and
subsequent approval of the reduction Plan by referendum.
Whereas, the Agreement submitted by the bidder and the SRA is an integral element of the Reduction Plan.
Now, therefore, for good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the SRA
and bidder agree as follows:

III. Terms and Conditions
1. Form. By completing and submitting this Bid to the SRA the bidder hereby offers to permanently relinquish,
and have the CFEC revoke, the permit. The SRA signing the Bid and subsequent NMFS payment to bidder in the
exact bid amount set forth in section III, 11(f) of the Bid is full and complete consideration.
2. Irrevocable. The bidder expressly acknowledges that by submitting the Bid he/she makes an irrevocable offer
to relinquish the permit and once having submitted the Bid is not entitled to withdraw or in any manner amend
the Bid. The receipt date that the SRA marks on the Bid constitutes the date of the bidder's submittal.
3. Warranty. The bidder warrants and represents that he/she is the holder of record of the permit, according to
the CFEC records, and that he/she has read and understands the terms of the Program Regulations, Bid,
Relinquishment Contract, Conditional Notice and the Conditional Relinquishment and has had the opportunity
to seek independent legal counsel regarding such documents and the consequences of submitting the Bid.
4. Validity. The SRA, in consultation with the CFEC, shall examine each Bid for completeness and consistency.
The SRA shall notify the bidder if the Bid is non-conforming. In such cases, the bidder may submit a revised,
conforming Bid within the prescribed period (i.e., until the bid closing date).

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50 CFR 600.1107(i)

5. Ranking. The SRA shall rank the bid amount entered in section III, 11(f) of this Bid by using a reverse auction
in which the SRA ranks the Bid with the lowest dollar amount and successively ranks each additional Bid with
the next lowest dollar amount until there are no more Bids or the ranking of the next lowest Bid would exceed
the total program cost. In the event of a tie with bids which results in the tied bids exceeding $23,476,500, the
SRA will select the tied bid first received.
6. Acceptance and Rejection. If the Bid is accepted, the SRA shall formally notify the bidder in writing. If the SRA
rejects the Bid, the SRA will formally notify the bidder in writing and the Bid shall terminate without further
obligation.
7. Restriction of Transfer of permit: Upon acceptance, the SRA will send the CFEC the Conditional Notice,
restricting transfer of the permit until such time as: The SRA notifies the bidder that the Plan is not in
compliance with the Act and will not be approved; or NMFS notifies the bidder the referendum was
unsuccessful.
8. Payment. Within 60 days from the close of the voting period of a successful referendum, the CFEC will
provide notice to NMFS of the permits retired from the Reduction Fishery. Upon receiving such notice, NMFS
will then tender the accepted bid amounts to the Permit Holders.
9. Specific Performance. The failure of a bidder whose Bid was accepted to comply with the terms of this Bid
will result in irreparable damage to the SRA and its members because the Bid was part of the basis for the Plan
submitted to the Secretary for approval. Accordingly, the SRA and bidder expressly acknowledge that money
damages are an inadequate means of redress and agree that specific performance of those obligations may be
obtained by suit in equity brought by the SRA in any court of competent jurisdiction without obligation to
arbitrate such action.
10. Submission. This Bid must be submitted within the prescribed period to the SRA, c/o Elgee, Rehfeld, Mertz,
LLC, Professional Plaza Building B, 9309 Glacier Highway, Suite B-200, Juneau, AK 99801.
11. Complete Bid Information: To fully and accurately complete this Bid, the bidder must fully complete the
following questions and provide an exact photocopy of the permit. The Bidder must further sign this form,
Appendices B, C, and D to § 600.1107, and acknowledge the signature before a notary public.

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50 CFR 600.1107(i)

(a) BIDDER'S NAME. This must be the full and exact legal name of record of the person bidding. Insert the
name of the bidder.

(b) BIDDER'S ADDRESS OF RECORD. Insert the full and exact address of record for the bidder.

(c) BIDDER'S TELEPHONE NUMBER. Insert the full and exact telephone number of the bidder.

(d) BIDDER'S ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS (if available). Insert the full and exact e-mail address of the bidder.

(e) PERMIT. Insert the full and exact permit number(s) of the bidder. Enclose with this Bid an exact photocopy
of the permit.

(f) BID AMOUNT. Insert, in U.S. dollars, the bid's full and exact amount, both in words and numbers.

In words

In numbers
$

(g) SECURITY INTERESTS. Insert the name of any authorized third party that may hold a security interest in the
permit.
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(h) SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. Insert the full and exact social security number of the bidder.

(i) BID SIGNATURE. In compliance with applicable law and this Bid, the bidder submits the above bid amount as
an offer to the SRA for the permanent relinquishment of his/her permit. By completing the sections above and
signing below, the bidder acknowledges that the bidder has completely reviewed this Bid and attachments. The
bidder warrants that the bidder is fully able to enter into the Relinquishment Contract. The bidder expressly
warrants and attests that all information included herein is accurate.

Signature
Printed Name
Date of Signature

State of: ________________ County/Borough of: ________________
I certify that ________________________ is the person who appeared before me and said person acknowledged
that he/she signed this Bid and on oath stated that he/she was authorized to execute such document and
acknowledged it to be the free and voluntary act of him/her for the uses and purposes mentioned in such
document.
Notary Public's Signature: ________________________Dated: ____________
My Commission Expires: ________________________
12. SRA SIGNATURE. By signing below, the SRA acknowledges acceptance of this Bid, including the bidder's bid
amount.

Signature
Printed Name

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Date of Signature

Appendix B to § 600.1107—Relinquishment Contract: Southeast Alaska
Salmon Purse Seine Permit Holders
This Relinquishment Contract (“Contract”) and agreement is entered into between the Southeast Revitalization
Association (“SRA”) and the bidder named in Section 11(a) of the Bid. The contract is effective when the bidder
signs the Bid and this contract and, thereby, agrees to relinquish his/her permit, issued by the Alaska
Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (“CFEC”) for the Southeast Alaska salmon purse seine fishery
(“fishery”).
Whereas Alaska Statute 16.40.250 and Federal law authorize a fishing capacity reduction program for the
fishery;
Whereas, upon accepting and signing the Bid, the SRA shall submit a Reduction Plan to NMFS;
Whereas, the Reduction Plan's express objective is to reduce fishing capacity by permanently revoking permits
thereby promoting economic efficiency, improving flexibility in the conservation and management of the fishery
and obtain the maximum reduction in permits at the least cost;
Whereas, this contract is subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, including the CFEC forms marked
as Appendices C and D to § 600.1107;
Now, therefore, for valuable consideration and the covenants hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
1. The foregoing, including the Bid and specifically the definitions under section 1, are expressly incorporated
herein by this reference.
2. Under AS 16.43.150(i), the Bidder agrees to permanently relinquish and have the CFEC revoke the permit.
3. The Bidder represents that, as of the date of submitting the contract, he or she is the holder of record of the
permit according to the CFEC official permit records.
4. Upon notification by the SRA to the Bidder that the SRA accepted the bid; the SRA will submit to the CFEC the
Permit Holder's executed notice form (Appendix C to § 600.1107) and executed relinquishment form (Appendix
D to § 600.1107).
5. In the event an authorized third party holds a security interest in the permit, NMFS will not make payment
until receiving notice of written consent by the third party to the SRA and the CFEC on a form provided by the
CFEC.

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6. NMFS' payment to the accepted bidder in the exact amount of the accepted bid amount is full and complete
consideration for the CFEC revoking the permit.
7. The bidder shall, upon the SRA or the CFEC request, furnish such additional documents, information, or take
such other actions as may be reasonably required to enable the CFEC to implement relinquishment of the
permit.
8. The bidder consents to the public release of any information provided in connection with the contract or
program requirements after completion of the plan.
9. The contract contains the final terms and conditions of this agreement between the parties and represents
the entire and exclusive agreement between them.
10. The contract terms are severable, and, in the event that any portion of the contract is held to be
unenforceable, the remaining portion shall remain fully enforceable against the parties.
11. Any and all disputes involving the contract shall be governed by laws of the State of Alaska. The bidder
expressly acknowledges that by submitting the Bid, he/she makes an irrevocable offer to relinquish the permit,
and once having submitted the Bid, is not entitled to withdraw or in any way amend the Bid.
12. The failure of a bidder to perform his/her obligations under the Bid will result in irreparable damage to the
SRA and its members upon submittal of the Plan to the Secretary for approval. Accordingly, the SRA and the
bidder expressly acknowledge that money damages are an inadequate means of redress and agree that upon
failure of the bidder to fulfill his/her obligations under the Bid that specific performance of those obligations
may be obtained by suit in equity brought by the SRA in any court of competent jurisdiction without obligation
to arbitrate such action.

BIDDER'S SIGNATURE AND NOTARY'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CERTIFICATION
Bidder
signature
(1) Sign

Notary signature
(1) Sign

(2) Print
(2) Print the following:
the
following:
(a) signer's
name

(a) name

(b) signing
date

(b) signing date

(c) state
and city/
borough

(3) date commission expires, and State and city/borough. Each notary signature attests
to the following: “I certify that I know or have satisfactory evidence that the person who
is signed in the 1st column of this same row is the person who appeared before me
and: (1) Acknowledged his/her signature; (2) on oath, stated that he/she was authorized

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Bidder
signature

50 CFR 600.1107(i)

Notary signature
to sign; and (3) acknowledged that he/she did so freely and voluntarily.”

(1)

(1)

(2)(a)

(2)(a)

(2)(b)

(2)(b)

(2)(c)

(3)

II. Southeast Revitalization Association signature Southeast
Revitalization Association
Dated:
By:

Appendix C to § 600.1107—Conditional Notice to CFEC and Request by
Permit Holder
In support of my Bid to the Southeast Revitalization Association (SRA), I have executed this Conditional Notice
and request and authorize the Southeast Revitalization Association (SRA) to submit this executed document to
the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) in the event that the SRA accepts my bid to
permanently relinquish my Southeast Salmon Purse Seine Entry Permit under AS 16.43.150(i).
I hereby notify the CFEC that the SRA has accepted my Bid to permanently relinquish my Southeast Salmon
Purse Seine Entry Permit #______________.
I request the CFEC: (1) not to renew my above-identified entry permit; and (2) not to authorize any transfer of
my entry permit.
DATED this ______ day of __________ , 2011.

(Permit Holder/Bidder)
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this ______ day of __________ , 2011.

Notary Public, State of __________________
My commission expires: ______________

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Appendix D to § 600.1107—Conditional Relinquishment of Southeast
Salmon Purse Seine Entry Permit
[AS 16.43.150(i)]
Upon satisfaction of the conditions that the Southeast Revitalization Association (SRA) accepts my bid and
that NMFS agrees to pay my full bid amount to me, the SRA may submit this executed Conditional
Relinquishment of Southeast Salmon Purse Seine Entry Permit to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission.
I fully understand this relinquishment of my permanent entry permit #______________ under AS 16.43.150(i) is
permanent, and I will not be able to reinstate the permit.
DATED this ______ day of __________ , 2011.

(Permit Holder/Bidder)
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this ______ day of __________ , 2011.

Notary Public, State of __________________
My commission expires: ______________
[76 FR 61990, Oct. 6, 2011]

§ 600.1108 Longline catcher processor subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI)
non-pollock groundfish fishery program.
(a) Purpose. This section implements the capacity reduction program that Title II, section 219(e) of Public
Law 108-447 established for the longline catcher processor subsector of the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands (BSAI) non-pollock groundfish fishery.
(b) Definitions. Unless otherwise defined in this section, the terms defined in § 600.1000 of subpart L and §
600.1105 of subpart M of this part expressly apply to this section. The following terms have the following
meanings for the purpose of this section:
Reduction fishery means the Hook & Line, Catcher Processor (Longline Subsector); sometimes referred to
as the “H&LCP Subsector) portion of the BSAI Pacific cod ITAC (in metric tons) set by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) in December of each year multiplied by 2,205 (i.e., the
rounded number of pounds in a metric ton)or the Longline Subsector of the BSAI non-pollock
groundfish fishery that § 679.2 of this chapter defined as groundfish area/species endorsement.
(c) Capacity Reduction Program. As a result of the completion of the Selection Process, written notification
from the FLCC to NMFS identifying the selected offeror, and submission of the reduction plan, the
capacity reduction program is implemented as follows:
(1) Loan repayment —
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(i)

50 CFR 600.1108(c)(1)(i)

Term. As authorized by section 219(B)(2) of the Appropriations Act, the capacity reduction loan
(the Reduction Loan) shall be amortized over a thirty (30) year term. The Reduction Loan's
original principal amount may not exceed the amount approved by the subsector. The
subsector has currently approved a loan of two million seven hundred thousand dollars
($2,700,000). Subsector Members acknowledge that in the event payments made under the
Reduction Plan are insufficient to repay the actual loan, the term of repayment shall be
extended by NMFS until the loan is paid in full. Repayment calculations and records will be kept
separately for each program.

(ii) Interest. The Reduction Loan's interest rate will be the U.S. Treasury's cost of borrowing
equivalent maturity funds plus 2 percent. NMFS will determine the Reduction Loan's initial
interest rate when NMFS borrows from the U.S. Treasury the funds with which to disburse
reduction payments. The initial interest rate will change to a final interest rate at the end of the
Federal fiscal year in which NMFS borrows the funds from the U.S. Treasury. The final interest
rate will be 2 percent plus a weighted average, throughout that fiscal year, of the U.S. Treasury's
cost of borrowing equivalent maturity funds. The final interest rate will be fixed, and will not
vary over the remainder of the reduction loan's 30-year term. The Reduction loan will be subject
to a level debt amortization. There is no prepayment penalty.
(iii) Fees. The Reduction Loan shall be repaid by fees collected from the Longline Subsector. The
fee amount will be based upon: The principal and interest due over the next twelve months
divided by the product of the Longline Subsector. In the event that the Longline Subsector
portion for the ensuing year is not available, the Longline Subsector portion forecast from the
preceding year will be used to calculate the fee.
(A) The fee will be expressed in cents per pound rounded up to the next one-tenth of a cent.
For example: If the principal and interest due equal $2,900,000 and the Longline Subsector
portion equals 100,000 metric tons, then the fee per round weight pound of Pacific cod will
equal 1.4 cents per pound. [2,900,000/(100,000 × 2,205) = .01315]. The fee will be
assessed and collected on Pacific cod to the extent possible and if not, will be assessed
and collected as provided for in paragraph (c)(1)(iii)(B) of this section.
(B) Fees must be assessed and collected on Pacific cod used for bait or discarded. Although
the fee could be up to 5 percent of the ex-vessel production value of all post-reduction
Longline Subsector landings, the fee will be less than 5 percent if NMFS projects that a
lesser rate can amortize the fishery's reduction loan over the reduction loan's 30-year term.
In the event that the total principal and interest due exceeds 5 percent of the ex-vessel
Pacific cod revenues, a standardized additional fee will be assessed. The additional fee
shall be one cent per pound round weight, which is calculated based on the latest
available revenue records and NMFS conversion factors for pollock, arrowtooth flounder,
Greenland turbot, skate, yellowfin sole and rock sole.
(C) To verify that the fees collected do not exceed 5 percent of the fishery revenues, the
annual total of principal and interest due will be compared to the latest available annual
Longline Subsector revenues. In the event that any of the components necessary to
calculate the next year's fee are not available, or for any other reason NMFS believes the
calculation must be postponed, the fee will remain at the previous year's amount until
such a time that new calculations are made and communicated to the post-reduction
fishery participants.

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(D) It is possible that the fishery may not open during some years and no Longline Subsector
portion of the ITAC is granted. Consequently, the fishery will not produce fee revenue with
which to service the reduction loan during those years. However, interest will continue to
accrue on the principal balance. When this happens, if the fee rate is not already at the
maximum 5 percent, NMFS will increase the fishery's fee rate to the maximum 5 percent
of revenue for Pacific cod, apply all subsequent fee revenue first to the payment of
accrued interest, and continue the maximum fee rates until all principal and interest
payments become current. Once all principal and interest payments are current, NMFS will
make a determination about adjusting the fee rate.
(iv) Reduction loan. NMFS has promulgated framework regulations generally applicable to all
fishing capacity reduction programs in subpart L of this part. The reduction loan shall be
subject to the provisions of § 600.1012, except that: the subsector members' obligation to
repay the reduction loan shall be discharged by the owner of the Longline Subsector license
regardless of which vessel catches fish under this license and regardless of who processes the
fish in the reduction fishery in accordance with § 600.1013. Longline Subsector license owners
in the reduction fishery shall be obligated to collect the fee in accordance with § 600.1013.
(v) Collection. The LLP License holders of vessels harvesting in the post-capacity reduction plan
Longline Subsector shall be responsible for self-collecting the repayment fees owed by the LLP
License holder. Fees shall be submitted to NMFS monthly and shall be due no later than fifteen
(15) calendar days following the end of each calendar month.
(vi) Recordkeeping and reporting. The holder of the LLP Licenses on which vessels harvesting in the
post-capacity reduction plan Longline Subsector is designated shall be responsible for
compliance with the applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
(2) Agreement with Secretary. The Selected Offeror shall complete and deliver to the FLCC for inclusion
in the Reduction Plan submitted to NMFS, designee for the Secretary, a completed and fully executed
Reduction Contract. The LLP License set forth on the Selected Offer shall be included as Reduction
Fishing Interests in such Reduction Contract.
(d) Decisions of the Auditor and the FLCC. Time was of the essence in developing and implementing a
Reduction Plan and, accordingly, the Offeror is limited to, and bound by, the decisions of the Auditor and
the FLCC.
(1) The Auditor's examination of submitted applications, Offers, Prequalification Offers and Rankings
was solely ministerial in nature. That is, the Auditor verified whether the documents submitted by
Subsector Members were, on their face, consistent with each other and the Database, in compliance
with the requirements set forth in the Reduction Agreement, and signed by an Authorized Party. The
Auditor presumed the validity of all signatures on documents submitted. The Auditor made no
substantive decisions as to compliance (e.g., whether an interim LLP License satisfies the
requirements of the Act, or whether a discrepancy in the name appearing on LLP Licenses and other
documents was material).
(2) [Reserved]
(e) Specific performance. The parties to the Reduction Agreement have agreed that the opportunity to
develop and submit a capacity reduction program for the Longline Subsector under the terms of the
Appropriations Act is both unique and finite and that failure of the Selected Offeror to perform the
obligations provided by the Reduction Agreement will result in irreparable damage to the FLCC and the
Subsector Members. Accordingly, the parties to the Reduction Agreement expressly acknowledge that
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money damages are an inadequate means of redress and agree that upon the failure of the Selected
Offeror to fulfill their obligations under the Reduction Agreement that specific performance of those
obligations may be obtained by suit in equity brought by the FLCC in any court of competent jurisdiction
without obligation to arbitrate such action.
(f) Miscellaneous —
(1) Termination. The Reduction Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to approval of the
Reduction Plan by NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, by written notice from 50 percent of Subsector
Members.
(2) Choice of law/venue. The Reduction Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with
the laws of the State of Washington without regard to its choice of law provisions. The parties
submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the United States District Court located in Seattle,
Washington, with respect to any litigation arising out of or relating to the Reduction Agreement or out
of the performance of services hereunder.
(3) Incorporation. All executed counterparts of the Reduction Agreement, Application Forms and Offers
constitute the agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of the Reduction
Agreement and are incorporated into the Reduction Agreement as if fully written.
(4) Counterparts. The Reduction Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts and will be
effective as to signatories on the Effective Date. The Reduction Agreement may be executed in
duplicate originals, each of which shall be deemed to be an original instrument. All such
counterparts and duplicate originals together shall constitute the same agreement, whether or not all
parties execute each counterpart.
(i)

The facsimile signature of any party to the Reduction Agreement shall constitute the duly
authorized, irrevocable execution and delivery of the Reduction Agreement as fully as if the
Reduction Agreement contained the original ink signatures of the party or parties supplying a
facsimile signature.

(ii) [Reserved]
(g) Amendment. All Subsector Members acknowledge that the Reduction Agreement, the Reduction Contract,
and the Reduction Plan may be subject to amendment to conform to the requirements for approval of the
Reduction Plan by NMFS on behalf of the Secretary. The Auditor shall distribute to each Subsector
Member in electronic format the amended form of the Reduction Agreement, the Reduction Contract, and
the Reduction Plan, which amended documents in the form distributed by the Auditor and identified by the
Auditor by date and version, the version of each such document then in effect at the time of any dispute
arising or action taken shall be deemed binding upon the parties with respect to such dispute and/or
action.
(h) Warranties. The Offeror must expressly warrant and represent in the Reduction Agreement that:
(1) The Offeror has had an opportunity to consult with an attorney or other advisors with respect to the
Reduction Agreement, the Reduction Contract, and the Act and the ramifications of the ratification of
the Reduction Plan contemplated therein;
(2) The Offeror has full understanding and appreciation of the ramifications of executing and delivering
the Reduction Agreement and, free from coercion of any kind by the FLCC or any of its members,
officers, agents and/or employees, executes and delivers the Reduction Agreement as the free and
voluntary act of the Offeror;
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50 CFR 600.1108(h)(3)

(3) The execution and delivery of the Reduction Agreement, does not and will not conflict with any
provisions of the governing documents of the Offeror;
(4) The person executing the Reduction Agreement has been duly authorized by the Offeror to execute
and deliver the Reduction Agreement and to undertake and perform the actions contemplated
herein; and
(5) The Offeror has taken all actions necessary for the Reduction Agreement to constitute a valid and
binding obligation, enforceable in accordance with its terms.
(i)

Approval of the Reduction Plan. Acceptance of the Offer is at the sole discretion of NMFS on behalf of the
Secretary of Commerce. To be approved by NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, any Reduction Plan
developed and submitted in accordance with this section and subpart M of this part must be found by the
Assistant Administrator of NMFS, to:
(1) Be consistent with the requirements of section 219(e) of the FY 2005 Appropriations Act (Pub. L.
108-447);
(2) Be consistent with the requirements of section 312(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861(a)) except for the requirement that a Council or
Governor of a State request such a program (as set out in section 312(b)(1)) and for the
requirements of section 312(b)(4);
(3) Contain provisions for a fee system that provides for full and timely repayment of the capacity
reduction loan by the Longline Subsector and that it provide for the assessment of such fees;
(4) Not require a bidding or auction process;
(5) Result in the maximum sustained reduction in fishing capacity at the least cost and in the minimum
amount of time; and
(6) Permit vessels in the Longline Subsector to be upgraded to achieve efficiencies in fishing operations
provided that such upgrades do not result in the vessel exceeding the applicable length, tonnage, or
horsepower limitations set out in Federal law or regulation.

(j)

Referendum. The following provisions apply to the Reduction Plan of this section to the extent that they do
not conflict with subpart L of this part including §§ 600.1009, 600.1010, 600.1013, and 600.1014 or 16
U.S.C. 1861a; except where the referendum is successful if a majority of all permit holders within the
fishery vote in favor of the Reduction Program is accordance with 18 U.S.C. 1861a(d)(1)(B).

(k)
(1) Fee payment and collection system. Upon successful completion of the Referendum discussed
above as authorized by Public Law 108-447 and in accordance with 16 U.S.C. 1861a and § 600.1012
this fee collection system establishes:
(i)

The subsector members' obligation to repay the reduction loan, and

(ii) The loan's principal amount, interest rate, and repayment term; and
(iii) In accordance with §§ 600.1013 through 600.1016, implements an industry fee system for the
reduction fishery.
(2) Reduction loan amount. The reduction loan's original principal amount is $2,700,000.

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50 CFR 600.1108(k)(3)

(3) Interest accrual from inception. Interest begins accruing on the reduction loan from the date which
NMFS disburses such loan.
(4) Interest rate. The reduction loan's interest rate shall be the applicable rate which the U.S. Treasury
determines at the end of fiscal year in which loan is disbursed plus 2 percent.
(5) Repayment terms. For the purpose of determining fee rates, the reduction loan's repayment term is
30 years from the date NMFS disburses the loan. However, fee collections shall continue indefinitely
until the loan is fully repaid.
(6) Reduction loan repayment. The subsector members shall repay the reduction loan in accordance
with § 600.1012. Both fish buyers and fish sellers are considered subsector members for purposes
of fee collection, deposit, disbursement, and accounting in accordance with § 600.1013.
(i)

Subsector members in the reduction fishery shall collect and pay the fee amount in accordance
with § 600.1105;

(ii) Subsector members in the reduction fishery shall deposit and disburse, as well as keep records
for and submit reports about, the applicable fees in accordance with § 600.1014, except the
requirements under paragraphs (c) and (e) of this section. All collected fee revenue a fish buyer
collects to repay the loan identified in paragraph (c) of this section shall be made to NMFS no
later than fifteen (15) calendar days following the end of each calendar month. The annual
reports identified in paragraph (e) of this section shall be submitted to NMFS by February 1 of
each calendar year.
(iii) The reduction loan is, in all other respects, subject to the provisions of §§ 600.1012 through
600.1017.
(l)

Enforcement for failure to pay fees. The provisions and requirements of § 600.1016 (Enforcement) shall
also apply to fish sellers and fish buyers subject to this fishery.

[77 FR 58779, Sept. 24, 2012]

Subpart N—Shark Fin Removal, Possession, Transfer and Landing
Source: 81 FR 42289, June 29, 2016, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.1200 Purpose and scope.
The regulations in this subpart implement the Shark Conservation Act of 2010.

§ 600.1201 Relation to other laws.
(a) Regulations pertaining to conservation and management (including record keeping and reporting) for
certain shark fisheries are also set forth in parts 635 (for Federal Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and
Caribbean shark fisheries), 648 (for spiny dogfish fisheries), 660 (for fisheries off West Coast states), and
665 (for fisheries in the western Pacific) of this chapter.
(b) This subpart does not apply to an individual engaged in commercial fishing for smooth dogfish (Mustelus
canis) when the conditions in § 635.30(c)(5) have been met.

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50 CFR 600.1201(c)

(c) This subpart does not supersede state laws or regulations governing conservation and management of
state shark fisheries in state waters.

§ 600.1202 Definitions.
(a) In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and in § 600.10, the terms used in this subpart
have the following meanings:
Fin

means any of the fins of a shark (including the tail) or a portion thereof.

Land or landing means offloading fish, or causing fish to be offloaded, from a fishing vessel, either to
another vessel or to a shore side location or facility, or arriving in port, or at a dock, berth, beach,
seawall, or ramp to begin offloading fish.
Naturally attached, with respect to a shark fin, means attached to the corresponding shark carcass through
some portion of uncut skin.
(b) If there is any difference between a definition in this section and in § 600.10, the definition in this section
is the operative definition for the purposes of this subpart.

§ 600.1203 Prohibitions.
(a) It is unlawful for any person to do, or attempt to do, any of the following:
(1) Remove a fin at sea.
(2) To have custody, control, or possession of a fin, aboard a fishing vessel, unless the fin is naturally
attached.
(3) Transfer a fin from one vessel to another vessel at sea unless the fin is naturally attached.
(4) Receive a fin in a transfer from one vessel to another vessel at sea unless the fin is naturally
attached.
(5) Land a fin unless the fin is naturally attached.
(6) Land a shark carcass without all of its fins naturally attached.
(7) Possess, purchase, offer to sell, or sell fins or shark carcasses taken, transferred, landed, or
possessed in violation of this section.
(8) When requested, fail to allow an authorized officer or any employee of NMFS designated by a
Regional Administrator, or by the Director of the Office of Sustainable Fisheries in the case of the
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species, access to or inspection or copying of any records pertaining to the
landing, sale, transfer, purchase, or other disposition of fins or shark carcasses.
(b) For purposes of this section, it is a rebuttable presumption that:
(1) If a fin is found aboard a vessel, other than a fishing vessel, without being naturally attached, such fin
was transferred in violation of this section.
(2) If, after landing, the total weight of fins landed from any vessel exceeds five percent of the total
weight of shark carcasses landed, such fins were taken, held, or landed in violation of this section.

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50 CFR 600.1300-600.1309

Subpart O—Limited Access Privilege Programs
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Source: 73 FR 75973, Dec. 15, 2008, unless otherwise noted.

§§ 600.1300-600.1309 [Reserved]
§ 600.1310 New England and Gulf of Mexico Individual Fishing Quota Referenda.
(a) Purpose and scope. This section establishes procedures and guidelines for referenda to be conducted on
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program proposals developed by the New England Fishery Management
Council (NEFMC) and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC). These procedures and
guidelines also apply to IFQ program proposals developed by NMFS for fisheries under the jurisdiction of
the NEFMC or GMFMC, except for certain provisions that only apply to a fishery management council.
This section provides guidance on developing voter eligibility and vote weighting, and establishes general
procedures to ensure referenda are conducted in a fair and equitable manner.
(b) Initiating IFQ referenda.
(1) The NEFMC and the GMFMC shall not submit, and the Secretary shall not approve, an FMP or FMP
amendment that would create an IFQ program until the IFQ program proposal, as ultimately
developed, has been approved by a referendum of eligible voters. Paragraph (h) of this section
provides criteria for determining the outcome of IFQ referenda.
(2) To initiate a referendum on a proposed IFQ program:
(i)

The relevant Council must have held public hearings on the FMP or FMP amendment in which
the IFQ program is proposed;

(ii) The relevant Council must have considered public comments on the proposed IFQ program;
(iii) The relevant Council must have selected preferred alternatives for the proposed IFQ program;
(iv) The chair of the Council with jurisdiction over such proposed IFQ fishery must request a
referendum on the proposed IFQ program in a letter to the appropriate NMFS Regional
Administrator;
(v) The letter requesting initiation of a referendum must recommend voter eligibility criteria that are
consistent with the applicable requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section and may also
include recommended criteria for vote weighting. The letter must provide the rationale
supporting the Council's recommendation, as well as such additional information and analyses
as needed, consistent with applicable law and provisions of this section. If a Council
recommends vote weighting criteria, the letter should fully describe the rationale for and the
expected effects of such weighting on the referendum;
(vi) NEFMC referenda initiation letters must: recommend criteria that are consistent with paragraph
(c)(2)(iii) of this section for NMFS to use in determining the eligibility of other fishery
participants to vote in the referendum; include the minimum percentage of a crew member's
total income that must have been earned during the eligibility periods in the proposed IFQ
fishery as discussed in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section; and include criteria for “referendum
eligible vessels” as described in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section; and
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(vii) GMFMC letters initiating referenda of multispecies permit holders in the Gulf of Mexico must
include recommended criteria to be used in identifying those permit holders who have
substantially fished the species to be included in the proposed IFQ program, along with
alternatives to the recommendation, and supporting analyses. Guidelines for developing such
recommendations are provided at paragraph (c)(3) of this section.
(3) Following a referendum that has failed to approve the IFQ proposal, any request from a Council for a
new referendum in the same fishery must include an explanation of the substantive changes to the
proposed IFQ program or the changes of circumstances in the fishery that would warrant initiation of
an additional referendum.
(c) Referenda voter eligibility —
(1) Permit holders and other fishery participants.
(i)

To be eligible to vote in IFQ referenda, permit holders and other fishery participants must meet
voter eligibility criteria.

(ii) Holders of multispecies permits in the Gulf of Mexico must have substantially fished the
species proposed to be included in the IFQ program to be eligible to vote in a referendum on the
proposed program.
(iii) When developing eligibility criteria for permit holders in an IFQ program referendum, the
relevant Council or Secretary must consider, but is not limited to considering:
(A) The full range of entities likely to be eligible to receive initial quota allocation under the
proposed IFQ program;
(B) Current and historical harvest and participation in the fishery; and
(C) Other factors as may be determined by the Council with jurisdiction over the fishery for
which an IFQ program is proposed to be relevant to the fishery and to the proposed IFQ
program.
(2) Crew member eligibility in NEFMC IFQ referenda.
(i)

For the purposes of this section, “referendum-eligible vessel” means a vessel, the permit holder
or owner of which has been determined to be eligible to vote in the referendum on the basis of
such vessel's history or other characteristics.

(ii) To be eligible to vote in an NEFMC IFQ referendum, crew members must meet the following
requirements:
(A) The crew member must have worked aboard a referendum-eligible vessel at sea, during
the qualifying period(s), while the vessel was engaged in fishing;
(B) If requested, the crew member must produce documentary proof of employment or
service as a crew member and income during the qualifying periods. Documents that may
be required include, but are not limited to, signed crew contracts, records of payment,
settlement sheets, income tax records, a signed statement from the permit holder, and
other documentary evidence of the period of employment and the vessel upon which the
crew member worked;

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50 CFR 600.1310(c)(2)(ii)(C)

(C) During the qualifying period(s), the crew member must have derived a percentage of his/
her total income from the fishery under the proposed IFQ program that is equal to or
greater than the percentage determined to be significant relative to the economic value
and employment practices of the fishery; and
(D) Any additional eligibility criteria promulgated by the NMFS.
(iii) When developing criteria for determining whether other fishery participants, including crew
members, may participate in a NEFMC IFQ referendum, the Council or Secretary must consider,
but is not limited to considering:
(A) The full range of entities likely to be eligible to receive initial quota under the proposed IFQ
program;
(B) A crew member's current and historical participation in the fishery aboard a referendumeligible vessel;
(C) The economic value of the proposed IFQ fishery, employment practices in the proposed
IFQ fishery, and other economic and social factors that would bear on a determination of
what percentage of a crew member's total income from the fishery should be considered
significant for the purposes of this section;
(D) The availability of documentary proof of employment and income to validate eligibility; and
(E) Any other factors as may be determined by the Council to be relevant to the fishery and the
proposed IFQ program.
(3) GMFMC's substantially fished criterion. When developing criteria for identifying those multispecies
permit holders who have substantially fished the species to be included in the IFQ program proposal,
the Council or Secretary must consider, but is not limited to considering:
(i)

Current and historical harvest and participation in the fishery;

(ii) The economic value of and employment practices in the fishery; and
(iii) Any other factors determined by the Council with jurisdiction over the fishery for which an IFQ
program is proposed to be relevant to the fishery and the proposed IFQ program.
(d) Council-recommended criteria under paragraph (c) of this section may include, but are not limited to,
levels of participation or reliance on the fishery as represented by landings, sales, expenditures, or other
considerations. A Council may also apply the same criteria for weighting eligible referendum votes.
(e) Actions by NMFS: Review of Council referendum criteria and Secretarial IFQ plans.
(1) NMFS shall determine whether Council recommended referendum criteria will provide for a fair and
equitable referendum and will be consistent with national standards and other provisions of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable legal standards. The Secretary's considerations shall
include, but shall not be limited to:
(i)

Whether the criteria are rationally connected to or further the objectives of the proposed IFQ
program;

(ii) Whether the criteria are designed in such a way to prevent any person or single entity from
obtaining an excessive share of voting privileges;

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50 CFR 600.1310(e)(1)(iii)

(iii) Whether the criteria are reasonable relative to the availability of documentary evidence and the
possibility of validating a participant's eligibility; and
(iv) Whether the referendum can be administered and executed in a fair and equitable manner, in a
reasonable time, and without subjecting industry members, the Council, or NMFS to
administrative burdens, costs or other requirements that would be considered onerous.
(2) If NMFS determines that referendum criteria would not provide for a fair and equitable referendum;
would not be consistent with national standards and other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
and other applicable legal standards; or, in the case of a referendum request subsequent to a failed
referendum in the same fishery, that the Council has not substantively amended the IFQ proposal or
circumstances have not changed sufficiently to warrant initiation of a new referendum, NMFS shall
inform the Council of the Agency's decision to deny the referendum request and of the reasons for
the decision.
(3) If NMFS determines that referendum criteria would provide for a fair and equitable referendum and
would be consistent with national standards and other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and
other applicable legal standards; then NMFS shall conduct the referendum in accordance with
procedures and guidelines provided in paragraph (f) of this section.
(4) In accordance with paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section, NMFS may initiate a referendum and
promulgate referendum criteria for any IFQ program proposal advanced through a Secretarial fishery
management plan (FMP) or FMP amendment under the authority of section 304(c) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act for a New England or Gulf of Mexico fishery. Such criteria must provide for a
fair and equitable referendum and NMFS shall conduct the referendum in accordance with
procedures and guidelines provided in paragraph (f) of this section.
(f) Conducting IFQ referenda.
(1) NMFS shall promulgate specific referenda procedural requirements, voter eligibility requirements,
and any vote weighting criteria through appropriate rulemaking.
(i)

Proposed rule. A proposed rule shall seek public comment on the specific schedule, procedures,
and other requirements for the referendum process.
(A) For NEFMC IFQ program referenda, the proposed rule shall establish procedures for
documenting or certifying that other fishery participants, including crew members, meet
the proposed voter eligibility criteria.
(B) For GMFMC IFQ program referenda for multispecies permit holders, the proposed rule
shall include criteria to be used in identifying those permit holders who have substantially
fished the species that are the subject of the proposed IFQ program.

(ii) Final rule.
(A) If NMFS decides to proceed with the referendum after reviewing public comments, NMFS
shall publish implementing regulations through a final rule in the FEDERAL REGISTER as soon
as practicable after the Council determines the IFQ program proposal and supporting
analyses are complete and ready for Secretarial review. Otherwise, NMFS shall publish a
notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER to inform the Council and the public of its decision not to
conduct the referendum, as proposed, including reasons for the Agency's decision.

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50 CFR 600.1310(f)(1)(ii)(B)

(B) Upon implementation of the referendum through a final rule, NMFS shall provide eligible
voters referenda ballots and shall make available information about the schedule,
procedures, and eligibility requirements for the referendum process and the proposed IFQ
program.
(2) NMFS shall notify the public in the region of the subject fishery of the referendum eligibility criteria.
(3) Individuals who wish to vote as other fishery participants in a NEFMC IFQ referendum, based on
criteria established by the NEFMC under (c)(2), must contact NMFS and produce all required
documentation and certifications to receive a ballot. NMFS shall provide sufficient time in the
referendum process to allow for crew members to request, receive, and submit referendum ballots.
(g) Referenda ballots.
(1) Ballots shall be composed such that voters will indicate approval or disapproval of the preferred IFQ
program proposal.
(2) NMFS may require voters to self-certify on referenda ballots that they meet voter eligibility criteria. To
be considered valid, ballots must be signed by the eligible voter.
(3) Referenda ballots shall be numbered serially or otherwise designed to guard against submission of
duplicate ballots.
(4) If votes are weighted, the value of weighted votes shall be indicated on the ballot. The weighted vote
must be cast as a single unit. Its value may not be split. The full value must be applied to the
selection made on the ballot.
(5) NMFS shall allow at least 30 days for eligible voters to receive and return their ballots and shall
specify a deadline by which ballots must be received. Ballots received after the deadline shall not be
considered valid.
(h) Determining the outcome of an IFQ referendum.
(1) NMFS shall tally and announce the results of the referendum within 90 days of the deadline by which
completed ballots must be received. NMFS may declare a referendum invalid if the Agency can
demonstrate the referendum was not conducted in accordance with the procedures established in
the final rule implementing the referendum.
(2) A NEFMC IFQ program referendum shall be considered approved only if more than 2⁄3 of the votes
submitted on valid ballots are in favor of the referendum question.
(3) A GMFMC IFQ program referendum shall be considered approved only if a majority of the votes
submitted on valid ballots are in favor of the referendum question.
(i)

Council actions.
(1) If NMFS notifies a Council that an IFQ program proposal has been approved through a referendum,
then the Council may submit the associated FMP or FMP amendment for Secretarial review and
implementation.
(2) Any changes that would modify an IFQ program proposal that was reviewed by referenda voters may
invalidate the results of the referendum and require the modified program proposal to be approved
through a new referendum before it can be submitted to the Secretary for review and
implementation.

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50 CFR 600.1310(i)(3)

(3) If NMFS notifies a Council that an IFQ referendum has failed, then the Council may modify its IFQ
program proposal and request a new referendum pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section.

Subpart P—Marine Recreational Fisheries of the United States
Source: 73 FR 79717, Dec. 30, 2008, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.1400 Definitions.
In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MagnusonStevens Act) and in § 600.10 of this title, the terms used in this subpart have the following meanings. For purposes
of this subpart, if applicable, the terms used in this subpart supersede those used in § 600.10.
Anadromous species means the following:
American shad: Alosa sapidissima
Blueback herring: Alosa aestivalus
Alewife: Alosa pseudoharengus
Hickory shad: Alosa mediocris
Alabama shad: Alosa alabamae
Striped bass: Morone saxatilis
Rainbow smelt: Osmerus mordax
Atlantic salmon: Salmo salar
Chinook, or king, salmon:
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Coho, or silver, salmon: Oncorhynchus kisutch
Pink salmon: Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
Sockeye salmon: Oncorhynchus nerka
Chum salmon: Oncorhynchus keta
Steelhead: Oncorhynchus mykiss
Coastal cutthroat trout: Oncorhynchus clarki clarki
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50 CFR 600.1400 “Angler”

Eulachon or candlefish: Thaleichthys pacificus
Dolly varden: Salvelinus malma
Sheefish or inconnu: Stenodus leucichthys
Atlantic sturgeon: Acipenser oxyrhynchus oxyrhynchus
Shortnose sturgeon: Acipenser brevirostrum
Gulf sturgeon: Acipenser oxyrhynchus desotoi
White sturgeon: Acipenser transmontanus
Green sturgeon: Acipenser medirostris
Angler means a person who is angling (see 50 CFR 600.10) in tidal waters.
Authorized officer has the same meaning as in 50 CFR 600.10.
Combination license means either:
(1) A single state fishing license that permits fishing in fresh waters and tidal waters at one price; or
(2) A single state license that permits a group of fishing and hunting activities, including fishing in tidal
waters, at a price that is less than the sum of the cost of the individual licenses.
Commercial fishing has the same meaning as in 16 U.S.C. 1802.
Continental shelf fishery resources has the same meaning as in 16 U.S.C. 1802.
Exempted state means a state that has been designated as an exempted state by NMFS pursuant to §
600.1415.
For-hire fishing vessel means a vessel on which passengers are carried to engage in angling or spear fishing,
from whom a consideration is contributed as a condition of such carriage, whether directly or indirectly
flowing to the owner, charterer, operator, agent or any other person having an interest in the vessel.
Indigenous people means persons who are documented members of a federally recognized tribe or Alaskan
Native Corporation or persons who reside in the western Pacific who are descended from the aboriginal
people indigenous to the region who conducted commercial or subsistence fishing using traditional
fishing methods, including angling.
Spearfishing means fishing for, attempting to fish for, catching or attempting to catch fish in tidal waters by any
person with a spear or a powerhead (see 50 CFR 600.10).
State has the same meaning as in 16 U.S.C. 1802.
Tidal waters means waters that lie below mean high water and seaward of the first upstream obstruction or
barrier to tidal action and that are subject to the ebb and flow of the astronomical tides under ordinary
conditions.
[77 FR 42191, July 18, 2012]
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50 CFR 600.1405

§ 600.1405 Angler registration.
(a) Effective January 1, 2010, the requirements of this section apply to any person who does any of the
following:
(1) Engages in angling or spearfishing for:
(i)

Fish in the EEZ;

(ii) Anadromous species in any tidal waters; or
(iii) Continental Shelf fishery resources beyond the EEZ.
(2) Operates a for-hire fishing vessel in the EEZ.
(3) Operates a for-hire fishing vessel that engages in angling or spearfishing for:
(i)

Anadromous species in any tidal waters; or

(ii) Continental shelf fishery resources beyond the EEZ.
(4) Possesses equipment used for angling or spearfishing and also possesses:
(i)

Fish in the EEZ;

(ii) Anadromous species in any tidal waters; or
(iii) Continental shelf fishery resources beyond the EEZ.
(b) No person may engage in the activities listed in paragraph (a) of this section unless that person:
(1) Has registered annually with NMFS in accordance with § 600.1410 of this part;
(2) Holds a valid fishing license issued by, or is registered by, an exempted state;
(3) Is a resident of an exempted state, but is not required to hold a fishing license, or to be registered to
fish, under the laws of that state;
(4) Holds a permit issued by NMFS for for-hire fishing under 50 CFR 622.4(a)(1), 635.4(b), 648.4(a), or
660.707(a)(1);
(5) Is under the age of 16;
(6) Is angling aboard a for-hire fishing vessel that is in compliance with NMFS and state for-hire vessel
permit, license or registration requirements;
(7) Holds a commercial fishing license or permit issued by NMFS or a state and is lawfully fishing or in
possession of fish taken under the terms and conditions of such license or permit;
(8) Holds an HMS Angling permit under 50 CFR 635.4(c) or a MHI Non-commercial Bottomfish permit
under 50 CFR 665.203(a)(2);
(9) Holds a subsistence fishing license or permit issued by NMFS or a state and is lawfully fishing or in
possession of fish taken under the terms and conditions of such license or permit; or
(10) Is angling or spearfishing for, or operating a for-hire fishing vessel that engages in fishing for,
anadromous species or Continental Shelf fishery resources, in waters under the control of a foreign
nation.

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50 CFR 600.1405(c)

(c) Any angler or spear fisher or operator of a for-hire vessel must, on request of an authorized officer,
produce the NMFS registration number and certificate or evidence that such person or for-hire vessel
operator is exempt from the registration requirement pursuant to § 600.1405(b)(2) through §
600.1405(b)(10).
[73 FR 79717, Dec. 30, 2008, as amended at 77 FR 42191, July 18, 2012]

§ 600.1410 Registry process.
(a) A person may register through the NMFS web site at www.nmfs.noaa.gov or by calling a toll-free telephone
number available by contacting NMFS or at the NMFS website.
(b) Individuals must submit their name; address; telephone number; date of birth; region(s) of the country in
which they intend to fish in the upcoming year; and additional information necessary for the issuance or
administration of the registration.
(c) To register a for-hire fishing vessel, the vessel owner or operator must submit vessel owner name,
address, date of birth, and telephone number; vessel operator (if different) name, address, date of birth
and telephone number; vessel name; vessel's state registration or U.S. Coast Guard documentation
number; home port or principal area of operation; and additional information necessary for the issuance
or administration of the registration.
(d) NMFS will issue a registration number and certificate to registrants. A registration number and certificate
will be valid for one year from the date on which it is issued.
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to submit false, inaccurate or misleading information in connection with
any registration request.
(f) Fees. Effective January 1, 2011, persons registering with NMFS must pay an annual fee. The annual
schedule for such fees will be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER. Indigenous people engaging in angling or
spear fishing must register, but are not required to pay a fee.

§ 600.1415 Procedures for designating exempted states-general provisions.
(a) States with an exempted state designation must:
(1) Submit state angler and for-hire vessel license holder data to NMFS for inclusion in a national or
regional registry database; or
(2) Participate in regional surveys of recreational catch and effort and make the data from those surveys
available to NMFS.
(b) Process for getting an exempted state designation:
(1) To apply for exempted state designation, a state must submit:
(i)

A complete description of the data it intends to submit to NMFS;

(ii) An assessment of how the data conforms to the requirements of §§ 600.1416 or 600. 1417;
(iii) A description of the database in which the data exists and will be transmitted; and
(iv) The proposed process, schedule and frequency of submission of the data.

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50 CFR 600.1415(b)(2)

(2) If NMFS determines the submitted material meets the requirements of §§ 600.1416 or 600.1417,
NMFS will initiate negotiations with the state on a Memorandum of Agreement. The Memorandum
of Agreement must include the terms and conditions of the data-sharing program. The
Memorandum of Agreement and state designation may be limited to data-sharing related to only
anglers or only for-hire fishing vessels.
(3) Following execution of a Memorandum of Agreement, NMFS will publish a notice of the exempted
state designation in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

§ 600.1416 Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of state license
holder data.
(a) A state must annually update and submit to NMFS, in a format consistent with NMFS guidelines, the
name, address and, to the extent available in the state's database, telephone number and date of birth, of
all persons and for-hire vessel operators, and the name and state registration number or U.S. Coast Guard
documentation number of for-hire vessels that are licensed to fish, or are registered as fishing, in the EEZ,
in the tidal waters of the state, or for anadromous species. The Memorandum of Agreement developed in
accordance with § 600.1415(b)(2) will specify the timetable for a state to compile and submit complete
information telephone numbers and dates of birth for its license holders/registrants. The waters of the
state for which such license-holder data must be submitted will be specified in the Memorandum of
Agreement.
(b) A state is eligible to be designated as an exempted state even if its licensing program excludes anglers
who are:
(1) Under 17 years of age;
(2) Over age 59 (see § 600.1416(d)(1));
(3) Customers on licensed for-hire vessels;
(4) Customers on state-licensed fishing piers, provided that the pier license holder provides to the state
complete angler contact information or angler effort information for users of the pier;
(5) On active military duty while on furlough; or
(6) Disabled or a disabled Veteran as defined by the state.
(7) Fishing on days designated as “free fishing days” by states. “Free fishing days” means fishing
promotion programs by which states allow new anglers to fish for a specified day without a license
or registration.
(c) Unless the state can demonstrate that a given category of anglers is so small it has no significant
probability of biasing estimates of fishing effort if these anglers are not included in a representative
sample, a state may not be designated as an exempted state if its licensing or registration program
excludes anglers in any category other than those listed in paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) Required enhancements to exempted state license-holder data. An exempted state must submit the
following angler identification data by Jan. 1, 2012, or within two years of the effective date of the
Memorandum of Agreement, whichever is later, and thereafter in accordance with the Memorandum of
Agreement. States that provide NMFS with notice that they are required to enact legislation or to enter
into formal memoranda of agreement or contracts with other state agencies to comply with this
requirement must submit the data within three years of the effective date of the Memorandum of
Agreement:
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50 CFR 600.1416(d)(1)

(1) Name, address and telephone number, updated annually, of excluded anglers over age 59, unless the
state can demonstrate that the number of anglers excluded from the license or registration
requirement based on having a date of birth before June 1, 1940 is so small it has no significant
probability of biasing estimates of fishing effort if these anglers are not included in a representative
sample;
(2) Name, address and telephone number, updated annually, of holders of state lifetime and multi-year
licenses;
(3) Name, address and telephone number of state combination license holders who fished in tidal
waters in the prior year, or who intend to fish in tidal waters. The Memorandum of Agreement will
define the boundaries of the state's tidal waters for this purpose.
[73 FR 79717, Dec. 30, 2008, as amended at 77 FR 42191, July 18, 2012]

§ 600.1417 Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational
survey data.
(a) To be designated as an exempted state based on the state's participation in a regional survey of marine
and anadromous recreational fishing catch and effort, a state may submit to NMFS a proposal that fully
describes the state's participation in a qualifying regional survey, and the survey's sample design, data
collection and availability.
(b) A qualifying regional survey must:
(1) Include all of the states within each region as follows:
(i)

Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida
(Atlantic coast);

(ii) Florida (Gulf of Mexico coast), Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas;
(iii) Puerto Rico;
(iv) U.S. Virgin Islands;
(v) California, Oregon and Washington;
(vi) Alaska;
(vii) Hawaii; or
(viii) American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(2) Utilize angler registry data, or direct field counts to obtain angler effort, or other appropriate
statistical means to obtain fishing effort;
(3) Utilize angler registry data to identify individuals to be surveyed by telephone, mail or Internet if such
regional survey includes a telephone survey component; and
(4) Meet NMFS survey design and data collection standards.
[73 FR 79717, Dec. 30, 2008, as amended at 77 FR 42192, July 18, 2012]

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50 CFR 600.1500

Subpart Q—Vessel Monitoring System Type-Approval
Source: 85 FR 40921, July 8, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

§ 600.1500 Definitions and acronyms.
In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and in § 600.10, and the acronyms in § 600.15, the terms
and acronyms in this subpart have the following meanings:
Authorized entity means a person, defined at 16 U.S.C. 1802(36), authorized to receive data transmitted by a
VMS unit.
Bench configuration means the configuration of a VMS unit after it has been customized to meet the Federal
VMS requirements.
Bundle means a mobile communications service and VMS unit sold as a package and considered one product.
If a bundle is type-approved, the requestor will be the type-approval holder for the bundled MCS and VMS
unit.
Cellular communication means the wireless transmission of VMS data via a cellular network.
Communication class means the satellite or cellular communications operator from which communications
services originate.
Electronic form means a pre-formatted message transmitted by a VMS unit that is required for the collection of
data for a specific fishery program (e.g., declaration system, catch effort reporting).
Enhanced Mobile Transceiver Unit (EMTU) means a type of MTU that is capable of supporting two-way
communication, messaging, and electronic forms transmission via satellite. An EMTU is a transceiver or
communications device, including an antenna, and dedicated message terminal and display which can
support a dedicated input device such as a tablet or keyboard, installed on fishing vessels participating in
fisheries with a VMS requirement.
Enhanced Mobile Transceiver Unit, Cellular Based (EMTU-C) means an EMTU that transmits and receives data via
cellular communications, except that it may not need a dedicated message terminal and display
component at the time of approval as explained at § 600.1502(a)(6). An EMTU-C only needs to be capable
of transmission and reception when in the range of a cellular network.
Latency means the state of untimely delivery of Global Positioning System position reports and electronic forms
to NMFS (i.e., information is not delivered to NMFS consistent with timing requirements of this subpart).
Mobile Communications Service (MCS) means the satellite and/or cellular communications services used with
particular VMS units.
Mobile Communications Service Provider (MCSP) means an entity that sells VMS satellite and/or cellular
communications services to end users.
Mobile Transmitter Unit (MTU) means a VMS unit capable of transmitting Global Positioning System position
reports via satellite. (MTUs are no longer approved for new installations on VMS vessels).
Notification Letter means a letter issued by NMFS to a type-approval holder identifying an alleged failure of a
VMS unit, MCS, or the type-approval holder to comply with the requirements of this subpart.
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Position report means the unique global positioning system (GPS) report generated by a vessel's VMS unit,
which identifies the vessel's latitude/longitude position at a point in time. Position reports are sent from
the VMS unit via the MCS, to authorized entities.
Requestor means a vendor seeking type-approval.
Service life means the length of time during which a VMS unit remains fully operational with reasonable repairs.
Sniffing means the unauthorized and illegitimate monitoring and capture, through use of a computer program or
device, of data being transmitted over a network.
Spoofing means the reporting of a false Global Positioning System position and/or vessel identity.
Time stamp means the time, in hours, minutes, and seconds in a position report. Each position report is time
stamped.
Type-approval holder means an applicant whose type-approval request has been approved pursuant to this
subpart.
Vendor means a commercial provider of VMS hardware, software, and/or mobile communications services.
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) means, for purposes of this subpart, a satellite and/or cellular based system
designed to monitor the location and movement of vessels using onboard VMS units that send Global
Positioning System position reports to an authorized entity.
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data means the data transmitted to authorized entities from a VMS unit.
Vessel Monitoring System Program means the Federal program that manages the vessel monitoring system,
data, and associated program-components, nationally and in each NMFS region; it is housed in the
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries
Service's Office of Law Enforcement.
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Unit means MTU, EMTU or EMTU-C, as well as the units that can operate as
both an EMTU and an EMTU-C.
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Vessels means vessels that operate in federally managed fisheries with a
requirement to carry and operate a VMS unit.

§ 600.1501 Vessel Monitoring System type-approval process.
(a) Applicability. Unless otherwise specified, this section applies to EMTUs, EMTU-Cs, units that operate as
both an EMTU and EMTU-C, and MCSs. Units that can operate as both an EMTU and EMTU-C must meet
the requirements for both an EMTU and an EMTU-C in order to gain type-approval as both. MTUs are no
longer eligible for type-approval.
(b) Application submission. A requestor must submit a written type-approval request and electronic copies of
supporting materials that include the information required under this section to the NMFS Office of Law
Enforcement (OLE) at: U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
National Marine Fisheries Service; Office of Law Enforcement; Attention: Vessel Monitoring System Office;
1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3, Suite 3301, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
(c) Application requirements.
(1) EMTU, EMTU-C, and MCS Identifying Information: In a type-approval request, the requestor should
indicate whether the requestor is seeking approval for an EMTU, EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle and must
specify identifying characteristics, as applicable: Communication class; manufacturer; brand name;
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model name; model number; software version and date; firmware version number and date;
hardware version number and date; antenna type; antenna model number and date; tablet, monitor or
terminal model number and date; MCS to be used in conjunction with the EMTU/EMTU-C; entity
providing MCS to the end user; and current global and regional coverage of the MCS.
(2) Requestor-approved third party business entities: The requestor must provide the business name,
address, phone number, contact name(s), email address, specific services provided, and geographic
region covered for the following third party business entities:
(i)

Entities providing bench configuration for the EMTU/EMTU-C at the warehouse or point of
supply.

(ii) Entities distributing/selling the EMTU/EMTU-C to end users.
(iii) Entities currently approved by the requestor to install the EMTU/EMTU-C onboard vessels.
(iv) Entities currently approved by the requestor to offer a limited warranty.
(v) Entities approved by the requestor to offer a maintenance service agreement.
(vi) Entities approved by the requestor to repair or install new software on the EMTU/EMTU-C.
(vii) Entities approved by the requestor to train end users.
(viii) Entities approved by the requestor to advertise the EMTU/EMTU-C.
(ix) Entities approved by the requestor to provide other customer services.
(3) Regulatory Requirements and Documentation: In a type-approval request, a requestor must:
(i)

Identify the NMFS region(s) and/or Federal fisheries for which the requestor seeks typeapproval.

(ii) Include copies of, or citation to, applicable VMS regulations and requirements in effect for the
region(s) and Federal fisheries identified under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section that require
use of VMS.
(iii) Provide a table with the type-approval request that lists in one column each requirement set out
in §§ 600.1502 through 600.1509 and regulations described under paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this
section. NMFS OLE will provide a template for the table upon request. The requestor must
indicate in subsequent columns in the table:
(A) Whether the requirement applies to the type-approval; and
(B) Whether the EMTU, EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle meets the requirement.
(iv) Certify that the features, components, configuration and services of the requestor's EMTU/
EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle comply with each requirement set out in §§ 600.1502 through
600.1509 and the regulations described under paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section.
(v) Certify that, if the request is approved, the requestor agrees to be responsible for ensuring
compliance with each requirement set out in §§ 600.1502 through 600.1509 and the
regulations described under paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section over the course of the typeapproval period.

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(vi) Provide NMFS OLE with two EMTU/EMTU-Cs loaded with forms and software, if applicable, for
each NMFS region or Federal fishery, with activated MCS, for which a type-approval request is
submitted for a minimum of 90 calendar days for testing and evaluation. For EMTU-Cs, the
forms and software may be loaded onto a dedicated message terminal and display component
to which the EMTU-C can connect. Copies of forms currently used by NMFS are available upon
request. As part of its review, NMFS OLE may perform field tests and at-sea trials that involve
demonstrating every aspect of EMTU/EMTU-C and communications operation. The requestor is
responsible for all associated costs including paying for: Shipping of the EMTU/EMTU-C to the
required NMFS regional offices and/or headquarters for testing; the MCS during the testing
period; and shipping of the EMTU/EMTU-C back to the vendor.
(vii) Provide thorough documentation for the EMTU/EMTU-C and MCS, including: EMTU/EMTU-C
fact sheets; installation guides; user manuals; any necessary interfacing software; MCS global
and regional coverage; performance specifications; and technical support information.
(d) Certification. A requestor seeking type-approval of an EMTU/EMTU-C to operate with a class or type of
communications, as opposed to type-approval for use with a specific MCS, shall certify that the EMTU/
EMTU-C meets requirements under this subpart when using at least one MCSP within that class or type of
communications.
(e) Notification. Unless additional time is required for EMTU/EMTU-C testing, NMFS OLE will notify the
requestor within 90 days after receipt of a complete type-approval request as follows:
(1) If a request is approved or partially approved, NMFS OLE will provide notice as described under §
600.1510 and the type-approval letter will serve as official documentation and notice of typeapproval. OLE will publish and maintain the list of type-approved units on their Vessel Monitoring
System web page.
(2) If a request is disapproved or partially disapproved:
(i)

OLE will send a letter to the requestor that explains the reason for the disapproval/partial
disapproval.

(ii) The requestor may respond to NMFS OLE in writing with additional information to address the
reasons for disapproval identified in the NMFS OLE letter. The requestor must submit this
response within 21 calendar days of the date of the OLE letter sent under paragraph (e)(2)(i) of
this section.
(iii) If any additional information is submitted under paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of this section, NMFS OLE,
after reviewing such information, may either take action under paragraph (e)(1) of this section
or determine that the request should continue to be disapproved or partially disapproved. In the
latter case, the NMFS OLE Director will send a letter to the requestor that explains the reasons
for the continued disapproval/partial disapproval. The NMFS OLE Director's decision is final
upon issuance of this letter and is not appealable.

§ 600.1502 Communications functionality.
(a) Unless otherwise specified, this subsection applies to all VMS units. Units that can operate as both an
EMTU and EMTU-C must meet the requirements for both an EMTU and an EMTU-C in order to gain typeapproval as both. The VMS unit must:
(1) Be able to transmit all automatically-generated position reports.
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(2) Provide visible or audible alarms onboard the vessel to indicate malfunctioning of the VMS unit.
(3) Be able to disable non-essential alarms in non-Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
installations.
(4) EMTU/EMTU-Cs must be able to send communications that function uniformly throughout the
geographic area(s) covered by the type-approval, except an EMTU-C only needs to be capable of
transmission and reception when in the range of a cellular network.
(5) EMTU/EMTU-Cs must have two-way communications between the unit and authorized entities, via
MCS, or be able to connect to a device that has two-way communications.
(6) EMTU/EMTU-Cs must be able to run or to connect to a dedicated message terminal and display
component that can run software and/or applications that send and receive electronic forms and
internet email messages for the purpose of complying with VMS reporting requirements in Federal
fisheries. Depending on the reporting requirements for the fishery(s) in which the requester is
seeking type-approval, an EMTU-C type-approval may not require the inclusion of a dedicated
message terminal and display component at the time of approval, but the capability to support such
a component must be shown.
(7) Have messaging and communications mechanisms that are completely compatible with NMFS
vessel monitoring and surveillance software.
(b) In addition, messages and communications from a VMS unit must be able to be parsed out to enable
clear billing of costs to the government and to the owner of a vessel or EMTU/EMTU-C, when necessary.
Also, the costs associated with position reporting and the costs associated with other communications
(for example, personal email or communications/reports to non-NMFS Office of Law Enforcement
entities) must be parsed out and billed to separate parties, as appropriate.

§ 600.1503 Position report data formats and transmission.
Unless otherwise specified, this subsection applies to all VMS units, MCSs and bundles. Units that can operate as
both an EMTU and EMTU-C must meet the requirements for both an EMTU and an EMTU-C in order to gain typeapproval as both. To be type-approved in any given fishery, a VMS unit must also meet any additional positioning
information as required by the applicable VMS regulations and requirements in effect for each fishery or region for
which the type-approval applies. The VMS unit must meet the following requirements:
(a) Transmit all automatically-generated position reports, for vessels managed individually or grouped by
fleet, that meet the latency requirement under § 600.1504.
(b) When powered up, must automatically re-establish its position reporting function without manual
intervention.
(c) Position reports must contain all of the following:
(1) Unique identification of an EMTU/EMTU-C and clear indication if the unit is an EMTU-C.
(2) Date (year/month/day with century in the year) and time stamp (GMT) of the position fix.
(3) Date (year/month/day with century in the year) and time stamp (GMT) that the EMTU-C position
report was sent from the EMTU-C.
(4) Position fixed latitude and longitude, including the hemisphere of each, which comply with the
following requirements:
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(i)

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The position fix precision must be to the decimal minute hundredths.

(ii) Accuracy of the reported position must be within 100 meters (328.1 ft).
(d) An EMTU/EMTU-C must have the ability to:
(1) Store 1,000 position fixes in local, non-volatile memory.
(2) Allow for defining variable reporting intervals between 5 minutes and 24 hours.
(3) Allow for changes in reporting intervals remotely and only by authorized users.
(e) An EMTU/EMTU-C must generate specially identified position reports upon:
(1) Antenna disconnection.
(2) Loss of positioning reference signals.
(3) Security events, power-up, power down, and other status data.
(4) A request for EMTU/EMTU-C status information such as configuration of programming and reporting
intervals.
(5) The EMTUs loss of the mobile communications signals.
(6) An EMTU must generate a specially identified position report upon the vessel crossing of a predefined geographic boundary.

§ 600.1504 Latency requirement.
(a) Ninety percent of all pre-programmed or requested Global Positioning System position reports during
each 24-hour period must reach NMFS within 15 minutes or less of being sent from the VMS unit, for 10
out of 11 consecutive days (24-hour time periods).
(b) NMFS will continually examine latency by region and by type-approval holder.
(c) Exact dates for calculation of latency will be chosen by NMFS. Days in which isolated and documented
system outages occur will not be used by NMFS to calculate a type-approval holder's latency.

§ 600.1505 Messaging.
(a) Unless otherwise specified, this section applies to all VMS units, MCSs, and bundles. Units that can
operate as both an EMTU and EMTU-C must meet the requirements for both an EMTU and an EMTU-C in
order to gain type-approval as both. Depending on the reporting requirements for the fishery(s) in which
the requester is seeking type-approval, an EMTU-C type-approval may not require the inclusion of a
dedicated message terminal and display component at the time of approval, but the capability to support
such a component must be shown. To be type-approved in any given fishery, a VMS unit must meet
messaging information requirements under the applicable VMS regulations and requirements in effect for
each fishery or region for which the type-approval applies. The VMS unit must also meet the following
requirements:
(b) An EMTU must be able to run software and/or applications that send email messages for the purpose of
complying with VMS reporting requirements in Federal fisheries that require email communication
capability. An EMTU-C must be able to run or connect to a device that can run such software and/or
applications. In such cases, the EMTU/EMTU-C messaging must provide for the following capabilities:

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(1) Messaging from vessel to shore, and from shore to vessel by authorized entities, must have a
minimum supported message length of 1 KB. For EMTU-Cs, this messaging capability need only be
functional when in range of shore-based cellular communications.
(2) There must be a confirmation of delivery function that allows a user to ascertain whether a specific
message was successfully transmitted to the MCS email server(s).
(3) Notification of failed delivery to the EMTU/EMTU-C must be sent to the sender of the message. The
failed delivery notification must include sufficient information to identify the specific message that
failed and the cause of failure (e.g., invalid address, EMTU/EMTU-C switched off, etc.).
(4) The EMTU/EMTU-C must have an automatic retry feature in the event that a message fails to be
delivered.
(5) The EMTU/EMTU-C user interface must:
(i)

Support an “address book” capability and a function permitting a “reply” to a received message
without re-entering the sender's address.

(ii) Provide the ability to review by date order, or by recipient, messages that were previously sent.
The EMTU/EMTU-C terminal must support a minimum message history of 50 sent
messages—commonly referred to as an “Outbox” or “Sent” message display.
(iii) Provide the ability to review by date order, or by sender, all messages received. The EMTU/
EMTU-C terminal must support a minimum message history of at least 50 messages in an
inbox.

§ 600.1506 Electronic forms.
Unless otherwise specified, this subsection applies to all EMTUs, EMTU-Cs, MCSs, and bundles.
(a) Forms. An EMTU/EMTU-C must be able to run, or to connect to and transmit data from a device that can
run electronic forms software. Depending on the reporting requirements for the fishery(s) in which the
requester is seeking type-approval, an EMTU-C type-approval may not require the inclusion of a dedicated
message terminal and display component at the time of approval, but the capability to support such a
component must be shown. The EMTU/EMTU-C must be able to support forms software that can hold a
minimum of 20 electronic forms, and it must also meet any additional forms requirements in effect for
each fishery or region for which the type-approval applies. The EMTU/EMTU-C must meet the following
requirements:
(1) Form Validation: Each field on a form must be capable of being defined as Optional, Mandatory, or
Logic Driven. Mandatory fields are those fields that must be entered by the user before the form is
complete. Optional fields are those fields that do not require data entry. Logic-driven fields have their
attributes determined by earlier form selections. Specifically, a logic-driven field must allow for
selection of options in that field to change the values available as menu selections on a subsequent
field within the same form.
(2) A user must be able to select forms from a menu on the EMTU/EMTU-C.
(3) A user must be able to populate a form based on the last values used and “modify” or “update” a
prior submission without unnecessary re-entry of data. A user must be able to review a minimum of
20 past form submissions and ascertain for each form when the form was transmitted and whether

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delivery was successfully sent to the type-approval holder's VMS data processing center. In the case
of a transmission failure, a user must be provided with details of the cause and have the opportunity
to retry the form submission.
(4) VMS Position Report: Each form must include VMS position data, including latitude, longitude, date
and time. Data to populate these fields must be automatically generated by the EMTU/EMTU-C and
unable to be manually entered or altered.
(5) Delivery and Format of Forms Data: Delivery of form data to NMFS must employ the same transport
security and reliability as set out in § 600.1507 of this subpart. The forms data and delivery must be
completely compatible with NMFS vessel monitoring software.
(b) Updates to Forms.
(1) The EMTU/EMTU-C and MCS must be capable of providing updates to forms or adding new form
requirements via wireless transmission and without manual installation.
(2) From time to time, NMFS may provide type-approved applicants with requirements for new forms or
modifications to existing forms. NMFS may also provide notice of forms and form changes through
the NMFS Work Order System. Type-approved applicants will be given at least 60 calendar days to
complete their implementation of new or changed forms. Applicants will be capable of, and
responsible for translating the requirements into their EMTU/EMTU-C-specific forms definitions and
wirelessly transmitting the same to all EMTU/EMTU-C terminals supplied to fishing vessels.

§ 600.1507 Communications security.
Communications between an EMTU/EMTU-C and MCS must be secure from tampering or interception, including the
reading of passwords and data. The EMTU/EMTU-C and MCS must have mechanisms to prevent to the extent
possible:
(a) Sniffing and/or interception during transmission from the EMTU/EMTU-C to MCS.
(b) Spoofing.
(c) False position reports sent from an EMTU/EMTU-C.
(d) Modification of EMTU/EMTU-C identification.
(e) Interference with Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) or other safety/distress functions.
(f) Introduction of malware, spyware, keyloggers, or other software that may corrupt, disturb, or disrupt
messages, transmission, and the VMS system.
(g) The EMTU/EMTU-C terminal from communicating with, influencing, or interfering with the Global
Positioning System antenna or its functionality, position reports, or sending of position reports. The
position reports must not be altered, corrupted, degraded, or at all affected by the operation of the
terminal or any of its peripherals or installed-software.
(h) VMS data must be encrypted and sent securely through all associated cellular, satellite, and internet
communication pathways and channels.

§ 600.1508 Field and technical services.
As a requirement of its type-approval, a type-approval holder must communicate with NMFS to resolve technical
issues with a VMS Unit, MCS or bundle and ensure that field and technical services includes:
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(a) Diagnostic and troubleshooting support to NMFS and fishers, which is available 24 hours a day, seven
days per week, and year-round.
(b) Response times for customer service inquiries that shall not exceed 24 hours.
(c) Warranty and maintenance agreements.
(d) Escalation procedures for resolution of problems.
(e) Established facilities and procedures to assist fishers in maintaining and repairing their EMTU, EMTU-C, or
MTU.
(f) Assistance to fishers in the diagnosis of the cause of communications anomalies.
(g) Assistance in resolving communications anomalies that are traced to the EMTU, EMTU-C, or MTU.
(h) Assistance to NMFS Office of Law Enforcement and its contractors, upon request, in VMS system
operation, resolving technical issues, and data analyses related to the VMS Program or system.

§ 600.1509 General.
(a) An EMTU/EMTU-C must have the durability and reliability necessary to meet all requirements of §§
600.1502 through 600.1507 regardless of weather conditions, including when placed in a marine
environment where the unit may be subjected to saltwater (spray) in smaller vessels, and in larger vessels
where the unit may be maintained in a wheelhouse. The unit, cabling and antenna must be resistant to
salt, moisture, and shock associated with sea-going vessels in the marine environment.
(b) PII and Other Protected Information. Personally identifying information (PII) and other protected
information includes Magnuson-Stevens Act confidential information as provided at 16 U.S.C. 1881a and
Business Identifiable Information (BII), as defined in the Department of Commerce Information
Technology Privacy Policy. A type-approval holder is responsible for ensuring that:
(1) All PII and other protected information is handled in accordance with applicable state and Federal
law.
(2) All PII and other protected information provided to the type-approval holder by vessel owners or other
authorized personnel for the purchase or activation of an EMTU/EMTU-C or arising from
participation in any Federal fishery are protected from disclosure not authorized by NMFS or the
vessel owner or other authorized personnel.
(3) Any release of PII or other protected information beyond authorized entities must be requested and
approved in writing, as appropriate, by the submitter of the data in accordance with 16 U.S.C. 1881a,
or by NMFS.
(4) Any PII or other protected information sent electronically by the type-approval holder to the NMFS
Office of Law Enforcement must be transmitted by a secure means that prevents interception,
spoofing, or viewing by unauthorized individuals.

§ 600.1510 Notification of type-approval.
(a) If a request made pursuant to § 600.1501 (type-approval) is approved or partially approved, NMFS will
issue a type-approval letter to indicate the specific EMTU/EMTU-C model, MCSP, or bundle that is
approved for use, the MCS or class of MCSs permitted for use with the type-approved EMTU, and the
regions or fisheries in which the EMTU/EMTU-C, MCSP, or bundle is approved for use.

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(b) The NMFS Office of Law Enforcement will maintain a list of type-approved EMTUs/EMTU-C, MCSPs, and
bundles on a publicly available website and provide copies of the list upon request.

§ 600.1511 Changes or modifications to type-approvals.
Type-approval holders must notify NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) in writing no later than 2 days following
modification to or replacement of any functional component or piece of their type-approved EMTU, EMTU-C, or MTU
configuration, MCS, or bundle. If the changes are substantial, NMFS OLE will notify the type-approval holder in
writing within 60 calendar days that an amended type-approval is required or that NMFS will initiate the typeapproval revocation process.

§ 600.1512 Type-approval revocation process.
(a) If at any time, a type-approved EMTU/EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle fails to meet requirements at §§ 600.1502
through 600.1509 or applicable VMS regulations and requirements in effect for the region(s) and Federal
fisheries for which the EMTU/EMTU-C or MCS is type-approved, or if an MTU fails to meet the
requirements under which it was type-approved, OLE may issue a Notification Letter to the type-approval
holder that:
(1) Identifies the MTU, EMTU, EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle that allegedly fails to comply with type-approval
regulations and requirements;
(2) Identifies the alleged failure to comply with type-approval regulations and requirements, and the
urgency and impact of the alleged failure;
(3) Cites relevant regulations and requirements under this subpart;
(4) Describes the indications and evidence of the alleged failure;
(5) Provides documentation and data demonstrating the alleged failure;
(6) Sets a response date by which the type-approval holder must submit to NMFS OLE a written
response to the Notification Letter, including, if applicable, a proposed solution; and
(7) Explains the type-approval holder's options if the type-approval holder believes the Notification Letter
is in error.
(b) NMFS will establish a response date between 30 and 120 calendar days from the date of the Notification
Letter. The type-approval holder's response must be received in writing by NMFS on or before the
response date. If the type-approval holder fails to respond by the response date, the type-approval will be
revoked. At its discretion and for good cause, NMFS may extend the response date to a maximum of 150
calendar days from the date of the Notification Letter.
(c) A type-approval holder who has submitted a timely response may meet with NMFS within 21 calendar
days of the date of that response to discuss a detailed and agreed-upon procedure for resolving the
alleged failure. The meeting may be in person, conference call, or webcast.
(d) If the type-approval holder disagrees with the Notification Letter and believes that there is no failure to
comply with the type-approval regulations and requirements, NMFS has incorrectly defined or described
the failure or its urgency and impact, or NMFS is otherwise in error, the type-approval holder may submit a
written objection letter to NMFS on or before the response date. Within 21 calendar days of the date of
the objection letter, the type-approval holder may meet with NMFS to discuss a resolution or redefinition
of the issue. The meeting may be in person, conference call, or webcast. If modifications to any part of
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the Notification Letter are required, then NMFS will issue a revised Notification Letter to the type-approval
holder. However, the response date or any other timeline in this process would not restart or be modified
unless NMFS decides to do so, at its discretion.
(e) The total process from the date of the Notification Letter to the date of final resolution should not exceed
180 calendar days, and may require a shorter timeframe, to be determined by NMFS, depending on the
urgency and impact of the alleged failure. In rare circumstances, NMFS, at its discretion, may extend the
time for resolution of the alleged failure. In such a case, NMFS will provide a written notice to the typeapproval holder informing him or her of the extension and the basis for the extension.
(f) If the failure to comply with type-approval regulations and requirements cannot be resolved through this
process, the NMFS OLE Director will issue a Revocation Letter to the type-approval holder that:
(1) Identifies the MTU, EMTU, EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle for which type-approval is being revoked;
(2) Summarizes the failure to comply with type-approval regulations and requirements, including
describing its urgency and impact;
(3) Summarizes any proposed plan, or attempts to produce such a plan, to resolve the failure;
(4) States that revocation of the MTU, EMTU, EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle's type-approval has occurred;
(5) States that no new installations of the revoked unit will be permitted in any NMFS-managed fishery
requiring the use of VMS;
(6) Cites relevant regulations and requirements under this subpart;
(7) Explains why resolution was not achieved;
(8) Advises the type-approval holder that:
(i)

The type-approval holder may reapply for a type-approval under the process set forth in §
600.1501, and

(ii) A revocation may be appealed pursuant to the process under § 600.1513.

§ 600.1513 Type-approval revocation appeals process.
(a) If a type-approval holder receives a Revocation Letter pursuant to § 600.1512, the type-approval holder
may file an appeal of the revocation to the NMFS Assistant Administrator.
(b) An appeal must be filed within 14 calendar days of the date of the Revocation Letter. A type-approval
holder may not request an extension of time to file an appeal.
(c) An appeal must include a complete copy of the Revocation Letter and its attachments and a written
statement detailing any facts or circumstances explaining and refuting the failures summarized in the
Revocation Letter.
(d) The NMFS Assistant Administrator may, at his or her discretion, affirm, vacate, or modify the Revocation
Letter and send a letter to the type-approval holder explaining his or her determination, within 21 calendar
days of receipt of the appeal. The NMFS Assistant Administrator's determination constitutes the final
agency decision.

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50 CFR 600.1514

§ 600.1514 Revocation effective date and notification to vessel owners.
(a) Following issuance of a Revocation Letter pursuant to § 600.1512 and any appeal pursuant to § 600.1513,
NMFS will provide notice to all vessel owners impacted by the type-approval revocation via letter and
FEDERAL REGISTER notice. NMFS will provide information to impacted vessel owners on:
(1) The next steps vessel owners should take to remain in compliance with regional and/or national
VMS requirements;
(2) The date, 60-90 calendar days from the notice date, on which the type-approval revocation will
become effective;
(3) Reimbursement of the cost of a new type-approved EMTU/EMTU-C, should funding for
reimbursement be available pursuant to § 600.1516.

§ 600.1515 Litigation support.
(a) All technical aspects of a type-approved EMTU, EMTU-C, MTU, MCS, or bundle are subject to being
admitted as evidence in a court of law, if needed. The reliability of all technologies utilized in the EMTU,
EMTU-C, MTU, MCS, or bundle may be analyzed in court for, inter alia, testing procedures, error rates, peer
review, technical processes and general industry acceptance.
(b) The type-approval holder must, as a requirement of the holder's type-approval, provide technical and
expert support for litigation to substantiate the EMTU/EMTU-C, MCS, or bundle capabilities to establish
NMFS Office of Law Enforcement cases against violators, as needed. If the technologies have previously
been subject to such scrutiny in a court of law, the type-approval holder must provide NMFS with a brief
summary of the litigation and any court findings on the reliability of the technology.
(c) The type-approval holder will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement limiting the release of certain
information that might compromise the effectiveness of the VMS operations.

§ 600.1516 Reimbursement opportunities for revoked Vessel Monitoring System type-approval
products.
(a) Subject to the availability of funds, vessel owners may be eligible for reimbursement payments for a
replacement EMTU/EMTU-C if:
(1) All eligibility and process requirements specified by NMFS are met as described in NMFS Policy
Directive 06-102; and
(2) The replacement type-approved EMTU/EMTU-C is installed on the vessel, and reporting to NMFS
Office of Law Enforcement; and
(3) The type-approval for the previously installed EMTU/EMTU-C has been revoked by NMFS; or
(4) NMFS requires the vessel owner to purchase a new EMTU/EMTU-C prior to the end of an existing
unit's service life.
(b) The cap for individual reimbursement payments is subject to change. If this occurs, NMFS Office of Law
Enforcement will publish a notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER announcing the change.

Subpart R—Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology
Source: 82 FR 6337, Jan. 19, 2017, unless otherwise noted.
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50 CFR 600.1600

§ 600.1600 Purpose and scope.
Section 303(a)(11) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that any fishery management plan (FMP) with respect to
any fishery shall establish a standardized reporting methodology to assess the amount and type of bycatch
occurring in the fishery. 16 U.S.C. 1853(a)(11). The purpose of a standardized reporting methodology is to collect,
record, and report bycatch data in a fishery that, in conjunction with other relevant sources of information, are used
to assess the amount and type of bycatch occurring in the fishery and inform the development of conservation and
management measures that, to the extent practicable, minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality. This subpart sets
forth requirements for and guidance on establishing and reviewing a standardized reporting methodology.

§ 600.1605 Definitions and word usage.
(a) Definitions. In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and § 600.10, standardized
reporting methodology means an established, consistent procedure or procedures used to collect, record,
and report bycatch data in a fishery, which may vary from one fishery to another. Bycatch assessment is
not part of the standardized reporting methodology, but must be considered as described in §
600.1610(a)(2)(iv).
(b) Word usage. The terms “bycatch” and “fishery” are used in the same manner as in 16 U.S.C. 1802. The
terms “must”, “should”, “may”, “will”, “could”, and “can” are used in the same manner as in § 600.305(c).
The term “Council” is used in the same manner as in § 600.305(d)(10), and includes the regional fishery
management Councils and the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate (16 U.S.C. 1854(c) and (g)).

§ 600.1610 Establishing and reviewing standardized bycatch reporting methodologies in
fishery management plans.
(a) Establishing a standardized reporting methodology —
(1) Fishery management plan contents. An FMP must identify the required procedure or procedures that
constitute the standardized reporting methodology for the fishery. The required procedures may
include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: Observer programs, electronic
monitoring and reporting technologies, and self-reported mechanisms (e.g., recreational sampling,
industry-reported catch and discard data). The FMP, or a fishery research plan authorized under 16
U.S.C. 1862, must explain how the standardized reporting methodology meets the purpose
described in § 600.1600, based on an analysis of the requirements under § 600.1610(a)(2). The FMP,
or fishery research plan authorized under 16 U.S.C. 1862, may reference analyses and information in
other FMPs, FMP amendments, Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) reports, or other
documents. Councils should work together and collaborate on standardized reporting
methodologies for fisheries that operate across multiple jurisdictions, as appropriate. In addition to
proposing regulations necessary to implement the standardized reporting methodology, a Council
should also provide in its FMP, or a fishery research plan authorized under 16 U.S.C. 1862, guidance
to NMFS on how to adjust implementation of a standardized reporting methodology consistent with
the FMP. See National Standard 6 guidelines, § 600.335.
(2) Requirements for standardized reporting methodology. The FMP must establish a standardized
reporting methodology as provided under § 600.1610(a)(1) that meets the specific purpose
described in § 600.1600. Due to the inherent diversity of fisheries, different standardized reporting
methodologies may be appropriate for different fisheries. However, when establishing or reviewing a
standardized reporting methodology, a Council must address the following:
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(i)

50 CFR 600.1610(a)(2)(i)

Information about the characteristics of bycatch in the fishery. A Council must address
information about the characteristics of bycatch in the fishery, when available, including, but not
limited to: The amount and type of bycatch occurring in the fishery, which may vary based on
different fishing activities and operations; the importance of bycatch in estimating the fishing
mortality of fish stocks; and the effect of bycatch on ecosystems.

(ii) Feasibility. The implementation of a standardized reporting methodology must be feasible from
cost, technical, and operational perspectives. However, feasibility concerns do not exempt an
FMP from the requirement to establish a standardized reporting methodology. Recognizing that
costs and funding may vary from year to year, a Council must also address how implementation
of the standardized reporting methodology may be adjusted while continuing to meet the
purpose described under § 600.1600.
(iii) Data uncertainty. A Council must address the uncertainty of the data resulting from the
standardized reporting methodology. The standardized reporting methodology must be
designed so that the uncertainty associated with the resulting bycatch data can be described,
quantitatively or qualitatively. The Council should seek to minimize uncertainty in the resulting
data, recognizing that different degrees of data uncertainty may be appropriate for different
fisheries.
(iv) Data use. A Council must address how data resulting from the standardized reporting
methodology are used to assess the amount and type of bycatch occurring in the fishery. A
Council must consult with its scientific and statistical committee and/or the regional National
Marine Fisheries Service science center on reporting methodology design considerations such
as data elements, sampling designs, sample sizes, and reporting frequency. The Council must
also consider the scientific methods and techniques available to collect, record, and report
bycatch data that could improve the quality of bycatch estimates. Different standardized
reporting methodology designs may be appropriate for different fisheries.
(b) Review of FMPs. All FMPs must be consistent with this subpart by February 21, 2022. Therefore, a
Council, in coordination with NMFS, must conduct a review of its FMPs for consistency with this subpart.
A Council does not need to amend an FMP if NMFS determines that it is consistent with this subpart.
Thereafter, Councils, in coordination with NMFS, should conduct a review of standardized reporting
methodologies at least once every 5 years in order to verify continued compliance with the MSA and this
subpart.

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