Proposed Changes to Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This proposed rule introduces changes to how groundfish are fished off the Pacific Coast, aiming to provide more flexibility and reduce administrative tasks for permit holders. The changes affect vessels with limited entry fixed gear permits, mainly targeting those engaged in the primary sablefish fishery. Key measures include more flexible gear endorsements for permits, removal of specific permit requirements, and introduction of a cost recovery program.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- More flexible gear endorsements for limited entry permits
- Removal of base permit designation
- Introduction of a cost recovery program for sablefish fishery
Obligations
What this law requires
The owner(s) or authorized representative of a vessel that makes landings of sablefish in the tier program must be responsible for paying the fee associated with the cost recovery program.
Vessels carrying an observer must provide NMFS with a 48-hour notification of their intended departure time along with the gear type they intend to use.
The vessel owner or authorized representative must remit cost recovery fees electronically through pay.gov, using credit card or automated clearing house (ACH) payments.
Vessel owners must respond to NMFS's Initial Administrative Determination regarding unpaid fees within 30 days by either paying the amount due or appealing in writing.
If an account is unpaid for 30 days after the due date, penalties such as fines, interest, or potential sanctions may begin to accrue.