The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has submitted
for review by Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker an amendment to the fishery
management plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands king and tanner crabs.
The proposed Amendment 44 was published in the Federal
Register on Oct. 9.
It would modify required right of first refusal contract
terms that provide eligible crab community entities with the opportunity to
purchase certain processor quota shares and other associated assets when they
are proposed for sale.
Amendment 44 would specifically extend the time allowed for
eligible crab community entities to exercise and perform under a ROFR contract.
It would also remove or modify provisions that currently
allow a ROFR to lapse under specific conditions, and provide flexibility for
eligible crab community entities and processor quota shareholders to apply a
ROFR to mutually agreed upon assets, and add new reporting requirements for
holders of processor quota shares subject to a ROFR.
The crab rationalization program includes several provisions
intended to protect specific communities that were historically active in
processing king and tanner crab from adverse impacts that could result from the
program.
The nine communities that satisfied eligibility criteria for
community protection measures under the crab rationalization program include
Adak, Akutan, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, King Cove, False Pass, St. George, St. Paul
and Port Moller.
Comments on Amendment 44 are being accepted through Dec. 8.
They may be submitted electronically via the Federal
e-Rulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA=NMFS-2013-0057,
click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete required fields and enter or attach
comments.
Comments may also be mailed to Glenn Merrill, assistant
regional administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS,
Attn: Ellen Sebastian,
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
All comments received are part of the public record and will
generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. For
further information, contact Rachel Baker, at 1-907-586-7228.
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