[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 16, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 12925]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6378]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 600
[I.D. 021899A]
Central Registry System for Limited Access Permits (Registry);
Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) requires the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary) to establish an exclusive central registry system
for limited access permits (LAPs). The registry will be the exclusive
means of perfecting title to LAPs. It will also be the exclusive means
of perfecting security interests in, assignments of, and liens and
other encumbrances against LAPs. There will be a meeting to receive
public comments to be used in developing proposed implementing rules.
DATES: The public meeting will be held April 13-14, 1999. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at NMFS Headquarters, 1315 East-
West Highway, Building 3, 4th Floor, Room 4527, Silver
Spring, MD, telephone (301) 713-2334.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Reisenweber, 1315 East-West
Highway, Building 3, 13th Floor, Room 13321, Silver Spring,
MD 20910, telephone (301) 713-2334; fax: (301) 713-0596; email:
[email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Conservation and management sometimes requires limiting access to
federally-managed fisheries. Only parties with LAPs can fish in these
limited access fisheries. Some LAPs are transferable independently of
fishing vessels, while others are not.
The Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 (P.L.104-297) amended the
Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) and included a provision requiring NMFS to
establish the Registry:
...the Secretary [of Commerce] shall establish an exclusive
central registry system (which may be administered on a regional
basis) for limited access system permits established under section
303(b)(6) or other Federal law, including individual fishing quotas,
which shall provide for the registration of title to, and interests
in, such permits...
Section 305(h) of the MSA makes the Registry the legally exclusive
means of perfecting LAP titles and liens, with the exception of Federal
tax liens.
Before establishing the registry, NMFS wanted the public's
guidance. On March 6,1997, NMFS published an Advance Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (ANPR) in the Federal Register. The ANPR was published to
allow the public an opportunity to offer comments and guidance before
Registry regulations were proposed. Although comments were welcomed
from the general public, NMFS particularly requested comments from:
1. Fisheries parties who buy and sell LAPs,
2. Creditors and other parties who will file liens for registration
against LAPs, and
3. The Regional Fishery Management Councils.
Following the publication of the ANPR, NMFS conducted a Registry
workshop in Kodiak, Alaska on March 20,1997. The purpose of the
workshop was to bring together all parties with an interest in the
implementation of the Registry. Participants in the workshop included:
NMFS personnel, fishing industry representatives, attorneys, and
members of the marine banking community. Several workshop participants
and other interested parties submitted written comments to NMFS
regarding issues raised in the ANPR and discussed at the workshop in
Kodiak. These issues include: Registry location, role of the IRS,
registration of non-transferable permits, fee imposition, use of
standard forms, and title/lien validation. Comments from the public
about these issues will be considered when implementing the registry.
All those interested in the public meeting to be held in Silver
Spring in April are encouraged to participate, either by attending or
submitting written comments. Written comments should be forwarded via
mail or fax to the information contact above.
Meeting Dates
The public meeting will begin at 2:00 PM on April 13, 1999 and
continue until 6:00 PM that evening. The meeting will reconvene at 9:00
AM on April 14, 1999 and conclude at 5:00 PM later that afternoon. A
summary document about issues related to the Registry is under
development and is scheduled to be mailed to meeting registrants
approximately two weeks prior to the meeting.
If you plan to attend the meeting, please RSVP with your mailing
address and telephone number at least 15 days prior to the meeting. If
anyone is interested in making presentations at the meeting, please
contact John Reisenweber at least 10 business days prior to the meeting
in order to be included on the agenda. Also, please identify any
special audio/visual needs for your presentation. Due to time
constraints and the number of presenters, it may be necessary to limit
each presentation.
Special Accommodations
The meeting is physically accessible to those with disabilities.
Requests for sign language or other auxiliary aids should be directed
to John Reisenweber (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 10
business days prior to the meeting.
Dated: March 9, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-6378 Filed 3-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F