This part 270 describes matters pertaining to the establishment, representation, organization, practices, procedures, and termination of Seafood Marketing Councils.

The following terms and definitions are in addition to or amplify those contained in the Fish and Seafood Promotion Act of 1986:

Act means the Fish and Seafood Promotion Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-659) and any subsequent amendments.

Consumer education means actions undertaken to inform consumers of matters related to the consumption of fish and fish products.

Council means a Seafood Marketing Council for one or more species of fish and fish products of that species established under section 210 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 4009).

Expenditure means monetary or material worth of fishery products. Expenditure is determined at the point a receiver obtains product from a harvester or an importer obtains product from a foreign supplier. Value may be expressed in monetary units (the price a receiver pays to a harvester or an importer pays to a foreign supplier).

Fiscal year means any 12-month period as NMFS may determine for each Council.

Fish means finfish, mollusks, crustaceans, and all other forms of aquatic animal life used for human consumption; the term does not include marine mammals and seabirds.

Harvester means any person in the business of catching or growing fish for purposes of sale in domestic or foreign markets.

Importer means any person in the business of importing fish or fish products from another country into the United States and its territories, as defined by the Act, for commercial purposes, or who acts as an agent, broker, or consignee for any person or nation that produces, processes or markets fish or fish products outside of the United States for sale or for other commercial purposes in the United States.

Marketer means any person in the business of selling fish or fish products in the wholesale, export, retail, or restaurant trade, but whose primary business function is not the processing or packaging of fish or fish products in preparation for sale.

Marketing and promotion means any activity aimed at encouraging the consumption of fish or fish products or expanding or maintaining commercial markets for fish or fish products.

Member means any person serving on any Council.

Participant means a member of a sector or business identified in an application for a Council charter as being subject to the referendum or assessment process.

Person means any individual, group of individuals, association, proprietorship, partnership, corporation, cooperative, or any private entity of the U.S. fishing industry organized or existing under the laws of the United States or any state, commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States who meets the eligibility requirements as defined in a proposed charter to vote in a referendum.

Processor means any person in the business of preparing or packaging fish or fish products (including fish of the processor's own harvesting) for sale in domestic or foreign markets.

Receiver means any person who owns fish processing vessels and any person in the business of acquiring (taking title to) fish directly from harvesters.

Research means any type of research designed to advance the image, desirability, usage, marketability, production, quality and safety of fish and fish products.

Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary's designee.

Sector means

(1) The sector consisting of harvesters;

(2) The sector consisting of importers;

(3) The sector consisting of marketers;

(4) The sector consisting of processors;

(5) The sector consisting of receivers; or

(6) The consumer sector consisting of persons professionally engaged in the dissemination of information pertaining to the nutritional benefits and preparation of fish and fish products;

Sector participant means any individual, group of individuals, association, proprietorship, partnership, corporation, cooperative, or any private entity of the U.S. fishing industry organized or existing under the laws of the United States or any state, commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States who meets the eligibility requirements as defined in a proposed charter to vote in a referendum.

Species means a fundamental category of taxonomic classification, ranking after genus, and consisting of animals that possess common characteristic(s) distinguishing them from other similar groups.

Value means monetary or material worth of fishery products. Value is the difference between what a receiver is willing to pay for a product provided by a harvester and its market price or an importer is willing to pay for a product from a foreign supplier and its market price. Value may be expressed in monetary units representing consumer surplus or producer surplus.

(a) Persons who meet the minimum requirements for sector participants as described in the proposed charter may file an application with NMFS for a charter for a Seafood Marketing Council for one or more species of fish and fish products of that species. One signed original and two copies of the completed application package must be submitted to the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Applications should not be bound.

(b) The application consists of four parts:

(1) A document requesting NMFS to establish a Council;

(2) A proposed charter under which the proposed Council will operate;

(3) A list of eligible referendum participants; and

(4) Analytical documentation addressing requirements of applicable law.

(c) Content of application—(1) Application or requesting document. The application or requesting document submitted by the applicants to NMFS requesting that the Council be established, to the extent practicable, must include the signatures or corporate certifications, of no less than three sector participants representing each sector identified in accordance with paragraph (c)(2)(v) of this section and who, according to the available data, collectively accounted for, in the 12-month period immediately preceding the month in which the application was filed, not less than 10 percent of the value of the fish or fish products specified in the charter that were handled during such period in each sector by those who meet the eligibility requirements to vote in the referendum as defined by the application. The application must also include a statement that, if established, the Council will have sufficient resources (e.g., cash, donated office space, services, supplies, etc.) available for initial administrative expenditures pending collection of assessments.

(2) Proposed charter. A proposed charter must contain, at a minimum, the following information:

(i) The name of the Council and a provision proclaiming its establishment;

(ii) A declaration of the purposes and objectives of the Council;

(iii) A description of the species of fish and fish products, including the scientific and common name(s), for which the Council will implement marketing and promotion plans under the Act. (The American Fisheries Society's “List of Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States and Canada” (latest edition) or where available, an appropriate volume of its “List of Common and Scientific Names of Aquatic Invertebrates of the United States and Canada” (latest edition) should be used as the authority for all scientific and common names.);

(iv) A description of the geographic area (state(s)) within the United States covered by the Council;

(v) The identification of each sector and the number and terms of representatives for each sector that will be voting members on the Council. (The number of Council members should be manageable, while ensuring equitable geographic representation. The term for members will be 3 years. Initially, to ensure continuity, half of the members' terms will be 2 years and half will be 3 years. Reappointments are permissible.);

(vi) The identification of those sectors (which must include a sector consisting of harvesters, a sector consisting of receivers, and, if subject to assessment, a sector consisting of importers), eligible to vote in the referendum to establish the Council;

(vii) For each sector described under paragraph (c)(2)(v) of this section, a threshold level specifying the minimum requirements, as measured by income, volume of sales, or other relevant factors, that a person engaging in business in the sector must meet in order to participate in a referendum;

(viii) A description of the rationale and procedures for determining assessment rates as provided in § 270.18, based on a fixed amount per unit of weight or measure, or on a percentage of value of the product handled;

(ix) The proposed rate or rates that will be imposed by the Council on receivers and, if subject to assessment, importers during its first year of operation;

(x) The maximum amount by which an assessment rate for any period may be raised above the rate applicable for the immediately preceding period;

(xi) The maximum rate or rates that can be imposed by a Council on receivers or importers during the operation of the Council;

(xii) The maximum limit on the amount any one sector participant may be required to pay under an assessment for any period;

(xiii) The procedures for providing refunds to sector participants subject to assessment who request the same in accordance with the time limits specified § 270.22;

(xiv) A provision setting forth the voting procedures by which votes may be cast by proxy;

(xv) A provision that the Council will have voting members representing the harvesting, receiving and, if subject to assessment, importing sectors;

(xvi) A provision setting forth the definition of a quorum for making decisions on Council business and the procedures for selecting a chairperson of the Council;

(xvii) A provision that members of the Council will serve without compensation, but will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in performing their duties as members of the Council;

(xviii) A provision containing a requirement for submission to NMFS the criteria and supporting data for evaluating the annual and/or multi-year performance of proposed marketing plans and the Council's performance;

(xix) A provision containing a requirement for submission of documentation as requested by NMFS for purposes of evaluating performance of proposed marking plans and the Council's related performance;

(xx) Where adequate funds are not available, a provision containing the minimum number of participants needed for sustained operations that cannot receive assessment refunds;

(xxi) A provision acknowledging that NMFS will have the right to participate in Council meetings;

(xxii) A provision that the Council will conduct its activities in accordance with applicable NMFS requirements and that NMFS has final approval authority over proposed marketing plans and Council actions;

(xxiii) A provision containing a requirement for the Council to arrange for a complete audit report to be conducted by an independent public accountant and submitted to NMFS at the end of each fiscal year;

(xxiv) A provision containing a requirement for the Council to conduct a market assessment based on economic, market, social and demographic, and biological information as deemed necessary by NMFS; and

(xxv) A provision containing a requirement for the Council to update the list of referendum participants on an annual basis.

(3) List of referendum participants. The list of referendum participants, to the extent practicable, must identify the business name and address of all sector participants that the applicants believe meet the requirements for eligibility to vote in the referendum on the adoption of the proposed charter.

(i) The list should include all sectors in which a sector participant meets the eligibility requirements to vote in a referendum. If a sector participant has more than one place of business located within the geographic area of the Council, all such places should be listed and the primary place of business should be designated. The agency will provide appropriate information in its possession of a non-proprietary nature to assist the applicants in developing the list of sector participants.

(ii) [Reserved]

(4) Analytical documentation. The applicant must address the requirements of the Act, implementing regulations, and other applicable law, i.e., E.O. 12866, Regulatory Flexibility Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and other law as NMFS determines appropriate.

Within 180 days of receipt of the application to establish a Council, NMFS will:

(a) Determine if the application is complete and complies with all of the requirements set out in § 270.3 and complies with all provisions of the Act and other applicable laws.

(b) Identify, to the extent practicable, those sector participants who meet the requirements for eligibility to participate in the referendum to establish the Council. NMFS may require additional information from the applicants or proposed participants in order to verify eligibility. NMFS may add names to or delete names from the list of sector participants believed eligible by the applicants until the time of the referendum based on additional information received.

(c) If NMFS finds minor deficiencies in an application that can be corrected within the 180-day review period, NMFS will advise the applicants in writing of what must be submitted by a specific date to correct the minor deficiencies.

(d) If NMFS makes a final negative determination, on an application, NMFS will advise the applicant in writing of the reason for the determination. The applicant may submit another application at any time thereafter. NMFS then has 180 days from receipt of the new application to render a final determination on its acceptability.

(a) Upon making affirmative determinations under § 270.4, NMFS, within 90 days after the date of the last affirmative determination, will conduct a referendum on the adoption of the proposed charter.

(b) NMFS will estimate the cost of conducting the referendum, notify the applicants, and request that applicants post a bond or provide other applicable security, such as a cashier§ s check, to cover costs of the referendum.

(c) NMFS will initially pay all costs of a referendum to establish a Council. Within two years after establishment, the Council must reimburse NMFS for the total actual costs of the referendum from assessments collected by the Council. If a referendum fails to result in establishment of a Council, NMFS will immediately recover all expenses incurred for conducting the referendum from the bond or security posted by applicants. In either case, such expenses will not include salaries of government employees or other administrative overhead, but will be limited to those additional direct costs incurred in connection with conducting the referendum.

(d) No less than 30 days prior to holding a referendum, NMFS will:

(1) Publish in the Federal Register the text of the proposed charter and the most complete list available of sector participants eligible to vote in the referendum; and

(2) Provide for public comment, including the opportunity for a public meeting.

(a) Any participant who meets the minimum requirements as measured by income, volume of sales or other relevant factors specified in the approved charter may vote in a referendum.

(b) Only one vote may be cast by each participant who is eligible to vote, regardless of the number of individuals that make up such “participant” and how many sectors the participant is engaged in. The vote may be made by any responsible officer, owner, or employee representing a participant.

(a) Favorable vote to establish a Council. NMFS will, by order of publication in the Federal Register, establish the Council and approve an acceptable proposed charter, if the referendum votes which are cast in favor of the proposed charter constitute a majority of the sector participants voting in each and every sector. Further, according to the best available data, the majority must collectively account for, in the 12-month period immediately preceding the month in which the proposed charter was filed, at least 66 percent of the value of the fish and fish products described in the proposed charter handled during such period in each sector by those who meet the eligibility requirements to vote in the referendum as defined by the applicants.

(b) Unfavorable vote to establish a Council. If a referendum fails to pass in any sector of the proposed Council, NMFS will not establish the Council or approve the proposed charter. NMFS will immediately recover the cost of conducting the referendum according to § 270.5(c).

(c) Notification of referendum results. NMFS will notify the applicants of the results of the referendum and publish the results of the referendum in the Federal Register.

(a) Within 30 days after a Council is established, NMFS will solicit nominations for Council members from the sectors represented on the Council in accordance with the approved charter. If the harvesters and receivers represented on the Council are engaged in business in two or more states, but within the geographic area of the Council, the nominations made under this section must, to the extent practicable, result in equitable representation for those states. Nominees must be knowledgeable and experienced with regard to the activities of, or have been actively engaged in the business of, the sector that such person will represent on the Council. Therefore, a resume will be required for each nominee.

(b) In accordance with 16 U.S.C. 4009(f), NMFS will, within 60 days after the end of the 30-day period, appoint the members of the Council from among the nominees.

(a) A Council term is for 3 years, except for initial appointments to a newly established Council where:

(1) Half of the Council member terms will be 2 years; and

(2) Half of the Council member terms will be 3 years.

(b) A vacancy on a Council will be filled, within 60 days after the vacancy occurs, in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed will be appointed only for the remainder of such term.

(c) Any person appointed under the Act who consistently fails or refuses to perform his or her duties properly and/or participates in acts of dishonesty or willful misconduct with respect to responsibilities under the Act will be removed from the Council by NMFS if two-thirds of the members of the Council recommend action. All requests from a Council to NMFS for removal of a Council member must be in writing and accompanied by a statement of the reasons upon which the recommendation is based.

(a) Each Council will:

(1) Implement all terms of its approved charter;

(2) Prepare and submit to NMFS, for review and approval under § 270.11(a)(1), a marketing and promotion plan and amendments to the plan which contain descriptions of the projected consumer education, research, and other marketing and promotion activities of the Council;

(3) Implement and administer an approved marketing and promotion plan and amendments to the plan;

(4) Determine the assessment to be made under § 270.18 and administer the collection of such assessments to finance Council expenses described in paragraph (b) of this section;

(5) Receive, investigate and report to NMFS accounts of violations of rules or orders relating to assessments collected under § 270.20, or quality standard requirements established under § 270.15;

(6) Prepare and submit to NMFS, for review and approval a budget (on a fiscal year basis) of the anticipated expenses and disbursements of the Council, including

(i) All administrative and contractual expenses;

(ii) The probable costs of consumer education, research, and other marketing and promotion plans or projects;

(iii) The costs of the collection of assessments; and

(iv) The expense of repayment of the costs of each referendum conducted in regard to the Council.

(7) Comply with NMFS requirements, and prepare and submit to NMFS for review, evaluation, and verification of results and analysis an annual market assessment and related analytical documentation that is based on economic, market, social, demographic, and biological information as deemed necessary by NMFS;

(8) Maintain books and records, prepare and submit to NMFS reports in accordance with respect to the receipt and disbursement of funds entrusted to it, and submit to NMFS a completed audit report conducted by an independent auditor at the end of each fiscal year;

(9) Reimburse NMFS for the expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum to establish the Council or any subsequent referendum to terminate the Council that fails;

(10) Prepare and submit to NMFS report or proposals as the Council determines appropriate to further the purposes of the Act.

(b) Funds collected by a Council under § 270.17 will be used by the Council for—

(1) Research, consumer education, and other marketing and promotion activities regarding the quality and marketing of fish and fish projects;

(2) Other expenses, as described in § 270.10(a)(1);

(3) Such other expenses for the administration, maintenance, and functioning of the Council as may be authorized by NMFS; and

(4) Any reserve fund established under paragraph (e)(4) of this section and any administrative expenses incurred by NMFS specified as reimbursable under this part.

(c) Marketing and promotion plans and amendments to such plans prepared by a Council under paragraph (a)(2) of this section will be designed to increase the general demand for fish and fish products described in accordance with § 270.3(c)(2)(iii) by encouraging, expanding, and improving the marketing, promotion and utilization of such fish and fish products, in domestic or foreign markets, or both, through consumer education, research, and other marketing and promotion activities.

(d) Consumer education and other marketing and promotion activities carried out by a Council under a marketing and promotion plan and amendments to a plan may not contain references to any private brand or trade name and will avoid the use of deceptive acts or practices in promoting fish or fish products or with respect to the quality, value, or use of any competing product or group of products.

(e) Authority of a Council. A Council may:

(1) Sue and be sued;

(2) Enter into contracts;

(3) Employ and determine the salary of an executive director who may, with the approval of the Council employ and determine the salary of such additional staff as may be necessary;

(4) Establish a reserve fund from monies collected and received under § 270.17 to permit an effective and sustained program of research, consumer education, and other marketing and promotion activities regarding the quality and marketing of fish and fish products in years when production and assessment income may be reduced, but the total reserve fund may not exceed the amount budgeted for the current fiscal year of operation.

(f) Amendment of a charter. A Council may submit to NMFS amendments to the text of the Council's charter. Any proposed amendments to a charter will be approved or disapproved in the same manner as the original charter was approved under § 270.4 and § 270.5 with the exception of § 270.4(b).

(a) In addition to the duties prescribed under 16 U.S.C. 4009, NMFS will:

(1) Participate in Council meetings and review, for consistency with the provisions of 50 CFR part 270 and other applicable law, and approve or disapprove, marketing and promotion plans and budgets within 60 days after their submission by a Council;

(2) Immediately notify a Council in writing of the disapproval of a marketing and promotion plan or budget, together with reasons for such disapproval;

(3) Issue orders and amendments to such orders that are necessary to implement quality standards under § 270.15;

(4) Promulgate regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

(5) Enforce the provisions of the Act;

(6) Make all appointments to Councils in accordance with § 270.8 and the approved Council charter;

(7) Approve the criteria and time frames under which a Council's performance will be evaluated; and

(8) Implement the provisions of 16 U.S.C. 4001 et seq. in accordance with the available financial and management resources NMFS determines can be utilized.

(b) NMFS may provide, on a reimbursable or other basis, such administrative or technical assistance as a Council may request for purposes of the initial organization and subsequent operation of the Council. However, a Council is responsible for the cost of preparing and submitting information (e.g., reports, evaluation data, etc.) requested by NMFS.

The Council will give NMFS the same notice of its meetings as it gives to its members. NMFS will have the right to participate in all Council meetings.

(a) The Council must submit to NMFS the following documents according to the schedule approved in the Council's charter:

(1) A marketing assessment and promotion plan;

(2) A financial report with respect to the receipt and disbursement of funds;

(3) An audit report conducted by an independent public accountant; and

(4) Other reports or data NMFS determines necessary to evaluate the Council's performance and verify the results of the market assessment and promotion plan..

(b) All Council records, reports, and data must be maintained by the Council for a minimum of 3 years, even if the Council is terminated.

The Council will submit to NMFS at the end of each fiscal year an updated list of sector participants who meet the minimum requirements for eligibility to participate in a referendum as stated in the approved charter.

(a) Each Council may develop and submit to NMFS for approval or, upon the request of a Council, NMFS will develop quality standards for the species of fish or fish products described in the approved charter. Any quality standard developed under this paragraph must be consistent with the purposes of the Act.

(b) A quality standard developed under paragraph (a) of this section may be adopted by a Council by a majority of its members following a referendum conducted by the Council among sector participants of the concerned sector(s). In order for a quality standard to be brought before Council members for adoption, the majority of the sector participants of the concerned sector(s) must vote in favor of the standard. Further, according to the best available data, the majority must collectively account for, in the 12-month period immediately preceding the month in which the referendum is held, not less than 66 percent of the value of the fish or fish products described in the charter that were handled during such period in that sector by those who meet the eligibility requirements to vote in the referendum as defined by the petitioners.

(c) The Council must submit a plan to conduct the referendum on the quality standards to NMFS for approval at least 60 days in advance of such referendum date. The plan must consist of the following:

(1) Date(s) for conducting the referendum;

(2) Method (by mail or in person);

(3) Copy of the proposed notification to sector participants informing them of the referendum;

(4) List of sector participants eligible to vote;

(5) Name of individuals responsible for conducting the referendum;

(6) Copy of proposed ballot package to be used in the referendum; and

(7) Date(s) and location of ballot counting.

(d) An official observer appointed by NMFS will be allowed to be present at the ballot counting and any other phase of the referendum process, and may take whatever steps NMFS deems appropriate to verify the validity of the process and results of the referendum.

(e) Quality standards developed under this section of the regulations must, at a minimum, meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) minimum requirements for fish and fish products for human consumption.

(f) Quality standards must be consistent with applicable standards of the U.S. Department of Commerce (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) or other recognized Federal standards and/or specifications for fish and fish products.

(g) No quality standard adopted by a Council may be used in the advertising or promotion of fish or fish products as being inspected by the United States Government unless the standard requires sector participants to be in the U.S. Department of Commerce voluntary seafood inspection program.

(h) The intent of quality standards must not be to discriminate against importers who are not members of the Council.

(i) Quality standards must not be developed for the purpose of creating non-tariff barriers. Such standards must be compatible with U.S. obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, or under other international standards deemed acceptable by NMFS.

(j) The procedures applicable to the adoption and the operation of quality standards developed under this subchapter also apply to subsequent amendments or the termination of such standards.

(k) With respect to a quality standard adopted under this section, the Council must develop and file with NMFS an official identifier in the form of a symbol, stamp, label or seal that will be used to indicate that a fish or fish product meets the quality standard at the time the official identifier is affixed to the fish or fish product, or is affixed to or printed on the packaging material of the fish or fish product. The use of such identifier is governed by § 270.15.

All funds collected or received by a Council under this section must be deposited in an appropriate account in the name of the Council specified in its charter. Funds eligible to be collected or received by a Council must be limited to those authorized under the Act.

(a) Pending disbursement, under an approved marketing plan and budget, funds collected through assessments authorized by the Act must be deposited in any interest-bearing account or certificate of deposit of a bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System, or in obligations fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States Government.

(b) The Council may, however, pending disbursement of these funds, invest in risk-free, short-term, interest-bearing instruments.

(1) Risk-free. All investments must be insured or fully collateralized with Federal Government securities. In the absence of collateral, accounts established at financial institutions should, in aggregate, total less than $100,000 to assure both principal and interest are federally insured in full.

(2) Short-term. Generally, all investments should be for a relatively short time period (one year or less) to assure that the principal is maintained and readily convertible to cash.

(3) Collateralization. Investments exceeding the $100,000 insurance coverage level must be fully collateralized by the financial institution.

(i) Collateral must be pledged at face value and must be pledged prior to sending funds to the institution.

(ii) Government securities are acceptable collateral. Declining balance, mortgage backed securities such as Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) and Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) are not acceptable collateral.

(iii) If an account has been established, collateral may be held at the local Federal Reserve Bank. Otherwise, another depository must hold the collateral.

A Council will impose and administer the collection of the assessments that are necessary to pay for all expenses incurred by the Council in carrying out its functions under 50 CFR part 270.

Assessments will be imposed on sector participants in the receiving sector or the importing sector or both as specified in an approved Council charter. Assessment rates will be based on value that may be expressed in monetary units or units of weight or volume.

(a) An assessment on sector participants in the receiving sector will be in the form of a percentage of the value or a fixed amount per unit of weight or volume of the fish described in the charter when purchased by such receivers from fish harvesters.

(b) An assessment on sector participants who own fish processing vessels and harvest the fish described in the charter will be in the form of a percentage of the value or on a fixed amount per unit of weight or volume of the fish described in the charter that is no less than the value if such fish had been purchased by a receiver other than the owner of the harvesting vessel.

(c) An assessment on sector participants in the importing sector will be in the form of a percentage of the value that an importer pays to a foreign supplier, as determined for the purposes of the customs laws, or a fixed amount per unit of weight or volume, of the fish or fish products described in the charter when entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, in the customs territory of the United States by such sector participants.

(d) A Council may not impose an assessment on any person that was not eligible to vote in the referendum establishing the Council by reason of failure to meet the requirements specified under unless that person, after the date on which the referendum is held, meets the requirements of section.

(e) Any person may make voluntary payments or in-kind contributions to a Council for purposes of assisting the Council in carrying out its functions.

(a) The Council must serve each person subject to assessment with notice that the assessment is due. The notice of assessment must contain:

(1) A specific reference to the provisions of the Act, regulations, charter and referendum that authorize the assessment;

(2) The amount of the assessment;

(3) The period of time covered by the assessment;

(4) The date the assessment is due and payable, which will not be earlier than 30 days from the date of the notice;

(5) The form(s) of payment; and

(6) To whom and where the payment must be made.

(b) The notice must advise such person of his or her right to seek review of the assessment by filing a written petition of objection with NMFS at any time during the time period to which the assessment applies, including the right to request a hearing on the petition. The notice must state that the petition of objection must be filed in accordance with the procedures in § 270.21.

(c) The notice must also advise such persons of his or her right to a refund of the assessment as provided in § 270.22. The notice must state that a refund may be requested for not less than 90 days from such collection, and provide that the Council will make the refund within 60 days after the request for the refund is requested.

Persons subject to an assessment would be required to pay the assessment on or before the date due, unless they have demanded a refund or filed a petition of objection with NMFS under § 270.21. However, persons who have demanded a refund under § 270.22 or filed a petition of objection under § 270.21 may submit proof of these actions in leu of payment. In the case of a petition of objection, NMFs will inform the Council and the petitioner of its finding at which time petitioner must pay the revised assessment if applicable.

(a) Filing a petition. Any person issued a notice of assessment under § 270.19 may request that NMFS modify or take other appropriate action regarding the assessment or promotion plan by filing a written petition of objection with NMFS. Petitions of objection may be filed:

(1) Only if the petitioner determines one or more of the following criteria is not in accordance with the law:

(i) The assessment;

(ii) The plan upon which the assessment is based; or

(iii) Any obligation imposed on the petitioner under the plan.

(2) Only during the time period to which the assessment applies.

(b) Contents of the petition of objection. A petition must be addressed to Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, and must contain the following:

(1) The petitioner's correct name, address, and principal place of business. If the petitioner is a corporation, this must be stated, together with the date and state of incorporation, and the names, addresses, and respective positions of its officers; if a partnership, the date and place of formation and the name and address of each partner;

(2) The grounds upon which the petition of objection is based, including the specific terms or provisions of the assessment, the marketing and promotion plan, or obligation imposed by the plan, to which the petitioner objects;

(3) A full statement of the facts upon which the petition is based, set forth clearly and concisely, accompanied by any supporting documentation;

(4) The specific relief requested; and

(5) A statement as to whether or not the petitioner requests a hearing.

(c) Notice to Council. NMFS will promptly furnish the appropriate Council with a copy of the petition of objection.

(d) Opportunity for informal hearing. (1) Any person filing a petition of objection may request an informal hearing on the petition. The hearing request must be submitted with the petition of objection.

(2) If a request for hearing is timely filed, or if NMFS determines that a hearing is advisable, NMFS will so notify the petitioner and the Council. NMFS will establish the applicable procedures, and designate who will be responsible for conducting a hearing. The petitioner, the Council, and any other interested party, may appear at the hearing in person or through a representative, and may submit any relevant materials, data, comments, arguments, or exhibits. NMFS may consolidate two or more hearing requests into a single proceeding.

(3) Final decision. Following the hearing, or if no hearing is held, as soon as practicable, NMFS will decide the matter and serve written notice of the decision on the petitioner and the Council. NMFS's decision will be based on a consideration of all relevant documentation and other evidence submitted, and will constitute the final administrative decision and order of the agency. NMFS will have the discretion to waive collection of a contested assessment or revise, modify, or alter the assessment amount based on a Council method of assessment.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Act, any person who pays an assessment under the Act may demand and must promptly receive from the Council a refund of such assessment. A demand for refund must be made in accordance with procedures in the approved charter and within such time as will be prescribed by the Council and approved by NMFS. Procedures to provide such a refund must be established before any such assessment may be collected. Such procedures must allow any person to request a refund 90 days or more from such collection, and provide that such refund must be made within 60 days after demand for such refund is made.

(b) Once a refund has been requested by a sector participant and paid by the Council, that sector participant may no longer participate in a referendum or other business of the Council during the remainder of the assessment rate period. Future assessments will only be sent to such a sector participant at the request of the sector participant. If assessments are paid during a future assessment rate period and no refund is requested, that sector participant may again participate in a referendum or other business of the Council.

(a) Petition for termination. (1) A petition to terminate a Council may be filed with NMFS by no less than three sector participants in any one sector. Any petition filed under this subsection must be accompanied by a written document explaining the reasons for such petition.

(2) If NMFS determines that a petition filed under paragraph (a)(1) of this section is accompanied by the signatures, or corporate certifications, of no less than three sector participants in the sector referred to in paragraph (a)(1) of this section who collectively accounted for, in the 12-month period immediately preceding the month in which the petition was filed, not less than 20 percent of the value of the fish or fish products described in § 270.3(c)(2)(iii) that were handled by that sector during the period, NMFS within 90 days after the determination, will conduct a referendum for termination of the Council among all sector participants in that sector.

(3) Not less than 30 days prior to holding a referendum, NMFS will publish an announcement in the Federal Register of the referendum, including an explanation of the reasons for the petition for termination filed under paragraph (a)(1) of this section and any other relevant information NMFS considers appropriate.

(4) If the referendum votes which are cast in favor of terminating the Council constitute a majority of the sector participants voting and the majority, in the period in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, collectively accounted for not less than 66 percent of the value of such fish and fish products that were handled during such period by the sector in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, NMFS will by order of publication terminate the Council effective as of a date by which the affairs of the Council may be concluded on an orderly basis.

(5) NMFS initially will pay all costs of a referendum conducted in § 270.23. Prior to conducting such a referendum, NMFS will require petitioners to post a bond or other security acceptable to NMFS in an amount which NMFS determines to be sufficient to pay any expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum.

(6) If a referendum conducted under § 270.23 fails to result in the termination of the Council, NMFS will immediately recover the amount of the bond posted by the petitioners under § 270.23(a)(5).

(7) If a referendum conducted under this subsection results in the termination of the Council, NMFS will recover the expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum from the account established by the Council. If the amount remaining in such account is insufficient for NMFS to recover all expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum, NMFS will recover the balance of the expenses from the petitioners that posted a bond under paragraph (a)(5) of this section.

(b) Payment of remaining funds. If a Council is terminated under section § 270.23(a)(4), NMFS, after recovering all expenses incurred for the conduct of the referendum under paragraph (a) of this section, will take such action as is necessary and practicable to ensure that moneys remaining in the account established by the Council under § 270.17 are paid on a prorated basis to the sector participants from whom those moneys were collected under § 270.20.