In addition to the definitions in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens 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.

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 Magnuson-Stevens Act.

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.

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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

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.

(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:

(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;

(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.

(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.

(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.

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:

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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;

(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

(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.

(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' 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

(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.

(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 pre-bidding 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 pre-bidding referendum shall be conducted,

(ii) If the initial pre-bidding referendum precedes reduction amendment adoption, a second pre-bidding 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);

(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

(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.

(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;

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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:

(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:

(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.

(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 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.

(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.

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.

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.

(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;

(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 non-disbursement 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.