(a) Requirements—(1) What permits are available? The following table describes the permits available under this subpart that authorize the retention, processing, and receipt of salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, respectively, along with date of effectiveness for each permit and reference paragraphs for further information:

(2) Permit and logbook required by participant and fishery. For the various types of permits issued pursuant to this subpart, refer to § 679.115 for recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

(3) Permit application. (i) A person may obtain an application for a new permit, or for renewal or revision of an existing permit, from NMFS for any of the permits under this section and must submit forms to NMFS as instructed in application instructions. All permit applications may be completed online and printed from the NMFS Alaska Region website (See § 679.2);

(ii) Upon receipt of an incomplete or improperly completed permit application, NMFS will notify the applicant of the deficiency in the permit application. If the applicant fails to correct the deficiency, the permit will not be issued. NMFS will not approve a permit application that is untimely or incomplete;

(iii) The owner or authorized representative of a vessel, owner or authorized representative of a processor, and Registered Salmon Receiver must obtain a separate permit for each vessel, entity, operation, or facility, as appropriate to each Federal permit in this section;

(iv) All permits are issued free of charge;

(v) NMFS will consider objective written evidence in determining whether an application is timely. The responsibility remains with the sender to provide objective written evidence of when an application to obtain, amend, or to surrender a permit was received by NMFS (e.g., certified mail or other method that provides written evidence that NMFS Alaska Region received it); and

(vi) For applications delivered by hand delivery or carrier, the date the application was received by NMFS is the date NMFS staff signs for it upon receipt. If the application is submitted by fax or mail, the receiving date of the application is the date stamped received by NMFS.

(4) Disclosure. NMFS will maintain a list of permit holders that may be disclosed for public inspection.

(5) Sanctions and denials. Procedures governing permit sanctions and permit denials for enforcement purposes are found at subpart D of 15 CFR part 904. Such procedures are not required for any other purposes under this part.

(6) Harvesting privilege. Permits issued pursuant to this subpart are neither a right to the resource nor any interest that is subject to the “Takings Clause” provision of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Rather, such permits represent only a harvesting privilege that may be revoked or amended subject to the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable law.

(7) Permit surrender. (i) NMFS will recognize the voluntary surrender of a permit issued under this subpart, if a permit is authorized to be surrendered and if an application is submitted by the permit holder or authorized representative and approved by NMFS; and

(ii) For surrender of an SFFP and SFPP, refer to paragraphs (b)(3)(ii) and (c)(3)(ii) of this section, respectively.

(b) Salmon Federal Fisheries Permit (SFFP)—(1) Requirements. (i) No vessel of the United States may be used to commercially fish for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area unless the owner or authorized representative first obtains an SFFP for the vessel issued under this part. Only persons who are U.S. citizens are authorized to obtain an SFFP; and

(ii) Each vessel used to commercially fish for salmon within the Cook Inlet EEZ Area must have a legible copy of a valid SFFP on board at all times. The vessel operator must present the valid SFFP for inspection upon the request of any authorized officer.

(2) Vessel operation. An SFFP authorizes a vessel to conduct operations in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area.

(3) Duration—(i) Length of permit effectiveness. NMFS issues SFFPs on a 3-year cycle, and an SFFP is in effect from the effective date through the expiration date, as indicated on the SFFP, unless the SFFP is revoked, suspended, or modified under § 600.735 or § 600.740 of this chapter, or surrendered in accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section.

(ii) Surrendered permit. (A) An SFFP may be voluntarily surrendered in accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section. NMFS will not reissue a surrendered SFFP to the owner or authorized representative of a vessel named on an SFFP until after the expiration date of the surrendered SFFP as initially issued.

(B) An owner or authorized representative who applied for and received an SFFP must notify NMFS of the intention to surrender the SFFP by submitting an SFFP application found at the NMFS Alaska Region website and indicating on the application that surrender of the SFFP is requested. Upon receipt and approval of an SFFP surrender application, NMFS will withdraw the SFFP from active status.

(4) Amended permit. An owner or authorized representative who applied for and received an SFFP must notify NMFS of any change in the permit information by submitting an SFFP application found at the NMFS Alaska Region website. The owner or authorized representative must submit the application form as instructed on the form. Except as provided under paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, upon receipt and approval of an application form for permit amendment, NMFS will issue an amended SFFP.

(5) SFFP application. To obtain, amend, renew, or surrender an SFFP, the vessel owner or authorized representative must complete an SFFP application form per the instructions from the NMFS Alaska Region website. The owner or authorized representative of the vessel must sign and date the application form, certifying that all information is true, correct, and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief. If the application form is completed by an authorized representative, proof of authorization must accompany the application form.

(6) Issuance. (i) Except as provided in subpart D of 15 CFR part 904, upon receipt and approval of a properly completed permit application, NMFS will issue an SFFP required by paragraph (b) of this section.

(ii) NMFS will send an SFFP with the appropriate logbooks to the owner or authorized representative, as provided under § 679.115.

(7) Transfer. An SFFP issued under paragraph (b) of this section is not transferable or assignable and is valid only for the vessel for which it is issued.

(c) Salmon Federal Processor Permit (SFPP)—(1) Requirements. No salmon shoreside processor, as defined at § 679.2, may process salmon harvested in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, unless the owner or authorized representative first obtains an SFPP issued under this subpart. A salmon shoreside processor may not be operated in a category other than as specified on the SFPP. A legible copy of a valid SFPP must be on site at the salmon shoreside processor at all times and must be presented for inspection upon the request of any authorized officer.

(2) SFPP application. To obtain, amend, renew, or surrender an SFPP, the owner or authorized representative of the salmon shoreside processor must complete an SFPP application form per the instructions from the NMFS Alaska Region website. The owner or authorized representative of the salmon shoreside processor must sign and date the application form, certifying that all information is true, correct, and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief. If the application form is completed by an authorized representative, proof of authorization must accompany the application form.

(3) Issuance. Except as provided in subpart D of 15 CFR part 904, upon receipt and approval of a properly completed permit application, NMFS will issue an SFPP required by paragraph (c) of this section.

(4) Duration—(i) Length of effectiveness. An SFPP is in effect from the effective date through the date of permit expiration, unless it is revoked, suspended, or modified under § 600.735 or § 600.740 of this chapter, or surrendered in accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section.

(ii) Surrendered permit. (A) An SFPP may be voluntarily surrendered in accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section. NMFS may reissue an SFPP to the person to whom the SFPP was initially issued in the same fishing year in which it was surrendered.

(B) An owner or authorized representative who applied for and received an SFPP must notify NMFS of the intention to surrender the SFPP by submitting an SFPP application found at the NMFS Alaska Region website and indicating on the application form that surrender of the SFPP is requested. Upon receipt and approval of an SFPP surrender application, NMFS will withdraw the SFPP from active status.

(5) Amended permit. An owner or authorized representative who applied for and received an SFPP must notify NMFS of any change in the permit information by submitting an SFPP application found at the NMFS Alaska Region website. The owner or authorized representative must submit the application form as instructed on the form. Upon receipt and approval of an SFPP amendment application, NMFS will issue an amended SFPP.

(6) Transfer. An SFPP issued under this paragraph (c) is not transferable or assignable and is valid only for the salmon shoreside processor for which it is issued.

(d) Registered Salmon Receiver Permit (RSRP)—(1) Requirements. An RSRP authorizes the person identified on the permit to receive a landing of salmon from an SFFP holder at any time during the fishing year for which it is issued until the RSRP expires, as indicated on the RSRP, or is revoked, suspended, or modified under § 600.735 or § 600.740 of this chapter, or surrendered in accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section. An RSRP is required for any person, other than an SFPP holder, to receive salmon commercially harvested in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area from the person(s) who harvested the fish. A legible copy of the RSRP must be present at the time and location of a landing. The RSRP holder or their authorized representative must make the RSRP available for inspection upon the request of any authorized officer.

(2) Application. To obtain, amend, renew, or surrender an RSRP, the owner or authorized representative must complete an RSRP application form per the instructions from the NMFS Alaska Region website. The owner or authorized representative of a Registered Salmon Receiver must sign and date the application form, certifying that all information is true, correct, and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief. If the application form is completed by an authorized representative, proof of authorization must accompany the application form.

(3) Issuance. Except as provided in subpart D of 15 CFR part 904, upon receipt and approval of a properly completed permit application, NMFS will issue an RSRP required by paragraph (d) of this section.

(4) Duration. An RSRP is issued on an annual cycle defined as May through the end of April of the next calendar year, to persons who submit a Registered Salmon Receiver Permit application that NMFS approves.

(i) An RSRP is in effect from the first day of May in the year for which it is issued or from the date of issuance, whichever is later, through the end of the current annual cycle, unless it is revoked, suspended, or modified under § 600.735 or § 600.740 of this chapter, or surrendered in accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section.

(ii) An RSRP may be voluntarily surrendered in accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section. An RSRP may be reissued to the permit holder of record in the same fishing year in which it was surrendered.

(5) Amended permit. An owner or authorized representative who applied for and received an RSRP must notify NMFS of any change in the permit information by submitting an RSRP application found at the NMFS Alaska Region website. The owner or authorized representative must submit the application form as instructed on the form. Upon receipt and approval of an RSRP amendment application, NMFS will issue an amended RSRP.