SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Fishing for groundfish by U.S. vessels in the exclusive economic zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area and Gulf of Alaska is managed by NMFS in accordance with the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area ( printed page 29463) (BSAI FMP) and the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). These fishery management plans (FMPs) were prepared and recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Regulations governing the federal groundfish fisheries and implementing the FMPs appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. Fishing for halibut in waters in and off Alaska is governed by the Convention between the United States and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (Convention). The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) promulgates regulations pursuant to the Convention. The IPHC's regulations are subject to approval by the Secretary of State with concurrence from the Secretary of Commerce. After approval by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, the IPHC regulations are published in the Federal Register as annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.

Amendments 26 and 29 to the BSAI and GOA FMPs, respectively, authorize a salmon donation program and were approved by NMFS on July 10, 1996; a final rule implementing this program was published in the Federal Register on July 24, 1996 (61 FR 38358). The salmon donation program was expanded to include halibut as part of the PSD program under amendments 50 to both FMPs that were approved by NMFS on May 6, 1998. A final rule implementing these amendments was published in the Federal Register on June 12, 1998 (63 FR 32144). Although that final rule contained a sunset provision for the halibut PSD program of December 31, 2000, the halibut PSD program was permanently extended under a final rule published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2000 (65 FR 78119). A full description of, and background information on, the PSD program may be found in the preambles of the associated proposed rules (61 FR 24750, May 16, 1996, and 63 FR 10583, March 4, 1998).

Section 679.26 authorizes the voluntary distribution of salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the groundfish trawl fisheries in the exclusive economic zone off Alaska to hunger relief agencies, food bank networks, or food bank distributors by tax-exempt organizations through an authorized distributor. The NMFS Administrator for the Alaska Region (Regional Administrator) may select one or more tax-exempt organizations to be authorized distributors, as defined at § 679.2, based on the information submitted by applicants under § 679.26. An applicant seeking to become an authorized distributor must submit to the Regional Administrator all of the information required by § 679.26(b)(1) and must submit a separate application for each species (salmon or halibut) that the applicant seeks to distribute. After reviewing qualified applicants, NMFS must announce the selection of each authorized distributor in the Federal Register and issue one or more PSD permits to each selected distributor (§ 679.26(b)(3)(i)).

Renewal of Permits to SeaShare

Currently, SeaShare, a tax-exempt organization founded to help the seafood industry donate to U.S. hunger relief efforts, is the sole authorized distributor of salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska. SeaShare's current salmon and halibut PSD permits became effective May 18, 2023 and authorize SeaShare to participate in the PSD program through May 25, 2026 (88 FR 31701, May 18, 2023).

On March 20, 2026, the Regional Administrator received applications from SeaShare to renew its salmon and halibut PSD permits. The Regional Administrator reviewed the applications and determined that both applications are complete and include all of the information required by § 679.26(b)(1), and that SeaShare continues to meet the requirements for an authorized distributor of salmon and halibut under the PSD program. Because SeaShare is the only applicant for PSD permits at this time, the Regional Administrator does not need to determine how many total authorized distributors to select using the criteria at § 679.26(b)(2).

These permits may be suspended, modified, or revoked under 15 CFR part 904 for violation of § 679.26 or other regulations in 50 CFR part 679.

This action is taken under § 679.26.

Authority:16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.;Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.