Cost Recovery

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to collect fees to recover the “actual costs directly related to the management, data collection, and enforcement” of an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program (16 U.S.C. 1854(d)(2)). The law provides that the fee be paid by IFQ allocation shareholders, based on the ex-vessel value of fish landed under the program. Ex-vessel value is calculated as the price paid to the vessel per pound multiplied by the total weight landed. The fee may be up to, but cannot exceed, 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of the fish harvested under the IFQ program.

GARFO currently manages two cost recovery fishery programs which fall under the above MSA requirement - Tilefish IFQ and Scallop IFQ.

The Cost Recovery System ...

All fishing industry related data managed by IRM is considered to be business confidential and may not be released without written consent of the data originator.

Access to data is governed by 50CFR600 - Confidentiality of Information. Access by state fishery management agency staff and Fisheries Management Council staff may be allowed through Memorandum of Understanding that are signed by the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator and Directors of the State Agency or Councils that describe the need and uses of the data and list the individuals who will have access to the data. Contractors may be granted access provided they are working under contract to NOAA or a cooperating partner (state, Council, Commission) on a specific project under the oversight of a partner.

Access to data is governed by 50CFR600 - Confidentiality of Information. Access by state fishery management agency staff and Fisheries Management Council staff may be allowed through Memorandum of Understanding that are signed by the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator and Directors of the State Agency or Councils that describe the need and uses of the data and list the individuals who will have access to the data. Contractors may be granted access provided they are working under contract to NOAA or a cooperating partner (state, Council, Commission) on a specific project under the oversight of a partner.

Access is restricted to personnel authorized in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100. A signed non-disclosure agreement must be on file for all authorized personnel. The IRM help desk or APSD Data Request staff are the POC for non-disclosure forms.