the United States judicial district in which the claimant's home port is located.

(2) Powers. For purposes of any proceeding, the Assistant Administrator, NMFS, or his designee, shall have the power to administer oaths and subpoena witnesses and the production of books, records, and other evidence relative to the issues involved.

(3) Amendments to claims. A claimant may amend the claim at any time before the Chief, FSD, issues an initial determination.

(4) Criminal penalty for fraudulent claims. Any person who files a fraudulent claim is subject to prosecution under 18 U.S.C. sections 287 and 1001, each of which, upon conviction, imposes a penalty of not more than a $10,000 fine and 5 years' imprisonment, or both.

§ 296.7 Burden of proof and presumption of causation.

(a) Burden of proof. The claimant has the burden to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, all facts necessary to qualify his claim, including:

(1) The identity or nature of the item which caused the damage or loss; and

(2) That the item is associated with oil and gas exploration, development, or production activities on the Outer Continental Shelf.

(b) Presumption of causation. Notwithstanding the above, damages or losses are presumed to be caused by items associated with oil and gas exploration, development, or production activities on the OCS if the claimant establishes that:

(1) The claimant's commercial fishing vessel was being used for commercial fishing and was located in an area affected by OCS oil and gas exploration, development, or production activities;

(2) A report on the location of the obstruction which caused such damage or loss, and the nature of such damage or loss, was made within fifteen days after the date on which the vessel first returned to a port after discovering such damage;

(3) There was no record on the most recent nautical charts issued by the

National Ocean Survey, NOAA, or in any weekly Notice to Mariners issued by the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center, in

effect at least 15 days before the date the damage or loss occurred, then an obstruction existed in the immediate vicinity where the damage or loss occurred. In the case of damages caused by a pipeline, the presumption will be available regardless of whether the pipeline was recorded on charts or in the Notice to Mariners; and

(4) There was no proper surface marker or lighted buoy attached, or closely anchored, to such obstruction. (c) Geographic exclusion from presumption of causation. Damage or loss occurring within a one-quarter mile radius of obstructions recorded on charts or in a Notice to Mariners, or properly marked, is presumed to involve the recorded or marked obstruction.

(a) Actual damages. The award for damaged fishing gear will be the lesser of the gear's repair cost or replacement cost. The award for lost fishing gear will be the gear's replacement cost.

(b) Consequential damages. An award may also include compensation for any damage or loss (except personal injury) that is incurred as a consequence of the fishing gear damage or loss.

(c) Resulting economic loss. An award may also include 50 percent of the resulting economic loss from damage to or loss of fishing vessels and gear.

(d) Attorney, CPA, consultant fees. An award may also include compensation for reasonable fees paid by the claimant to an attorney, CPA, or other consultant for the preparation or prosecution of a claim.

(e) Negligence of claimant. (1) An award will be reduced to the extent that the loss or damage was caused by the negligence or fault of the claimant. (For example, a claimant who sustained $10,000 in damages and whose negligence or fault was found to be responsible for 40% of the damage would receive $6,000 in compensation. If the

same claimant were responsible for 99% of the negligence or fault that caused the damage, the claimant would receive $100 in compensation).

(2) Negligence of the owner or operator of the fishing vessel or gear will reduce crewmember awards to the same extent that it reduces an award to the vessel's owner or operator.

(f) Insurance proceeds. An award will be reduced by the amount the claimant has, or reasonably would have, received under a commercial policy of full hull and machinery and protection and indemnity insurance, whether or not such insurance was in effect at the time the casualty occurred.

[47 FR 49600, Nov. 1, 1982, as amended at 50 FR 13796, Apr. 8, 1985]

30 days after the day on which the Chief, FSD, issues an initial determination, the initial determination will become a final determination.

§ 296.12 Payment of costs.

(a) By person denying responsibility for damage. Any person who is notified by the Interior Department and fails to respond or denies responsibility for the damages claimed will pay the costs of the proceedings if such person is subsequently found to be responsible for the damage claimed.

(b) By the claimant. Any claimant who files a claim will pay the cost of the proceedings if such person is subsequently found to be responsible for the damage claimed.

(c) By person denying responsibility for damage and the claimant. If more than one party is found to have responsibility for the damage claimed, then the cost of the proceedings will be apportioned between them.

§ 296.13 Payment of award for claim.

(a) Upon an initial determination, the Chief, FSD, shall immediately disburse the claim awarded if the claimant:

(1) States in writing that he will not request review of the initial determination; and

(2) Signs an agreement to repay all or any part of the award if the award should for any reason be subsequently reduced.

(b) If the claimant does not submit the statement and agreement specified above, the Chief, FSD, will not disburse the award until 30 days after issuance of the initial determination.

§ 296.14 Subrogation.

(a) Upon payment of a claim, the Chief, FSD, Will obtain a subrogation agreement signed by the claimant which:

(1) Assigns to the Fund the claimant's rights against third parties; and

(2) Provides that the claimant will assist the Fund in any reasonable way to pursue those rights.

(b) Collection of subrogated rights. If a reasonable chance of successful collection exists, NMFS will refer any

subrogated rights to the Justice Department for collection.

(c) Any moneys recovered through subrogation shall be deposited into the Fund.

§ 296.15 Judicial review.

Any claimant or other person who is aggrieved by a final determination

may, no later than 30 days after the determination, seek judicial review of the determination in the United States District Court for such judicial district as may be mutually agreeable to the parties concerned or, if no agreement can be reached, in the United States District Court for the judicial district in which the claimant's home port is located.

Sec.

PART 301-PACIFIC HALIBUT

FISHERIES

301.1 Short title.

301.2 Interpretation. 301.3 In-season actions. 301.4 Application.

301.5 Regulatory areas. 301.6 Fishing periods. 301.7 Closed periods. 301.8 Closed area.

301.9 Catch limits.

301.10 Fishing period limits.

301.11 Size limits.

301.12 Licensing of vessels.

301.13 Vessel clearance and hold inspection.

301.14 Logs.

301.15 Receipt and possession of halibut. 301.16 Fishing gear.

301.17 Retention of tagged halibut.

301.18 Supervision of unloading and weighing.

301.19 Fishing by United States treaty Indian tribes.

301.20 Sport fishing for halibut in all waters.

301.21 Previous regulations superseded. APPENDIX TO PART 301

AUTHORITY: 5 UST 5; TIAS 2900; 16 U.S.C. 773-773k.

SOURCE: 53 FR 10537, Apr. 1, 1988, unless otherwise noted.

§ 301.1 Short title.

This part may be cited as the Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations.

§ 301.2 Interpretation.

(a) In this part,

Automated hook stripper (commonly known as a crucifier) means a device through which the groundline can be passed during gear retrieval which allows the groundline and hooks to pass freely, but does not allow fish to pass, thereby removing fish from the hooks;

Charter vessel means a vessel used for hire in sport fishing for halibut, not including a vessel without a hired operator;

Commercial fishing means fishing the resulting catch of which either is or is intended to be sold or bartered;

Commission means the International Pacific Halibut Commission;

Fishery officer means any state, federal, or provincial officer authorized to enforce this part, including, but not limited to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife Protection (ADFWP), and the United States Coast Guard (USCG);

Fishing means the taking, harvesting, or catching of fish; or any activity that can reasonably be expected to result in the taking, harvesting, or catching of fish, including specifically the deployment of any amount or component part of setline gear anywhere in the maritime area;

Fishing period limit means the maximum amount of halibut that may be caught and landed by a vessel during one fishing period;

Land with respect to halibut means to bring to shore and to offload;

License means a halibut fishing license issued by the Commission pursuant to §§ 301.12 and 301.20 of this part;

Maritime area, in respect of the fisheries jurisdiction of a Contracting Party, includes without distinction areas within and seaward of the territorial sea or internal waters of that Party;

Operator, with respect to any vessel, means the master or other individual on board and in charge of that vessel; Person includes an individual, corporation, firm, or association;

Regulatory area means an area referred to in § 301.5 of this part;

Setline gear means one or more stationary, buoyed, and anchored lines with hooks attached;

Sport fishing means all fishing other than commercial fishing;

Tender means any vessel that buys or obtains fish directly from a catching vessel and transports it to a port of landing or fish processor.

(b) In this part, all bearings are magnetic and all positions are determined by the most recent charts issued by the United States National Ocean