[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 110 (Friday, June 6, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32308-32309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12737]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XH63


Permits; Foreign Fishing

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of foreign fishing application; reopening of 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS reopens the public review and comment period that closed 
May 30, 2008, for information regarding a foreign fishing application 
submitted under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

DATES: Comments must be received by June 20, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send comments or requests for a copy of the application to 
NMFS, Office of International Affairs, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.
    Comments on this notice may also be submitted by e-mail to 
nmfs.foreignfishing@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line the following 
document identifier: RIN 0648-XH63.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Rogers, Office of 
International Affairs, (301) 713-9090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 204(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1824(d)) 
provides, among other things, that the Secretary of Commerce 
(Secretary) may issue a transshipment permit which authorizes a vessel 
other than a vessel of the United States to engage in fishing 
consisting solely of transporting fish or

[[Page 32309]]

fish products at sea from a point within the U.S. Exclusive Economic 
Zone (EEZ) or, with the concurrence of a state, within the boundaries 
of that state to a point outside the United States. In addition, Public 
Law 104-297, sec. 105(e) directs the Secretary to issue section 204(d) 
permits for up to 14 Canadian transport vessels to receive Atlantic 
herring harvested by United States fishermen within the boundaries of 
the State of Maine or within the portion of the EEZ east of the line 69 
degrees 30 minutes west and within 12 nautical miles from the seaward 
boundary of that State.
    Section 204(d)(3)(D) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act provides that an 
application may not be approved until the Secretary determines that 
``no owner or operator of a vessel of the United States which has 
adequate capacity to perform the transportation for which the 
application is submitted has indicated ... an interest in performing 
the transportation at fair and reasonable rates.'' NMFS is publishing 
this notice as part of its effort to make such a determination with 
respect to the application described below.

Summary of Application

    NMFS has received an application requesting authorization for 11 
Canadian transport vessels to receive transfers of herring from U.S. 
purse harvesting vessels for the purpose of transporting the herring to 
processing plants in Canada. The transshipment operations will occur 
within the boundaries of the State of Maine or within the portion of 
the exclusive economic zone east of the line 69 degrees 30 minutes west 
and within 12 nautical miles from the seaward boundary of that State.
    Interested U.S. vessel owners and operators may obtain a copy of 
the complete application from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).

    Dated: June 2, 2008.
Rebecca Lent,
Director, Office of International Affairs, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-12737 Filed 6-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S