[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23540-23541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09247]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC629
Fisheries in the Western Pacific; American Samoa Pelagic Longline
Limited Entry Program
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; availability of permits.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of, and is soliciting
applications for, American Samoa pelagic longline limited entry fishing
permits. At least 12 permits in two size classes are available for
2013.
DATES: NMFS must receive completed permit applications by August 19,
2013.
ADDRESSES: Request a blank application form from the NMFS Pacific
Islands Region (PIR), 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI
96814-4733, or the PIR Web site www.fpir.noaa.gov. Mail completed
applications and payment to NMFS PIR, ATTN: ASLE Permits, 1601
Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4733.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter Ikehara, Sustainable Fisheries,
NMFS PIR, tel 808-944-2275, fax 808-973-2940, or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR 665.816
require NMFS to issue new permits for the American Samoa pelagic
longline limited entry program if the number of permits in a size class
falls below the maximum allowed. At least 12 permits are available for
issuance, as follows: 11 in Class A (vessels less than or equal to 40
ft) and one in Class B (over 40 ft to 50 ft). Note that the number of
available permits may change before the application period closes.
Complete applications must include the completed and signed
application form, evidence of documented participation in the American
Samoa pelagic longline fishery, and payment for the non-refundable
application processing fee in accordance with the regulations at 50 CFR
665.13. Applicants must specify the permit
[[Page 23541]]
class for which they are applying. NMFS will reject incomplete
applications.
Documented participation means participation proved by, but not
necessarily limited to, a properly submitted NMFS or American Samoa
logbook, an American Samoa creel survey record, a delivery or payment
record from an American Samoa-based cannery, retailer or wholesaler, an
American Samoa tax record, an individual wage record, ownership title,
vessel registration, or other official documents. The documents must
show either ownership of a vessel that was used to fish in the EEZ
around American Samoa, or evidence of work on a fishing trip during
which longline gear was used to harvest western Pacific pelagic MUS in
the EEZ around American Samoa.
If the applicant does not possess the necessary documentation of
evidence of work on a fishing trip based on records available only from
NMFS or the Government of American Samoa, the applicant may issue a
request to NMFS to obtain such records from the appropriate agencies,
if available. The applicant should provide sufficient information on
the fishing trip to allow NMFS to retrieve the records. If the
applicant requests NMFS in writing to use longline logbook data for
evidence of documented participation, the applicant must specify the
qualifying vessel, official number, and month(s) and year(s) of the
logbook records for NMFS to search. An applicant's request that NMFS
base its determination of documented participation on records currently
held by NMFS constitutes acceptance that such records fairly and
accurately describe the applicant's participation in the fishery.
If NMFS receives more complete applications than available permits
for a given permit class, NMFS will prioritize applicants using only
the information in the applications and documentation provided by the
applicants.
NMFS will assign the highest priority for permits in any size class
to applicants with the earliest documented participation in the fishery
on a Class A vessel, followed by applicants with the earliest
documented participation in Classes B, C, and D, in that order. If
there is a tie in priority, NMFS will rank higher the applicant whose
second documented participation in the fishery is earlier. Detailed
criteria for prioritizing eligible applicants are in the regulations at
50 CFR 665.816(g).
NMFS (see ADDRESSES) must receive applications by August 19, 2013,
and will not accept late applications. Authoritative additional
information on the American Samoa limited entry program may be found in
50 CFR part 665.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 15, 2013.
Kara Meckley,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-09247 Filed 4-18-13; 8:45 am]
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