[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6177-6178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02173]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD089
Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; affirmative finding annual renewal.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS, (Assistant
Administrator) has granted an affirmative finding annual renewal to the
Government of Guatemala under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
This affirmative finding renewal will allow yellowfin tuna and
yellowfin tuna products harvested in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
(ETP) in compliance with the International Dolphin Conservation Program
(IDCP) by Guatemalan-flag purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels
operating under Guatemalan jurisdiction to be imported into the United
States. The affirmative finding annual renewal was based on review of
documentary evidence submitted by the Government of Guatemala and
obtained from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).
DATES: The affirmative finding annual renewal is effective from April
1, 2013, through March 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Justin Greenman, West Coast Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA
90802. Phone: 562-980-3264, Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., allows the
entry into the United States of yellowfin tuna harvested by purse seine
vessels in the ETP under certain conditions. If requested by the
harvesting nation, the Assistant Administrator will determine whether
to make an affirmative finding based upon documentary evidence provided
by the government of the harvesting nation, the IATTC, or the
Department of State.
The affirmative finding process requires that the harvesting nation
is meeting its obligations under the IDCP and obligations of membership
in the IATTC. Every 5 years, the government of the harvesting nation
must request an affirmative finding and submit the required documentary
evidence directly to the Assistant Administrator. NMFS reviews the
affirmative finding and determine whether the harvesting nation
continues to meet the requirements. A nation may provide information
related to compliance with IDCP and IATTC measures directly to NMFS on
an annual basis or may authorize the IATTC to release the information
to NMFS to annually renew an affirmative finding determination without
an application from the harvesting nation.
[[Page 6178]]
An affirmative finding will be terminated, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, if the Assistant Administrator determines that the
requirements of 50 CFR 216.24(f) are no longer being met or that a
nation is consistently failing to take enforcement actions on
violations, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of the IDCP.
As a part of the affirmative finding process set forth in 50 CFR
216.24(f), the Assistant Administrator considered documentary evidence
submitted by the Government of Guatemala or obtained from the IATTC and
has determined that Guatemala has met the requirements under the MMPA
to receive an annual renewal of their affirmative finding.
After consultation with the Department of State, the Assistant
Administrator issued Guatemala's affirmative finding annual renewal,
allowing the continued importation into the United States of yellowfin
tuna and products derived from yellowfin tuna harvested in the ETP by
Guatemalan-flag purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels operating
under Guatemalan jurisdiction through March 31, 2014.
Dated: January 24, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, performing the
functions and duties of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries.
[FR Doc. 2014-02173 Filed 1-31-14; 8:45 am]
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