[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 147 (Thursday, July 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44404-44405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18024]
[[Page 44404]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD402
Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported and
Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: On June 17, 2014, the White House released a Presidential
Memorandum entitled ``Establishing a Comprehensive Framework to Combat
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud.'' Among
other actions, the Memorandum established a Presidential Task Force on
Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood
Fraud (Task Force), co-chaired by the Departments of State and Commerce
and made up of a broad range of other federal agencies. The Task Force
is directed to report to the President within 180 days with
``recommendations for the implementation of a comprehensive framework
of integrated programs to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud that
emphasizes areas of greatest need.'' The public meetings and request
for comments initiates a public engagement process aimed at gaining
broad input and expertise from key stakeholders and interest groups to
inform and advise the Task Force in developing recommendations in
compliance with the Memorandum.
DATES: Comments must be received by September 2, 2014. The public
meetings will be held in August. For specific dates, times, format or
location, see ``Public Meetings'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-0214-0090, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0090, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Laurel Bryant, 1315 East-West
Hwy., Rm. 14556, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered by the Federal Task Force. All comments received
are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public
viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. The Task Force will accept
anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to
remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted
in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurel Bryant, Chief for External
Affairs, Office of Communications, National Marine Fisheries Service,
301-427-8032.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The United States is a global leader in sustainable seafood. Over
the course of the last 6 years, the United States has largely ended
overfishing in federally managed waters and successfully rebuilt a
record number of overfished stocks, with both overfishing and
overfished fish stocks at all-time lows. This level of effective
management and enforcement of domestic fishing regulations has
supported near record highs in both landings and revenue for our
domestic fishing industries. As a result, the United States scheme of
science-based fisheries management is recognized internationally as a
model for other countries as they work to end overfishing and implement
sustainable practices.
However, fisheries are a global resource, and achieving sustainable
fisheries management requires strong international commitment. One of
the biggest global threats to sustainable fisheries is illegal,
unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Impacts of IUU fishing
undermine the environmental and economic sustainability of fisheries
both domestically and abroad. By circumventing conservation and
management measures and cutting or avoiding the operational costs
associated with sustainable fishing practices and harvesting levels,
entities engaged in IUU fishing undermine the sustainability of fish
stocks and the broader ecosystem, and create an unfair advantage in the
marketplace over legitimate fishing operations and legally caught
seafood. Global losses attributable to IUU fishing have been estimated
to be $10-23 billion annually. And while it is difficult to know the
extent of seafood fraud, some surveys have found notable levels of
mislabeling in retail operations across the U.S. The occurrence of
seafood fraud through species substitution threatens consumer
confidence, serving to further undermine the reputation and market
competitiveness of our domestic seafood industry.
It is in the national interest of the United States to promote a
framework that supports sustainable fishing practices and combats the
sale of IUU fishing products and seafood fraud. To achieve these
objectives, the United States will need to enhance the tools it has
available to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud. The Task Force has
been established to achieve these objectives. These public meetings
initiate the process for informing and advising the Task Force on
identifying the priorities and opportunities to accomplish these
objectives. The meetings are intended as listening sessions for the
Task Force to hear from and engage with the public, and the communities
of stakeholders and interest groups involved with these issues. For
more information related to the Task Force and these issues, go to:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/iuu/iuu_overview.html.
II. Topics for Comment and Discussion
Comment is particularly sought in response to the following
questions:
1. How can the government better coordinate its efforts across the
full suite of activities related to the seafood supply chain?
2. What existing authorities and tools should be enhanced to combat
IUU fishing and seafood fraud?
3. What are the key opportunities at the international level to
address these issues through the regional fishery management
organizations and bilateral efforts, such as technical assistance and
capacity building?
4. What existing authorities should be better coordinated or
streamlined to strengthen and harmonize enforcement provisions of U.S.
statutes for implementing international fisheries agreements?
5. What existing authorities should be better coordinated or
streamlined to strengthen and harmonize efforts between agencies,
including Federal, State and local?
6. What opportunities are there, whether existing or new, to work
with industry and other partners, including foreign partners, to
develop and implement measures such as traceability
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programs to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud?
7. How prevalent are mislabeling and species substitution within
the domestic and foreign seafood supply in general? Where in the
seafood supply chain is species substitution most likely to occur, and
what role or actions can the federal government provide or enhance to
address it?
8. To what extent is the comingling of seafood products from
different origins an issue? Where along the supply chain does it occur?
9. What specific actions need to be taken to improve the
transparency and traceability of seafood in the supply chain?
10. What are the actions and issues the Task Force should
prioritize in developing its recommendations for addressing IUU
fishing? What about seafood fraud?
11. What other topics related to IUU fishing and seafood fraud
should the Task Force be aware of in developing and prioritizing
recommendations?
III. Public Meetings
August 13, 2014, 3-5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time--Webinar/
Conference Call, Conference Call Number: 888-324-0793, passcode: IUU
Fishing.
August 20, 2014, 3-5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time--In-person
meeting, Mayflower Park Hotel, 405 Olive Way, Seattle, Washington.
August 27, 2014, 3-5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time--Webinar/
Conference Call, Conference Call Number: 888-324-0793, passcode: IUU
Fishing.
August 28, 2014, 1-3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time--In-person
meeting, Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill, 525 New Jersey Avenue
NW., Washington, DC 20001.
Special Accommodations
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Samantha (Sam) Guidon, 301-427-8532 or email
[email protected] at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: July 28, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18024 Filed 7-29-14; 11:15 am]
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