[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 19956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07823]



[[Page 19956]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE535


Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Notice; new five-year affirmative findings for Ecuador, 
Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain.

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SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant Administrator (Assistant Administrator) has 
issued new five-year affirmative findings for the Governments of 
Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain (Hereafter known as ``The 
Nations'') under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). These new 
five-year affirmative findings 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 The Nations' flagged purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels 
operating under The Nations' jurisdiction to be imported into the 
United States. The new five-year affirmative findings were based on 
reviews of documentary evidence submitted by the Governments of The 
Nations and obtained from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission 
(IATTC).

DATES: These new five-year affirmative findings are effective for the 
five-year period of April 1, 2015, through March 31, 2020.

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 for 
importation 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 five years, the government of the harvesting nation 
must request a new affirmative finding and submit the required 
documentary evidence directly to the Assistant Administrator. On an 
annual basis, NMFS reviews the affirmative finding and determines 
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.
    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 Governments of The Nations and obtained from the IATTC 
and has determined that The Nations have met the MMPA's requirements to 
receive new five-year affirmative findings.
    After consultation with the Department of State, the Assistant 
Administrator issued new five-year affirmative findings to The Nations, 
allowing the continued importation into the United States of yellowfin 
tuna and products derived from yellowfin tuna harvested in the ETP by 
The Nations' flagged purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels 
operating under The Nations jurisdiction for the five-year period of 
April 1, 2015, through March 31, 2020.

    Dated: March 31, 2016.
Eileen Sobeck,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-07823 Filed 4-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P