[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 105 (Thursday, May 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24974-24975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11655]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG229
Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; five-year affirmative finding for El Salvador.
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SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant Administrator (Assistant Administrator) has
issued a five-year affirmative finding for the Government of El
Salvador under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This
affirmative finding will allow importation into the United States of
yellowfin tuna and yellowfin tuna products harvested in the eastern
tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) in compliance with the Agreement on the
International Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP) by purse seine
vessels operating under Salvadoran jurisdiction or exported from El
Salvador. NMFS bases the affirmative finding determination on reviews
of documentary evidence submitted by the Government of El Salvador and
by information obtained from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna
Commission (IATTC).
DATES: This affirmative finding is effective for the five-year period
of April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Justin Greenman, West Coast Region,
National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, 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 AIDCP and its 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 AIDCP 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 AIDCP.
As a part of the affirmative finding process set forth in 50 CFR
216.24(f)(8), the Assistant Administrator considered documentary
evidence submitted by the Government of El Salvador and obtained from
the IATTC and has determined that El Salvador has met the MMPA's
requirements to receive an affirmative finding.
After consultation with the Department of State, the Assistant
Administrator issued a five-year affirmative finding to El Salvador,
allowing the importation into the United States of yellowfin tuna and
[[Page 24975]]
products derived from yellowfin tuna harvested in the ETP by purse
seine vessels operating under Salvadoran jurisdiction or exported from
El Salvador. Issuance of an affirmative finding for El Salvador does
not affect implementation of an intermediary nation embargo under 50
CFR 216.24(f)(9), which could apply to exports from El Salvador. El
Salvador's affirmative finding is effective for the five-year period of
April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2023, subject to subsequent annual
reviews by NMFS.
Dated: May 24, 2018.
Chris Oliver,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-11655 Filed 5-30-18; 8:45 am]
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