Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 89 / Monday, May 8, 2000 / Notices 26585

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 041400A]

Taking and Importing of Marine

Mammals

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of affirmative finding;

removal of embargo.

SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator

for Fisheries, NMFS, issued an

affirmative finding for the Government

of Mexico under the Marine Mammal

Protection Act (MMPA) on April 12,

2000. This affirmative finding allows

importation into the United States of

yellowfin tuna and yellowfin tuna

products harvested in the eastern

tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) after March

3, 1999, by Mexican-flag purse seine

vessels or vessels operating under

Mexican jurisdiction greater than 400

short tons (362.8 mt) carrying capacity.

The affirmative finding was based on

documentary evidence submitted by the

Government of Mexico and obtained

from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna

Commission (IATTC). This finding

remains in effect through March 31,

2001.

DATES: Effective April 12, 2000, through

March 31, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Regional Administrator, Southwest

Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean

Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach,

California, 90802–4213; Phone 562–

980–4000; Fax 562–980–4018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq, as

amended by the International Dolphin

Conservation Program Act (IDCPA) (P.

L. 105–42), allows the entry into the

United States of yellowfin tuna

harvested by purse seine vessels in the

eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP)

under certain conditions. If requested by

the harvesting nation, the Assistant

Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, will

determine whether to make an

affirmative finding based upon

documentary evidence provided by the

government of the harvesting nation, by

the International Dolphin Conservation

Program (IDCP), the IATTC, or the

Department of State. A finding will

remain valid for 1 year (April 1 through

March 31) or for such other period as

the Assistant Administrator for

Fisheries may determine. The

harvesting nation must submit an

application directly to the Assistant

Administrator for Fisheries for the first

affirmative finding. 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 for Fisheries. The

Assistant Administrator may require the

submission of additional supporting

documentation or verification of

statements made in connection with

requests to allow importations. An

affirmative finding applies to tuna and

tuna products that were harvested in the

ETP by purse seine vessels of the nation,

and applies to any tuna harvested in the

ETP purse seine fishery after March 3,

1999, the effective date of the IDCPA.

The affirmative finding process

requires that the harvesting nation meet

several conditions related to compliance

with the IDCP. To issue an annual

affirmative finding, NMFS must receive

the following information:

1. A statement requesting an

affirmative finding;

2. Evidence of membership in the

IATTC;

3. Evidence that a nation is meeting

its obligations to the IATTC, including

financial obligations;

4. Evidence that a nation is complying

with the IDCP. For example, national

laws and regulations implementing the

Agreement on the IDCP and information

that the nation is enforcing those laws

and regulations;

5. Evidence of a tuna tracking and

verification program comparable to the

U.S. tracking and verification

regulations at 50 CFR 216.94;

6. Evidence that the national fleet

dolphin mortality limits (DMLs) were

not exceeded in the previous calendar;

7. Evidence that the national fleet perstock per-year mortality limits, if they

are allocated to countries, were not

exceeded in the previous calendar year;

8. Authorization for the IATTC to

release to the Assistant Administrator

for Fisheries complete, accurate, and

timely information necessary to verify

and inspect Tuna Tracking Forms; and

9. Authorization for the IATTC to

release to the Assistant Administrator

for Fisheries information whether a

nation is meeting its obligations of

membership to the IATTC and whether

a nation is meeting its obligations under

the IDCP, including managing (not

exceeding) its national fleet DMLs or its

national fleet per-stock per-year

mortality limits. A nation may opt to

provide this information directly to

NMFS on an annual basis or to

authorize the IATTC to release the

information to NMFS in years when

NMFS will review and consider

whether to issue 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 for Fisheries determines

that the requirements of 50 CFR

216.24(f)(9) are no longer being met or

that a nation is consistently failing to

take enforcement actions on violations

which diminish the effectiveness of the

IDCP. 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 for

Fisheries.

The Assistant Administrator for

Fisheries reviewed the application and

documentary evidence submitted by the

Government of Mexico and determined

that the requirements under the MMPA

to receive an affirmative finding have

been met for the purposes of issuing an

affirmative finding for the period April

1—March 31, 2001. On April 12, 2000,

after consultation with the Department

of State, NMFS issued an affirmative

finding that removed the embargo and

allows yellowfin tuna and products

derived from yellowfin tuna harvested

in the ETP by Mexican-flag purse seine

vessels or vessels under Mexican

jurisdiction greater than 400 short tons

(362.8 metric tons) carrying capacity

after March 3, 1999, to be imported into

the United States. In subsequent years

2001 through 2004, the Assistant

Administrator will determine on an

annual basis whether the Government of

Mexico is meeting the requirements

under section 101 (a)(2)(B) and (C) of

the MMPA. NMFS will use

documentary evidence provided by the

IATTC and the Department of State or

by the harvesting nation on an annual

basis to determine whether the finding

should be renewed. If necessary,

documentary evidence may also be

requested from the Government of

Mexico to determine whether the

affirmative finding criteria are being

met. A new application is due by the

Government of Mexico if the affirmative

finding lapses or is revoked. If the

affirmative finding for the Government

of Mexico is renewed after NMFS’s

annual review in the years 2001 to 2004,

the Government of Mexico must submit

a new application in early 2005 for an

affirmative finding to be effective for the

period April 1, 2005, through March 31,

2006, and subsequent years.

26586 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 89 / Monday, May 8, 2000 / Notices

Dated: April 19, 2000.

Andrew A. Rosenberg,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–11446 Filed 5–5–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 050100A]

New England Fishery Management

Council; Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery

Management Council (Council) is

scheduling a public meeting of its

Scallop Committee and Advisory Panel,

Habitat Committee and Advisory Panel,

Enforcement Committee, and Gear

Conflict Committee and Advisory Panel

in May and June, 2000 to consider

actions affecting New England fisheries

in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Recommendations from these groups

will be brought to the full Council for

formal consideration and action, if

appropriate.

DATES: The meetings will held between

Wednesday, May 24, 2000 and Friday,

June 2, 2000. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for specific dates and

times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held

in Peabody and Mansfield, MA. See

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific

locations.

Council address: New England

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

J. Howard, Executive Director, New

England Fishery Management Council

(978) 465–0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates and Agendas

Wednesday, May 24, 2000, at 9:30

a.m. and Thursday, May 25, 2000, at

8:30 a.m.—Scallop Committee and

Scallop Advisory Panel Joint Meeting

Location: Kings Grant Inn, Trask

Road, Route 128, Exit 21N, Danvers, MA

01923; telephone: (978) 774–6800; fax:

(978) 774–6502.

The committee and advisors will

review and finalize the draft

management alternatives for

Amendment 10 to the fishery

management plan. Part of the meeting

on May 24, 2000 will be a joint meeting

with the Habitat Committee and its

advisors.

Amendment 10 considers new area

rotation systems to improve scallop

yield, changes to the framework

adjustment process and timing,

modifications to the crew size limit, and

possible trawl gear modifications to

improve size selection. The purpose of

this meeting will be to evaluate draft

Amendment 10 alternatives, identify

potential impacts, and recommend

modifications to these conceptual

alternatives so that the potential impacts

are taken into account.

The committee will recommend these

draft alternatives to the Council at its

June 14–15, 2000 meeting for inclusion

and analysis in the Draft Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statement.

Wednesday, May 24, 2000, at 9:30

a.m.—Habitat Committee and Habitat

Advisory Panel Joint Meeting

Location: Kings Grant Inn, Trask

Road, Route 128, Exit 21N, Danvers, MA

01923; telephone: (978) 774–6800; fax:

(978) 774–6502.

The committee and advisors will

discuss and develop recommendations

for Amendment 10 to the Sea Scallop

Fishery Management Plan. The purpose

of this joint meeting will be to evaluate

draft Amendment 10 alternatives,

identify potential impacts, and

recommend modifications to these

conceptual alternatives so that the

potential impacts are taken into

account. This meeting is being held

jointly with the Scallop Oversight

Committee meeting announced above.

Thursday, June 1, 2000, at 9:30 a.m.—

Joint Scallop Oversight Committee and

Enforcement Committee Meeting

Location: Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire

Street, Mansfield, MA 02048; telephone:

(508) 339–2200; fax: (508) 339–1040.

The committee will discuss and

develop recommendations for

Amendment 10 to the Sea Scallop

Fishery Management Plan. The purpose

of this joint meeting will be to evaluate

draft Amendment 10 alternatives,

identify potential impacts, and

recommend modifications to these

conceptual alternatives so that the

potential impacts are taken into

account. Also, the committee will

evaluate enforcement of general

category permit gear restrictions and

will hear a presentation by the NMFS

Office of Law Enforcement on

enforcement of day-at-sea and closed

area regulations through the Vessel

Monitoring System.

Friday, June 2, 2000, at 9:30 a.m.—

Joint Scallop Oversight Committee and

Gear Conflict Committee Meeting

Location: Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire

Street, Mansfield, MA 02048; telephone:

(508) 339–2200; fax: (508) 339–1040.

The committee will discuss and

develop recommendations for

Amendment 10 to the Sea Scallop

Fishery Management Plan. The purpose

of this joint meeting will be to evaluate

draft Amendment 10 alternatives,

identify potential impacts, and

recommend modifications to these

conceptual alternatives so that the

potential impacts are taken into

account.

Although non-emergency issues not

contained in this agenda may come

before this Council for discussion, those

issues may not be the subject for formal

action during these meetings. Action

will be restricted to those issues

specifically identified in this notice and

any issues arising after publication of

this notice that require emergency

action under section 305(c) of the

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act,

provided the public has been notified of

the Council’s intent to take final action

to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically

accessible to people with disabilities.

Requests for sign language

interpretation or other auxiliary aids

should be directed to Paul J. Howard

(see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to

the meeting dates.

Dated: May 2, 2000.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–11447 Filed 5–5–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

The Department of Defense has

submitted to OMB for clearance, the

following proposal for collection of

information under the provisions of the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

Chapter 35).

Title and OMB Number: Defense

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Annual Responses: 800.