[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 122 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39131-39132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15977]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061200C]


Announcement of Availability of a U.S. Effort Allocation of 
Shrimp in Division 3M of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization 
(NAFO) Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Announcement of availability of a U.S. effort allocation of 
shrimp in division 3M of the NAFO Regulatory Area.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a U.S. fishing effort allocation of 100 fishing 
days available to one vessel for harvesting shrimp in Division 3M of 
the NAFO Regulatory Area. This action is necessary to make available to 
U.S. fishing interests a fishing privilege on an equitable basis.

DATES: Comments and expressions of interest will be accepted through 
July 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments and expressions of interest regarding the U.S. 
effort allocation should be made to the Director, NMFS Office of 
Sustainable Fisheries at 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
Maryland 20910 (phone: 301-713-2334, fax: 301-713-0596). Information 
relating to NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures (including rules 
on chartering operations) is available from Jennifer Anderson at the 
NMFS Northeast Regional Office, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930 (phone: 
978-281-9226, fax: 978-281-9135) and on the World Wide Web at http://www.nafo.ca>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick E. Moran or Dean Swanson, 301-
713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NAFO has established and maintains 
conservation measures in its Regulatory Area that include one effort 
limitation fishery as well as fisheries with total allowable catches 
(TACs) and member nation allocations. The principal species managed are 
cod, flounder, redfish, American plaice, halibut, capelin, shrimp, and 
squid. At the 1999 NAFO Annual Meeting, the United States received fish 
quota allocations for three NAFO stocks to be fished during 2000. These 
U.S. fish quota allocations for 2000 have been made available to U.S. 
fishermen under authority of the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act. The

[[Page 39132]]

species, amounts, locations, and rules governing these NAFO fish quota 
allocations were published in the Federal Register on December 23, 1999 
(64 FR 72035). No U.S. fishermen have thus far expressed interest in 
the 2000 U.S. fish quota allocations from NAFO.
    In addition to fish quota allocations, the United States received 
an effort allocation of 100 fishing days for the fishing year 2000 
available to one vessel for harvesting shrimp in Division 3M of the 
NAFO Regulatory Area. Although no U.S. fishermen have recently 
expressed interest in the U.S. 3M shrimp effort allocation, NMFS has 
received inquiries regarding the possibility of making U.S. fishing 
opportunities available to U.S. fishing interests using foreign vessels 
under chartering arrangements.
    Under a NAFO Pilot Project in effect for 2000, a vessel registered 
to another NAFO Contracting Party may be chartered to fish the U.S. 
allocation provided that consent for the charter is obtained from the 
vessel's flag State and the U.S. effort allocation is transferred to 
that flag State. Such a transfer must be adopted by NAFO Parties 
through a mail voting process. More details on U.S. and NAFO 
requirements for chartering operations are available from NMFS (see 
ADDRESSES).
    Due to the lack of interest expressed thus far by U.S. fishermen in 
harvesting 2000 NAFO fish quota allocations, and recent information 
indicating that NAFO may adopt a TAC based system for the 3M shrimp 
fishery for 2001, expressions of interest from U.S. fishing interests 
intending to make use of foreign vessels under chartering arrangements 
to fish the U.S. 2000 3M shrimp effort allocation will be considered 
(see DATES). Such expressions of interest should be directed to the 
Director, NMFS Office of Sustainable Fisheries (see ADDRESSES).
    All expressions of interest should include the following 
information required by NAFO regarding the proposed chartering 
operation: the name, registration and flag of the intended vessel; a 
copy of the charter; the fishing opportunities granted; the date from 
which the vessel is authorized to commence fishing on these 
opportunities; and the duration of the charter.
    In addition, expressions of interest should be accompanied by a 
detailed description of anticipated benefits to the United States. Such 
benefits might include (but are not limited to): the use of U.S. 
processing facilities/personnel; the use of U.S. fishing personnel; 
other specific positive effects on U.S. employment; evidence that 
fishing by the chartered vessel would actually take place; and a 
willingness to document the physical characteristics and economics of 
the fishery for future use by the U.S. fishing industry.
    In the event that multiple expressions of interest are made by U.S. 
fishing interests proposing the use of chartering operations from more 
than one NAFO Contracting Party, the information submitted regarding 
benefits to the United States will be used in determining which, if 
any, NAFO Contracting Party will receive the transfer of the U.S. 3M 
shrimp effort allocation.
    If multiple proposals are submitted by U.S. fishing interests 
expressing interest in chartering operations with the same NAFO 
Contracting Party, the United States may transfer its 3M shrimp effort 
allocation to that Party for distribution as that Party sees fit 
(pending approval by NAFO).
    All individuals/companies submitting expressions of interest to 
NMFS will be contacted within seven business days of the end of the 
comment period and apprised of the status of their proposal. Should an 
expression of interest be made on behalf of a U.S. registered vessel or 
vessels, such proposal will be given first consideration. If more than 
one expression of interest is made on behalf of a U.S. registered 
vessel or vessels, however, it may be necessary to promulgate 
regulations to determine how applicants would be chosen. It is unlikely 
that such regulations could be promulgated in time for the 2000 effort 
allocation of 3M shrimp to be used by a U.S. registered vessel. In the 
case that no interest is expressed on behalf of U.S. vessels, NMFS will 
determine whether to initiate the necessary steps to transfer the U.S. 
3M shrimp effort allocation to another NAFO Contracting Party for use 
in a chartering operation.

    Dated: June 18, 2000.
Penelope D. Dalton,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-15977 Filed 6-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F