[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 231 (Thursday, November 30, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71270-71271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30514]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

[I.D. 112000A]


Notification of U.S. Fish Quotas and an Effort Allocation in the 
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Notification of U.S. fish quotas and an effort allocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that fish quotas and an effort allocation are 
available for harvest by U.S. fishermen in the NAFO Regulatory Area. 
This action is necessary to make available to U.S. fishermen a fishing 
privilege on an equitable basis.

DATES: All fish quotas and the effort allocation are effective January 
1, 2001, through December 31, 2001. Expressions of interest regarding 
U.S. fish quota allocations will be accepted throughout 2001. 
Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. effort allocation will be 
accepted through January 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Expressions of interest regarding U.S. fish quota 
allocations should be made in writing to the NMFS Northeast Regional 
Administrator at One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930 
(phone: 978-281-9226, fax: 978-281-9135).
    Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. effort allocation should 
be made in writing to Patrick E. Moran in the NMFS Office of 
Sustainable Fisheries, at 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
Maryland 20910 (phone: 301-713-2276, fax: 301-713-2313).
    Information relating to NAFO fish quotas, NAFO Conservation and 
Enforcement Measures, and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act (HSFCA) 
Permit is available from Jennifer Anderson at the NMFS Northeast 
Regional Office at One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930 
(phone: 978-281-9226, fax: 978-281-9135) and from NAFO on the World 
Wide Web at http://www.nafo.ca>.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    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 quota 
allocations. The principal species managed are cod, flounder, redfish, 
American plaice, halibut, capelin, shrimp, and squid. At the 2000 NAFO 
Annual Meeting, the United States received fish quota allocations for 
three NAFO stocks and an effort allocation for one NAFO stock to be 
fished during 2001. The species, location, and allocation (in metric 
tons or effort) of these U.S. fishing opportunities are as follows:

                            NAFO Allocations
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(1) Redfish..................  NAFO Division                     69 mt.
                                3M.
(2) Squid....................  NAFO Subareas 3                  453 mt.
                                & 4.
(3) Shrimp...................  NAFO Division                     67 mt.
                                3L.
(4) Shrimp...................  NAFO Division         1 vessel/100 days.
                                3M.
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[[Page 71271]]

U.S. Fish Quota Allocations

    All U.S. fish quota allocations in NAFO are available to be taken 
by U.S. vessels in possession of a valid HSFCA permit, which is 
available from the NMFS Northeast Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). 
Expressions of interest by U.S. vessels in harvesting U.S. fish quota 
allocations in the NAFO Regulatory Area should be directed in writing 
to the NMFS Northeast Regional Administrator (see DATES and ADDRESSES). 
Letters of interest from U.S. vessel owners should include the name, 
registration and home port of the applicant vessel as required by NAFO 
in advance of fishing operations. In addition, any available 
information on intended target species and time of fishing operations 
should be included. If necessary to ensure equitable access by U.S. 
vessel owners, NMFS may need to promulgate regulations designed to 
choose one or more U.S. applicants from among expressions of interest.
    Note that vessels issued valid HSFCA permits under 50 CFR part 300 
are exempt from multispecies permit, mesh size, effort-control, and 
possession limit restrictions, specified in Secs.  648.4, 648.80, 
648.82 and 648.86, respectively, while transiting the U.S. exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ) with multispecies on board the vessel or landing 
multispecies in U.S. ports that were caught while fishing in the NAFO 
Regulatory Area, provided:
    (1) The vessel operator has a letter of authorization on board the 
vessel issued by the Regional Administrator;
    (2) For the duration of the trip, the vessel fishes exclusively in 
the NAFO Regulatory Area and does not harvest fish in, or possess fish 
harvested in or from, the U.S. EEZ;
    (3) When transiting the U.S. EEZ, all gear is properly stowed in 
accordance with one of the applicable methods specified in Sec.  
648.81(e); and
    (4) The vessel operator complies with the HSFCA permit and all NAFO 
conservation and enforcement measures while fishing in the NAFO 
Regulatory Area.
    Please note that NAFO vessel reporting requirements must be made 
through the U.S. Government. More information on these requirements can 
be found here.

U.S. Effort Allocation

    Expression of interest in harvesting the U.S. portion of the 2001 
NAFO 3M shrimp effort allocation will be accepted from owners of U.S. 
vessels in possession of a valid HSFCA permit and U.S. fishing 
interests intending to make use of vessels of other NAFO Parties under 
chartering arrangements. U.S. vessels will be given first 
consideration. All expressions of interest should be directed in 
writing to Patrick E. Moran in the NMFS Office of Sustainable Fisheries 
(see DATES  and ADDRESSES).
    Letters of interest from U.S. vessel owners should include the 
name, registration and home port of the applicant vessel as required by 
NAFO in advance of fishing operations. In the event that multiple 
expressions of interest are made by U.S. vessel owners, NMFS may need 
to promulgate regulations designed to choose one U.S. applicant from 
among expressions of interest.
    In the event that no adequate expressions of interest are made on 
behalf of U.S. vessels, expressions of interest will be considered from 
U.S. fishing interests intending to make use of vessels of other NAFO 
Parties under chartering arrangements to fish the 2001 U.S. effort 
allocation for 3M shrimp. Under NAFO rules in effect for 2001, a vessel 
registered to another NAFO Contracting Party may be chartered to fish 
the U.S. allocation provided that written 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.
    Expressions of interest from U.S. fishing interests intending to 
make use of vessels from another NAFO Party under chartering 
arrangements should include information required by NAFO regarding the 
proposed chartering operation, including: the name, registration and 
flag of the intended vessel; a copy of the charter; the fishing 
opportunities granted; a letter of consent from the vessel's flag 
State; the date from which the vessel is authorized to commence fishing 
on these opportunities; and the duration of the charter. More details 
on NAFO requirements for chartering operations are available from NMFS 
(see ADDRESSES). In addition, expressions of interest for chartering 
operations 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 documentation of 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, the 
information submitted regarding benefits to the United States will be 
used in making a selection. In the event that applications by U.S. 
fishing interests proposing the use of chartering operations for 3M 
shrimp are considered, all applicants will be made aware of the 
allocation decision as soon as possible. Once the allocation has been 
awarded for use in a chartering operation, NMFS will immediately take 
appropriate steps to transfer the U.S. 3M shrimp effort allocation to 
the vessel's flag State (pending approval by NAFO).
    All individuals/companies submitting expressions of interest to 
NMFS will be contacted after the end of the application period and 
apprised of the status of their proposal. Additionally, all applicants 
will be contacted once the allocation has been awarded. Please note 
that, once the U.S. portion of the 2001 NAFO 3M shrimp allocation is 
awarded to a U.S. vessel or a specified chartering operation, it may 
not be transferred without the express, written consent of NMFS.

NAFO Conservation and Management Measures

    Relevant NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures include, but 
are not limited to, maintenance of a fishing logbook with NAFO-
designated entries; adherence to NAFO hail system requirements; 
presence of an on-board observer; deployment of a functioning, 
autonomous vessel monitoring system; and adherence to all relevant 
minimum size, gear, bycatch, and other requirements. Further details 
regarding these requirements are available from the NMFS Northeast 
Regional Office, and can also be found in the current NAFO Conservation 
and Enforcement Measures on the internet (see ADDRESSES).

    Dated: November 24, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-30514 Filed 11-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S