[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88854-88855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26002]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number MARAD-2024-0143]


Aquaculture Support Operations Waiver Request for the Vessels 
Colby Perce, Ronja Carrier, Sadie Jane, Miss Mildred 1, KC Commander

AGENCY: Maritime Administration (MARAD), Department of Transportation 
(DOT).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to a delegation of authority from the Secretary of 
Transportation, the Maritime Administrator is authorized to issue 
Aquaculture Support Operations Waivers to U.S. documented vessels with 
registry endorsements or foreign flag vessels in operations that treat 
aquaculture fish or protect aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic 
infestation, or other threats to their health upon a finding that 
suitable vessels of the United States are not available that could 
perform those operations. MARAD has received an Aquaculture Support 
Operations waiver request and is publishing this notice to solicit 
comments that may assist MARAD in determining whether suitable vessels 
of the United States are available that could perform the proposed 
aquaculture support operations set forth in the request. A brief 
description of the proposed aquaculture support operations is in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 9, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number 
MARAD-2024-0143 by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> On-line via the Federal Electronic Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2024-0143'' and follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail/Hand-Delivery/Courier: Docket Management Facility; 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590. Submit comments in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing.
    Reference Materials and Docket Information: The complete 
application, including the aquaculture support technical service 
requirements, and all public comments may be viewed on the DOT Docket 
on-line via http://www.regulations.gov using the search ``MARAD-2024-
0143.'' All comments received will be posted without change to the 
docket, including any personal information provided. The Docket 
Management Facility is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Hagerty, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Room W23-461, Washington, DC 20590. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2a7a4b5e584349434b04624b4d4f585e536a4e455e044d455c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0c5c6d787e656f656d22446d6b697e78754c686378226b637a">[email protected]</span></a>. 
Phone: 202-366-0903.
    If you have questions on viewing the Docket, call Docket 
Operations, telephone: (800) 647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 46 CFR 106.115, vessel owners, 
operators, or charterers of U.S. documented vessels with registry 
endorsements or foreign flag vessels are required to provide prior 
notification to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) of aquaculture 
support operations in U.S. waters. The notification, in part, must 
include a copy of a MARAD-issued Aquaculture Support Operations Waiver. 
Pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 12102(d),

[[Page 88855]]

the Secretary of Transportation has the authority to issue Aquaculture 
Support Operations Waivers to U.S. documented vessels with registry 
endorsements or foreign flag vessels engaged in operations that treat 
aquaculture fish or protect aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic 
infestation, or other threats to their health after a finding that 
suitable vessels of the United States are not available that could 
perform those operations. The Secretary has delegated this authority to 
the Maritime Administrator.
    MARAD has received an Aquaculture Support Operations Waiver request 
from Cooke Aquaculture USA, Inc. (Cooke) for the operations of the 
Canadian-flag vessels Colby Perce, Ronja Carrier, Sadie Jane, Miss 
Mildred 1, KC Commander. Cooke proposes, in part, ``to use highly-
specialized foreign-flag vessels referred to as a ``wellboat'' (or 
``live fish carrier'') to treat Cooke's swimming inventory of farmed 
Atlantic salmon in the company's salt-water grow-out pens off Maine's 
North Atlantic Coast. This treatment prevents against parasitic 
infestation by sea lice that is highly destructive to the salmon's 
health.'' Cooke proposes to operate the vessels off Maine's North 
Atlantic Coast during the 2025 calendar year, from January 1 to 
December 31, 2025. Further details of Cooke's proposed operations may 
be found in the waiver request posted in the docket.
    The public may submit comments providing detailed information 
relating to the availability of U.S.-flag vessels to perform the 
proposed aquaculture support operations set forth in Cooke's waiver 
request. Comments should reference the docket number of this notice, 
the vessel names, the commenter's interest in the application, and 
address whether there are suitable U.S. vessels available to conduct 
the proposed aquaculture support operations.

Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), MARAD solicits comments from 
the public to inform its decision determining the availability of 
suitable U.S.-flag vessels to conduct the aquaculture support 
operations proposed in this notice. All timely comments will be 
considered; however, to facilitate comment tracking, commenters should 
provide their name or the name of their organization. If comments 
contain proprietary or confidential information, commenters may contact 
the agency for alternate submission instructions. Anyone can search the 
electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the 
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
For information on DOT's compliance with the Privacy Act, please visit 
https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.

(Authority: 49 CFR 1.93(w))

    By order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-26002 Filed 11-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P


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