19240 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices

On May 2, 1997, a coalition of

commercial shark fishermen, dealers,

and organizations sued the Secretary of

Commerce (Secretary) to set aside the

1997 commercial shark quotas based on

allegations of uncertainty in the data

used in stock assessments, on lack of

international management, and on

NMFS’ determination that there would

be no significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities

engaged in the Atlantic shark fishery.

On February 27, 1998, Judge Steven D.

Merryday, U.S. District Court, Middle

District of Florida, Tampa Division,

issued an amended order that found

‘‘that the Secretary acted within his

regulatory discretion in setting the

quotas but failed to conduct a proper

analysis to determine the quota’s

economic effect on small businesses’’ (p.

1). Judge Merryday ordered that the

agency submit further analyses on or

before May 15, 1998, and retained

jurisdiction over the case pending

review of the analyses. The quotas are

maintained until further order of the

Court.

The draft consideration of the

economic effects and potential

alternatives to the 1997 quotas on the

Atlantic large coastal shark fishery

responds to the judicial order. Public

comment is requested on the

assumptions, analysis, and conclusions

in the draft document. NMFS must

submit the final document to the United

States District Court for the Middle

District of Florida, Tampa Division, on

or before May 15, 1998.

NMFS is soliciting comments on what

factors (e.g., percentage reduction in

gross revenues, one-time total reduction

in gross revenues), singly or in

aggregate, would force a participant to

cease operations in one fishery or in all

fisheries, and where displaced fishing

effort might be directed as a result of

regulations in the Atlantic shark fishery.

NMFS is also soliciting comments and

data on the costs of re-rigging from gears

used in the Atlantic shark fishery to

participate in other fisheries.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: April 13, 1998.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–10242 Filed 4–14–98; 2:44 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[Docket No. 980401083–8083–01 ; I.D.

021398C]

RIN 0648–ZA36

Financial Assistance for Research and

Development Projects in the

Northeastern Coastal States; Marine

Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that

funding will be available to assist

persons in carrying out research and

development projects that optimize the

use of fisheries in the Northeastern

Coastal States, focusing on the New

England region. Priority funding

consideration in 1998 is given to

projects involving the assimilation and

analysis of economic, social, and

cultural information to assist in the

formulation of marine fishery

management decisions. NMFS issues

this notice describing the conditions

under which applications will be

accepted and selected for funding.

DATES: Applications for funding under

this program will be accepted between

April 17, 1998 and 5 p.m. eastern

daylight time on May 18, 1998.

Applications received after that time

will not be considered for funding.

ADDRESSES: Send applications to:

Harold C. Mears, Director, State, Federal

& Constituent Programs Office,

Northeast Regional Office, NMFS, One

Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.

Copies of Stock Assessment Workshop

(SAW) Reports are available from: Helen

Mustafa, Northeast Fisheries Science

Center, NMFS, 166 Water Street, Woods

Hole, MA 02543–1026. No facsimile

application will be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Harold C. Mears, 978-281-9243.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Authority

The Secretary of Commerce

(Secretary) is authorized under 15

U.S.C. 713c–3 to conduct any biological,

technological, or other research

pertaining to American fisheries and,

under 16 U.S.C. 742f, to take such steps

as may be required for the development,

advancement, management,

conservation, and protection of the

fisheries resources.

II. Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance

This program is described in the

‘‘Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance’’ (CFDA), under program

number 11.433, Marine Fisheries

Initiative.

III. Program Description

MARFIN financial assistance began in

FY 1986 in the NMFS Southeast Region

and is being expanded to New England

for the first time in FY 1998. MARFIN

is a competitive Federal assistance

program that promotes and endorses

programs which seek to optimize

benefits from U.S. marine fishery

resources through cooperative research

and development efforts. Projects to be

funded under the Northeastern MARFIN

Program are envisioned as multi-sector

partnerships to complement the goals

and objectives of the NOAA Fisheries

Strategic Plan, a copy of which is

available from the Northeast Regional

Office (see ADDRESSES). The Plan’s

elements include shared stewardship

responsibilities relating to sustainable

fisheries, recovered protected species,

and healthy living marine resource

habitat. Applications from multiple

cooperating applicants that address

conservation and management needs

over the broad scope of a fishery or

fisheries are encouraged.

Overall MARFIN emphasis will be

placed upon funding projects that have

the greatest probability of recovering,

maintaining, improving, or developing

fisheries; improving the understanding

of factors affecting recruitment success;

and/or generating increased values and

opportunities for commercial and

recreational marine fishery industries.

During this first year of the Northeastern

MARFIN Program, priority funding

consideration will be given to projects

involving the assimilation and analysis

of social and cultural information to

assist in the formulation of marine

fishery management decisions. Projects

will be evaluated as to the likelihood of

achieving these benefits through both

short-term and long-term research

efforts, with consideration of the

magnitude of the eventual economic or

social benefits that may be realized.

However, short-term projects which

emphasize immediate benefits will

receive priority consideration.

IV. Funding Availability

This solicitation announces that

funding of approximately $500,000 will

be available in FY 1998. There is no

guarantee that sufficient funds will be

available to make awards for all

approved projects. Publication of this
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices 19241

notice does not obligate NMFS to award

any specific project or to obligate all or

any parts of the available funds.

V. Matching Requirements

Cost-sharing is not required for the

MARFIN program. If an applicant

chooses to share costs, and if that

application is selected for funding, the

applicant will be bound by the

percentage of the cost share reflected in

the award document signed by the

Grants Officer.

VI. Type of Funding Instrument

The cooperative agreement has been

determined to be the preferred

appropriate funding instrument,

dependent upon the nature and scope of

the submitted project(s). NMFS is

substantially involved in developing

program research priorities, conducting

cooperative activities with recipients,

and evaluating the performance of

recipients for effectiveness in meeting

national and regional goals for fishery

research in the northeastern United

States.

VII. Eligibility Criteria

A. Applications for MARFIN projects

may be made, in accordance with the

procedures set forth in this notice, by:

1. Any individual who is a citizen or

national of the United States.

2. Any individual who is a citizen of

the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI),

being an individual who qualifies as

such under Section 8 of the Schedule on

Transitional Matters attached to the

constitution of the NMI.

3. Any individual who is a citizen of

the Republic of the Marshall Islands,

Republic of Palau, or the Federated

States of Micronesia.

4. States or local governments,

universities, corporations, partnerships,

or other entity, non-profit or otherwise,

if such an entity is a citizen of the

United States within the meaning of

section 2 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as

amended (46 app. U.S.C. 802).

B. Federal agencies, Federal

instrumentalities, Federal employees,

including NOAA employees (full-time,

part-time, and intermittent personnel or

their immediate families), and NOAA

offices or centers are not eligible to

submit an application under this

solicitation, or aid in the preparation of

an application during the 30-day

solicitation period, except to provide

information about the MARFIN program

and the priorities and procedures

included in this solicitation. However,

NOAA employees are permitted to

provide information about ongoing and

planned NOAA programs and activities

that may have implication for an

application. Potential applicants are

encouraged to contact Harold C. Mears

at the NMFS Northeast Regional Office

(see ADDRESSES) for information on

NOAA grant programs.

VIII. Award Period

Generally, the awards will be for a

period of 1 year, but no more than 18

months at a time. If an application is

selected for funding, NMFS has no

obligation to provide any additional

prospective funding in connection with

that award in subsequent years. Any

subsequent proposal to continue work

on an existing project must be submitted

to the competitive process for

consideration and will not receive

preferential treatment. Renewal of an

award to increase funding or to extend

the period of performance is at the total

discretion of the Department of

Commerce (DOC).

IX. Indirect Costs

The budget may include an amount

for indirect costs if the applicant has an

established indirect cost rate with the

Federal government. The total dollar

amount of the indirect costs proposed in

an application under this program must

not exceed the indirect cost rate

negotiated and approved by a cognizant

Federal agency prior to the proposed

effective date of the award, or 100

percent of the total proposed direct

costs dollar amount in the application,

whichever is less. The Federal share of

the indirect costs may not exceed 25

percent of the total proposed direct

costs. Applicants with indirect cost

rates above 25 percent may use the

amount above the 25–percent level up

to the 100–percent level as part of the

non-Federal share. A copy of the

current, approved, negotiated Indirect

Cost Agreement with the Federal

Government, if applicable, must be

included with the application.

X. Application Forms and Kit

Before submitting an application

under this program, applicants should

contact the NMFS Northeast Regional

Office for a copy of this solicitation’s

MARFIN Application Package (see

ADDRESSES).

Applications for project funding

under this program must be complete

and in accordance with instructions in

the MARFIN Application Package. Each

application must include all specified

sections as listed in the Application

Package, including, but not limited to

the following: Cover sheet (SF 424),

Project Summary, Project Budget, and

Narrative Project Description (Goals &

Objectives; Impacts; Evaluation; Need

for Governmental Assistance;

Participation by Persons Other Than the

Applicant; Federal, State and Local

Government Activities and Permits;

Project Statement of Work; and Project

Management). Project applications must

identify the principal participants and

include copies of any agreements

describing the specific tasks to be

performed by all participants.

Applications should give a clear

presentation of the proposed work, the

methods for carrying out the project, its

relevance to managing and enhancing

the use of fishery resources in the New

England Coastal States, and cost

estimates as they relate to specific

aspects of the project. Budgets must

include a detailed breakdown by

category of expenditures with

appropriate justification for both the

Federal and non-Federal shares.

Applicants should not assume prior

knowledge on the part of NMFS as to

the relative merits of the project

described in the application.

Applications are not to be bound in any

manner and must be printed on one

side, only. All incomplete applications

will be returned to the applicant. Ten

copies (one signed original and nine

signed copies) of each application are

required and must be submitted to the

NMFS Northeast Regional Office, State,

Federal & Constituent Programs Office

(see ADDRESSES). OMB has approved 10

copies, under Approval #0648– 0175.

XI. Project Funding Priorities

Proposals should exhibit familiarity

with related work that is completed or

ongoing. Where appropriate, proposals

should be multi-disciplinary.

Coordinated efforts involving multiple

institutions or persons are encouraged.

The areas of emphasis for FY 1998 are

as follows: The highest priority is the

development of social, economic, and

cultural information to assist in fisheries

management, focusing on the New

England region. To the extent that

funding may be available, the secondary

priority is research which addresses

species and information needs

(discussed here) identified during recent

Stock Assessment Workshops hosted by

the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science

Center. In addition to referencing

specific area(s) of special interest,

proposals should state whether the

research will apply to the New England

coastal states only or to other areas as

well.

Successful applicants may be required

to collect and manage the following data

in accordance with standardized

procedures and formats approved by

NMFS and to participate with NMFS in

specific cooperative activities which

will be determined by consultations
19242 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices

between NMFS and successful

applicants before project grants are

awarded:

A. Social, Economic, and Cultural

Information. The following priorities

concern the assimilation and analysis of

socio-economic and cultural data to

assist in inter-jurisdictional marine

fishery management decisions.

1. Development of Input-Output

Models for Marine Fishery-Related

Sectors. Input-Output modeling efforts

using IMPLAN software as a

development platform which employs

common data and analytical protocols

for each geographical jurisdiction (e.g.,

state) are strongly encouraged. At the

commercial harvest level, cost and

employment data by major gear types

are required. Similar product flow and

employment data would be desirable for

shore-side businesses, including

dealers, processors, wholesalers and

retailers. For recreational related service

and retail industries, data are required

on the number of establishments, value

of sales, trade flows and employees.

Appropriate commercial and

recreational fishery harvest and

expenditure data available from the

NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science

Center can be requested during the

course of the investigation. A

demonstrated cooperative relationship

by the applicant with appropriate state

marine resource agencies will

strengthen the proposal.

2. Development of Fishing

Community Profiles. Develop studies to

identify and characterize fishing

communities, with emphasis on the

coastal New England states, particularly

communities involved in critical

fisheries, i.e., those where stocks are

overfished and/or highly restrictive

management measures are being

proposed or implemented. A fishing

community is defined in the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act as ‘‘a community

which is substantially dependent on or

substantially engaged in the harvest or

processing of fishery resources to meet

social and economic needs, and

includes fishing vessel owners,

operators and crew and United States

fish processors that are based in such

community.’’ In profiling these

communities, it is important to include

a description of current and historical

participation in each fishery, the

number of fishermen, vessels, dealers,

wholesalers, processors, and fisherydependent industries; basic

demographic data on harvesting and

processing sector households; and an

ethnographic description of relevant

social, cultural, and economic

institutions.

Cooperation among applicants,

academic researchers, state fishery

management agencies, and fishing

industry (harvesting, processing and

marketing) associations will enhance

proposals addressing this priority.

B. Studies in Support of Stock

Assessments for Northeast Fishery

Resources. The following needs for

research and management information

are based upon data priorities discussed

during recent SAW hosted by the NMFS

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

(NEFSC). Copies of SAW reports are

available from the NEFSC (see

ADDRESSES).

1. Organize and conduct a workshop

on closed areas, their size and location,

and opening/closing rotation strategies

as a tool in fishery management, with

special reference to the management of

sea scallops.

2. Conduct augmented sampling of

fishing areas which are presently closed

to fishing and, in particular, develop

monitoring sites for benthos. The

purpose of this work is to develop data

sufficient to assess long-term effects of

bottom-tending fishing gear.

3. Develop a module for catch/survey

methods for incorporation into the

Woods Hole Assessment ‘‘Toolbox.’’ In

particular, this work should produce

enhancements to the Collie/Sissenwine

stock assessment modeling software.

4. Conduct basic biological sampling

of Atlantic halibut landings to record

and analyze basic population biology.

5. Conduct mark-recapture studies,

shell biochemical studies, clapper/live

animal ratios, and longevity of clappers

to improve the estimation of natural

mortality rate of surf clams, based on

historical ageing information and field

and laboratory studies.

XII. Evaluation Criteria

Cooperatively developed applications

that propose activities of two or more

qualified applicants to address

important fishery conservation and

management issues or problems

identified in the Project Funding

Priorities for this solicitation may be

evaluated as a group by NMFS. If

selected for funding, individual

cooperative awards may be made to

each individual applicant. Application

procedures for this type of proposal are

also included in the FY 1998 MARFIN

Application Package.

A. Unless otherwise specified by

statute, in reviewing applications for

cooperative agreements, including those

that include consultants and contracts,

NOAA will make a determination

regarding the following:

1. Is the involvement of the applicant

necessary to the conduct of the project

and the accomplishment of its goals and

objectives?

2. Is the proposed allocation of the

applicant’s time reasonable and

commensurate with the applicant’s

involvement in the project?

3. Are the proposed costs for the

applicant’s involvement in the project

reasonable and commensurate with the

benefits to be derived from the

applicant’s participation?

B. Applications meeting the above

requirements will be forwarded for

technical evaluation. Applicants

submitting applications not meeting the

above requirements will be notified.

Evaluations may involve experts from

NOAA organizations as well as from

non-NOAA entities (such as

universities, state fishery agencies, and

members of the fishing industry). All

reviewers will be required to sign nondisclosure and conflict of interest

statements concerning the application

they are reviewing. The reviewers will

assign scores to applications based on

the following evaluation criteria:

1. Does the proposal have a clearly

stated goal(s) with associated objectives

that meet the needs outlined in the

Project Narrative? (30 points)

2. Does the proposal clearly identify

and describe, in the Project Outline and

Statement of Work, scientifically valid

methodologies and analytical

procedures that will adequately address

project goals and objectives? (30 points)

3. Do the principal investigators

provide a scientifically realistic

timetable to enable full accomplishment

of all aspects of the Statements of Work?

(20 points)

4. Do the principal investigators

define how they will maintain

stewardship of the project performance,

finances, cooperative relationships, and

reporting requirements for the proposal?

(10 points)

5. Are the proposed costs appropriate

for the scope of work proposed? (10

points)

XIII. Selection Procedures

All applications, along with their

technical evaluation comments and

scores, will be considered by a NMFS

Science Group and ranked into two

categories: ‘‘Recommended,’’ and ‘‘Not

Recommended.’’ Proposals ranked as

‘‘Not Recommended’’ will not be given

further consideration for selection and

funding. Proposals ranked as

‘‘Recommended’’ will be presented to a

Constituent Panel of non-NOAA fishery

experts who will individually consider

the significance of the problem

addressed in each project proposal, the

technical scores and evaluations, and

the need for funding. These panel
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices 19243

members will provide individual

recommendations to NMFS on each

proposal classified as ‘‘Recommended.’’

No consensus advice will be given by

the panel. The non-NOAA panel

members’ individual comments,

recommendations and evaluations, the

recommendations of the NMFS Science

Group, and the NMFS Program Officer

(serving in an advisory capacity) will be

considered, in accordance with project

funding priorities, by the Regional

Administrator, Northeast Region. The

Regional Administrator, in consultation

with the Assistant Administrator for

Fisheries, will (a) determine which

projects do not substantially duplicate

other projects which are currently being

funded by NOAA or are approved for

funding by other Federal offices, (b)

select the projects to be funded, (c)

determine the amount of funds available

for each project, and (d) determine

which components of the selected

projects shall be funded. The exact

amount of funds awarded, the final

scope of activities, the project duration,

and specific NMFS cooperative

involvement with the activities of each

project will be determined in pre-award

negotiations among the applicant, the

NOAA Grants Office, and the NMFS

Program Staff. Projects must not be

initiated by recipients until a signed

financial assistance award is received

from the NOAA Grants Office.

Successful applicants will be generally

recommended within 210 days from the

date of publication of this notice. The

earliest start date of awards will be

approximately 90 days after each project

is selected and after all NMFS/applicant

negotiations of cooperative activities

have been completed (the earliest start

date of awards will be approximately

300 days after the date of publication of

this notice). Applicants should consider

this selection and processing time in

developing requested start dates for

their applications.

XIV. Other Requirements

A. Federal policies and procedures.

Recipients and subrecipients are subject

to all Federal laws and Federal and DOC

policies, regulations, and procedures

applicable to Federal financial

assistance awards. Women and minority

individuals and groups are encouraged

to submit applications under this

program. B. Past performance. Any firsttime applicant for Federal grant funds

under this announcement is subject to a

pre-award accounting survey prior to

execution of the award. Unsatisfactory

performance under prior Federal awards

may result in an application not being

considered for funding.

C. Pre-award activities. If applicants

incur any costs prior to an award being

made, they do so solely at their own risk

of not being reimbursed by the

Government. Notwithstanding any

verbal or written assurance that they

may have received, there is no

obligation on the part of DOC to cover

pre-award costs.

D. No obligation of future funding. If

an application is selected for funding,

DOC has no obligation to provide any

additional future funding in connection

with the award. Renewal of an award to

increase funding or extend the period of

performance is at the total discretion of

DOC.

E. Delinquent Federal debts. No

award of Federal funds shall be made to

an applicant or to its subrecipients who

have any outstanding delinquent

Federal debt or fine until either:

1. The delinquent account is paid in

full;

2. A negotiated repayment schedule is

established and at least one payment is

received; or

3. Other arrangements satisfactory to

DOC are made.

F. Name check review. All non-profit

and for-profit applicants are subject to a

name check review process. Name

checks are intended to reveal if any key

individuals associated with the

applicant have been convicted of, or are

presently facing, such criminal charges

as fraud, theft, perjury, or other matters

that significantly reflect on the

applicant’s management, honesty, or

financial integrity. Potential non-profit

and for-profit recipients may also be

subject to reviews of Dun and Bradstreet

data or other similar credit checks.

G. Primary applicant certifications.

All primary applicants must submit a

completed Form CD 511, ‘‘Certifications

Regarding Debarment, Suspension and

Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free

Workplace Requirements and

Lobbying,’’ and the following

explanations are hereby provided:

1. Nonprocurement debarment and

suspension. Prospective participants (as

defined at 15 CFR 26.105) are subject to

15 CFR part 26, ‘‘Nonprocurement

Debarment and Suspension,’’ and the

related section of the certification form

prescribed above applies;

2. Drug-free workplace. Grantees (as

defined at 15 CFR 26.605) are subject to

15 CFR part 26, subpart F,

‘‘Government-wide Requirements for

Drug-Free Workplace (Grants),’’ and the

related section of the certification form

prescribed above applies; also please

enter the Principal Place of

Performance, i.e. where the work will be

done, on the form.

3. Anti-lobbying. Persons (as defined

at 15 CFR 28.105) are subject to the

lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352,

‘‘Limitation on use of appropriated

funds to influence certain Federal

contracting and financial transactions,’’

and the lobbying section of the

certification form prescribed above

applies to applications/bids for grants,

cooperative agreements, contracts for

more than $100,000, loans and loan

guarantees for more than $150,000, or

the single family maximum mortgage

limit for affected programs, whichever is

greater; and

4. Anti-lobbying disclosures. Any

applicant who has paid or will pay for

lobbying using any funds must submit

a Form SF-LLL, ‘‘Disclosure Form to

Report Lobbying,’’ as required under 15

CFR part 28, appendix B.

H. Lower tier certifications. Recipients

shall require applicants/bidders for

subgrants, contracts, subcontracts, or

other lower tier covered transactions at

any tier under the award to submit, if

applicable, a completed Form CD 512,

‘‘Certifications Regarding Debarment,

Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary

Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered

Transactions and Lobbying’’ and

disclosure form SF-LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of

Lobbying Activities.’’ Form CD 512 is

intended for the use of recipients and

should not be transmitted to DOC. A

form SF-LLL submitted by any tier

recipient or subrecipient should be

submitted to DOC in accordance with

the instructions contained in the award

document.

I. False statements. A false statement

on the application is grounds for denial

or termination of funds and grounds for

possible punishment by a fine or

imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C.

1001.

J. Intergovernmental review.

Applications under this program are

subject to the provisions of E.O. 12372,

‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal

Programs.’’

K. Requirement to buy Americanmade equipment and products.

Applicants are hereby notified that they

are encouraged, to the extent feasible, to

purchase American-made equipment

and products with funding provided

under this program.

Classification

Prior notice and an opportunity for

public comments are not required by the

Administrative Procedure Act or by any

other law for this notice concerning

grants, benefits, and contracts.

Therefore, a regulatory flexibility

analysis is not required for purposes of

the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
19244 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 1998 / Notices

This action has been determined to be

not significant for purposes of E.O.

12866.

Cooperative agreements awarded

pursuant to pertinent statutes shall be in

accordance with the Fisheries Research

Plan (comprehensive program of

fisheries research) in effect on the date

of the award.

Federal participation under the

MARFIN Program may include the

assignment of DOC scientific personnel

and equipment. Reasonable, negotiated

financial compensation will be provided

under awards for the work of eligible

grantee workers. Information-collection

requirements contained in this notice

have been approved by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB control

number 0648–0175, 0348–0043 and

0348–0046) under the provisions of the

Paperwork Reduction Act.

Notwithstanding any other provision

of law, no person is required to respond

to, nor shall any person be subject to a

penalty for failure to comply with, a

collection of information subject to the

requirements of the Paperwork

Reduction Act unless that collection of

information displays a currently valid

OMB control number.

Public reporting burden for agencyspecific collection-of- information

elements, exclusive of requirements

specified under applicable OMB

circulars, is estimated to average 4 hours

per response, including the time for

reviewing instructions, searching

existing data sources, gathering and

maintaining the data needed, and

completing and reviewing the collection

of information. Send comments

regarding this reporting burden estimate

or any other aspect of this collection of

information, including suggestions for

reducing the burden, to NMFS (see

ADDRESSES).

Dated: April 10, 1998.

Rolland A. Schmitten,

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Services.

[FR Doc. 98–10137 Filed 4–16–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

COMMITTEE FOR THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE

AGREEMENTS

Adjustment of Import Limits and

Increase of a Guaranteed Access Level

for Certain Cotton, Wool and ManMade Fiber Textile Products Produced

or Manufactured in Costa Rica

April 13, 1998.

AGENCY: Committee for the

Implementation of Textile Agreements

(CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the

Commissioner of Customs adjusting

import limits and increasing a

guaranteed access level.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 17, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy

Unger, International Trade Specialist,

Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S.

Department of Commerce, (202) 482–

4212. For information on the quota

status of these levels, refer to the Quota

Status Reports posted on the bulletin

boards of each Customs port or call

(202) 927–5850. For information on

embargoes and quota re-openings, call

(202) 482–3715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural

Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854);

Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as

amended.

The current limits for Categories 443

and 447 are being increased for swing,

reducing the limits for Categories 340/

640 and 342/642, respectively. Also,

upon a request from the Government of

Costa Rica, the U.S. Government has

agreed to increase the current

guaranteed access level for Category

447.

A description of the textile and

apparel categories in terms of HTS

numbers is available in the

CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel

Categories with the Harmonized Tariff

Schedule of the United States (see

Federal Register notice 62 FR 66057,

published on December 17, 1997). Also

see 62 FR 63520, published on

December 1, 1997.

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements

April 13, 1998.

Commissioner of Customs,

Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC

20229.

Dear Commissioner: This directive

amends, but does not cancel, the directive

issued to you on November 24, 1997, by the

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements. That directive

concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and

man-made fiber textile products, produced or

manufactured in Costa Rica and exported

during the twelve-month period which began

on January 1, 1998 and extends through

December 31, 1998.

Effective on April 17, 1998, you are

directed to adjust the limits for the following

categories, as provided for under the Uruguay

Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing:

Category Adjusted twelve-month

limit 1

340/640 .................... 1,044,155 dozen.

Category Adjusted twelve-month

limit 1

342/642 .................... 385,679 dozen.

443 ........................... 230,187 numbers.

447 ........................... 12,411 dozen.

1The limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports exported after December

31, 1997.

The current guaranteed access level (GAL)

for Category 447 is being increased to 19,000

dozen. The GALs for Categories 340/640,

342/642 and 443 remain unchanged.

The Committee for the Implementation of

Textile Agreements has determined that

these actions fall within the foreign affairs

exception of the rulemaking provisions of 5

U.S.C. 553(a)(1).

Sincerely,

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements.

[FR Doc. 98–10205 Filed 4–16–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–F

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY

COMMISSION

Commission Agenda and Priorities;

Public Hearing

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety

Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

SUMMARY: The Commission will conduct

a public hearing to receive views from

all interested parties about its agenda

and priorities for Commission attention

during fiscal year 2000, which begins

October 1, 1999. Participation by

members of the public is invited.

Written comments and oral

presentations concerning the

Commission’s agenda and priorities for

fiscal year 2000 will become part of the

public record.

DATES: The hearing will begin at 10 a.m.

on May 21, 1998. Written comments and

requests from members of the public

desiring to make oral presentations must

be received by the Office of the

Secretary no later than May 7, 1998.

Persons desiring to make oral

presentations at this hearing must

submit a written text of their

presentations no later than May 14,

1998.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be in room

420 of the East-West Towers Building,

4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda,

Maryland 20814. Written comments,

requests to make oral presentations, and

texts of oral presentations should be

captioned ‘‘Agenda and Priorities’’ and

mailed to the Office of the Secretary,

Consumer Product Safety Commission,

Washington, D.C. 20207, or delivered to