[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)] [Notices] [Page 24962] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-11450] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF STATE Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs [Public Notice 2199] Certifications Pursuant to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 SUMMARY: On April 28, 1995, the Department of State certified, pursuant to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162, that 9 countries with commercial shrimp trawl fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and Western Atlantic Ocean (Belize, Brazil, Columbia, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela) have adopted programs to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles in such fisheries comparable to the program in effect in the United States. The Department certified that the fishing environment in two other countries (Costa Rica and Guatemala) does not pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles protected under Public Law 101-162. The Department was unable to issue certifications on April 28 for Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and French Guiana and, as a result, shrimp imports from these countries were prohibited effective May 1, 1995 pursuant to Public Law 101-162. EFFECTIVE DATE: May 10, 1995. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hollis Summers, Office of Marine Conservation, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-7818; telephone: (202) 647-3940. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 prohibits imports of shrimp from certain nations unless the President certifies to the Congress by May 1 of each year either: (1) That the harvesting nation has adopted a program governing the incidental capture of sea turtles in its commercial shrimp fishery comparable to the program in effect in the United States; or (2) that the fishing environment in the harvesting nations does not pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles. The President has delegated the authority to make this certification to the Department of State. Revised State Department guidelines for making the required certifications were published in the Federal Register on February 18, 1993 (58 FR 9015). The countries subject to the provisions of Public Law 101-162 include Belize, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, French Guiana (EC), Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tbago, and Venezuela. On April 28, 1995, the Department of State certified that 11 of the 14 affected countries have met, for the current year, the requirements of the law. The countries that did not receive a certification at that time were Trinidad and Tabago, Suriname, and French Guiana. As a result, shrimp imports from Trinidad and Tabago were prohibited pursuant to Public Law 101-162 effective May 1, 1995. The ban on shrimp imports from Suriname (in effect since May 1, 1993) and French Guiana (in effect since May 1, 1992) remain in place. The countries that received a certification on April 28, 1995, were Belize, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela; with Trinidad and Tobago certified on May 9, 1994. Of these, the Department certified that the fishing environment in Costa Rica and Guatemala does not pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles protected by Public Law 101- 162. (In both these countries, the commercial shrimp trawl fleet operates exclusively in the Pacific Ocean with no activity on the Caribbean side.) The Department certified that the other ten countries have adopted a program to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles in the commercial shrimp trawl fishery comparable to the U.S. program. In reviewing information for the purpose of making the certifications, the Department looked at three principal elements of each country's program: The legal and/or regulatory framework establishing the TED requirement for all commercial shrimp trawl vessels, except those specifically exempt under the Department's guidelines; (2) the implementation of the requirement and the extent to which TEDs are in use on all such vessels; and (3) the efforts of each country to monitor and enforce the TED requirement to ensure compliance. Because each country that received a certification this year has established and is implementing the legal requirement to use TEDs, the Department will place particular emphasis in making future certifications on the third element, monitoring and enforcement of the TED requirement. Dated: April 28, 1995. R. Tucker Scully, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans. [FR Doc. 95-11450 Filed 5-9-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710-09-M