[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 19157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10001]



[[Page 19157]]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
[Public Notice 2528]


Certifications Pursuant to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162

April 3, 1997.
SUMMARY: On April 30, 1996, the Department of State certified, pursuant 
to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162, that 36 countries with commercial 
shrimp trawl fisheries have adopted programs to reduce the incidental 
capture of sea turtles in such fisheries comparable to the program in 
effect in the United States and have an incidental take rate comparable 
to that of the United States, or that the fishing environment in the 
countries does not pose a threat of the incidental taking of species of 
sea turtles protected under U.S. law and regulations. The Department 
has also certified four other countries since that time. The Department 
was unable to issue a certification for Brazil on April 30, 1996, and, 
as a result, imports of shrimp harvested in Brazil in a manner harmful 
to sea turtles were prohibited effective May 1, 1996. The Department of 
State subsequently issued a certification for Brazil on April 2, 1997, 
and, as a result, the ban on shrimp imports from that country that had 
been in effect since May 1, 1996, was lifted.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 18, 1997.

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 unless the President certifies to the Congress not 
later than 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 and has an incidental take rate comparable to that of 
the United States; or (2) that the fishing environment in the 
harvesting nation 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 April 19, 1996 (61 FR 17342).
    On April 30, 1996, the Department of State certified that 36 shrimp 
harvesting nations have met, for the current certification year, the 
requirements of the law. The Department has also certified four 
additional countries since that time. The Department of State was 
unable to certify Brazil at that time. As a result, imports of shrimp 
from Brazil that were harvested in ways harmful to sea turtles were 
prohibited pursuant to Public Law 101-162, effective May 1, 1996.
    The Department did not previously certify Brazil because the 
Government of Brazil had not demonstrated that its sea turtle 
protection program was comparable to that of the United States, or that 
its specific fishing environment did not pose a threat to sea turtles. 
The Government of Brazil has now provided documentary evidence of the 
adoption of a sea turtle protection program comparable to the program 
in the United States. On February 19, 1997, Brazil adopted a regulation 
prohibiting shrimp trawling conducted in ways harmful to sea turtles. 
The regulation requires all shrimp trawl vessels, including the vessels 
fishing for pink shrimp in the southern region, to use turtle excluder 
devices (TEDs). The Department of State, therefore, was able to certify 
to Congress that Brazil has met the standards of Section 609 of Public 
Law 101-162.

    Dated: April 3, 1997.
Mary Beth West,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans.
[FR Doc. 97-10001 Filed 4-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-M