[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 24, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38417-38418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18415]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061801A]


Permits; Foreign Fishing

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 38418]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of periodic need for break-bulk refrigerated cargo 
vessels.

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SUMMARY: NMFS publishes for public review and comment information 
provided by U.S. joint venture (JV) partners regarding their need for 
break-bulk refrigerated cargo vessels to support approved foreign 
fishing operations in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to NMFS, Office of Sustainable 
Fisheries, International Fisheries Division, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert A. Dickinson, Office of 
Sustainable Fisheries, (301) 713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), any person may submit an application requesting a permit 
authorizing a vessel other than a vessel of the United States to engage 
in fishing consisting solely of transporting fish or fish products at 
sea from a point within the EEZ or, with the concurrence of a State, 
within the boundaries of that State, to a point outside the United 
States.
    This notice concerns the fact that U.S. JV partners report they 
will need to have a number of break-bulk refrigerated cargo vessels 
permitted in 2001 under section 204(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to 
support approved foreign fishing operations in the EEZ. The JV partners 
report that arrangements for such support vessels must generally be 
made on short notice immediately prior to the need for transport 
services. The U.S. JV partners also report they are not aware of the 
availability of any U.S.-flag break-bulk refrigerated cargo vessels and 
that it will therefore be necessary for them to employ foreign break-
bulk refrigerated cargo vessels to support their operations.
    In the interest of expediting the issuance of required permits and 
in accordance with Section 204 (d)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 
U.S. JV partners have requested and received from the New England 
Fishery Management Council and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council, a general recommendation that any break-bulk refrigerated 
cargo vessels required to support approved foreign fishing operations 
in the EEZ be permitted under Section 204 (d) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act.
    In accordance with Section 204 (d)(3)(D) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, NMFS is notifying interested parties of the periodic need of the 
U.S. JV partners for break-bulk refrigerated cargo vessels to transship 
processed fishery products at-sea and transport the products to points 
outside the United States. Further information about the requirements 
of the U.S. JV partners is available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). Owners 
or operators of vessels of the United States who purport to have 
vessels with adequate capacity to perform the required transportation 
at fair and reasonable rates should indicate their interest in doing so 
to NMFS (see ADDRESSES).
    In consideration of the Councils' recommendation, the apparent lack 
of available U.S.-flag break-bulk refrigerated cargo vessels (as 
reported by the U.S. JV partners), and the requirement to process and 
issue on short notice permits requested in accordance with Section 204 
(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, until an owner or operator of a vessel 
of the United States having adequate capacity to perform the required 
transportation at fair and reasonable rates is identified, the NMFS 
intends to approve as expeditiously as possible all complete 
applications for 204 (d) transshipment permits in support of approved 
foreign fishing operations in the EEZ, provided all criteria in Section 
204 (d) are satisfied.

    Dated: July 18, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-18415 Filed 7-23-01; 8:45 am]
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