[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 58073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28927]



[[Page 58073]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

[I.D. 110701C]


Notification of U.S. Shrimp Quota Allocation in the Northwest 
Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notification of U.S. shrimp quota allocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 67-metric ton shrimp quota available 
for harvest by the United States in Division 3L of the NAFO Regulatory 
Area has been allocated.

DATES: The quota allocation is effective through December 31, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Information relating to NAFO fish quotas and the NAFO 
Conservation and Enforcement Measures is available from Jennifer L. 
Anderson at the NMFS Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930 (phone: 978-281-9226, fax: 978-281-
9135, e-mail: [email protected]) and from NAFO on the World 
Wide Web at http://www.nafo.ca.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer L. Anderson, 978-281-9226, or 
Patrick E. Moran, 301-713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NAFO has established and maintains conservation measures in its 
Regulatory Area that include one effort limitation fishery as well as 
fisheries with total allowable catches and member nation quota 
allocations. At the 2000 NAFO Annual Meeting, the United States 
received allocations for several NAFO stocks, including an effort 
allocation for shrimp in NAFO Division 3M (only 1 vessel may fish for 
100 days) and 67 metric tons of shrimp in NAFO Division 3L. NMFS 
published a notice summarizing the availability and procedures for 
harvesting these stocks (65 FR 71270, November 30, 2000), and that 
information is not repeated here.

U.S. Allocations

    Expressions of interest in harvesting the U.S. allocation for 3M 
shrimp from the NAFO Regulatory Area were accepted from U.S. vessel 
owners in possession of a valid High Seas Fishing Compliance Act permit 
and from U.S. fishing interests intending to make use of vessels of 
other NAFO Contracting Parties under chartering arrangements. U.S. 
vessels were given first consideration and the 3M shrimp allocation was 
initially awarded to a U.S. vessel. However, the vessel subsequently 
chose to forgo the use of the allocation and no other expressions of 
interest were made on behalf of U.S. vessels.
    NAFO regulations permit NAFO Contracting Parties to enter into 
chartering arrangements with other Contracting Parties to utilize 
shrimp fishing days and quotas. Because no additional expressions of 
interest were received from U.S. vessels, on June 22, 2001, Mayflower 
International, Ltd., was authorized by NMFS to make use of a chartering 
arrangement with the Republic of Estonia to fish the 2001 U.S. effort 
allocation for 3M shrimp. Due to the success of this operation, 
Mayflower International, Ltd., has requested a continuation of the 
chartering arrangement with the Republic of Estonia in order to harvest 
the U.S. 3L shrimp quota allocation.
    NMFS did not announce that the U.S. 3L shrimp allocation was 
available to chartering arrangements in the Federal Register notice 
published on November 30, 2000. However, the NAFO Conservation and 
Enforcement Measures stipulate that charter arrangements are available 
to only one vessel per year. Because no U.S. vessels have expressed 
interest in this fishery, and because the NAFO regulations prohibit 
additional chartering arrangements for the 2001 fishing year, NMFS has 
awarded the U.S. 3L shrimp quota allocation to Mayflower International, 
Ltd. Final approval of this transfer is contingent upon a favorable 
vote from the NAFO Contracting Parties and strict adherence to the NAFO 
Conservation and Enforcement Measures by the chartering operation and 
the Government of the Republic of Estonia.
    This arrangement will continue to provide an economic benefit to 
Mayflower International Ltd., and its employees, while at the same time 
maximizing the opportunity for the United States to enhance its fishing 
history for the 3L and 3M shrimp stocks. Mayflower International, Ltd., 
has also agreed to provide further information on the characteristics 
and economics of this fishery. This information may prove useful to 
future U.S. vessels interested in participating NAFO fisheries.

    Dated: November 14, 2001.
John Oliver,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-28927 Filed 11-19-01; 8:45 am]
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