[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 94 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 26916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11013]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4720]


Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs; Certifications Pursuant to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162

SUMMARY: On April 30, 2004, the Department of State certified, pursuant 
to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 (``Section 609''), that 14 nations 
have adopted programs to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles 
in their shrimp fisheries comparable to the program in effect in the 
United States. The Department also certified that the fishing 
environments in 24 other countries and one economy, Hong Kong, do not 
pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles protected under 
Section 609. Shrimp imports from any nation not certified were 
prohibited effective May 1, 2004 pursuant to Section 609.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 14, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Story, Office of Marine 
Conservation, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-7818; 
telephone: (202) 647-2335.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 prohibits 
imports of certain categories 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 July 2, 1999 
(Vol. 64, No. 130, Public Notice 3086).
    On April 30, 2004, the Department certified 14 nations on the basis 
that their sea turtle protection programs are comparable to that of the 
United States: Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, 
Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
    The Department also certified 24 shrimp harvesting nations and one 
economy as having fishing environments that do not pose a danger to sea 
turtles. Sixteen nations have shrimping grounds only in cold waters 
where the risk of taking sea turtles is negligible. They are: 
Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, 
Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the 
United Kingdom, and Uruguay. Eight nations and one economy only harvest 
shrimp using small boats with crews of less than five that use manual 
rather than mechanical means to retrieve nets, or catch shrimp using 
other methods that do not threaten sea turtles. Use of such small-scale 
technology does not adversely affect sea turtles. The eight nations and 
one economy are: the Bahamas, China, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Hong 
Kong, Jamaica, Oman, Peru and Sri Lanka.
    The Department of State has communicated the certifications under 
Section 609 to the Office of Trade Program of the United States Customs 
Service.

    Dated: May 5, 2004.
David A Balton,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 04-11013 Filed 5-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P