[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29705-29706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7851]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5418]


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

SUMMARY: On April 28, 2006, 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

[[Page 29706]]

Section 609. Shrimp imports from any nation not certified were 
prohibited effective May 1, 2006 pursuant to Section 609.

DATES: Effective Date: On publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clayton Stanger, 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 28, 2006, 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 Venezuela.
    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 Field Operations of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection.
    In addition, this Federal Register Notice confirms that the 
requirement for all DS-2031 forms from uncertified nations must be 
originals and signed by the competent domestic fisheries authority.
    This policy change was first announced in a Department of State 
media note released on December 21, 2004.

    Dated: May 12, 2006.
David A. Balton,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans & Fisheries, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6-7851 Filed 5-22-06; 8:45 am]
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