[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23540-23541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09247]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC629


Fisheries in the Western Pacific; American Samoa Pelagic Longline 
Limited Entry Program

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

ACTION: Notice; availability of permits.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of, and is soliciting 
applications for, American Samoa pelagic longline limited entry fishing 
permits. At least 12 permits in two size classes are available for 
2013.

DATES: NMFS must receive completed permit applications by August 19, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Request a blank application form from the NMFS Pacific 
Islands Region (PIR), 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 
96814-4733, or the PIR Web site www.fpir.noaa.gov. Mail completed 
applications and payment to NMFS PIR, ATTN: ASLE Permits, 1601 
Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4733.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter Ikehara, Sustainable Fisheries, 
NMFS PIR, tel 808-944-2275, fax 808-973-2940, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR 665.816 
require NMFS to issue new permits for the American Samoa pelagic 
longline limited entry program if the number of permits in a size class 
falls below the maximum allowed. At least 12 permits are available for 
issuance, as follows: 11 in Class A (vessels less than or equal to 40 
ft) and one in Class B (over 40 ft to 50 ft). Note that the number of 
available permits may change before the application period closes.
    Complete applications must include the completed and signed 
application form, evidence of documented participation in the American 
Samoa pelagic longline fishery, and payment for the non-refundable 
application processing fee in accordance with the regulations at 50 CFR 
665.13. Applicants must specify the permit

[[Page 23541]]

class for which they are applying. NMFS will reject incomplete 
applications.
    Documented participation means participation proved by, but not 
necessarily limited to, a properly submitted NMFS or American Samoa 
logbook, an American Samoa creel survey record, a delivery or payment 
record from an American Samoa-based cannery, retailer or wholesaler, an 
American Samoa tax record, an individual wage record, ownership title, 
vessel registration, or other official documents. The documents must 
show either ownership of a vessel that was used to fish in the EEZ 
around American Samoa, or evidence of work on a fishing trip during 
which longline gear was used to harvest western Pacific pelagic MUS in 
the EEZ around American Samoa.
    If the applicant does not possess the necessary documentation of 
evidence of work on a fishing trip based on records available only from 
NMFS or the Government of American Samoa, the applicant may issue a 
request to NMFS to obtain such records from the appropriate agencies, 
if available. The applicant should provide sufficient information on 
the fishing trip to allow NMFS to retrieve the records. If the 
applicant requests NMFS in writing to use longline logbook data for 
evidence of documented participation, the applicant must specify the 
qualifying vessel, official number, and month(s) and year(s) of the 
logbook records for NMFS to search. An applicant's request that NMFS 
base its determination of documented participation on records currently 
held by NMFS constitutes acceptance that such records fairly and 
accurately describe the applicant's participation in the fishery.
    If NMFS receives more complete applications than available permits 
for a given permit class, NMFS will prioritize applicants using only 
the information in the applications and documentation provided by the 
applicants.
    NMFS will assign the highest priority for permits in any size class 
to applicants with the earliest documented participation in the fishery 
on a Class A vessel, followed by applicants with the earliest 
documented participation in Classes B, C, and D, in that order. If 
there is a tie in priority, NMFS will rank higher the applicant whose 
second documented participation in the fishery is earlier. Detailed 
criteria for prioritizing eligible applicants are in the regulations at 
50 CFR 665.816(g).
    NMFS (see ADDRESSES) must receive applications by August 19, 2013, 
and will not accept late applications. Authoritative additional 
information on the American Samoa limited entry program may be found in 
50 CFR part 665.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: April 15, 2013.
Kara Meckley,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-09247 Filed 4-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P