[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 147 (Thursday, July 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44404-44405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18024]



[[Page 44404]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD402


Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported and 
Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On June 17, 2014, the White House released a Presidential 
Memorandum entitled ``Establishing a Comprehensive Framework to Combat 
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud.'' Among 
other actions, the Memorandum established a Presidential Task Force on 
Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood 
Fraud (Task Force), co-chaired by the Departments of State and Commerce 
and made up of a broad range of other federal agencies. The Task Force 
is directed to report to the President within 180 days with 
``recommendations for the implementation of a comprehensive framework 
of integrated programs to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud that 
emphasizes areas of greatest need.'' The public meetings and request 
for comments initiates a public engagement process aimed at gaining 
broad input and expertise from key stakeholders and interest groups to 
inform and advise the Task Force in developing recommendations in 
compliance with the Memorandum.

DATES: Comments must be received by September 2, 2014. The public 
meetings will be held in August. For specific dates, times, format or 
location, see ``Public Meetings'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-0214-0090, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0090, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
    Mail: Submit written comments to Laurel Bryant, 1315 East-West 
Hwy., Rm. 14556, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by the Federal Task Force. All comments received 
are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public 
viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. The Task Force will accept 
anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to 
remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted 
in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurel Bryant, Chief for External 
Affairs, Office of Communications, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
301-427-8032.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The United States is a global leader in sustainable seafood. Over 
the course of the last 6 years, the United States has largely ended 
overfishing in federally managed waters and successfully rebuilt a 
record number of overfished stocks, with both overfishing and 
overfished fish stocks at all-time lows. This level of effective 
management and enforcement of domestic fishing regulations has 
supported near record highs in both landings and revenue for our 
domestic fishing industries. As a result, the United States scheme of 
science-based fisheries management is recognized internationally as a 
model for other countries as they work to end overfishing and implement 
sustainable practices.
    However, fisheries are a global resource, and achieving sustainable 
fisheries management requires strong international commitment. One of 
the biggest global threats to sustainable fisheries is illegal, 
unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Impacts of IUU fishing 
undermine the environmental and economic sustainability of fisheries 
both domestically and abroad. By circumventing conservation and 
management measures and cutting or avoiding the operational costs 
associated with sustainable fishing practices and harvesting levels, 
entities engaged in IUU fishing undermine the sustainability of fish 
stocks and the broader ecosystem, and create an unfair advantage in the 
marketplace over legitimate fishing operations and legally caught 
seafood. Global losses attributable to IUU fishing have been estimated 
to be $10-23 billion annually. And while it is difficult to know the 
extent of seafood fraud, some surveys have found notable levels of 
mislabeling in retail operations across the U.S. The occurrence of 
seafood fraud through species substitution threatens consumer 
confidence, serving to further undermine the reputation and market 
competitiveness of our domestic seafood industry.
    It is in the national interest of the United States to promote a 
framework that supports sustainable fishing practices and combats the 
sale of IUU fishing products and seafood fraud. To achieve these 
objectives, the United States will need to enhance the tools it has 
available to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud. The Task Force has 
been established to achieve these objectives. These public meetings 
initiate the process for informing and advising the Task Force on 
identifying the priorities and opportunities to accomplish these 
objectives. The meetings are intended as listening sessions for the 
Task Force to hear from and engage with the public, and the communities 
of stakeholders and interest groups involved with these issues. For 
more information related to the Task Force and these issues, go to: 
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/iuu/iuu_overview.html.

II. Topics for Comment and Discussion

    Comment is particularly sought in response to the following 
questions:
    1. How can the government better coordinate its efforts across the 
full suite of activities related to the seafood supply chain?
    2. What existing authorities and tools should be enhanced to combat 
IUU fishing and seafood fraud?
    3. What are the key opportunities at the international level to 
address these issues through the regional fishery management 
organizations and bilateral efforts, such as technical assistance and 
capacity building?
    4. What existing authorities should be better coordinated or 
streamlined to strengthen and harmonize enforcement provisions of U.S. 
statutes for implementing international fisheries agreements?
    5. What existing authorities should be better coordinated or 
streamlined to strengthen and harmonize efforts between agencies, 
including Federal, State and local?
    6. What opportunities are there, whether existing or new, to work 
with industry and other partners, including foreign partners, to 
develop and implement measures such as traceability

[[Page 44405]]

programs to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud?
    7. How prevalent are mislabeling and species substitution within 
the domestic and foreign seafood supply in general? Where in the 
seafood supply chain is species substitution most likely to occur, and 
what role or actions can the federal government provide or enhance to 
address it?
    8. To what extent is the comingling of seafood products from 
different origins an issue? Where along the supply chain does it occur?
    9. What specific actions need to be taken to improve the 
transparency and traceability of seafood in the supply chain?
    10. What are the actions and issues the Task Force should 
prioritize in developing its recommendations for addressing IUU 
fishing? What about seafood fraud?
    11. What other topics related to IUU fishing and seafood fraud 
should the Task Force be aware of in developing and prioritizing 
recommendations?

III. Public Meetings

     August 13, 2014, 3-5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time--Webinar/
Conference Call, Conference Call Number: 888-324-0793, passcode: IUU 
Fishing.
     August 20, 2014, 3-5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time--In-person 
meeting, Mayflower Park Hotel, 405 Olive Way, Seattle, Washington.
     August 27, 2014, 3-5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time--Webinar/
Conference Call, Conference Call Number: 888-324-0793, passcode: IUU 
Fishing.
     August 28, 2014, 1-3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time--In-person 
meeting, Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill, 525 New Jersey Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20001.

Special Accommodations

    Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Samantha (Sam) Guidon, 301-427-8532 or email 
[email protected] at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: July 28, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18024 Filed 7-29-14; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P