[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85935-85936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28731]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF029


Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Notice; affirmative finding annual renewals for Ecuador, El 
Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain.

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SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant Administrator (Assistant Administrator) has 
issued affirmative finding annual renewals for the Governments of 
Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain (Hereafter known as 
``The Nations'') under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). These 
affirmative finding annual renewals will allow yellowfin tuna and 
yellowfin tuna products harvested in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean 
(ETP) in compliance with the Agreement on the International Dolphin 
Conservation Program (AIDCP) by The Nations' flagged purse seine 
vessels or purse seine vessels operating under The Nations' 
jurisdiction to be imported into the United States. The affirmative 
finding annual renewals were based on reviews of documentary evidence 
submitted by the Governments of The Nations and by information obtained 
from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).

DATES: These affirmative finding annual renewals are effective for the 
one-year period of April 1, 2016, through March 31, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Justin Greenman, West Coast Region, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 
90802. Phone: 562-980-3264. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., allows for 
importation into the United States of yellowfin tuna harvested by purse 
seine vessels in the ETP under certain conditions. If requested by the 
harvesting nation, the Assistant Administrator will determine whether 
to make an affirmative finding based upon documentary evidence provided 
by the government of the harvesting nation, the IATTC, or the 
Department of State.
    The affirmative finding process requires that the harvesting nation 
is

[[Page 85936]]

meeting its obligations under the AIDCP and obligations of membership 
in the IATTC. Every five years, the government of the harvesting nation 
must request a new affirmative finding and submit the required 
documentary evidence directly to the Assistant Administrator. On an 
annual basis, NMFS reviews the affirmative finding and determines 
whether the harvesting nation continues to meet the requirements. A 
nation may provide information related to compliance with AIDCP and 
IATTC measures directly to NMFS on an annual basis or may authorize the 
IATTC to release the information to NMFS to annually renew an 
affirmative finding determination without an application from the 
harvesting nation.
    An affirmative finding will be terminated, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, if the Assistant Administrator determines that the 
requirements of 50 CFR 216.24(f) are no longer being met or that a 
nation is consistently failing to take enforcement actions on 
violations, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of the AIDCP.
    As a part of the affirmative finding process set forth in 50 CFR 
216.24(f)(8), the Assistant Administrator considered documentary 
evidence submitted by the governments of The Nations and obtained from 
the IATTC, and has determined that The Nations have met the MMPA's 
requirements to receive affirmative finding annual renewals.
    After consultation with the Department of State, the Assistant 
Administrator issued affirmative finding annual renewals to The 
Nations, allowing the continued importation into the United States of 
yellowfin tuna and products derived from yellowfin tuna harvested in 
the ETP by The Nations' flagged purse seine vessels or purse seine 
vessels operating under The Nations' jurisdiction for the one-year 
period of April 1, 2016, through March 31, 2017.
    El Salvador's five-year affirmative finding will remain valid 
through March 31, 2018 and Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain's 
five-year affirmative findings will remain valid through March 31, 
2020, subject to subsequent annual reviews by NMFS.

    Dated: November 23, 2016.
Eileen Sobeck,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-28731 Filed 11-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P