[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 7801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01356]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF173


Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Notice; effectiveness of requirement for observer statements to 
accompany certain tuna products.

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SUMMARY: On November 18, 2016, the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approved, under the Paperwork Reduction Act, changes to the 
collection-of-information under Control Number 0648-0335 necessary to 
require observer statements to support shipments of tuna harvested in 
fisheries with regular and significant mortality and serious injury of 
marine mammals. With notice of this approval, the new requirements for 
observer statements described in the Federal Register notice published 
on September 28, 2016, are hereby effective.

DATES: Effective January 23, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Jacobson, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802-4213. 
Phone: 562-980-4035. Email: [email protected]. More information on 
this final action can be found on the NMFS Web site at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/dolphinsafe/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with a determination of NMFS 
under 50 CFR 216.91(a)(3)(v), implementing the Dolphin Protection 
Consumer Information Act, 16 U.S.C. 1385, that certain fisheries have a 
regular and significant mortality and serious injury of marine mammals, 
observer statements are required to accompany tuna product from tuna 
harvested in those fisheries (observer statements). See the Federal 
Register notice ``Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals and Dolphin-
Safe Tuna Products'' published by NMFS on September 28, 2016 (81 FR 
66625). NMFS' authority to require these observer statements was 
subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
because the statements are considered a ``collection of information'' 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Under 
the terms of the September 28, 2016, Federal Register notice, the 
observer statements would be required only upon publication of an 
additional notice in the Federal Register of OMB approval under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. On November 18, 2016, pursuant to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB approved the observer statements under 
Control Number 0648-0335.
    Therefore, the observer statements are required beginning on 
January 23, 2017.

    Dated: January 17, 2017.
John Henderschedt,
Director, Office for International Affairs and Seafood Inspection, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-01356 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P