[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 105 (Thursday, May 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24976-24977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11654]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG228


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, 
Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Spain.

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SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant Administrator (Assistant Administrator) has 
issued affirmative finding annual renewals for the Governments of 
Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Spain (referred to hereafter as 
``The Nations'') under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). These 
affirmative-finding, annual renewals will continue to allow the 
importation into the United States of 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 purse seine vessels operating under The Nations' 
jurisdiction or exported from The Nations. NMFS bases the affirmative 
finding annual renewals 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, 2018, through March 31, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Justin Greenman, West Coast Region, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, 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 meeting its obligations under the AIDCP and its 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.

[[Page 24977]]

    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 purse seine vessels operating under The Nations' 
jurisdiction or exported from The Nations. Issuance of affirmative 
finding annual renewals for The Nations does not affect implementation 
of an intermediary nation embargo under 50 CFR 216.24(f)(9), which 
could apply to exports from The Nations. The affirmative finding annual 
renewals are for the one-year period of April 1, 2018, through March 
31, 2019.
    Peru's five-year affirmative finding will remain valid through 
March 31, 2022, 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: May 24, 2018.
Chris Oliver,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-11654 Filed 5-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P