[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 235 (Friday, December 10, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70598-70599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26833]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number MARAD-2021-0270]


Request for Determination for Aquaculture Support Operations for 
the 2022 Calendar Year: COLBY PERCE, RONJA CARRIER, SADIE JANE, MISS 
MILDRED 1, KC COMMANDER

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to a delegation of authority from the Secretary of 
Transportation, the Maritime Administrator is authorized to issue a 
determination allowing documented vessels with only registry 
endorsements or foreign flag vessels to be used in operations that 
treat aquaculture fish or protect aquaculture fish from disease, 
parasitic infestation, or other threats to their health when suitable 
vessels of the United States are not available that could perform those 
services. A request for such a determination has been received by the 
Maritime Administration (MARAD). This notice is being published to 
solicit comments intended to assist MARAD in determining whether 
suitable vessels of the United States are available that could perform 
the required services. If no suitable U.S.-flag vessels are available, 
the Maritime Administrator may issue a determination necessary to 
comply with USCG Aquaculture Support regulations. A brief description 
of the proposed aquaculture support service is listed in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

DATES: Submit comments on or before January 10, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number 
MARAD-2021-0270 by any of the following methods:
     On-line via the Federal Electronic Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2021-0270'' and follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail/Hand-Delivery/Courier: Docket Management Facility; 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590. Submit comments in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing.
    Reference Materials and Docket Information: You may view the 
complete application, including the aquaculture support technical 
service requirements, and all public comments at the DOT Docket on-line 
via http://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2021-0270.'' All 
comments received will be posted without change to the docket, 
including any personal information provided. The Docket Management 
Facility is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Meurer, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Room W23-461, Washington, DC 20590. Email: [email protected]. If 
you have questions on viewing the Docket, call Docket Operations, 
telephone: (800) 647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a result of the enactment of the Coast 
Guard Authorization Act of 2010, codified at 46 U.S.C. 12102, the 
Secretary of Transportation has the discretionary authority to issue 
determinations allowing documented vessels with registry endorsements 
or foreign flag vessels to be used in operations that treat aquaculture 
fish for or protect

[[Page 70599]]

aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic infestation, or other threats 
to their health when suitable vessels of the United States are not 
available that could perform those services. The Secretary has 
delegated this authority to the Maritime Administrator. Pursuant to 
this authority, MARAD is providing notice of the service requirements 
proposed by Cooke Aquaculture (Cooke) in order to make a U.S.-flag 
vessel availability determination. Specifics can be found in Cooke's 
application letter posted in the docket.
    To comply with USCG Aquaculture Support regulations at 46 CFR part 
106, Cooke is seeking a MARAD Aquaculture Determination to operate the 
vessels, COLBY PERCE, RONJA CARRIER, SADIE JANE, MISS MILDRED 1, KC 
COMMANDER, as follows:
    Intended Commercial Use of Vessel: ``to use highly-specialized 
foreign-flag vessels referred to as a ``wellboat'' (or ``live fish 
carrier'') to treat Cooke's swimming inventory of farmed Atlantic 
salmon in the company's salt-water grow-out pens off Maine's North 
Atlantic Coast. This treatment prevents against parasitic infestation 
by sea lice that is highly destructive to the salmon's health.''
    Geographic Region: ``off Maine's North Atlantic Coast''.
    Requested Time Period: ``2022 calendar year, from January 1, 2022 
to December 31, 2022''.
    Interested parties may submit comments providing detailed 
information relating to the availability of U.S.-flag vessels to 
perform the required aquaculture support services. If MARAD determines, 
in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 12102(d)(1) and MARAD's regulations at 46 
CFR part 388, that suitable U.S.-flag vessels are available to perform 
the required services, a positive determination allowing for the use of 
the vessels will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket 
number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to 
properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the 
commenter's interest in the application, and address the criteria set 
forth in 46 CFR 388.4.
    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), MARAD solicits comments from 
the public to inform its process to determine the availability of 
suitable vessels. DOT posts these comments, without edit, to 
www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice, DOT/
ALL-14 FDMS, accessible through www.dot.gov/privacy. In order to 
facilitate comment tracking and response, we encourage commenters to 
provide their name, or the name of their organization; however, 
submission of names is completely optional. Whether or not commenters 
identify themselves, all timely comments will be fully considered. If 
you wish to provide comments containing proprietary or confidential 
information, please contact the agency for alternate submission 
instructions.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received into 
any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment 
(or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 
19477-78), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

(Authority: 49 CFR 1.93(w))

    Order of the Acting Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-26833 Filed 12-9-21; 8:45 am]
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