[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 183 (Friday, September 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65423-65424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20563]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket Number MARAD-2023-0191]


Aquaculture Support Operations Waiver Request for the Vessels 
Colby Perce, Ronja Carrier, Sadie Jane, Miss Mildred 1, KC Commander

AGENCY: Maritime Administration (MARAD), Department of Transportation 
(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 
Aquaculture Support Operations Waivers to U.S. documented vessels with 
registry endorsements or foreign flag vessels in operations that treat 
aquaculture fish or protect aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic 
infestation, or other threats to their health upon a finding that 
suitable vessels of the United States are not available that could 
perform those operations. MARAD has received an Aquaculture Support 
Operations waiver request and is publishing this notice to solicit 
comments that may assist MARAD in determining whether suitable vessels 
of the United States are available that could perform the proposed 
aquaculture support operations set forth in the request. A brief 
description of the proposed aquaculture support operations is listed in 
the Supplementary Information section below.

DATES: Submit comments on or before October 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Number 
MARAD-2023-0191 by any of the following methods:
     On-line via the Federal Electronic Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2023-0191'' 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 https://

[[Page 65424]]

www.regulations.gov. Search using ``MARAD-2023-0191.'' 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: Patricia Hagerty, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Room W23-461, Washington, DC 20590. Email: [email protected]. 
Phone: 202-366-0903. If you have questions on viewing the Docket, call 
Docket Operations, telephone: (800) 647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 46 CFR 106.115, vessel owners, 
operators, or charterers of U.S. documented vessels with registry 
endorsements or foreign flag vessels are required to provide prior 
notification to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) of aquaculture 
support operations in U.S. waters. The notification, in part, must 
include a copy of a MARAD-issued Aquaculture Support Operations Waiver. 
Pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 12102(d), the Secretary of Transportation has the 
authority to issue Aquaculture Support Operations Waivers to U.S. 
documented vessels with registry endorsements or foreign flag vessels 
engaged in operations that treat aquaculture fish or protect 
aquaculture fish from disease, parasitic infestation, or other threats 
to their health after a finding that suitable vessels of the United 
States are not available that could perform those operations. The 
Secretary has delegated this authority to the Maritime Administrator.
    MARAD has received an Aquaculture Support Operations Waiver request 
from Cooke Aquaculture USA, Inc. (Cooke) for the operations of the 
Canadian-flag vessels Colby Perce, Ronja Carrier, Sadie Jane, Miss 
Mildred 1, KC Commander. Cooke proposes, in part, ``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.'' Cooke proposes to operate the vessels off Maine's North 
Atlantic Coast during the 2024 calendar year, from January 1 to 
December 31, 2024. Further details of Cooke's proposed operations may 
be found in the waiver request posted in the docket.
    The public may submit comments providing detailed information 
relating to the availability of U.S.-flag vessels to perform the 
proposed aquaculture support operations set forth in Cooke's waiver 
request. Comments should reference the docket number of this notice, 
the vessel names, the commenter's interest in the application, and 
address whether there are suitable U.S. vessels available to conduct 
the proposed aquaculture support operations.

Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), MARAD solicits comments from 
the public to inform its decision determining the availability of 
suitable U.S.-flag vessels to conduct the aquaculture support 
operations proposed in this notice. All timely comments will be 
considered; however, to facilitate comment tracking, commenters should 
provide their name or the name of their organization. If comments 
contain proprietary or confidential information, commenters may contact 
the agency for alternate submission instructions. 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.). 
For information on DOT's compliance with the Privacy Act, please visit 
https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.

(Authority: 49 CFR 1.93(w))

    By order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-20563 Filed 9-21-23; 8:45 am]
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