[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69621-69622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22295]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD371]


Pacific Islands Pelagic Fisheries; American Samoa Longline 
Limited Entry Program

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

ACTION: Notice; availability of permits.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that 25 American Samoa pelagic longline limited 
entry permits in 2 permit size classes are available for 2023. NMFS is 
accepting applications for these available permits.

DATES: NMFS must receive complete permit applications including payment 
by February 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Download a blank application from the NOAA Fisheries 
website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/american-samoa-longline-limited-entry-permit. Submit your application and pay the processing 
fee electronically per instructions at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/commercial-fishing/apply-pacific-islands-fishing-permit.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter Ikehara, NMFS Pacific Islands 
Regional Office (PIRO), Sustainable Fisheries, tel 808-725-5175 or 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR 665.816 allow 
NMFS to re-issue permits for the American Samoa pelagic longline 
limited entry program if the number of permits falls below the maximum 
allowed. At least 25 permits are available for issuance in the 
following permit size classes, as follows:
     17 in Small (vessels up to 50 feet or 15.24 meters in 
overall length); and
     8 in Large (vessels overall length 50 feet or 15.24 meters 
and longer).
    Please note that the number of available permits may change before 
the application period closes. Applicants must specify the permit size 
class (one only) for which they are applying on the application form.
    If there are more applications than available permits in a 
particular size class, the Regional Administrator shall issue permits 
to persons according to the following priority standard:
    (i) Priority accrues to the person with the earliest documented 
participation in the pelagic longline fishery in the Exclusive Economic 
Zone (EEZ) around American Samoa from smallest to largest vessel; and
    (ii) In the event of a tie in the priority ranking between two or 
more applicants, the applicant whose second documented participation in 
the pelagic longline fishery in the EEZ around American Samoa is first 
in time will be ranked first in priority. If there is still a tie 
between two or more applicants, the Regional Administrator will select 
the successful applicant by an impartial lottery.
    NMFS will only consider complete applications, which must include 
the completed and signed application form, copy of current United 
States Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation or state or territory 
vessel registration, evidence of documented participation in the 
fishery if needed for prioritization, and non-refundable payment of the 
application processing fee. Incomplete applications may be abandoned 30 
days after receipt if deficiencies are not addressed.
    Documented participation means participation proved by, but not 
necessarily limited to, a properly submitted NMFS or American Samoa 
logbook, an American Samoa creel survey record, a delivery or payment 
record from an American Samoa-based cannery, retailer or wholesaler, an 
American Samoa tax record, an individual wage record, ownership title, 
vessel registration, or other official documents showing:
    (i) Ownership of a vessel that was used to fish in the EEZ around 
American Samoa; or
    (ii) Evidence of work on a fishing trip during which longline gear 
was used to harvest western Pacific pelagic management unit species in 
the EEZ around American Samoa. If the applicant does not possess the 
necessary documentation of evidence of work on a fishing trip based on 
records available only from NMFS or the Government of American Samoa 
(e.g., creel survey record or logbook), the applicant may issue a 
request to PIRO to obtain such records from the appropriate agencies, 
if available. The applicant should provide sufficient information on 
the fishing trip to allow PIRO to retrieve the records.
    If an applicant requests NMFS, in writing, to use NMFS longline 
logbook data as evidence of documented participation, the applicant 
must specify the qualifying vessel, official number, and month and year 
of the logbook records. NMFS will not conduct an unlimited search for 
records.
    NMFS must receive applications by February 5, 2024 to be considered 
for a permit (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will not

[[Page 69622]]

accept applications received after that date.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: October 3, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-22295 Filed 10-5-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P