Notification of U.S. Fish Quotas and an Effort Allocation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area, 68093-68095 [E7-23518]

Download as PDF sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 4, 2007 / Rules and Regulations (8) Include a separate plan amendment for each group receiving case management services that includes the following: (i) Defines the group (and any subgroups within the group) eligible to receive the case management services. (ii) Identifies the geographic area to be served. (iii) Describes the case management services furnished, including the types of monitoring. (iv) Specifies the frequency of assessments and monitoring and provides a justification for those frequencies. (v) Specifies provider qualifications that are reasonably related to the population being served and the case management services furnished. (vi) Specifies the methodology under which case management providers will be paid and rates are calculated that employs a unit of service that does not exceed 15 minutes. (vii) Specifies if case management services are being provided to Medicaideligible individuals who are in institutions (except individuals between ages 22 and 64 who are served in IMDs or individuals who are inmates of public institutions). (viii) Specifies if case management services are being provided to individuals with long-term stays of 180 consecutive days or longer or to individuals with short-term stays of less than 180 consecutive days. When States choose to provide case management services to individuals in institutions to facilitate transition to the community, the State plan must include the following requirements: (A) Specify the time period or other conditions under which case management may be provided in this manner. The time period that case management is provided in an institution must not exceed an individual’s length of stay; (B) Specify the case management activities and include an assurance that these activities are coordinated with and do not duplicate institutional discharge planning; (C) Include an assurance that the amount, duration, and scope of the case management activities would be documented in an individual’s plan of care which includes case management activities prior to and post-discharge, to facilitate a successful transition to community living; and (D) Specify that case management is only provided by and reimbursed to community case management providers; (E) Specify that Federal Financial Participation is only available to community providers and will not be VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:18 Dec 03, 2007 Jkt 214001 claimed on behalf of an individual until discharge from the medical institution and enrollment in community services; and (F) Describe the system and process the State will use to monitor providers’ compliance with these provisions. (9) Include a separate plan amendment for each subgroup within a group if any of the following differs among the subgroups: (i) The case management services to be furnished; (ii) The qualifications of case management providers; or (iii) The methodology under which case management providers will be paid. (b) If the State limits qualified providers of case management services for target groups of individuals with developmental disability or chronic mental illness, in accordance with § 431.51(a)(4) of this chapter, the plan must identify any limitations to be imposed on the providers and specify how these limitations enable providers to ensure that individuals within the target groups receive needed services. (c) Case management does not include, and FFP is not available in expenditures for, services defined in § 440.169 of this chapter when any of the following conditions exist: (1) Case management activities are an integral component of another covered Medicaid service. (2) The case management activities constitute the direct delivery of underlying medical, educational, social, or other services to which an eligible individual has been referred, including, but not limited to, services under parole and probation programs, public guardianship programs, special education programs, child welfare/child protective services, and foster care programs. (3) The activities are integral to the administration of foster care programs, including but not limited to the following: (i) Research gathering and completion of documentation required by the foster care program. (ii) Assessing adoption placements. (iii) Recruiting or interviewing potential foster care parents. (iv) Serving legal papers. (v) Home investigations. (vi) Providing transportation. (vii) Administering foster care subsidies. (viii) Making placement arrangements. (4) The activities, for which an individual may be eligible, are integral to the administration of another nonmedical program, such as a PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 68093 guardianship, child welfare/child protective services, parole, probation, or special education program except for case management that is included in an individualized education program or individualized family service plan consistent with section 1903(c) of the Act. (5) Activities that meet the definition of case management services in § 440.169 and under the approved State plan cannot be claimed as administrative activities under § 433.15(b). (d) After the State assesses whether the activities are within the scope of the case management benefit (applying the limitations described above), in determining the allowable costs for case management (or targeted case management) services that are also furnished by another federally-funded program, the State must use cost allocation methodologies, consistent with OMB Circular A–87, CMS policies, or any subsequent guidance and reflected in an approved cost allocation plan. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program, No. 93.778, Medical Assistance Program.) Dated: June 23, 2006. Mark B. McClellan, Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Approved: August 27, 2007. Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary. [FR Doc. 07–5903 Filed 11–30–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4120–01–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 300 RIN 0648–XD77 Notification of U.S. Fish Quotas and an Effort Allocation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. AGENCY: SUMMARY: NMFS announces that fish quotas and an effort allocation are available for harvest by U.S. fishermen in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area. This action is necessary to make E:\FR\FM\04DER1.SGM 04DER1 68094 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 4, 2007 / Rules and Regulations available to U.S. fishermen a fishing privilege on an equitable basis. DATES: All fish quotas and the effort allocation are effective January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008. Expressions of interest regarding U.S. fish quota allocations for all species except 3L shrimp will be accepted throughout 2008. Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. 3L shrimp quota allocation and the 3M shrimp effort allocation will be accepted through December 19, 2007. ADDRESSES: Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. effort allocation and quota allocations should be made in writing to Patrick E. Moran in the NMFS Office of International Affairs, at 1315 East–West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone: 301–713–2276, fax: 301– 713–2313, e–mail: pat.moran@noaa.gov). Information relating to NAFO fish quotas, NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures, and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act (HSFCA) Permit is available from Allison McHale, at the NMFS Northeast Regional Office at One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930 (phone: 978– 281–9103, fax: 978–281–9135, e–mail: allison.mchale@noaa.gov) and from NAFO on the World Wide Web at https:// www.nafo.ca. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick E. Moran, 301–713–2276. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background NAFO has established and maintains conservation measures in its Regulatory Area that include one effort limitation fishery as well as fisheries with total allowable catches (TACs) and member nation quota allocations. The principal species managed are cod, flounder, redfish, American plaice, halibut, capelin, shrimp, and squid. At the 2007 NAFO Annual Meeting, the United States received fish quota allocations for three NAFO stocks and an effort allocation for one NAFO stock to be fished during 2008. The species, location, and allocation (in metric tons or effort) of these U.S. fishing opportunities, as found in Annexes I.A, I.B, and I.C of the 2008 NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures, are as follows: sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES (1) Redfish NAFO Division 3M 69 mt (2) Squid (Illex) NAFO Subareas 3 & 4 453 mt (3) Shrimp NAFO Division 3L 278 mt VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:18 Dec 03, 2007 Jkt 214001 (4) Shrimp NAFO Division 3M 1 vessel/100 days Additionally, U.S. vessels may be authorized to fish any available portion of the 385 mt allocation of oceanic redfish in NAFO Subarea 2 and Divisions 1F and 3K available to NAFO members that are not also members of the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission. Fishing opportunities may also be authorized for U.S. fishermen in the ‘‘Others’’ category for: Division 3LNO yellowtail flounder (78 mt); Division 3NO white hake (500 mt); Division 3LNO skates (500 mt); and Division 3O redfish (100 mt). Procedures for obtaining NMFS authorization are specified below. U.S. Fish Quota Allocations Expressions of interest to fish for any or all of the U.S. fish quota allocations and ‘‘Others’’ category allocations in NAFO will be considered from U.S. vessels in possession of a valid HSFCA permit authorizing fishing in the NAFO Regulatory Area. All expressions of interest should be directed in writing to Patrick E. Moran (see ADDRESSES). Letters of interest from U.S. vessel owners should include the name, registration, and home port of the applicant vessel as required by NAFO in advance of fishing operations. In addition, any available information on intended target species and dates of fishing operations should be included. To ensure equitable access by U.S. vessel owners, NMFS may promulgate regulations designed to choose one or more U.S. applicants from among expressions of interest. Note that vessels issued valid HSFCA permits under 50 CFR part 300 to fish in the NAFO Regulatory Area are exempt from multispecies permit, mesh size, effort–control, and possession limit restrictions, specified in 50 CFR 648.4, 648.80, 648.82 and 648.86, respectively, while transiting the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with multispecies on board the vessel, or landing multispecies in U.S. ports that were caught while fishing in the NAFO Regulatory Area, provided: (1) The vessel operator has a letter of authorization issued by the Regional Administrator on board the vessel; (2) For the duration of the trip, the vessel fishes, except for transiting purposes, exclusively in the NAFO Regulatory Area and does not harvest fish in, or possess fish harvested in, or from, the U.S. EEZ; (3) When transiting the U.S. EEZ, all gear is properly stowed in accordance with one of the applicable methods specified in 50 CFR 648.23(b); and PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 (4) The vessel operator complies with the HSFCA permit and all NAFO conservation and enforcement measures while fishing in the NAFO Regulatory Area. U.S. 3M Effort Allocation Expressions of interest in harvesting the U.S. portion of the 2008 NAFO 3M shrimp effort allocation (1 vessel/100 days) will be considered from owners of U.S. vessels in possession of a valid HSFCA permit. All expressions of interest should be directed in writing to Patrick E. Moran (see ADDRESSES). Letters of interest from U.S. vessel owners should include the name, registration and home port of the applicant vessel as required by NAFO in advance of fishing operations. In the event that multiple expressions of interest are made by U.S. vessel owners, NMFS may promulgate regulations designed to choose one U.S. applicant from among expressions of interest. NAFO Conservation and Management Measures Relevant NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures include, but are not limited to, maintenance of a fishing logbook with NAFO–designated entries; adherence to NAFO hail system requirements; presence of an on–board observer; deployment of a functioning, autonomous vessel monitoring system; and adherence to all relevant minimum size, gear, bycatch, and other requirements. Further details regarding these requirements are available from the NMFS Northeast Regional Office, and can also be found in the current NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures on the Internet (see ADDRESSES). Chartering Arrangements In the event that no adequate expressions of interest in harvesting the U.S. portion of the 2008 NAFO 3L shrimp quota allocation and/or 3M shrimp effort allocation are made on behalf of U.S. vessels, expressions of interest will be considered from U.S. fishing interests intending to make use of vessels of other NAFO Parties under chartering arrangements to fish the 2008 U.S. quota allocation for 3L shrimp and/ or the effort allocation for 3M shrimp. Under NAFO rules in effect through 2008, a vessel registered to another NAFO Contracting Party may be chartered to fish the U.S. effort allocation provided that written consent for the charter is obtained from the vessel’s flag state and the U.S. allocation is transferred to that flag state. NAFO Parties must be notified of such a E:\FR\FM\04DER1.SGM 04DER1 sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 4, 2007 / Rules and Regulations chartering operation through a mail notification process. A NAFO Contracting Party wishing to enter into a chartering arrangement with the United States must be in full current compliance with the requirements outlined in the NAFO Convention and Conservation and Enforcement Measures including, but not limited to, submission of the following reports to the NAFO Executive Secretary: provisional monthly catches within 30 days following the calendar month in which the catches were made; provisional daily catches of shrimp taken from Division 3L; provisional monthly fishing days in Division 3M within 30 days following the calendar month in which the catches were made; observer reports within 30 days following the completion of a fishing trip; and an annual statement of actions taken in order to comply with the NAFO Convention. Furthermore, the United States may also consider a Contracting Party’s previous compliance with the NAFO incidental catch limits, as outlined in the NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures, before entering into a chartering arrangement. Expressions of interest from U.S. fishing interests intending to make use of vessels from another NAFO Contracting Party under chartering arrangements should include information required by NAFO regarding the proposed chartering operation, including: the name, registration and flag of the intended vessel; a copy of the charter; the fishing opportunities granted; a letter of consent from the vessel’s flag state; the date from which the vessel is authorized to commence fishing on these opportunities; and the duration of the charter (not to exceed six months). More details on NAFO requirements for chartering operations are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). In addition, expressions of interest for chartering operations should be accompanied by a detailed description of anticipated benefits to the United States. Such benefits might include, but are not limited to, the use of U.S. processing facilities/personnel; the use of U.S. fishing personnel; other specific positive effects on U.S. employment; evidence that fishing by the chartered vessel actually would take place; and documentation of the physical characteristics and economics of the fishery for future use by the U.S. fishing industry. In the event that multiple expressions of interest are made by U.S. fishing interests proposing the use of chartering operations, the information submitted regarding benefits to the United States VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:18 Dec 03, 2007 Jkt 214001 will be used in making a selection. In the event that applications by U.S. fishing interests proposing the use of chartering operations are considered, all applicants will be made aware of the allocation decision as soon as possible. Once the allocation has been awarded for use in a chartering operation, NMFS will immediately take appropriate steps to notify NAFO and transfer the U.S. 3L shrimp quota allocation and/or the 3M shrimp effort allocation to the appropriate Contracting Party. After reviewing all requests for allocations submitted, NMFS may decide not to grant any allocations if it is determined that no requests meet the criteria described in this notice. All individuals/companies submitting expressions of interest to NMFS will be contacted if an allocation has been awarded. Please note that if the U.S. portion of the 2008 NAFO 3L shrimp quota allocation and/or 3M shrimp effort allocation is awarded to a U.S. vessel or a specified chartering operation, it may not be transferred without the express, written consent of NMFS. Dated: November 27, 2007. Rebecca Lent Director, Office of International Affairs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–23518 Filed 12–3–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 061020273–7001–03] RIN 0648–XE14 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for Connecticut National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. AGENCY: SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 2007 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of Connecticut has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in Connecticut for the remainder of calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Regulations PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 68095 governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise Connecticut that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in Connecticut. DATES: Effective 0001 hours, December 4, 2007, through 2400 hours, December 31, 2007. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Bryant, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9244. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned on a percentage basis among the coastal states from North Carolina through Maine. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in § 648.100. The initial total commercial quota for summer flounder for the 2007 calendar year was set equal to 7,789,800 lb (3,533 mt) (71 FR 75134, December 14, 2006). This quota was increased through an emergency action to 10,267,098 lb (4,658 mt) (72 FR 2458, January 19, 2007). The percent allocated to vessels landing summer flounder in Connecticut is 2.25708 percent, resulting in a commercial quota of 231,739 lb (106 mt). The 2007 allocation was reduced to 226,464 lb (103 mt) when research set-aside was deducted and then reduced to 209,994 (96 mt) after the 2006 overages had been applied. Section 648.101(b) requires the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) to monitor state commercial quotas and to determine when a state’s commercial quota has been harvested. NMFS then publishes a notification in the Federal Register to advise the state and to notify Federal vessel and dealer permit holders that, effective upon a specific date, the state’s commercial quota has been harvested and no commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in that state. The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer reports and other available information, that Connecticut has harvested its quota for 2007. The regulations at § 648.4(b) provide that Federal permit holders agree, as a condition of the permit, not to land summer flounder in any state that the Regional Administrator has determined no longer has commercial quota available. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, December 4, 2007, further E:\FR\FM\04DER1.SGM 04DER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 4, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 68093-68095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23518]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

RIN 0648-XD77


Notification of U.S. Fish Quotas and an Effort Allocation in the 
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that fish quotas and an effort allocation are 
available for harvest by U.S. fishermen in the Northwest Atlantic 
Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulatory Area. This action is necessary 
to make

[[Page 68094]]

available to U.S. fishermen a fishing privilege on an equitable basis.

DATES: All fish quotas and the effort allocation are effective January 
1, 2008, through December 31, 2008. Expressions of interest regarding 
U.S. fish quota allocations for all species except 3L shrimp will be 
accepted throughout 2008. Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. 3L 
shrimp quota allocation and the 3M shrimp effort allocation will be 
accepted through December 19, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Expressions of interest regarding the U.S. effort allocation 
and quota allocations should be made in writing to Patrick E. Moran in 
the NMFS Office of International Affairs, at 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone: 301-713-2276, fax: 301-713-2313, e-
mail: pat.moran@noaa.gov).
    Information relating to NAFO fish quotas, NAFO Conservation and 
Enforcement Measures, and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act (HSFCA) 
Permit is available from Allison McHale, at the NMFS Northeast Regional 
Office at One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930 (phone: 978-281-
9103, fax: 978-281-9135, e-mail: allison.mchale@noaa.gov) and from NAFO 
on the World Wide Web at https://www.nafo.ca.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick E. Moran, 301-713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NAFO has established and maintains conservation measures in its 
Regulatory Area that include one effort limitation fishery as well as 
fisheries with total allowable catches (TACs) and member nation quota 
allocations. The principal species managed are cod, flounder, redfish, 
American plaice, halibut, capelin, shrimp, and squid. At the 2007 NAFO 
Annual Meeting, the United States received fish quota allocations for 
three NAFO stocks and an effort allocation for one NAFO stock to be 
fished during 2008. The species, location, and allocation (in metric 
tons or effort) of these U.S. fishing opportunities, as found in 
Annexes I.A, I.B, and I.C of the 2008 NAFO Conservation and Enforcement 
Measures, are as follows:

(1) Redfish              NAFO Division 3M         69 mt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Squid (Illex)        NAFO Subareas 3 & 4      453 mt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Shrimp               NAFO Division 3L         278 mt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Shrimp               NAFO Division 3M         1 vessel/100 days
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additionally, U.S. vessels may be authorized to fish any available 
portion of the 385 mt allocation of oceanic redfish in NAFO Subarea 2 
and Divisions 1F and 3K available to NAFO members that are not also 
members of the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission. Fishing 
opportunities may also be authorized for U.S. fishermen in the 
``Others'' category for: Division 3LNO yellowtail flounder (78 mt); 
Division 3NO white hake (500 mt); Division 3LNO skates (500 mt); and 
Division 3O redfish (100 mt). Procedures for obtaining NMFS 
authorization are specified below.

U.S. Fish Quota Allocations

    Expressions of interest to fish for any or all of the U.S. fish 
quota allocations and ``Others'' category allocations in NAFO will be 
considered from U.S. vessels in possession of a valid HSFCA permit 
authorizing fishing in the NAFO Regulatory Area. All expressions of 
interest should be directed in writing to Patrick E. Moran (see 
ADDRESSES). Letters of interest from U.S. vessel owners should include 
the name, registration, and home port of the applicant vessel as 
required by NAFO in advance of fishing operations. In addition, any 
available information on intended target species and dates of fishing 
operations should be included. To ensure equitable access by U.S. 
vessel owners, NMFS may promulgate regulations designed to choose one 
or more U.S. applicants from among expressions of interest.
    Note that vessels issued valid HSFCA permits under 50 CFR part 300 
to fish in the NAFO Regulatory Area are exempt from multispecies 
permit, mesh size, effort-control, and possession limit restrictions, 
specified in 50 CFR 648.4, 648.80, 648.82 and 648.86, respectively, 
while transiting the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with 
multispecies on board the vessel, or landing multispecies in U.S. ports 
that were caught while fishing in the NAFO Regulatory Area, provided:
    (1) The vessel operator has a letter of authorization issued by the 
Regional Administrator on board the vessel;
    (2) For the duration of the trip, the vessel fishes, except for 
transiting purposes, exclusively in the NAFO Regulatory Area and does 
not harvest fish in, or possess fish harvested in, or from, the U.S. 
EEZ;
    (3) When transiting the U.S. EEZ, all gear is properly stowed in 
accordance with one of the applicable methods specified in 50 CFR 
648.23(b); and
    (4) The vessel operator complies with the HSFCA permit and all NAFO 
conservation and enforcement measures while fishing in the NAFO 
Regulatory Area.

U.S. 3M Effort Allocation

    Expressions of interest in harvesting the U.S. portion of the 2008 
NAFO 3M shrimp effort allocation (1 vessel/100 days) will be considered 
from owners of U.S. vessels in possession of a valid HSFCA permit. All 
expressions of interest should be directed in writing to Patrick E. 
Moran (see ADDRESSES).
    Letters of interest from U.S. vessel owners should include the 
name, registration and home port of the applicant vessel as required by 
NAFO in advance of fishing operations. In the event that multiple 
expressions of interest are made by U.S. vessel owners, NMFS may 
promulgate regulations designed to choose one U.S. applicant from among 
expressions of interest.

NAFO Conservation and Management Measures

    Relevant NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures include, but 
are not limited to, maintenance of a fishing logbook with NAFO-
designated entries; adherence to NAFO hail system requirements; 
presence of an on-board observer; deployment of a functioning, 
autonomous vessel monitoring system; and adherence to all relevant 
minimum size, gear, bycatch, and other requirements. Further details 
regarding these requirements are available from the NMFS Northeast 
Regional Office, and can also be found in the current NAFO Conservation 
and Enforcement Measures on the Internet (see ADDRESSES).

Chartering Arrangements

    In the event that no adequate expressions of interest in harvesting 
the U.S. portion of the 2008 NAFO 3L shrimp quota allocation and/or 3M 
shrimp effort allocation are made on behalf of U.S. vessels, 
expressions of interest will be considered from U.S. fishing interests 
intending to make use of vessels of other NAFO Parties under chartering 
arrangements to fish the 2008 U.S. quota allocation for 3L shrimp and/
or the effort allocation for 3M shrimp. Under NAFO rules in effect 
through 2008, a vessel registered to another NAFO Contracting Party may 
be chartered to fish the U.S. effort allocation provided that written 
consent for the charter is obtained from the vessel's flag state and 
the U.S. allocation is transferred to that flag state. NAFO Parties 
must be notified of such a

[[Page 68095]]

chartering operation through a mail notification process.
    A NAFO Contracting Party wishing to enter into a chartering 
arrangement with the United States must be in full current compliance 
with the requirements outlined in the NAFO Convention and Conservation 
and Enforcement Measures including, but not limited to, submission of 
the following reports to the NAFO Executive Secretary: provisional 
monthly catches within 30 days following the calendar month in which 
the catches were made; provisional daily catches of shrimp taken from 
Division 3L; provisional monthly fishing days in Division 3M within 30 
days following the calendar month in which the catches were made; 
observer reports within 30 days following the completion of a fishing 
trip; and an annual statement of actions taken in order to comply with 
the NAFO Convention. Furthermore, the United States may also consider a 
Contracting Party's previous compliance with the NAFO incidental catch 
limits, as outlined in the NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures, 
before entering into a chartering arrangement.
    Expressions of interest from U.S. fishing interests intending to 
make use of vessels from another NAFO Contracting Party under 
chartering arrangements should include information required by NAFO 
regarding the proposed chartering operation, including: the name, 
registration and flag of the intended vessel; a copy of the charter; 
the fishing opportunities granted; a letter of consent from the 
vessel's flag state; the date from which the vessel is authorized to 
commence fishing on these opportunities; and the duration of the 
charter (not to exceed six months). More details on NAFO requirements 
for chartering operations are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). In 
addition, expressions of interest for chartering operations should be 
accompanied by a detailed description of anticipated benefits to the 
United States. Such benefits might include, but are not limited to, the 
use of U.S. processing facilities/personnel; the use of U.S. fishing 
personnel; other specific positive effects on U.S. employment; evidence 
that fishing by the chartered vessel actually would take place; and 
documentation of the physical characteristics and economics of the 
fishery for future use by the U.S. fishing industry.
    In the event that multiple expressions of interest are made by U.S. 
fishing interests proposing the use of chartering operations, the 
information submitted regarding benefits to the United States will be 
used in making a selection. In the event that applications by U.S. 
fishing interests proposing the use of chartering operations are 
considered, all applicants will be made aware of the allocation 
decision as soon as possible. Once the allocation has been awarded for 
use in a chartering operation, NMFS will immediately take appropriate 
steps to notify NAFO and transfer the U.S. 3L shrimp quota allocation 
and/or the 3M shrimp effort allocation to the appropriate Contracting 
Party.
    After reviewing all requests for allocations submitted, NMFS may 
decide not to grant any allocations if it is determined that no 
requests meet the criteria described in this notice. All individuals/
companies submitting expressions of interest to NMFS will be contacted 
if an allocation has been awarded. Please note that if the U.S. portion 
of the 2008 NAFO 3L shrimp quota allocation and/or 3M shrimp effort 
allocation is awarded to a U.S. vessel or a specified chartering 
operation, it may not be transferred without the express, written 
consent of NMFS.

    Dated: November 27, 2007.
Rebecca Lent
Director, Office of International Affairs, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-23518 Filed 12-3-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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