Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud Action Plan Recommendations 14/15 Identifying Species “At Risk” of IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud, 24246-24247 [2015-10125]

Download as PDF mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 24246 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 83 / Thursday, April 30, 2015 / Notices 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 IDCP and obligations of membership in the IATTC. Every 5 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 IDCP 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 IDCP. As a part of the affirmative finding process set forth in 50 CFR 216.24(f), the Assistant Administrator considered documentary evidence submitted by the Government of Spain and obtained from the IATTC and has determined that Spain has met the MMPA’s requirements to receive an affirmative finding annual renewal. After consultation with the Department of State, the Assistant Administrator issued an affirmative finding annual renewal to Spain, allowing the continued importation into the United States of yellowfin tuna and products derived from yellowfin tuna harvested in the ETP by Spanish-flag purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels operating under Spanish jurisdiction through March 31, 2015. Spain’s 5-year affirmative finding will remain valid through March 31, 2015. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:01 Apr 29, 2015 Jkt 235001 Dated: April 24, 2015. Eileen Sobeck, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015–10167 Filed 4–29–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XD903 Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; public meeting. AGENCY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Groundfish Endangered Species Workgroup will hold a meeting, which is open to the public. DATES: The meeting will occur May 19– 21, 2015. The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 19 and at 9 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, May 20–21. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Regional Administrator’s Conference Room, Building 1, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Western Regional Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115–6349, telephone: (206) 526–6150. Council address: Pacific Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220–1384. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sarah Williams, NMFS, Sarah.Williams@noaa.gov; telephone: (206) 526–4646. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The primary purpose of the meeting is to review information on take of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery (other than salmonids) and provide recommendations to the Pacific Council on any additional mitigation measures needed, if any, to meet the requirements of the ESA as implemented through the terms and conditions in the most recent biological opinion for the fishery. You may also join this meeting by conference line and webinar. To join by phone, participants should dial 888– 790–6085, passcode 1730793. To join by webinar, each day of the meeting requires a different Web address. On May 19, participants can join Meeting ID: 544–685–613 at https:// global.gotomeeting.com/join/ SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 544685613. On May 20, participants can join Meeting ID: 991–327–765 at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/ 991327765. On May 21, participants can join Meeting ID: 845–869–013 at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/ 845869013. Once you have joined the webinar, choose either your computer’s audio or select ‘‘Use Telephone.’’ If you do not select ‘‘Use Telephone’’ you will be connected to audio using your computer’s microphone and speakers (VolP). If you do not have a headset and speakers, you may use the conference line number by dialing 1–888–790– 6085, and entering passcode 1730793 at the prompt. Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after publication of this document that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations The meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt at (503) 820–2425 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Dated: April 27, 2015. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015–10080 Filed 4–29–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XD922 Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud Action Plan Recommendations 14/15 Identifying Species ‘‘At Risk’’ of IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. AGENCY: The National Ocean Council Committee on IUU Fishing and Seafood SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\30APN1.SGM 30APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 83 / Thursday, April 30, 2015 / Notices Fraud (NOC Committee) is seeking public input on principles to be used in determining seafood species ‘‘at risk’’ for IUU fishing and seafood fraud. DATES: Comments must be received by June 8, 2015. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA– NMFS–2014–0090, by any of the following methods: • Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20140090, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Submit written comments to Danielle Rioux, 1315 East-West Highway; Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by the NOC Committee. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. The NOC Committee will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Danielle Rioux, 301–427–8516. According to NOAA, in 2013, U.S. fishers landed 9.9 billion pounds of fish and shellfish worth $5.5 billion. Globally, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and seafood fraud undermine the sustainability of U.S. and global seafood stocks and negatively impact general ecosystem health. At the same time, IUU fishing and fraudulent seafood products distort legal markets and unfairly compete with the products of law-abiding fishers and seafood industries. On March 15, 2015, the Presidential Task Force on Combating IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud (Task Force), cochaired by the Departments of Commerce and State, took an historic step to address these issues and published its action plan to implement Task Force recommendations (https:// www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/iuu/ taskforce.html). mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:01 Apr 29, 2015 Jkt 235001 This plan articulates the aggressive steps that Federal agencies will take to implement the recommendations the Task Force made to the President in December 2014 on a comprehensive framework of integrated programs to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud. The plan identifies actions that will strengthen enforcement, create and expand partnerships with state and local governments, industry, and nongovernmental organizations, and create a risk-based traceability program to track seafood from harvest to entry into U.S. commerce, including the use of existing traceability mechanisms. The work the Task Force began will continue under the oversight of the NOC Committee. This notice is the first step in implementing Task Force Recommendations 14 and 15, ‘‘Identifying current at risk species threatened by IUU fishing and seafood fraud.’’ Once ‘‘at-risk’’ species have been determined, the NOC Committee will transmit the list to agencies for appropriate action. This list will form the basis for the species addressed in the first phase of the risk-based seafood traceability program, as described in the Task Force Action Plan. With this notice, the NOC Committee is soliciting comment on what principles should be used to determine the seafood species ‘‘at risk’’ for IUU fishing and seafood fraud. Recommended principles should be measurable (i.e., there should be a reasonable amount of existing data to assess), and be applicable to domestic and/or international fisheries. For example, possible principles could include assessing the extent to which species are known to have: • significant domestic or international enforcement-related concerns, such as substantial numbers of violations of relevant regulations or conservation and management measures, significant challenges or limitations in existing enforcement regimes, or repeated reports of IUU activity; • catches that are mis-reported or not reported according to the reporting procedures of the relevant international regional fisheries management organizations or national authorities, particularly when they are of high economic value; • a human health risk when substituted for other species; and • instances of being substituted for other species in order to avoid tariffs or to sell a lower value fish at a higher price. Following the public comment period, the NOC Committee will take PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 24247 the input received into consideration as it develops a draft list of principles to be used in determining species ‘‘at risk’’ for IUU fishing and seafood fraud. The draft list of principles will then be used to create a draft list of ‘‘at-risk’’ species. Both the draft list of principles and the draft list of ‘‘at-risk’’ species will be published in the Federal Register for public comment in July 2015. Dated: April 27, 2015. Samuel D. Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015–10125 Filed 4–29–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XD923 New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; public meeting. AGENCY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Risk Policy Working Group to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. DATES: This meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton, 407 Squire Road, Revere, MA 02151; Phone: (781) 284–7200; Fax: (781) 289–3176. Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The items of discussion on the agenda are to discuss implementation of the Councils Risk Policy across all Council-managed species. The group will also continue work on development of the Risk Policy ‘‘operational handbook’’ to address the application of the Risk Policy. Additionally they will discuss the application of the Risk Policy in the Atlantic Herring FMP and develop related recommendations. The group SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\30APN1.SGM 30APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 83 (Thursday, April 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24246-24247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10125]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD922


Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal Unreported and 
Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud Action Plan Recommendations 
14/15 Identifying Species ``At Risk'' of IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The National Ocean Council Committee on IUU Fishing and 
Seafood

[[Page 24247]]

Fraud (NOC Committee) is seeking public input on principles to be used 
in determining seafood species ``at risk'' for IUU fishing and seafood 
fraud.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 8, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2014-0090, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0090, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Danielle Rioux, 1315 
East-West Highway; Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by the NOC Committee. All comments received are a 
part of the public record and will generally be posted for public 
viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. The NOC Committee will 
accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you 
wish to remain anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Danielle Rioux, 301-427-8516.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: According to NOAA, in 2013, U.S. fishers 
landed 9.9 billion pounds of fish and shellfish worth $5.5 billion. 
Globally, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and 
seafood fraud undermine the sustainability of U.S. and global seafood 
stocks and negatively impact general ecosystem health. At the same 
time, IUU fishing and fraudulent seafood products distort legal markets 
and unfairly compete with the products of law-abiding fishers and 
seafood industries.
    On March 15, 2015, the Presidential Task Force on Combating IUU 
Fishing and Seafood Fraud (Task Force), co-chaired by the Departments 
of Commerce and State, took an historic step to address these issues 
and published its action plan to implement Task Force recommendations 
(https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/iuu/taskforce.html).
    This plan articulates the aggressive steps that Federal agencies 
will take to implement the recommendations the Task Force made to the 
President in December 2014 on a comprehensive framework of integrated 
programs to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud. The plan identifies 
actions that will strengthen enforcement, create and expand 
partnerships with state and local governments, industry, and non-
governmental organizations, and create a risk-based traceability 
program to track seafood from harvest to entry into U.S. commerce, 
including the use of existing traceability mechanisms. The work the 
Task Force began will continue under the oversight of the NOC 
Committee.
    This notice is the first step in implementing Task Force 
Recommendations 14 and 15, ``Identifying current at risk species 
threatened by IUU fishing and seafood fraud.'' Once ``at-risk'' species 
have been determined, the NOC Committee will transmit the list to 
agencies for appropriate action. This list will form the basis for the 
species addressed in the first phase of the risk-based seafood 
traceability program, as described in the Task Force Action Plan.
    With this notice, the NOC Committee is soliciting comment on what 
principles should be used to determine the seafood species ``at risk'' 
for IUU fishing and seafood fraud. Recommended principles should be 
measurable (i.e., there should be a reasonable amount of existing data 
to assess), and be applicable to domestic and/or international 
fisheries.
    For example, possible principles could include assessing the extent 
to which species are known to have:
     significant domestic or international enforcement-related 
concerns, such as substantial numbers of violations of relevant 
regulations or conservation and management measures, significant 
challenges or limitations in existing enforcement regimes, or repeated 
reports of IUU activity;
     catches that are mis-reported or not reported according to 
the reporting procedures of the relevant international regional 
fisheries management organizations or national authorities, 
particularly when they are of high economic value;
     a human health risk when substituted for other species; 
and
     instances of being substituted for other species in order 
to avoid tariffs or to sell a lower value fish at a higher price.
    Following the public comment period, the NOC Committee will take 
the input received into consideration as it develops a draft list of 
principles to be used in determining species ``at risk'' for IUU 
fishing and seafood fraud. The draft list of principles will then be 
used to create a draft list of ``at-risk'' species. Both the draft list 
of principles and the draft list of ``at-risk'' species will be 
published in the Federal Register for public comment in July 2015.

    Dated: April 27, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-10125 Filed 4-29-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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