Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; Annual Certification of Shrimp-Harvesting Nations, 23027-23028 [2021-09077]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 82 / Friday, April 30, 2021 / Notices interest rate will be 2.880 for loans approved on or after April 30, 2021. James Rivera, Associate Administrator for Disaster Assistance. [FR Doc. 2021–09008 Filed 4–29–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8026–03–P DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 11419] Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; Annual Certification of ShrimpHarvesting Nations ACTION: Notice of annual certification. On April 26, 2021, the Department of State declared that wildcaught shrimp harvested in the following nations, particular fisheries of certain nations, and Hong Kong are eligible to enter the United States: Argentina, Australia (Northern Prawn Fishery, the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery, the Spencer Gulf, and the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery), The Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, France (French Guiana), Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan (shrimp baskets in Hokkaido), Republic of Korea (mosquito nets), Malaysia (Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Johor), the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Peru, Russia, Spain (Mediterranean red shrimp), Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. For nations, economies, and fisheries not listed above, only shrimp harvested from aquaculture is eligible to enter the United States. All shrimp imports into the United States must be accompanied by the DS–2031 Shrimp Exporter’s/ Importer’s Declaration. DATES: This certification is effective on 4/30/2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Fette, Section 609 Program Manager, Office of Marine Conservation, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520–2758; telephone: (202) 647–2335; email: DS2031@ state.gov. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: Section 609 of Public Law 101–162 (‘‘Sec. 609’’) prohibits imports of wild-caught shrimp or products from shrimp harvested with commercial fishing technology unless SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:58 Apr 29, 2021 Jkt 253001 the President certifies to the Congress by May 1, 1991, and annually thereafter, that either: (1) The harvesting nation has adopted a regulatory program governing the incidental taking of relevant species of sea turtles in the course of commercial shrimp harvesting that is comparable to that of the United States and that the average rate of that incidental taking by the vessels of the harvesting nation is comparable to the average rate of incidental taking of sea turtles by United States vessels in the course of such harvesting; or (2) the particular fishing environment of the harvesting nation does not pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles in the course of shrimp harvesting. The President has delegated the authority to make this certification to the Secretary of State (‘‘Secretary’’) who further delegated the authority within the Department of State (‘‘Department’’). The Revised Guidelines for the Implementation of Sec. 609 were published in the Federal Register on July 8, 1999, at 64 FR 36946. On April 26, 2021, the Department certified the following nations on the basis that their sea turtle protection programs are comparable to that of the United States: Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gabon, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, and Suriname. The Department suspended the certification of Mexico because its sea turtle protection program is no longer comparable to that of the United States. The Department also certified several shrimp-harvesting nations and one economy as having fishing environments that do not pose a danger to sea turtles. The following nations have shrimping grounds only in cold waters where the risk of taking sea turtles is negligible: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. Finland voluntarily withdrew its certification for lack of a shrimp fishery. The following nations and Hong Kong only harvest shrimp using small boats with crews of less than five that use manual rather than mechanical means to retrieve nets or catch shrimp using other methods that do not threaten sea turtles: The Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Jamaica, Oman, Peru, and Sri Lanka. Use of such small-scale technology does not adversely affect sea turtles. A completed DS–2031 Shrimp Exporter’s/Importer’s Declaration (‘‘DS– 2031’’) must accompany all imports of shrimp and products from shrimp into the United States. Importers of shrimp and products from shrimp harvested in PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 23027 the certified nations and one economy listed above must either provide the DS–2031 form to Customs and Border Protection at the port of entry or provide the information required by the DS– 2031 through the Automated Commercial Environment. DS–2031 forms accompanying all imports of shrimp and products from shrimp harvested in uncertified nations and economies must be originals with Box 7(A)(1), 7(A)(2), or 7(A)(4) checked, consistent with the form’s instructions with regard to the method of harvest of the shrimp and based on any relevant prior determinations by the Department, and signed by a responsible government official of the harvesting nation. The Department did not determine that shrimp or products from shrimp harvested in a manner as described in 7(A)(3) in any uncertified nation or economy is eligible to enter the United States. Shrimp and products of shrimp harvested with turtle excluder devices (‘‘TEDs’’) in an uncertified nation may, under specific circumstances, be eligible for importation into the United States under the DS–2031 Box 7(A)(2) provision for ‘‘shrimp harvested by commercial shrimp trawl vessels using TEDs comparable in effectiveness to those required in the United States.’’ Use of this provision requires that the Secretary or his or her delegate determine in advance that the government of the harvesting nation has put in place adequate procedures to monitor the use of TEDs in the specific fishery in question and to ensure the accurate completion of the DS–2031 forms. At this time, the Department has determined that only shrimp and products from shrimp harvested in the Northern Prawn Fishery, the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery, and the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery in Australia, in the French Guiana domestic trawl fishery, and in the fisheries of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Johor, Malaysia, are eligible for entry under this provision. The importation of TED-caught shrimp from any other uncertified nation will not be allowed. A responsible government official of Australia, France, or Malaysia must sign in Block 8 of the DS–2031 form accompanying these imports into the United States. In addition, the Department has determined that shrimp and products from shrimp harvested in the Spencer Gulf region in Australia, with shrimp baskets in Hokkaido, Japan, with ‘‘mosquito’’ nets in the Republic of Korea, and Mediterranean red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) and products from that shrimp harvested in the E:\FR\FM\30APN1.SGM 30APN1 23028 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 82 / Friday, April 30, 2021 / Notices Mediterranean Sea by Spain may be imported into the United States under the DS–2031 Box 7(A)(4) provision for ‘‘shrimp harvested in a manner or under circumstances determined by the Department of State not to pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles.’’ A responsible government official of Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, or Spain must sign in Block 8 of the DS– 2031 form accompanying these imports into the United States. The Department has communicated these certifications and determinations under Sec. 609 to the Trade Transformation Office at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. David F. Hogan, Acting Director, Office of Marine Conservation, Department of State. [FR Doc. 2021–09077 Filed 4–29–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710–09–P SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD [Docket No. FD 36494] jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES Ringneck & Western Railroad, L.L.C.— Acquisition and Operation Exemption—Railroad Line in Davison, Aurora, Brule, Lyman, Jones, Jackson, & Pennington Counties, S.D. Ringneck & Western Railroad, L.L.C. (RWRR), a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to (1) acquire from the State of South Dakota, acting by and through its Department of Transportation (the State) approximately 285.43 miles of rail line extending between milepost 374.57 in Mitchell, S.D., and milepost 660.0 in Rapid City, S.D. (the Line); (2) commence common carrier service over the portions of the Line extending between (a) milepost 374.57 in Mitchell, S.D., and milepost 562.53 in Kadoka, S.D., (the MK Segment) and (b) milepost 659.6 and milepost 660.0, both in Rapid City, S.D. (the Rapid City Segment); (3) acquire common carrier service reactivation rights over the currently rail-banked segments of the Line between milepost 562.53 in Kadoka, S.D., and milepost 659.6 in Rapid City, S.D.1; and (4) incidental to the acquisition of the Line, acquire by assignment overhead trackage rights over lines of BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) between (a) BNSF’s connection with the eastern end of the MK Segment of the Line at BNSF milepost 650.65 at 1 See Sammamish Transp. Co.—Notice of Interim Trail Use & Termination of Modified Cert., FD 33398 (Sub-No. 1) (STB served Feb. 26, 1998); Mitchell-Rapid City Reg’l R.R. Auth.—Modified Rail Cert.—Between Caputa & Rapid City, S.D, FD 35149 (STB served Apr. 28, 2009). VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:58 Apr 29, 2021 Jkt 253001 Mitchell, S.D., and certain yard tracks in BNSF’s Mitchell Yard at BNSF milepost 650.16; and (b) BNSF’s Mitchell Yard at milepost 650.16 and the Grain Shuttle Facility in Mitchell, S.D., located at milepost 652.9 (the Trackage Rights Lines). This transaction is related to a verified notice of exemption filed concurrently in Watco Holdings, Inc.— Continuance in Control Exemption— Ringneck & Western Railroad, L.L.C., Docket No. FD 36512, in which Watco Holdings, Inc., seeks to continue in control of RWRR upon RWRR’s becoming a Class III rail carrier. The verified notice states that RWRR and the State have reached an agreement pursuant to which RWRR will purchase the Line (including the right to restore common carrier service over the rail-banked segment), commence common carrier service over the MK Segment and the Rapid City Segment, and acquire by assignment overhead rights over the Trackage Rights Lines. RWRR certifies that its projected annual revenues as a result of this transaction are expected to exceed $5 million, but they are not expected to result in RWRR becoming a Class I or Class II rail carrier. Because the projected annual revenue will exceed $5 million, RWRR certified, on March 25, 2021, that it had complied with the labor notice requirements of 49 CFR 1150.32(e)) on March 24, 2021. RWRR also certifies that the proposed acquisition and operation of the Line does not involve a provision limiting RWRR’s future interchange of traffic on the Line with a third-party connecting carrier. The earliest this transaction may be consummated is May 24, 2021, the effective date of the exemption (60 days after RWRR certified its compliance with the labor notice requirements of 49 CFR 1150.32(e)). If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to revoke will not automatically stay the effectiveness of the exemption. Petitions for stay must be filed no later than May 16, 2021 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective). All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36494, should be filed with the Surface Transportation Board via efiling on the Board’s website. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on RWRR’s representative, Robert A. Wimbish, Fletcher & Sippel PO 00000 Frm 00098 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 LLC, 29 North Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. According to RWRR, this action is categorically excluded from environmental review under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from historic preservation reporting requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b). Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov. Decided: April 27, 2021. By the Board, Allison C. Davis, Director, Office of Proceedings. Eden Besera, Clearance Clerk. [FR Doc. 2021–09061 Filed 4–29–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4915–01–P SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD [Docket No. FD 36512] Watco Holdings, Inc.—Continuance in Control Exemption—Ringneck & Western Railroad, L.L.C. Watco Holdings, Inc. (Watco), a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(2) to continue in control of Ringneck & Western Railroad, L.L.C. (RWRR), a noncarrier controlled by Watco, upon RWRR’s becoming a Class III rail carrier. This transaction is related to a verified notice of exemption filed concurrently in Ringneck & Western Railroad—Acquisition & Operation Exemption—Railroad Line in Davison, Aurora, Brule, Lyman, Jones, Jackson, & Pennington Counties, S.D., Docket No. FD 36494, in which RWRR seeks, among other things, to acquire from the State of South Dakota approximately 285.43 miles of railroad line and acquire by assignment incidental overhead trackage rights over certain lines of BNSF Railway Company in South Dakota. The transaction may be consummated on or after May 16, 2021, the effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice was filed). According to the verified notice of exemption, Watco currently controls indirectly 39 Class III railroads and one Class II railroad, collectively operating in 27 states. For a complete list of these rail carriers and the states in which they operate, see the Appendix to Watco’s April 16, 2021 verified notice of exemption. The verified notice is available at www.stb.gov. Watco represents that: (1) The rail line to be operated by RWRR does not connect with the rail lines of any of the rail carriers controlled by Watco; (2) this transaction is not part of a series of anticipated transactions that would connect RWRR with any railroad in the E:\FR\FM\30APN1.SGM 30APN1

Agencies

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 82 (Friday, April 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23027-23028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09077]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 11419]


Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs; Annual Certification of Shrimp-Harvesting Nations

ACTION: Notice of annual certification.

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

SUMMARY: On April 26, 2021, the Department of State declared that wild-
caught shrimp harvested in the following nations, particular fisheries 
of certain nations, and Hong Kong are eligible to enter the United 
States: Argentina, Australia (Northern Prawn Fishery, the Queensland 
East Coast Trawl Fishery, the Spencer Gulf, and the Torres Strait Prawn 
Fishery), The Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa 
Rica, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, 
France (French Guiana), Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, 
Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan (shrimp baskets in Hokkaido), Republic 
of Korea (mosquito nets), Malaysia (Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and 
Johor), the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, 
Panama, Peru, Russia, Spain (Mediterranean red shrimp), Sri Lanka, 
Suriname, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. For nations, 
economies, and fisheries not listed above, only shrimp harvested from 
aquaculture is eligible to enter the United States. All shrimp imports 
into the United States must be accompanied by the DS-2031 Shrimp 
Exporter's/Importer's Declaration.

DATES: This certification is effective on 4/30/2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Fette, Section 609 Program 
Manager, Office of Marine Conservation, Bureau of Oceans and 
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of 
State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520-2758; telephone: (202) 
647-2335; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 (``Sec. 
609'') prohibits imports of wild-caught shrimp or products from shrimp 
harvested with commercial fishing technology unless the President 
certifies to the Congress by May 1, 1991, and annually thereafter, that 
either: (1) The harvesting nation has adopted a regulatory program 
governing the incidental taking of relevant species of sea turtles in 
the course of commercial shrimp harvesting that is comparable to that 
of the United States and that the average rate of that incidental 
taking by the vessels of the harvesting nation is comparable to the 
average rate of incidental taking of sea turtles by United States 
vessels in the course of such harvesting; or (2) the particular fishing 
environment of the harvesting nation does not pose a threat of the 
incidental taking of sea turtles in the course of shrimp harvesting. 
The President has delegated the authority to make this certification to 
the Secretary of State (``Secretary'') who further delegated the 
authority within the Department of State (``Department''). The Revised 
Guidelines for the Implementation of Sec. 609 were published in the 
Federal Register on July 8, 1999, at 64 FR 36946.
    On April 26, 2021, the Department certified the following nations 
on the basis that their sea turtle protection programs are comparable 
to that of the United States: Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gabon, 
Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, and Suriname. 
The Department suspended the certification of Mexico because its sea 
turtle protection program is no longer comparable to that of the United 
States. The Department also certified several shrimp-harvesting nations 
and one economy as having fishing environments that do not pose a 
danger to sea turtles. The following nations have shrimping grounds 
only in cold waters where the risk of taking sea turtles is negligible: 
Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, 
the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United 
Kingdom, and Uruguay. Finland voluntarily withdrew its certification 
for lack of a shrimp fishery. The following nations and Hong Kong only 
harvest shrimp using small boats with crews of less than five that use 
manual rather than mechanical means to retrieve nets or catch shrimp 
using other methods that do not threaten sea turtles: The Bahamas, 
Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Jamaica, Oman, Peru, 
and Sri Lanka. Use of such small-scale technology does not adversely 
affect sea turtles.
    A completed DS-2031 Shrimp Exporter's/Importer's Declaration (``DS-
2031'') must accompany all imports of shrimp and products from shrimp 
into the United States. Importers of shrimp and products from shrimp 
harvested in the certified nations and one economy listed above must 
either provide the DS-2031 form to Customs and Border Protection at the 
port of entry or provide the information required by the DS-2031 
through the Automated Commercial Environment. DS-2031 forms 
accompanying all imports of shrimp and products from shrimp harvested 
in uncertified nations and economies must be originals with Box 
7(A)(1), 7(A)(2), or 7(A)(4) checked, consistent with the form's 
instructions with regard to the method of harvest of the shrimp and 
based on any relevant prior determinations by the Department, and 
signed by a responsible government official of the harvesting nation. 
The Department did not determine that shrimp or products from shrimp 
harvested in a manner as described in 7(A)(3) in any uncertified nation 
or economy is eligible to enter the United States.
    Shrimp and products of shrimp harvested with turtle excluder 
devices (``TEDs'') in an uncertified nation may, under specific 
circumstances, be eligible for importation into the United States under 
the DS-2031 Box 7(A)(2) provision for ``shrimp harvested by commercial 
shrimp trawl vessels using TEDs comparable in effectiveness to those 
required in the United States.'' Use of this provision requires that 
the Secretary or his or her delegate determine in advance that the 
government of the harvesting nation has put in place adequate 
procedures to monitor the use of TEDs in the specific fishery in 
question and to ensure the accurate completion of the DS-2031 forms. At 
this time, the Department has determined that only shrimp and products 
from shrimp harvested in the Northern Prawn Fishery, the Queensland 
East Coast Trawl Fishery, and the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery in 
Australia, in the French Guiana domestic trawl fishery, and in the 
fisheries of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Johor, Malaysia, are 
eligible for entry under this provision. The importation of TED-caught 
shrimp from any other uncertified nation will not be allowed. A 
responsible government official of Australia, France, or Malaysia must 
sign in Block 8 of the DS-2031 form accompanying these imports into the 
United States.
    In addition, the Department has determined that shrimp and products 
from shrimp harvested in the Spencer Gulf region in Australia, with 
shrimp baskets in Hokkaido, Japan, with ``mosquito'' nets in the 
Republic of Korea, and Mediterranean red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) 
and products from that shrimp harvested in the

[[Page 23028]]

Mediterranean Sea by Spain may be imported into the United States under 
the DS-2031 Box 7(A)(4) provision for ``shrimp harvested in a manner or 
under circumstances determined by the Department of State not to pose a 
threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles.'' A responsible 
government official of Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, or 
Spain must sign in Block 8 of the DS-2031 form accompanying these 
imports into the United States. The Department has communicated these 
certifications and determinations under Sec. 609 to the Trade 
Transformation Office at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

David F. Hogan,
Acting Director, Office of Marine Conservation, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2021-09077 Filed 4-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P

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