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DOC/NOAA RIN: 0648-AY91 Publication ID: Spring 2011 
Title: Implementation of Procedures To Request Licenses and a System to Allocate Licenses Under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty 
Abstract: Under authority of the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (SPTA; 16 U.S.C. 973-973r), this rule modifies the procedures used to request licenses for U.S. vessels in the western and central Pacific Ocean purse seine fishery, which is managed under the Treaty on Fisheries between the Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (Treaty). The rule also establishes a system for allocating licenses in the event more applications are received than there are licenses available. The rule also modifies the SPTA implementing regulations to require that the vessel monitoring system units carried on vessels licensed under the Treaty be type-approved by NMFS. The Treaty provides for the issuance of 45 licenses, five of which are reserved for joint venture arrangements with one or more of the 16 Pacific Island Parties to the Treaty. During the 22 years that the Treaty has been in effect, no joint venture licenses have been issued. Licenses are issued by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), which acts as the Treaty administrator on behalf of the Pacific Island Parties to the Treaty. License applications are first submitted to the NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office and approved by the NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Administrator for forwarding to the FFA. The allocation system and modifications to the license application procedures pertain only to the application process up to the point of approval by the NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Administrator. 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Completed Actions 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 50 CFR 300   
Legal Authority: 16 USC 973   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  06/28/2010  75 FR 36619   
NPRM Comment Period End   08/12/2010    
Final Rule  12/01/2010  75 FR 74640   
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: Businesses  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Related RINs: Related to 0648-AW41 
Agency Contact:
Dr. Charles Karnella
Pacific Islands Area Office
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Suite 1110, 1601 Kapiolani Boulevard,
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700
Phone:808 973-2985
Fax:808 973-2941
Email: charles.karnella@noaa.gov