§ 300.106 - Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS): Documentation and other requirements.  


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  • § 300.106 Exploratory fisheriesCatch Documentation Scheme (CDS): Documentation and other requirements.

    (a) An exploratory fishery, for purposes of this section, is a fishery that was previously defined as a new fishery under § 300.105.

    (b) A fishery will continue to be classified as an exploratory fishery until sufficient information is available to:

    (1) Evaluate the distribution, abundance, and demography of the target species, leading to an estimate of the fishery's potential yield.

    (2) Review the fishery's potential impacts on dependent and related species.

    (3) Allow the CCAMLR Scientific Committee to formulate and provide advice to the Commission on appropriate harvest catch levels and fishing gear.

    (c) The operator of any vessel engaging in an exploratory fishery must submit, by the date specified in the operator's harvesting permit, catch, effort, and related biological, ecological, and environmental data as required by a data collection plan for the fishery formulated by the CCAMLR Scientific Committee.

    (d) In addition to the requirements in § 300.112, any individual planning to enter an exploratory fishery must notify the Assistant Administrator no later than 4 months in advance of the annual meeting of CCAMLR. The Assistant Administrator will not issue a permit to enter an exploratory fishery until after the requirements of § 300.112 have been met and the meeting of CCAMLR, which receives and considers the notice made to the Assistant Administrator, has been concluded.

    [61 FR 35550, July 5, 1996, as amended at 72 FR 48509, Aug. 23, 2007]

    General.

    (1) CCAMLR CDS document(s) must accompany all shipments of Dissostichus species as required in this section.

    (2) No shipment of Dissostichus species shall be released for entry into the United States unless accompanied by an accurate, complete, valid and validated CCAMLR CDS document.

    (3) Dissostichus species shall not be released for entry into the United States unless all of the applicable requirements of the CCAMLR Conservation Measures and U.S. regulations have been met.

    (b) Harvesting vessels.

    (1) A U.S. vessel harvesting or attempting to harvest Dissostichus species, whether within or outside of the Convention Area, must possess a valid vessel permit issued under § 300.107, a valid High Seas Fishing Permit issued under 50 CFR part 300, subpart R, as well as DCD issued by NMFS, which is non-transferable. The master of the harvesting vessel must ensure that catch and other information specified on the DCD are accurately recorded.

    (2) Prior to offloading Dissostichus species, the master of the harvesting vessel must:

    (i) Electronically convey, by the most rapid means possible, catch and other information to NMFS and record on the DCD a confirmation number received from NMFS;

    (ii) Obtain on the DCD (or copies thereof) the signature(s) of the following persons: If catch is offloaded for transshipment, the master of the vessel(s) to which the catch is transferred; or if catch is offloaded for landing, the signature of both the responsible official(s) designated by NMFS in the vessel permit and the recipient of the catch at the port(s) of landing; and

    (iii) Sign the DCD (or copies thereof), electronically convey by the most rapid means possible each copy to NMFS and provide a copy to each recipient of the catch.

    (3) The master of the harvesting vessel must submit the original DCD (and all copies thereof with original signatures) to NMFS no later than 30 days after the end of the fishing season for which the vessel permit was issued and retain copies of the DCD for a period of 2 years.

    (c) Transshipment vessels.

    (1) A U.S. vessel transshipping or attempting to transship Dissostichus species, whether within or outside of the Convention Area, must possess a valid vessel permit issued under § 300.107 and a valid High Seas Fishing Permit issued under subpart R of this part. The master of a U.S. vessel receiving Dissostichus species by transshipment must, upon receipt of Dissostichus species, sign each DCD provided by the master of the vessel that offloads Dissostichus species.

    (2) Prior to landing Dissostichus species, the master of the transshipping vessel must:

    (i) Obtain on each DCD (or copies thereof) the signature(s) of both the responsible official(s) designated by NMFS in the vessel permit and the recipient of the catch at the port(s) of landing; and

    (ii) Sign each DCD (or copies thereof), and electronically convey by the most rapid means possible each copy to NMFS and to the flag state(s) of the offloading vessel(s) and provide a copy to each recipient of Dissostichus species.

    (3) The master of the transshipping vessel must submit all DCDs with original signatures to NMFS no later than 30 days after offloading and retain copies for a period of 2 years.

    (d) First receivers. Any person who receives Dissostichus species landed by a vessel at a U.S. port must hold an AMLR first receiver permit issued under § 300.104 and must sign the DCD(s) provided by the master of the vessel and retain copies at their place of business for a period of 2 years. A person issued, or required to have been issued, a first receiver permit under this subpart may only receive fish from a U.S. vessel that has a valid vessel permit issued under § 300.107 as well as a valid High Seas Fishing Permit issued under 50 CFR part 300, subpart R.

    (e) Import.

    (1) A person who imports fresh Dissostichus species must hold an IFTP issued under § 300.322. To import frozen Dissostichus species into the United States, a person must:

    (i) Obtain a preapproval certificate issued under § 300.105 for each shipment. Among the information required on the application, applicants must provide the document number and export reference number on the DED or DRED corresponding to the intended import shipment and, if requested by NMFS, additional information for NMFS to verify that the harvesting vessel reported to the C–VMS continuously and in real-time, from port-to-port, regardless of where the fish were harvested;

    (ii) Ensure that the quantity of toothfish listed on the DED (or the Dissostichus re-export document if product is a re-export) matches the quantity listed on the preapproval application within a variance of 10 percent; and

    (iii) Provide copies of the DED or DRED as needed to persons who re-export Dissostichus species.

    (2) Imports of fresh Dissostichus species do not require a preapproval certificate. If the amount or value of the fresh Dissostichus species to be imported is below thresholds that trigger the requirement to file entry documentation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection via the Automated Commercial Environment (see definition in § 300.321), the importer must complete a report of each shipment and submit the report to NMFS within 24 hours following importation. Verification of the harvesting vessel's reporting to C–VMS from port-to-port is not required for imports of fresh Dissostichus species.

    (f) Re-export.

    (1) To re-export Dissostichus species, a person must hold an IFTP issued under § 300.322 and:

    (i) Submit to NMFS a complete and accurate application for a NMFS Dissostichus re-export document, and

    (ii) Obtain validation by a responsible official(s) designated by NMFS and receive an electronically-generated DRED.

    (2) When applying for a re-export approval, a person must reference or include the approval number issued by NOAA, for the original validated Dissostichus import document.

    (g) Export.

    (1) To export U.S.-harvested Dissostichus species, the person must possess an IFTP issued under § 300.322 and:

    (i) Submit to NMFS a complete and accurate NMFS application for a DED; and

    (ii) Obtain validation by a responsible official(s) designated by NMFS and receive an electronically-generated DED.

    (2) Any person who exports Dissostichus species must include the original validated DED with the export shipment.

    (h) Recordkeeping. Any person who imports, exports or re-exports Dissostichus spp. must:

    (1) Retain a copy of all CDS documents at the person's place of business for a period of 2 years from the date on the documents and provide copies as needed to NMFS; and

    (2) Make the IFTP and all CDS documents and other records and reports required by this subpart available for inspection upon request of an authorized officer.