[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 9]
[Revised as of January 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR665.21]

[Page 234-236]
 
                    TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
 
                   DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (CONTINUED)
 
PART 665_FISHERIES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart C_Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries
 
Sec.  665.21  Permits.

    Source: 61 FR 34572, July 2, 1996, unless otherwise noted. 
Redesignated at 71 FR 17989, Apr. 10, 2006.


    (a) A vessel of the United States must be registered for use with a 
valid permit under the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act if that vessel 
is used to fish on the high seas, as required under Sec.  300.15 of this 
title.

[[Page 235]]

    (b) A vessel of the United States must be registered for use under a 
valid Hawaii longline limited access permit if that vessel is used:
    (1) To fish for Pacific pelagic management unit species using 
longline gear in the EEZ around the Hawaiian Archipelago; or
    (2) To land or transship, shoreward of the outer boundary of the EEZ 
around the Hawaiian Archipelago, Pacific pelagic management unit species 
that were harvested using longline gear.
    (c) A vessel of the United States must be registered for use under a 
valid American Samoa longline limited access permit, in accordance with 
Sec.  665.36, if that vessel is used:
    (1) To fish for Pacific pelagic management unit species using 
longline gear in the EEZ around American Samoa; or
    (2) To land shoreward of the outer boundary of the EEZ around 
American Samoa Pacific pelagic management unit species that were 
harvested using longline gear in the EEZ around American Samoa; or
    (3) To transship shoreward of the outer boundary of the EEZ around 
American Samoa Pacific pelagic management unit species that were 
harvested using longline gear in the EEZ around American Samoa or on the 
high seas.
    (d) A vessel of the United States must be registered for use under a 
valid Western Pacific general longline permit, American Samoa longline 
limited access permit, or Hawaii longline limited access permit if that 
vessel is used:
    (1) To fish for Pacific pelagic management unit species using 
longline gear in the EEZ around Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or 
the Pacific remote island areas (with the exception of Midway Atoll); or
    (2) To land or transship shoreward of the outer boundary of the EEZ 
around Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Pacific remote island 
areas (with the exception of Midway Atoll), Pacific pelagic management 
unit species that were harvested using longline gear.
    (e) A receiving vessel of the United States must be registered for 
use with a valid receiving vessel permit if that vessel is used to land 
or transship, within the Western Pacific Fishery Management Area, 
Pacific pelagic management unit species that were harvested using 
longline gear.
    (f) A vessel of the United States must be registered for use with a 
valid PRIA pelagic troll and handline fishing permit if that vessel is 
used to fish for Pacific pelagic management unit species using pelagic 
handline or trolling fishing methods in the EEZ around the PRIA.
    (g) Any required permit must be valid and on board the vessel and 
available for inspection by an authorized agent, except that, if the 
permit was issued (or registered to the vessel) during the fishing trip 
in question, this requirement applies only after the start of any 
subsequent fishing trip.
    (h) A permit is valid only for the vessel for which it is 
registered. A permit not registered for use with a particular vessel may 
not be used.
    (i) An application for a permit required under this section will be 
submitted to PIRO as described in Sec.  665.13.
    (j) General requirements governing application information, 
issuance, fees, expiration, replacement, transfer, alteration, display, 
and sanctions for permits issued under this section, as applicable, are 
contained in Sec.  665.13.
    (k) A Hawaii longline limited access permit may be transferred as 
follows:
    (1) The owner of a Hawaii longline limited access permit may apply 
to transfer the permit:
    (i) To a different person for registration for use with the same or 
another vessel; or
    (ii) For registration for use with another U.S. vessel under the 
same ownership.
    (2) [Reserved]
    (l) A Hawaii longline limited access permit will not be registered 
for use with a vessel that has a LOA greater than 101 ft (30.8 m).
    (m) Only a person eligible to own a documented vessel under the 
terms of 46 U.S.C. 12102(a) may be issued or may hold (by ownership or 
otherwise) a Hawaii longline limited access permit.
    (n) Permit appeals. Except as provided in subpart D of 15 CFR part 
904, any applicant for a permit or any permit

[[Page 236]]

owner may appeal to the Regional Administrator the granting, denial, 
conditioning, suspension, or transfer of a permit or requested permit 
under this section. To be considered by the Regional Administrator, the 
appeal must be in writing, must state the action(s) appealed, and the 
reasons therefor, and must be submitted within 30 days of the action(s) 
by the Regional Administrator. The appellant may request an informal 
hearing on the appeal.
    (1) Upon receipt of an appeal authorized by this section, the 
Regional Administrator may request additional information. Upon receipt 
of sufficient information, the Regional Administrator will decide the 
appeal in accordance with the criteria set out in this part for 
qualifying for, or renewing, limited access permits. In making such 
decision, the Administrator will review relevant portions of the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region, 
to the extent such review would clarify the criteria in this part. Such 
decision will be based upon information relative to the application on 
file at NMFS and the Council and any additional information available; 
the summary record kept of any hearing and the hearing officer's 
recommended decision, if any, as provided in paragraph (n)(3) of this 
section; and such other considerations as deemed appropriate. The 
Regional Administrator will notify the appellant of the decision and the 
reasons therefor, in writing, normally within 30 days of the receipt of 
sufficient information, unless additional time is needed for a hearing.
    (2) If a hearing is requested, or if the Regional Administrator 
determines that one is appropriate, the Regional Administrator may grant 
an informal hearing before a hearing officer designated for that 
purpose. Such a hearing normally shall be held no later than 30 days 
following receipt of the appeal, unless the hearing officer extends the 
time. The appellant and, at the discretion of the hearing officer, other 
interested persons, may appear personally or be represented by counsel 
at the hearing and submit information and present arguments as 
determined appropriate by the hearing officer. Within 30 days of the 
last day of the hearing, the hearing officer shall recommend, in 
writing, a decision to the Regional Administrator.
    (3) The Regional Administrator may adopt the hearing officer's 
recommended decision, in whole or in part, or may reject or modify it. 
In any event, the Regional Administrator will notify the appellant, and 
interested persons, if any, of the decision, and the reason(s) therefor, 
in writing, within 30 days of receipt of the hearing officer's 
recommended decision. The Regional Administrator's action shall 
constitute final Agency action for purposes of the Administrative 
Procedure Act.
    (4) In the case of a timely appeal from an American Samoa longline 
limited access permit initial permit decision, the Regional 
Administrator will issue the appellant a temporary American Samoa 
longline limited access permit. A temporary permit will expire 20 days 
after the Regional Administrator's final decision on the appeal. In no 
event will a temporary permit be effective for longer than 60 days.
    (5) With the exception of temporary permits issued under paragraph 
(n)(4) of this section, any time limit prescribed in this section may be 
extended for a period not to exceed 30 days by the Regional 
Administrator for good cause, either upon his/her own motion or upon 
written request from the appellant stating the reason(s) therefor.

[70 FR 29651, May 24, 2005]