For more information on the conservation and enforcement measures of the NAFO and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permit required for NAFO participation, please contact Shannah Jaburek, NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930 (Phone: 978-282-8456, Fax: 978-281-9135, e-mail: Shannah.Jaburek@noaa.gov) and online at NAFO under www.nafo.int. The organization has a legal personality and enjoys, in its relations with other international organizations and on the territory of the parties, the legal strength necessary to carry out its functions and achieve its objectives. The immunities and privileges enjoyed by the organization and its officials on the territory of a contracting party are subject to the agreement between the Organization and the contracting party concerned. The United States may, by mutual agreement with another part of NAFO, transfer fishing opportunities to the Executive Secretary of NAFO. An applicant may request that one of the Printed Page 45202 start-up opportunities described above in the United States be transferred to another part of NAFO, although these applications are likely to be less of a priority than those involving more direct harvesting or processing by U.S. companies. Requests to transfer fishing opportunities to the United States should include a letter of agreement from the receiving contracting party of NAFO and a detailed description of the expected benefits in the United States. Like charter operations, the United States may consider prior compliance with NAFO`s bycate, reports and other provisions, as indicated in naFO`s MF, before declaring its readiness to enter into a transfer agreement. More information on the needs of the United States and NAFO is available from the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office and can be found in the NAFO CEM on the Internet (www.nafo.int/ Fisheries/Conservation). Under the bilateral agreement with Canada, the United States may enter into a charter agreement (or other) with a Canadian vessel to collect the transferred yellow tides. For other NAFO-regulated species listed in Schedules I.A.

and I.B, the United States may enter into a charter agreement with a vessel of any other contracting party to NAFO. In addition, any U.S. fishing vessel or operation may enter into a charter agreement with any other vessel or business of a contracting party of NAFO. The United States and the other party participating in a charter agreement must approve the Charter and the Executive Secretary of NAFO must be informed of the charter agreement before the start of the charter fishery. Every U.S. vessel or fishing company interested in using NAFO`s charter rules must contain at least the following information: name and registration number of the U.S. vessel; A copy of the charter contract A detailed fishing plan A written letter of agreement from the nafo party concerned; The date from which the vessel is allowed to begin fishing; and the duration of the charter (no more than six months). For more information on NAFO, visit www.nafo.int/ About-us.

NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures (ECM), which set fishing rules, allowable catch totals (TACs, quotas) and other information on the fishing program, are available online at: www.nafo.int/ fishing/conservation.