0648-0040 Justification for Change

HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES DEALER REPORTING
FAMILY OF FORMS
OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0040
Justification of Change
Minor adjustments associated with the
United States implementation of

Recommendation 08-12 of the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted a
bluefin tuna catch document (BCD) program through a recommendation adopted at its
November 2007 annual meeting (Recommendation 07-10). This program requires that
every import or export of bluefin tuna into or from a participating nation be accompanied
by a BCD. The catch document is used to record information about the fish and its
origination, including area of catch, fishing vessel of capture, gear type, and length of the
fish. This documentation helps ensure that all bluefin tuna entering the international
trade market are from fisheries following ICCAT prescribed management measures, and
thus helps deter illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing.
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implemented the BCD program in July 2008
(73 FR 31380, June 2, 2008). ICCAT subsequently approved revisions to the BCD form
and re-export certificate in Recommendation 08-12 at its November 2008 annual
meeting. As a result of this recommendation, the United States forms must now include a
new data field identifying the destination country of the exported bluefin tuna. Under the
Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, NMFS is required to implement ICCAT
recommendations as necessary and appropriate.
NMFS seeks approval to add this field to the previously approved BCD form and reexport certificate, and adjust the instructions to indicate that this data field should be
filled out by the exporter. For imports to the United States, this data field would be
completed by the exporter of the exporting nation. The burden hours and costs for this
instrument previously approved under 0648-0040 would not change as a result of this
adjustment. The adjusted forms and instructions are attached.