SYSTEM NAME:

Fisheries Law Enforcement Case Files.

SYSTEM LOCATIONS:

Enforcement Office, NMFS, 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20235; and the Office of General Counsel, Southeast Regional Counsel, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 9450 Koger Blvd., Suite 102, St. Petersburg, Fl. 33702.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:

Violators and alleged violators of the criminal and/or civil provisions of certain laws (listed in the Authority Section of this notice) and the regulations issued thereunder, within the responsibility of the Secretary of Commerce.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

1. Information compiled for the purpose of identifying individual criminal and/or civil offenders and alleged offenders and consisting of identifying data and notations of arrests, the nature and disposition of criminal or civil charges, sentencing, confinement, release, parole and probation status, and fines and penalties assessed;

2. Information compiled for the purpose of a criminal or civil investigation, including reports of informants and investigators, and associated with an identifiable individual;

3. Reports identifiable to an individual compiled at any stage of the process of enforcement of the criminal and civil laws from arrest or indictment through release from supervision, and the imposition of civil sanctions through administrative and/or judicial process; and

4. Investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes other than the material covered above.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:

Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970; 5 U.S.C. 301; 28 U.S.C. 533-535; 44 U.S.C. 3101; E.0.10450; certain sections of Titles 15, 16, 18, and 22 of the United States Code; and relevant treaty, international convention, and/or agreements of which there are approximately 20 (Example: International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (TIAS 1849) cf. 16 U.S.C. 916).

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:

1. Information is given to the Marine Mammal Commission for its use in making recommendations on the issuance of permits and the award of grants under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.

2. Disclosure may also be made to commercial contractors (debt collection agencies) for the purpose of collecting delinquent penalties as authorized by the Debt Collection Act (31 U.S.C. 3718.

A record may be dislosed pursuant to the following general routine uses of the Department of Commerce's Prefatory Statement:

1. In the event that a system or records maintained by the Department to carry out its functions indicates a violation or potential violation of law or contract, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general statute or particular program statute or contract, or rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant thereto, or the necessity to protect an interest of the Department, the relevant records in the system of records may be referred, as a routine use, to the appropriate agency, whether Federal, state, local or foreign, charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute or contract, or rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto, or protecting the interest of the Department.

2. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Federal, state or local agency maintaining civil, criminal or other relevant enforcement information or other pertinent information, such as current licenses, if necessary to obtain information relevant to a Department decision concerning the assignment, hiring or retention of an individual, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant or other benefit.

3. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Federal, state, local, or international agency, in response to its request, in connection with the assignment, hiring or retention of an individual, the issuance of a security clearance, the reporting of an investigation of an individual, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant, or other benefit by the requesting agency, to the extent that the information is relevant and necessary to the requesting agency's decision on the matter.

4. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, in the course of presenting evidence to a court, magistrate or administrative tribunal, including disclosures to opposing counsel in the course of settlement negotiations.

5. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Member of Congress submitting a request involving an individual when the individual has requested assistance from the Member with respect to the subject matter of the record.

8. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the Office of Management and Budget in connection with the review of private relief legislation as set forth in OMB Circular No. A-19 at any stage of the legislative coordination and clearance process as set forth in that Circular.

9. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the Department of Justice in connection with determining whether disclosure thereof is required by the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

10. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a contractor of the Department having need for the information in the performance of the contract, but not operating a system of records within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 552a(m).

13. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the Administrator, General Services Administration (GSA), or his designee, during an inspection of records conducted by GSA as part of that agency's responsibility to recommend improvements in records management practices and programs, under authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906. Such disclosure shall be made in accordance with the GSA regulations governing inspection of records for this purpose, and any other relevant (i.e. GSA or Commerce) directive. Such disclosure shall not be used to make determinations about individuals.

A record in this system of records may be disclosed to appropriate agencies, entities and persons when: (1) it is suspected or determined that the security or confidentiality of information in the system of records has been compromised; (2) the Department has determined that as a result of the suspected or confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm to economic or property interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security or integrity of this system or whether systems or programs (whether maintained by the Department or another agency or entity) that rely upon the compromised information; and (3) the disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to assist in connection with the Department's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and to prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm. 72 FR 45009

DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:

Pursuant to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(12), disclosures may be made to "consumer reporting agencies" as defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a(f), or the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 (3 U.S.C. 3701(a)(31)).

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

STORAGE:

Both manual and machine-readable, and computer output records in file folders.

RETRIEVABILITY:

Filed alphabetically by individual's name or by an identifying case number upon initiation of the case.

SAFEGUARDS:

Employees are informed of the Departmental rules of conduct regarding unauthorized disclosure of information contained in official records. All Special Agents receive a security clearance, granted by the Department of Commerce, after an investigation. The files of the Law Enforcement Division that relate to information concerning an identifiable individual are maintained in locked, metal file cabinets. The files of the Southeast Regional Counsel are maintained in metal locked file cabinets. Automated records are maintained on premises with access limited to those whose official duties require access.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:

All records of this Division are subject to the retention and disposal procedures set forth in NOAA Directives Manual 62-10, et seq.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:

Chief, Enforcement Office, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20235.

Southeast Regional Counsel, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 9450 Koger Blvd., Suite 102, St. Petersburg, FL 33702.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:

Information may be obtained from: Acting Director, Office of Administration, NOAA, Room H6863, Washington, DC 20230.

Requester should provide name, address, and case number pursuant to the inquiry provisions of the Department's rules which appear in 15 CFR part 4b.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:

Requests from individuals should be addressed to: Same address as stated in the notification section above.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:

The Department's rules for access, for contesting contents, and appealing initial determinations by the individual concerned appear in 15 CFR part 4b. Use above address.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:

Subject individual and those authorized by the individual to furnish information; NMFS investigators; Federal and state law enforcement personnel; foreign governments; special interest organizations, members of the general public, and all information sources that are open to the public at large.

SYSTEM EXEMPTIONS FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ACT:

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), all information about an individual in the record which meets the criteria stated in the Act: 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2) are exempted from the notice, access and contest requirements of the agency regulations and from all parts of 5 U.S.C. 552a except subsections (b), (c) (1) and (2), (e)(4)(A) through (F), (e) (6), (7), (9), (10), and (11), and (i), and pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), on condition that if the 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2) exemption is held to be invalid, all investigatory material in the record which meet the criteria stated in 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2) are exempted from the notice access, and contest requirements (under 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4) (G), (H), and (I), and (f)) of the agency regulations because of the necessity to exempt this information and material in order to accomplish this law enforcement function of the agency, to prevent subjects of investigation from frustrating the investigatory process, to prevent the disclosure of investigative techniques, to fulfill commitments made to protect the confidentiality of sources, to maintain access to sources of information, and to avoid endangering these sources and law enforcement personnel. In addition, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1), all materials qualifying for this exemption are exempt from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4) (G), (H), (I), and (f) in order to prevent disclosure of classified information as required by Executive Order 12065 in the interest of the national defense and foreign policy.

FEDERAL REGISTER HISTORY: