§ 973g — Licenses

(a) Licenses to fish in the Licensing Area, to be issued by the Administrator in accordance with the Treaty, may be requested from the Secretary by operators of vessels, under procedures established by the Secretary. The license application shall designate an agent for the service of legal process to be located in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The applicant shall ensure that the designated agent for service of process, acting on behalf of the license holder, will receive and respond to any legal process issued in accordance with the Treaty and will, within 21 days after notification, travel if necessary for this purpose to any Pacific Island Party at no expense to that Party. (b) Except as provided in subsections (e), (f), and (g) of this section, the Secretary shall forward a vessel license application to the Secretary of State for transmittal to the Administrator whenever such application is in accordance with application procedures established by the Secretary, includes a complete application form as required by Annex II of the Treaty, and is accompanied by the required license fee. (1) In the initial year of implementation, fees for the first 40 vessel licenses shall be at least $50,000 each, for any 10 vessel licenses in addition to the first 40 shall be $60,000 each, and for vessel licenses in addition to the first 50 shall be in accordance with Annex II of the Treaty. (2) After such initial year, fees for vessel licenses shall be paid in accordance with fee schedules established under Annex II of the Treaty and published by the Secretary. (d) Licenses shall be valid for the licensing period specified by the Administrator. (e) The Secretary may establish a system of allocating licenses in the event more applications are received than there are licenses available. (f) For the initial year of implementation, license fees totaling at least $1,750,000 must be received by the Secretary before any license applications will be forwarded to the Secretary of State for transmittal to the Administrator. (g) The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may determine that a license application should not be forwarded to the Administrator for one of the following reasons: (1) where the application is not in accordance with the Treaty or the procedures established by the Secretary; (2) where the owner or charterer is the subject of proceedings under the bankruptcy laws of the United States, unless reasonable financial assurances have been provided to the Secretary; (3) where the owner or charterer has not established to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the fishing vessel is fully insured against all risks and liabilities normally provided in maritime liability insurance; (4) where the owner or charterer has not paid any penalty which has become final, assessed by the Secretary in accordance with this chapter. (h) Notwithstanding the requirements of— (1) (2) the general permit issued on December 1, 1980, to the American Tunaboat Association under section 1374(h)(1) of this title; and (3)