(a) If you are an owner or mortgagee of a fishing vessel less than 100 feet in length and believe that there is a conflict between 46 CFR part 67 and any international treaty or agreement to which the United States is a party on October 1, 2001, and to which the United States is currently a party, you may petition the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) for a ruling that all or sections of part 67 do not apply to you with respect to a particular vessel, provided that you had an ownership interest in the vessel or a mortgage on the vessel on October 1, 2001. You may file your petition with the NVDC before October 1, 2001, with respect to international treaties or agreements in effect at the time of your petition which are not scheduled to expire before October 1, 2001.

(b) If you are filing a petition for exemption with the NVDC for reasons stated in paragraph (a) of this section, your petition must include:

(1) Evidence of the ownership structure of the vessel petitioning for an exemption as of October 1, 2001, and any subsequent changes to the ownership structure of the vessel;

(i) If you are filing your petition before October 1, 2001, you may substitute evidence of the ownership structure as it exists on the date you file your petition;

(2) A copy of the provisions of the international agreement or treaty that you believe is in conflict with this part;

(3) A detailed description of how the provisions of the international agreement or treaty conflict with this part;

(4) For all petitions filed before October 1, 2001, a certification that the owner intends to transfer no ownership interest in the vessel to a non-U.S. citizen for the following year.

(5) For all petitions filed after October 1, 2001, a certification that no ownership interest was transferred to a non-U.S. citizen after September 30, 2001.

(c) You must file a separate petition for each vessel requiring an exemption unless the NVDC authorizes consolidated filing. Petitions should include two copies of all required materials and should be sent to the following address: National Vessel Documentation Center, 792 TJ Jackson Drive, Falling Water, West Virginia, 25419.

(d) Upon receipt of a complete petition, the NVDC will review the petition to determine whether the effective international treaty or agreement and the requirements of this part are in conflict. If the NVDC determines that this part conflicts with the effective international treaty or agreement, then the NVDC will inform you of the guidelines and requirements you must meet and maintain to qualify for a fisheries endorsement.

(e) If the vessel is determined through the petition process to be exempt from all or sections of the requirements of this part, then you must annually, from the date of exemption, submit the following evidence of its ownership structure to the NVDC:

(1) The vessel's current ownership structure;

(2) The identity of all non-citizen owners and the percentages of their ownership interest in the vessel;

(3) Any changes in the ownership structure that have occurred since you last submitted evidence of the vessel's ownership structure to the NVDC; and

(4) A statement ensuring that no interest in the vessel was transferred to a non-citizen during the previous year.

The exemption in this subpart shall not be available to:

(a) Owners and mortgagees of a fishing vessel less than 100 feet in length who acquired an interest in the vessel after October 1, 2001; or

(b) Owners of a fishing vessel less than 100 feet in length, if any ownership interest in that vessel is transferred to or otherwise acquired by a non-U.S. citizen after October 1, 2001.