CSMS Message: 92-000245

CUSTOMS AND THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (FWS) ARE PLANNING TO EXPAND THE
AUTOMATED INTERFACE NOW OPERATIONAL IN THE NEW YORK AREA. A FEW WEEKS
BEFORE THE SCHEDULED EXPANSION, CUSTOMS AND FWS WILL CONDUCT BRIEFINGS
AT EACH EXPANSION PORT FOR THE ABI FILERS. LISTED BELOW ARE THE EXPANSION
PORTS, THE DATE OF THE BRIEFING AND THE DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION:

PORT BRIEFING DATE IMPLEMENTATION DATE

DALLAS JULY 1, 1992 AUGUST 31, 1992
MIAMI AUGUST 19, 1992 SEPTEMBER 28, 1992
CHICAGO AUGUST 13, 1992 OCTOBER 5, 1992
NEW ORLEANS NOVEMBER 6, 1992 DECEMBER 7, 1992

ABI FILERS SHOULD PLAN TO HAVE THEIR AUTOMATED SYSTEMS ENHANCED TO INCLUDE
THE SOFTWARE NECESSARY TO PROCESS AND TRANSMIT THE ADDITIONAL DATA
FOR ENTRIES SUBJECT TO FWS REGULATIONS BY THE DATES INDICATED FOR EACH
PORT. TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED FOR SYSTEM TESTING AS NECESSARY.
ABI FILING REQUIREMENTS CAN BE FOUND IN THE CUSTOMS AND TRADE AUTOMATED
INTERFACE REQUIREMENTS (CATAIR) IN THE CARGO RELEASE AND ENTRY SUMMARY
SECTIONS; REFERENCE FILE ACCESS PROGRAMS CAN BE FOUND IN THE REFERENCE
FILE SECTION UNDER THE HEADING "FISH AND WILDLIFE SCIENTIFIC CODE FILES"

PARTICIPATION IN THE FWS INTERFACE EXPANSION IS VOLUNTARY AT THE FILER
LEVEL. FILERS WHO ELECT NOT TO PARTICIPATE WILL NOT HAVE ENTRIES REJECTED
BY ABI FOR NOT HAVING FWS DATA. FILERS WHO DO PARTICIPATE MUST TRANSMIT
ALL FWS ENTRIES WITH EITHER FWS DATA OR A DISCLAIMER AS OUTLINED IN THE
CATAIR. ENTRIES LACKING VALID FWS INFORMATION FROM PARTICIPATING FILERS
WILL BE REJECTED BY THE ABI EDITS. PARTICIPATION BECOMES MANDATORY FOR ALL
ABI FILERS ONE YEAR AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAST PLANNED EXPANSION
PORT. CUSTOMS AND FWS PLAN TO EXPAND THE INTERFACE TO THE FWS DESIGNATED
PORTS OF LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, SEATTLE, & HONOLULU DURING
CALENDAR YEAR 1993. CUSTOMS WILL PROVIDE IMPLEMENTATION DATES FOR THESE
PORTS AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE.

ABI FILERS ARE ADVISED THAT DATES MAY CHANGE. ABI FILERS SHOULD CHECK
THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGES FOR THE EXACT DATE TIME, & LOCATION OF THE
PRE-BRIEFING FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE PORTS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CLIENT REPRESENTATIVE.