2017-02658. International Affairs; Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Final rule; delay of effective date.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,” published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum), this action delays the effective date of the final rule published on January 19, 2017.

DATES:

Effective February 9, 2017, the effective date of the final rule amending 15 CFR part 902 and 50 CFR part 300, that published on January 19, 2017, at 82 FR 6221, is delayed until March 21, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mi Ae Kim, Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection, NMFS (phone [phone], or email [e-mail]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On January 19, 2017, NMFS published this final rule that sets forth changes to the regulations that implement conservation measures adopted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR or Commission). This final rule streamlines and clarifies the regulations for Antarctic marine living resources, shifts deadlines for advance notice of intended fishing activities, distinguishes between first receivers and dealers of Antarctic marine living resources (AMLR), reduces the time for advance notice of imports of Dissostichus species, and adds transshipment notification requirements. The sections of these regulations are reorganized to group requirements related to the trade of Antarctic marine living resources and those that apply to fishing activities. Additionally, this action updates the regulations to reflect Commission-adopted revisions to existing conservation measures and changes made to the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act through the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015.

On January 20, 2017, the White House issued a memo instructing Federal agencies to temporarily postpone the effective date for 60 days after January 20, 2017, of any regulations or guidance documents that have published in the Federal Register but not yet taken effect, for the purpose of “reviewing questions of fact, law, and policy they raise.” In accordance with this memorandum, this action delays the effective date of the final rule NMFS published on January 19, 2017, at 82 FR 6221, until March 21, 2017.

List of Subjects

15 CFR Part 902

• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

50 CFR Part 300

• Antarctica
• Antarctic marine living resources
• Catch documentation scheme
• Fisheries
• Fishing
• Intergovernmental relations
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Dated: February 3, 2017.

Alan D. Risenhoover,

Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.