[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9369-9370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5482]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 351
[Docket No. 960228055-6055-01; I.D. 022396B]
Whaling Provisions; Elimination of Regulations
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is eliminating outdated regulations pertaining to
whaling. This action will reduce Federal regulations consistent with
the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 8, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kevin Chu (508)548-5123.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
In March 1995, President Clinton issued a directive to Federal
agencies regarding their responsibilities under his Regulatory
Reinvention Initiative. This initiative is part of the National
Performance Review and calls for immediate, comprehensive regulatory
reform. The President directed all agencies to undertake an exhaustive
review of all their regulations, with an
[[Page 9370]]
emphasis on eliminating or modifying those that are obsolete,
duplicative, or otherwise in need of reform. This final rule is
intended to carry out the President's directive with respect to the
regulations implementing the Whaling Convention Act of 1949 (U.S.C. 916
et seq.).
Based on its review, NMFS is removing 50 CFR part 351, which
pertains to the regulation of whaling. Part 351 contains the 1984
regulations of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). No portion
of part 351 is relevant to the management of whaling within the United
States today. Most of part 351 deals with regulations pertaining to
commercial whaling, which is illegal in the United States. The sections
of part 351 dealing with aboriginal whaling, which is permitted under
some circumstances in the United States, regulated only the 1984 and
1985 whale hunt and are, therefore, no longer necessary.
Aboriginal whaling within the United States remains regulated under
50 CFR part 230. Part 230 also contains certain outdated material,
which will be revised and updated through another rulemaking to be
published in the Federal Register.
The elimination of 50 CFR part 351 by this final rule is intended
to reduce the volume and publication costs of the regulations.
Classification
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for the
purposes of E.O. 12866.
Because this rule only eliminates regulations that are no longer
applicable to anyone, no useful purpose would be served by providing
notice and the opportunity for public comment. Accordingly, the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), under 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(B), for good cause finds that providing notice and opportunity
for public comment is unnecessary. For the same reason, the AA, under 5
U.S.C. 553(d), for good cause finds that a 30-day delay in their
elimination is unnecessary.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 351
Fisheries, Marine mammals, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Treaties.
Dated: March 1, 1996.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, under authority of Article
5, 62 Stat. 1718, sec. 2-14, 64 Stat. 421-425; 16 U.S.C. 916 et seq.,
50 CFR part 351 is removed and subchapter B is reserved.
[FR Doc. 96-5482 Filed 3-7-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
