International Affairs; Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act

Issuing agencies

Abstract

NMFS proposes to revise its Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act regulations, including those that implement the trade- monitoring program for frozen and fresh Dissostichus species, commonly marketed or referred to as Chilean seabass or Patagonian toothfish. Specifically, this action would: revise regulations that specify the circumstances under which NMFS would deny issuance of a preapproval certificate that is required to legally import frozen Dissostichus species; add regulations that specify the circumstances under which NMFS would deny issuance of a re-export or export document that is required to legally re-export or export both frozen and fresh Dissostichus species; clarify that the applicable authorization must be received prior to re-export or export; and remove the prohibition on the importation of toothfish harvested from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Statistical Areas 51 and 57. NMFS also proposes other non-substantive technical and procedural updates.