NOAA Clarifies Rules to Safeguard Marine Mammals Better

Clarified Export Fishery Classification Rules

You run a foreign commercial fishing operation that exports fish or fish products to the United States. The rule reinstates and clarifies the definition of “Export fishery” in 50 CFR 216.3 and lists factors the Assistant Administrator may use to decide whether an operation has a “more than a remote likelihood” of incidental mortality or serious injury to marine mammals — including fishing techniques, gear used, methods to deter marine mammals, target species, seasons and areas fished, qualitative logbook or fisher reports, stranding data, and species and distribution. It also says operations not listed in the current List of Foreign Fisheries are deemed export fisheries until the next List unless the Assistant Administrator has reliable information from the harvesting nation, and that the Assistant Administrator may request additional information and consider information under Sec. 216.24(h)(3).