# 2025-12087: Government Eases 'American' Proof for Giant Fishing Boats

2025-12087, Deregulatory-American Fisheries Act Program Update; Simplifying the Application Process, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Transportation Department, Maritime Administration published 2025-07-01; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-08).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12087
- As of: 2026-06-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-12087
- Title: Deregulatory-American Fisheries Act Program Update; Simplifying the Application Process
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Maritime Administration
- Citation: 90 FR 28519
- Published: 2025-07-01
- Effective: unknown
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2133-AB91
- Last updated: 2026-06-08

## In one line

Government Eases 'American' Proof for Giant Fishing Boats

## Summary

If you own a U.S.-flag fishing vessel 100 feet or longer, good news! MARAD is making it easier and faster to prove your American citizenship each year by cutting out extra paperwork and protecting your personal info. These changes aim to save you time and money, and they’re open for public feedback now.

## Abstract

On May 1, 2019, MARAD published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), titled "How Best to Simplify Filing Statements of American Fisheries Act Citizenship: Policy and Regulatory Review," soliciting public comment on steps MARAD could take to simplify and modernize the process for evidencing U.S. citizenship for owners of U.S.-flag fishing industry vessels of 100 feet or greater in registered length. In response to public support for updating our regulations, MARAD is soliciting public comments on this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Consistent with comments received, the proposed rule would simplify the annual citizenship filing procedures under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) program in order to reduce costs or administrative burdens placed on owners of fishing industry vessels. MARAD proposes (1) to simplify and streamline annual renewal filing for vessel owners whose citizenship information has not changed since their affidavit of U.S. citizenship (AFA Affidavit) filing; (2) to update acceptable methods for evidencing citizenship of publicly traded entities; and (3) to eliminate requirements to provide personally identifiable information (i.e., social security numbers and dates and places of birth for corporate officers and directors) in affidavits of AFA citizenship.

## Effects PRIA read

- Simpler Annual AFA Renewals: benefit, medium. If you own a U.S.-flag fishing vessel 100 feet or longer, MARAD proposes an easier annual renewal if your citizenship information has not changed since your AFA Affidavit filing. The change would streamline the yearly filing process under the American Fisheries Act and reduce paperwork and administ…
- New Proof Options for Public Firms: benefit, low. MARAD proposes updating acceptable methods for proving U.S. citizenship for publicly traded entities that own U.S.-flag fishing vessels 100 feet or longer. This change would alter how publicly traded companies demonstrate citizenship for AFA compliance.
- Remove PII From AFA Affidavits: benefit, medium. MARAD proposes eliminating the requirement to include personally identifiable information—specifically social security numbers and dates and places of birth for corporate officers and directors—in AFA affidavits for owners of U.S.-flag fishing vessels 100 feet or longer. The change would protect pe…

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- [2026-20588](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20588): Request Notice: Use of Foreign-Built Small Passenger Vessel in United States Coastwise Trade, M/V BACK OFF, 2026-10-08

## Sources
- [2025-12087 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/01/2025-12087/deregulatory-american-fisheries-act-program-update-simplifying-the-application-process)
- [2025-12087 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-07-01/pdf/2025-12087.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2025-12085, Hazardous Materials: Modernizing Payments To and From America's Bank Account](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12085)
- [Next: 2025-12090, Hazardous Materials: Adoption of Department of Transportation Special Permit 21…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12090)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12087 (as of 2026-06-08).