Feedback Wanted: Easier Reporting for Antarctic Sea Life Protection
Published Date: 5/4/2026
Notice
Summary
NOAA is asking for public feedback on renewing a form that helps protect Antarctic sea life. This affects fishermen, researchers, and anyone involved in managing marine resources near Antarctica. Comments are open until July 6, 2026, and the goal is to keep tracking data while making reporting easier and less costly.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Toothfish import pre-approval fee
If you import frozen Patagonian or Antarctic toothfish (Chilean sea bass), you must submit NOAA pre-approval certification applications that carry a $200 fee per application. NOAA estimates these pre-approval import applications total $123,000 annually.
Vessel monitoring and gear marking duties
Vessel operators must provide satellite-linked vessel monitoring data, automatic identification system transmissions, and mark vessels and gear. NOAA estimates installing a vessel monitoring device takes about 4 hours, annual VMS maintenance takes 2 hours, marking a vessel takes 45 minutes, marking buoys 40 minutes, marking pot gear 10 hours, and marking trawl nets 6 minutes; the notice estimates $8,000 annually to cover vessel equipment installation and gear marking costs.
Reporting and documentation burden
You must submit forms and reports (online or paper), electronic reports, radio or telephone transmissions, and catch/re-export/import documents; specific tasks include 15 minutes to complete a toothfish catch document, 15 minutes to apply for pre-approval of toothfish imports, 15 minutes to submit re-export catch documents, and 2 minutes to transmit information by radio. NOAA estimates 79 respondents with a total annual burden of 359 hours for the collection.
Permits required for Antarctic activities
If you are a U.S. person conducting harvesting, transshipping, or activities in a CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) site, you must apply for and hold NOAA permits to operate in the Convention Area. Applying for a CEMP research permit takes about 1 hour and applying for a harvesting permit takes about 2 hours; holding permits is required to obtain or retain benefits under the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act.
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Key Dates
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