International Fisheries; Consolidation of Regulations

NMFS proposes to consolidate 10 CFR parts into one part that would contain regulations governing international fisheries in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and on the high seas. All but one of the consolidated parts implement an international agreement, convention, or treaty to which the United States is a party. The consolidated text would be reorganized into a more logical and cohesive order, duplicative and outdated provisions would be eliminated, and editorial changes would be made for readability, clarity, and uniformity. Framework procedures would be added for the specifications of annual management measures under two parts. In addition, an obsolete CFR part would be removed. The purpose of this proposed rule is to make the regulations more concise, better organized and, therefore, easier for the public to use. This proposed action is part of the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative.