Denial of Vessel Transfer to Foreign Registry Upon Revocation of Fishery Endorsement

The Maritime Administration (MARAD, we, our, or us) is amending regulation to state that approvals will not be granted for the transfer of a Fishing Vessel, Fish Processing Vessel, or Fish Tender Vessel to a foreign registry or operation under authority of a foreign country when the vessel's fishery endorsement has been revoked as a result of the fishing capacity reduction program for crab fisheries established by the Secretary of Commerce. Pub. L. 106-554 requires that the Secretary of Transportation shall refuse to grant the approval required under section 9(c)(2) of the Shipping Act of 1916 for the placement of a Fishing Vessel, Fish Processing Vessel, or Fish Tender Vessel under foreign registry or the operation of such vessel under the authority of a foreign country when the vessel's fishery endorsement has been revoked under the Secretary of Commerce's fishing capacity reduction program. The intended effect of this final rule is to clearly state in the regulation that approvals required under section 9(c)(2) of the 1916 Act will not be granted in the circumstances described.