International Fisheries; Eastern Pacific Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; Amend Regulations Implementing Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Resolution C-02-03

This final rule amends regulations to allow U.S. vessels authorized to fish under an alternative international fisheries management regime (e.g., the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPF Convention), to fish in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) under the single-trip exception to the general rule that a vessel must be on the vessel register of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) to fish for tuna in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean (EPO). This rule is intended to conform U.S. implementing regulations to the IATTC resolution that they implement and remove an unnecessary restriction on the ability of U.S. vessels to use this exception.