The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes revisions to existing regulations governing the confidentiality of information submitted in compliance with any requirement or regulation under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The purposes of these revisions are to make both substantive and non-substantive changes necessary to comply with the MSA as amended by the 2006 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA) and the 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act. In addition, revisions are necessary to address some significant issues that concern NMFS’ application of the MSA confidentiality provision to requests for information.
To view the proposed rule and instructions on how to comment, please see the May 23, 2012 Federal Register notice.
Written comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before October 21, 2012. Please note, the comment period has been extended for a second time; see Federal Register notice dated July 26, 2012.
