Requirements To Document U.S.-Flag Fishing Industry Vessels of 100 Feet or Greater in Registered Length

The Maritime Administration (``MARAD'') is amending its regulations which implement new requirements regarding certain large fishing industry vessels set forth in the American Fisheries Act of 1998 (``AFA''), as amended by the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (``CGAA'') and the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 (``CGMTA''). The revisions to the regulation adds two new exceptions to the restrictions on the eligibility of vessels over 165 feet in registered length to be documented with fishery endorsements, eliminates the 15-day application deadline for vessels whose fishery endorsements have become invalid, limits fishery endorsement eligibility for certain large fishing industry vessels, and eliminates certain exemptions for specific vessels that were deleted in the CGMTA. In addition, MARAD is revising its Large Vessel Certification form to incorporate these new requirements.