[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12510-12511]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05115]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 216

[RTID 0648-XF601]


Notification of Comparability Findings for New Caledonia, 
Grenada, and Ireland Under the Import Provisions of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notification; publication of comparability finding 
determinations.

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DATES: These comparability findings are valid and in effect from March 
16, 2026 through December 31, 2029, or for such other period as NMFS 
may specify.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Ellgen, Office of International 
Affairs, Trade, and Commerce, NMFS, (302) 827-7568, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) 
precludes the import into the United States of fish and fish products 
taken in foreign commercial fisheries that cause serious injury and 
mortality of marine mammals in excess of U.S. standards. Regulations 
issued to implement the MMPA import provisions require exporting 
nations to receive a finding that they maintain a regulatory program 
with respect to incidental mortality and serious injury of marine 
mammals in the course of commercial fishing operations that includes, 
or effectively achieves, results comparable to the U.S. program.
    On September 2, 2025, NMFS announced its 2025 MMPA comparability 
finding determinations in the Federal Register (90 FR 42395) and posted 
the determinations on its website. Nations whose fisheries were denied 
comparability findings were prohibited from importing fish and fish 
products from those fisheries into the United States beginning January 
1, 2026. Nations may reapply for a comparability finding for the 
affected fisheries at any time.
    New Caledonia, Grenada, and Ireland were denied comparability 
findings for some or all of their fisheries, and have reapplied for 
comparability findings. NMFS determined that they have addressed the 
issues for which they were denied comparability findings and with this 
notice announces that the denied fisheries (New Caledonia: Fishery ID 
1880; Grenada: Fishery IDs

[[Page 12511]]

1251, 1252, 1253, 1258, and 12603; and Ireland: Fishery IDs 1388 and 
1386) have received comparability findings and the corresponding import 
prohibitions are removed effective March 16, 2026. These comparability 
finding reports can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/international-affairs/2025-marine-mammal-protection-act-comparability-finding-determinations.

    Dated: March 12, 2026.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-05115 Filed 3-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P