[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9369-9370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5482]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 351
[Docket No. 960228055-6055-01; I.D. 022396B]

Whaling Provisions; Elimination of Regulations
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is eliminating outdated regulations pertaining to 
whaling. This action will reduce Federal regulations consistent with 
the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 8, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kevin Chu (508)548-5123.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    In March 1995, President Clinton issued a directive to Federal 
agencies regarding their responsibilities under his Regulatory 
Reinvention Initiative. This initiative is part of the National 
Performance Review and calls for immediate, comprehensive regulatory 
reform. The President directed all agencies to undertake an exhaustive 
review of all their regulations, with an

[[Page 9370]]

emphasis on eliminating or modifying those that are obsolete, 
duplicative, or otherwise in need of reform. This final rule is 
intended to carry out the President's directive with respect to the 
regulations implementing the Whaling Convention Act of 1949 (U.S.C. 916 
et seq.).
    Based on its review, NMFS is removing 50 CFR part 351, which 
pertains to the regulation of whaling. Part 351 contains the 1984 
regulations of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). No portion 
of part 351 is relevant to the management of whaling within the United 
States today. Most of part 351 deals with regulations pertaining to 
commercial whaling, which is illegal in the United States. The sections 
of part 351 dealing with aboriginal whaling, which is permitted under 
some circumstances in the United States, regulated only the 1984 and 
1985 whale hunt and are, therefore, no longer necessary.
    Aboriginal whaling within the United States remains regulated under 
50 CFR part 230. Part 230 also contains certain outdated material, 
which will be revised and updated through another rulemaking to be 
published in the Federal Register.
    The elimination of 50 CFR part 351 by this final rule is intended 
to reduce the volume and publication costs of the regulations.

Classification

    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for the 
purposes of E.O. 12866.
    Because this rule only eliminates regulations that are no longer 
applicable to anyone, no useful purpose would be served by providing 
notice and the opportunity for public comment. Accordingly, the 
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), under 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(B), for good cause finds that providing notice and opportunity 
for public comment is unnecessary. For the same reason, the AA, under 5 
U.S.C. 553(d), for good cause finds that a 30-day delay in their 
elimination is unnecessary.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 351

    Fisheries, Marine mammals, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Treaties.

    Dated: March 1, 1996.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
    For the reasons set out in the preamble, under authority of Article 
5, 62 Stat. 1718, sec. 2-14, 64 Stat. 421-425; 16 U.S.C. 916 et seq., 
50 CFR part 351 is removed and subchapter B is reserved.
[FR Doc. 96-5482 Filed 3-7-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F