NMFS Makes 'Comparability' Finding for Several Mexican Fisheries
The National Marine Fisheries Service issued notice that it has made comparability findings for several Mexican fisheries located in the Upper Gulf of California for shrimp, sierra, chano, curvina and sardines. Though the findings will remain in effect until Jan. 1, 2022, provisions of the NMFS Marine Mammal Protection Act regulations requiring comparability findings prior to import do not take full effect until that date (see 1803160035), so even fish from fisheries not yet found to be comparable may be imported. NMFS will have to renew these comparability findings for imports from these fisheries to remain eligible once the comparability rules take full effect.
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NMFS also denied a comparability finding for the El Golfo de Santa Clara curvina rodeo-style gillnet fishery. Fish products from that fishery are already banned under an injunction issued by the Court of International Trade in July (see 1807260039). Certification requirements required for many Mexican fish and fish products under the ban remain in effect (see 1808270014), despite the new NMFS comparability findings.