[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 1 (Friday, January 2, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 1]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31208]
========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each
week.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 1 / Friday, January 2, 2009 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 1]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
9 CFR Parts 71, 83, and 93
[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0038]
RIN 0579-AC74
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia; Interstate Movement and Import
Restrictions on Certain Live Fish
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Interim rule; delay of effective date.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On September 9, 2008, we published an interim rule in the
Federal Register to restrict the interstate movement and importation
into the United States of live fish that are susceptible to viral
hemorrhagic septicemia, a highly contagious disease of certain
freshwater and saltwater fish. That interim rule was scheduled to
become effective on November 10, 2008. Subsequently, on October 28,
2008, we published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the
delay of the effective date of the interim rule until January 9, 2009.
We are now delaying the effective date of the interim rule indefinitely
to provide APHIS with time to make some adjustments to the interim rule
that are necessary for the rule to be successfully implemented.
DATES: The effective date for the interim rule amending 9 CFR parts 71,
83, and 93, published at 73 FR 52173-52189 on September 9, 2008, is
delayed indefinitely.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. P. Gary Egrie, Senior Staff
Veterinary Medical Officer, National Center for Animal Health Programs,
VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301)
734-0695; or Dr. Peter L. Merrill, Senior Staff Veterinarian, National
Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8364.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a highly contagious disease
of certain freshwater and saltwater fish, caused by a rhabdovirus. It
is listed as a notifiable disease by the World Organization for Animal
Health. The pathogen produces variable clinical signs in fish including
lethargy, skin darkening, exophthalmia, pale gills, a distended
abdomen, and external and internal hemorrhaging. The development of the
disease in infected fish can result in substantial mortality. Other
infected fish may not show any clinical signs or die, but may be
lifelong carriers and shed the virus.
On September 9, 2008, we published an interim rule in the Federal
Register (73 FR 52173-52189, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0038) to amend 9 CFR
parts 71, 83, and 93 by establishing regulations to restrict the
interstate movement and the importation into the United States of
certain live fish species that are susceptible to VHS. We announced
that the provisions of the interim rule would become effective November
10, 2008, and that we would consider all comments on the interim rule
received on or before November 10, 2008, and all comments on the
environmental assessment for the interim rule received on or before
October 9, 2008.
Delay of Effective Date
After the publication of the interim rule, we received comments
that addressed a variety of issues, including the feasibility of
implementing certain requirements.
Based on our review of those comments, on October 28, 2008, we
published a document in the Federal Register (73 FR 63867, Docket No.
APHIS-2007-0038) announcing that we were delaying the effective date of
the interim rule from November 10, 2008, until January 9, 2009, while
retaining November 10, 2008 as the close of the comment period for the
interim rule and October 9, 2008 as the close of the comment period for
the environmental assessment.
We are now delaying the effective date of the interim rule
indefinitely to provide APHIS with time to make some adjustments to the
interim rule that are necessary for the rule to be successfully
implemented.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 and 8301-8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a;
31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.
Done in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of December 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-31208 Filed 12-31-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P