§ 3636 — Rulemaking

(a) The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating and the appropriate Regional Fishery Management Council, shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the United States international obligations under the Treaty and this chapter, pursuant to section 3635 of this title, as well as conforming amendatory regulations applicable to the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. Any such regulation may be made applicable, as necessary, to all persons and all vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, wherever located. Such regulations as are necessary and appropriate to carry out obligations of the United States under the Treaty involve a foreign affairs function, and as such shall not be subject to sections 553 through 557 of title 5, or the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). (b) The Secretary, in cooperation with the Regional Fishery Management Councils, States, and treaty Indian tribes, may promulgate regulations applicable to nationals or vessels of the United States, or both, which are in addition to, and not in conflict with, fishery regimes and Fraser River Panel regulations adopted under the Treaty. Such regulations shall not discriminate between residents of different States. (c) Regulations promulgated by the Secretary under this chapter shall be subject to judicial review by the district courts of the United States to the extent authorized by, and in accordance with, chapter 7 of title 5; except that section 705 of such title is not applicable, and the appropriate court shall only set aside any such regulation on a ground specified in section 706(2)(A), (B), (C), or (D) of such title. A civil action filed pursuant to this section shall be assigned for hearing at the earliest possible date, shall take precedence over other matters pending on the docket of the United States district court at that time, and shall be expedited in every way by such court and any appellate court.