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NMFS is amending regulations that implement the Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions (50 CFR 216.24(h)) to extend the interim exemption period from five years to six years and to change the deadline for nations to apply for a Comparability Finding from March 1 to November 30. NMFS established the five-year exemption period to allow trading partners time to develop, implement, or improve domestic marine mammal bycatch mitigation programs that are comparable in effectiveness to U.S. standards prior to applying for a Comparability Finding.  In many cases, foreign nations were affected by the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to implement legislation and/or develop regulatory programs to mitigate marine mammal bycatch were delayed by the disruption of government operations. This action would extend the interim exemption period by an additional year (March 1, 2021 to March 1, 2022). In addition, this action would shift the March 1 deadline for nations to apply for a Comparability Finding to November 30, 2022 in the preceding year to allow NMFS additional time to process and review Comparability Finding applications before the regulation enters into full effect.