Liskow attorneys Leon Rittenberg III and Kevin Naccari were recently featured on National Fisherman’s website with their article, “Marad Modernizes US Citizenship Evidencing Requirements for Vessel Owners and Program Participants.” The article details two final rules issued by MARAD on June 4, 2026, which simplify how business entities demonstrate U.S. citizenship for MARAD programs and fishery endorsements.
Leon and Kevin explain that these deregulatory actions significantly reduce compliance burdens by eliminating the need to provide sensitive personally identifiable information, such as birth dates and social security numbers, in citizenship affidavits. They also highlight that the rules remove the notarization requirement for standard affidavits and introduce a streamlined recertification process for entities with stable ownership. Furthermore, the article notes that these updates harmonize MARAD standards with existing U.S. Coast Guard guidance, establishing clearer methodologies for publicly traded corporations to evidence U.S. citizen ownership.
Leon and Kevin note that these changes are expected to reduce administrative burdens while maintaining MARAD’s ability to oversee citizenship compliance.
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