Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil: Final Results and Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 39940-39945 [E8-15827]
Download as PDF
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
39940
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
22, 2002) (‘‘Final Results’’) and
accompanying Issues and Decision
Memorandum (‘‘Memo’’), covering the
period of review (‘‘POR’’), September 1,
1999 August 31, 2000. Following
publication of the Final Results, Fujian
Pelagic Fishery Group Co. (‘‘Fujian’’)
and Pacific Coast Fishery Corp. (‘‘Pacific
Coast’’), filed a lawsuit with the United
States Court of International Trade
(‘‘CIT’’) challenging the Department’s
Final Results. In the Final Results, the
Department determined that Fujian and
Pacific Coast were not affiliated
pursuant to section 771(33) of the Tariff
Act of 1930, as amended (‘‘the Act’’).
See Memo at Comment 18. Fujian and
Pacific Coast challenged the
Department’s determination and the CIT
affirmed the Department’s
determination that Fujian and Pacific
Coast were not affiliated parties because
‘‘Fujian had not made an investment,
whether in cash or in the form of a
promissory note, in Pacific Coast’’ and
because ‘‘Fujian did not exercise control
over Pacific Coast.’’ See Crawfish
Processors Alliance, et al. v. United
States, 343 F. Supp. 2d 1242, 1269 (CIT
2004).
Fujian and Pacific Coast timely
appealed the CIT’s decision with the
United States Court of Appeals for the
Federal Circuit (‘‘CAFC’’). The only
issue considered on appeal was whether
Fujian and Pacific Coast were affiliated
parties pursuant to section 771(33)(E) of
the Act. The CAFC reversed the CIT’s
affirmance of the Department’s
determination that Fujian and Pacific
Coast were not affiliated because section
771(33)(E) of the Act does not require
‘‘proof of full payment in cash or
merchandise during the review period
to show affiliation’’ and that Fujian and
Pacific Coast ‘‘have presented sufficient
evidence to show that Fujian directly or
indirectly owns at least 5% of Pacific
Coast’s shares.’’ See Crawfish Processors
Alliance, et al. v. United States, 477
F.3d 1375, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2007). The
CAFC remanded the case to the CIT for
proceedings consistent with its opinion.
Therefore, on October 30, 2007, the CIT
directed the Department to recalculate
the antidumping duty margin treating
Fujian and Pacific Coast as affiliated
parties in compliance with the CAFC’s
decision and mandate.
On December 11, 2007, the
Department released the draft final
results of redetermination for comment.
No party submitted comments by the
December 20, 2007, deadline. On
January 24, 2008, the Department filed
its final results of redetermination
pursuant to remand with the CIT. See
Final Results of Redetermination
Pursuant to Court Remand, Court No.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
02–00376 (January 24, 2008) (‘‘Final
Redetermination’’), found at https://
ia.ita.doc.gov/remands/07–156.pdf. In
the remand redetermination, pursuant
to the CIT’s order, the Department
considered Fujian and Pacific Coast
affiliated parties under section
771(33)(E) of the Act and recalculated
Fujian’s dumping margin using Pacific
Coast’s CEP sales data. On March 5,
2008, the CIT sustained all aspects of
the remand redetermination made by
the Department pursuant to the CIT’s
remand of the Final Results. See
Crawfish Processors Alliance v. United
States, Slip Op. 08–27 (March 5, 2008).
On March 20, 2008, consistent with
the decision in Timken Co. v. United
States, 893 F.2d 337 (Fed. Cir. 1990), the
Department notified the public that the
CIT’s decision was not in harmony with
the Department’s final results. See
Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat from the
People’s Republic of China: Notice of
Court Decision Not In Harmony With
Final Results of Administrative Review,
73 FR 14960 (March 20, 2008). No party
appealed the CIT’s decision. As there is
now a final and conclusive court
decision in this case, we are amending
our Final Results.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
A–351–838
Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp
from Brazil: Final Results and Partial
Rescission of Antidumping Duty
Administrative Review
Import Administration,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: On March 6, 2008, the
Department of Commerce (the
Department) published the preliminary
results of the administrative review of
the antidumping duty order on certain
frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from
Brazil. This review covers 15 producers/
exporters of the subject merchandise to
the United States. The period of review
(POR) is February 1, 2006, through
January 31, 2007. We are rescinding the
review with respect to one company
which made no shipments of the subject
merchandise during the POR.
Based on our analysis of the
comments received, we have made
certain changes to the margin
calculations. Therefore, the final results
differ from the preliminary results. The
final weighted-average dumping
margins for the reviewed firms are listed
Amended Final Results
below in the section entitled ‘‘Final
As the litigation in this case has
Results of Review.’’
concluded, the Department is amending EFFECTIVE DATE: July 11, 2008.
the Final Results to reflect the results of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate
our remand determination. The revised
Johnson or Rebecca Trainor, AD/CVD
dumping margin in the amended final
Operations, Office 2, Import
results is as follows:
Administration, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Exporter
Margin Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20230;
Fujian ................................................ 60.83% telephone (202) 482–4929 and (202)
482–4007, respectively.
The Department will instruct U.S.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Customs and Border Protection (‘‘CBP’’)
Background
to liquidate entries of freshwater
crawfish tail meat from the People’s
This review covers 15 producers/
Republic of China during the review
exporters.1 The respondents which the
Department selected for individual
period at the assessment rate the
review are Amazonas Industrias
Department calculated for the final
results of review as amended. We intend Alimenticias S.A. (‘‘AMASA’’) and
Comercio de Pescado Aracatiense Ltda.
to issue the assessment instructions to
(‘‘Compescal’’). The respondents which
CBP 15 days after the date of
were not selected for individual review
publication of these amended final
are listed in the ‘‘Final Results of
results of review.
Review’’ section of this notice.
This notice is published in
On March 6, 2008, the Department
accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and
published in the Federal Register the
777(i) of the Act.
preliminary results of administrative
Dated: July 3, 2008.
review of the antidumping duty order
on shrimp from Brazil. See Certain
David M. Spooner,
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil:
Assistant Secretary for Import
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–15811 Filed 7–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
AGENCY:
1 This figure does not include those companies
for which the Department is rescinding the
administrative review.
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
11JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
Preliminary Results and Preliminary
Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty
Administrative Review, 73 FR 12081
(March 6, 2008) (Preliminary Results).
We invited parties to comment on our
preliminary results of review. On April
7, 2008, AMASA requested a public
hearing. On April 14, 2008, we received
a case brief from the Louisiana Shrimp
Association, an interested party in this
proceeding. On April 16, 2008, we
received case briefs from AMASA and
the petitioner (i.e., the Ad Hoc Shrimp
Trade Action Committee). On April 28,
we received rebuttal briefs from
AMASA and the petitioner. On May 2,
2008, AMASA withdrew its request for
a hearing.
The Department has conducted this
administrative review in accordance
with section 751 of the Tariff Act of
1930, as amended (the Act).
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Scope of the Order
The scope of this order includes
certain frozen warmwater shrimp and
prawns, whether wild-caught (ocean
harvested) or farm-raised (produced by
aquaculture), head-on or head-off, shellon or peeled, tail-on or tail-off,2
deveined or not deveined, cooked or
raw, or otherwise processed in frozen
form.
The frozen warmwater shrimp and
prawn products included in the scope of
this order, regardless of definitions in
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS), are products
which are processed from warmwater
shrimp and prawns through freezing
and which are sold in any count size.
The products described above may be
processed from any species of
warmwater shrimp and prawns.
Warmwater shrimp and prawns are
generally classified in, but are not
limited to, the Penaeidae family. Some
examples of the farmed and wild-caught
warmwater species include, but are not
limited to, whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus
vannemei), banana prawn (Penaeus
merguiensis), fleshy prawn (Penaeus
chinensis), giant river prawn
(Macrobrachium rosenbergii), giant tiger
prawn (Penaeus monodon), redspotted
shrimp (Penaeus brasiliensis), southern
brown shrimp (Penaeus subtilis),
southern pink shrimp (Penaeus
notialis), southern rough shrimp
(Trachypenaeus curvirostris), southern
white shrimp (Penaeus schmitti), blue
shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris), western
white shrimp (Penaeus occidentalis),
and Indian white prawn (Penaeus
indicus).
2 ‘‘Tails’’ in this context means the tail fan, which
includes the telson and the uropods.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
Frozen shrimp and prawns that are
packed with marinade, spices or sauce
are included in the scope of this order.
In addition, food preparations, which
are not ‘‘prepared meals,’’ that contain
more than 20 percent by weight of
shrimp or prawn are also included in
the scope of this order.
Excluded from the scope are: 1)
breaded shrimp and prawns (HTSUS
subheading 1605.20.10.20); 2) shrimp
and prawns generally classified in the
Pandalidae family and commonly
referred to as coldwater shrimp, in any
state of processing; 3) fresh shrimp and
prawns whether shell-on or peeled
(HTSUS subheadings 0306.23.00.20 and
0306.23.00.40); 4) shrimp and prawns in
prepared meals (HTSUS subheading
1605.20.05.10); 5) dried shrimp and
prawns; 6) canned warmwater shrimp
and prawns (HTSUS subheading
1605.20.10.40); 7) certain dusted
shrimp; and 8) certain battered shrimp.
Dusted shrimp is a shrimp-based
product: 1) that is produced from fresh
(or thawed-from-frozen) and peeled
shrimp; 2) to which a ‘‘dusting’’ layer of
rice or wheat flour of at least 95 percent
purity has been applied; 3) with the
entire surface of the shrimp flesh
thoroughly and evenly coated with the
flour; 4) with the non-shrimp content of
the end product constituting between
four and 10 percent of the product’s
total weight after being dusted, but prior
to being frozen; and 5) that is subjected
to IQF freezing immediately after
application of the dusting layer.
Battered shrimp is a shrimp-based
product that, when dusted in
accordance with the definition of
dusting above, is coated with a wet
viscous layer containing egg and/or
milk, and par-fried.
The products covered by this order
are currently classified under the
following HTSUS subheadings:
0306.13.00.03, 0306.13.00.06,
0306.13.00.09, 0306.13.00.12,
0306.13.00.15, 0306.13.00.18,
0306.13.00.21, 0306.13.00.24,
0306.13.00.27, 0306.13.00.40,
1605.20.10.10, and 1605.20.10.30. These
HTSUS subheadings are provided for
convenience and for customs purposes
only and are not dispositive, but rather
the written description of the scope of
this order is dispositive.
39941
13, 2007, Qualimar submitted a quantity
and value (‘‘Q&V’’) questionnaire
response stating that it had no
shipments/exports of subject
merchandise to the United States during
the POR. Furthermore, data from U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (‘‘CBP’’)
show that Qualimar did not have
shipments of subject merchandise
during the POR. Accordingly, we are
rescinding this review with respect to
Qualimar.
Successor-In-Interest
As discussed in the Preliminary
Results, on April 18, 2007, Empresa De
Armazenagem Frigorifica Ltda. (Empaf)
informed the Department that it is now
doing business as Netuno Alimentos
S.A. (Netuno).3 On May 9, 2007, in
response to the Department’s request for
additional information, Netuno asserted
its view that it is the successor-ininterest to Empaf. Specifically, Netuno
stated that there were no changes to
Empaf’s management, production
facilities for the subject merchandise,
supplier relationships, or customer base
as a result of the change in corporate
structure. Based on our analysis of
Netuno’s May 9, 2007, submission, we
preliminarily found that its
organizational structure, management,
production facilities, supplier
relationships, and customers have
remained essentially unchanged. We
also found that Netuno operates as the
same business entity as Empaf with
respect to the production and sale of
certain frozen warmwater shrimp. Thus,
we preliminarily found that Netuno is
the successor-in-interest to Empaf, and,
as a consequence, its exports of certain
frozen warmwater shrimp are subject to
the antidumping duty order on shrimp
from Brazil.
Since the Preliminary Results, no
party to this proceeding has commented
on this issue, and we have found no
additional information that would
compel us to reverse our preliminary
finding. Thus, for purposes of these
final results, we continue to find that
Netuno is the successor-in-interest to
Empaf for purposes of determining
antidumping duty liability.
Period of Review
The POR is February 1, 2006, through
January 31, 2007.
Facts Available
In the Preliminary Results, we
determined that, in accordance with
section 776(a)(2)(A) of the Act, the use
of facts available was appropriate as the
basis for the dumping margins for the
Partial Rescission of Review
In the Preliminary Results, we
preliminarily rescinded this review with
respect to Qualimar Comercio Imp. E
Exp. Ltda. (‘‘Qualimar’’). On September
3 In the original investigation, we found that
Empaf and Maricultura Netuno comprised a single
entity. See Notice of Final Determination of Sales
at Less Than Fair Value: Certain Frozen and
Canned Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil, 69 FR
76910 (Dec. 23, 2004).
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
11JYN1
39942
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
following producer/exporters: Acarau
Pesca Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp.
Ltda., Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort
SA, Compescal, ITA Fish - S.W.F.
Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Orion
Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e
Exportacao Ltda., Secom Aquicultura
Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares
Maricultura Ltda. See Preliminary
Results at 12083.
Section 776(a) of the Act provides that
the Department will apply ‘‘facts
otherwise available’’ if, inter alia,
necessary information is not available
on the record or an interested party: 1)
withholds information that has been
requested by the Department; 2) fails to
provide such information within the
deadlines established, or in the form or
manner requested by the Department; 3)
significantly impedes a proceeding; or
4) provides such information, but the
information cannot be verified.
In April 2007, the Department
requested that all companies subject to
review respond to the Department’s
Q&V questionnaire for purposes of
mandatory respondent selection. The
original deadline to file a response was
April 23, 2007. Because numerous
companies did not respond to this
initial request for information, in May
and June 2007, we issued letters to these
companies affording them a second and
third opportunity to submit a response
to the Q&V questionnaire. The abovementioned companies again failed to
respond to our requests for Q&V data.
By failing to respond to the
Department’s Q&V questionnaire, these
companies withheld requested
information and significantly impeded
the proceeding. Thus, pursuant to
sections 776(a)(2)(A) and (C) of the Act,
we preliminarily found that the use of
total facts available was warranted.
Consistent with the Preliminary Results,
the Department finds that the use of
total facts available for Acarau Pesca
Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda.,
Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort SA,
Compescal, ITA Fish - S.W.F.
Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Orion
Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e
Exportacao Ltda., Secom Aquicultura
Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares
Maricultura Ltda. is appropriate for
purposes of the final results, pursuant to
sections 776(a)(2)(A) and (C) of the Act.
Application of Adverse Facts Available
In selecting from among the facts
otherwise available, section 776(b) of
the Act authorizes the Department to
use an adverse inference if the
Department finds that an interested
party failed to cooperate by not acting
to the best of its ability to comply with
the request for information. See, e.g.,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
Notice of Final Results of Antidumping
Duty Administrative Review: Stainless
Steel Bar from India, 70 FR 54023,
54025–26 (Sept. 13, 2005); see also
Notice of Final Determination of Sales
at Less Than Fair Value and Final
Negative Critical Circumstances: Carbon
and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from
Brazil, 67 FR 55792, 55794–96 (Aug. 30,
2002). Adverse inferences are
appropriate ‘‘to ensure that the party
does not obtain a more favorable result
by failing to cooperate than if it had
cooperated fully.’’ See Statement of
Administrative Action accompanying
the Uruguay Round Agreements Act,
H.R. Rep. No. 103–316, Vol. 1, at 870
(1994) (SAA). Furthermore, ‘‘affirmative
evidence of bad faith on the part of a
respondent is not required before the
Department may make an adverse
inference.’’ See Antidumping Duties;
Countervailing Duties; Final Rule, 62 FR
27296, 27340 (May 19, 1997). See also,
Nippon Steel Corp. v. United States, 337
F.3d 1373, 1382 (Fed. Cir. 2003)
(Nippon). We find that Acarau Pesca
Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda.,
Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort SA,
Compescal, ITA Fish - S.W.F.
Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Orion
Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e
Exportacao Ltda., Secom Aquicultura
Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares
Maricultura Ltda. did not act to the best
of their abilities in this proceeding,
within the meaning of section 776(b) of
the Act, because they failed to respond
to the Department’s requests for
information. Therefore, an adverse
inference is warranted in selecting the
facts otherwise available. See Nippon,
337 F. 3d at 1382–83.
In the Preliminary Results, we
assigned to the uncooperative
companies an adverse facts available
(AFA) rate of 68.15 percent, the
preliminary margin calculated for
AMASA, which, at the time, was the
highest rate determined for any
respondent in any segment of the
proceeding (i.e., the less-than-fair-value
(LTFV) investigation, the first
administrative review, or the instant
review). However, given the changes
made to the margin calculations for
AMASA since the Preliminary Results,4
the rate assigned to AMASA for
purposes of these final results is 48.60
percent. Therefore, in accordance with
Department policy to assign the highest
rate on record of the proceeding as AFA,
for the final results, we have applied an
AFA margin of 67.80 percent from the
LTFV investigation. The Court of
4 See Issues and Decision Memorandum (Decision
Memo) accompanying this notice for further
discussion.
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
International Trade (CIT) and the Court
of Appeals for the Federal Circuit have
consistently upheld the Department’s
practice in this regard. See Rhone
Poulenc, Inc. v. United States, 899 F.2d
1185, 1190 (Fed. Cir. 1990); NSK Ltd. v.
United States, 346 F. Supp. 2d 1312,
1335 (CIT 2004) (upholding a 73.55
percent total AFA rate, the highest
available dumping margin from a
different respondent in an LTFV
investigation); see also Kompass Food
Trading Int’l v. United States, 24 CIT
678, 680 (2000) (upholding a 51.16
percent total AFA rate, the highest
available dumping margin from a
different, fully cooperative respondent)
and Shanghai Taoen Int’l Tading Co.,
Ltd. v. United States, 360 F Supp 2d
1339, 1348 (CIT 2005) (upholding a
223.01 percent total AFA rate, the
highest available dumping margin from
a different respondent in a previous
administrative review).
Section 776(b) of the Act provides
that the Department may use as AFA
information derived from: 1) the
petition; 2) the final determination in
the investigation; 3) any previous
review; or 4) any other information
placed on the record. The Department’s
practice, when selecting an AFA rate
from among the possible sources of
information, has been to ensure that the
margin is sufficiently adverse ‘‘as to
effectuate the statutory purposes of the
AFA rule to induce respondents to
provide the Department with complete
and accurate information in a timely
manner.’’ See e.g., Certain Steel
Concrete Reinforcing Bars from Turkey;
Final Results and Rescission of
Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review in Part, 71 FR 65082, 65084
(November 7, 2006).
In selecting an appropriate AFA rate,
the Department considered: 1) the rates
alleged in the petition (see Notice of
Initiation of Antidumping Duty
Investigations: Certain Frozen and
Canned Warmwater Shrimp From
Brazil, Ecuador, India, Thailand, the
People’s Republic of China and the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 69 FR
3876, 3879 (January 27, 2004)); 2) the
rates calculated in the final
determination of the LTFV
investigation, as amended, which
ranged from 4.97 to 67.80 percent (see
Notice of Amended Final Determination
of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and
Antidumping Duty Order: Certain
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil,
70 FR 5143 (February 1, 2005) (LTFV
Amended Final Determination and
Order)); 3) the rates calculated in the
final results of the 2004–2006
administrative review, which ranged
from 4.62 to 15.41 percent (see Certain
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
11JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil:
Final Results and Partial Rescission of
Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review, 72 FR 52061 (September 12,
2007) (2004–2006 Administrative
Review); and 4) the rate calculated for
AMASA in the final results of this
administrative review. As discussed
further below, we find that the rates
alleged in the petition no longer have
probative value for purposes of this
review. In addition, we find that the rate
calculated for AMASA in this review, as
well as the rates calculated in the 2004–
2006 administrative review, are not
sufficiently high as to effectuate the
purpose of the facts available rule (i.e.,
we do not find that these rates are high
enough to encourage participation in
future segments of this proceeding in
accordance with section 776(b) of the
Act). Therefore, we have assigned a rate
of 67.80 percent as AFA, which is the
highest margin determined for any
respondent in any segment of the
proceeding (i.e., the LTFV
investigation).5 We consider the 67.80percent rate to be sufficiently high so as
to encourage participation in future
segments of this proceeding.
Corroboration
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Section 776(c) of the Act requires that
the Department corroborate, to the
extent practicable, secondary
information used as facts available from
independent sources reasonably at its
disposal. The Department’s regulations
provide that ‘‘corroborate’’ means that
the Department will satisfy itself that
the secondary information to be used
has probative value. See 19 CFR
351.308(d); see also SAA. The rates
alleged in the petition and information
from prior segments of the proceeding
constitute secondary information and, to
the extent practicable, the Department
will examine the reliability and
relevance of the information to be used.
For purposes of the final results, we
did not use either of the two highest of
the three petition rates (i.e., 320 percent
and 349 percent) because these rates did
not corroborate with independent
information reasonably at our disposal,
i.e., the transaction-specific margins in
the current administrative review. We
did not use the remaining petition rate
(i.e., 32 percent) because it was lower
than the selected AFA rate, and as such
5 This margin was based on the rate we calculated
for respondent Norte Pesca S.A. in the preliminary
determination of the LTFV investigation, based on
information it submitted in its questionnaire
responses. Although this company withdrew from
the investigation after the preliminary
determination, this rate was used as the AFA rate
in the final determination. See LTFV Amended
Final Determination and Order.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
would not accomplish the objectives of
AFA, stated above. Moreover, we have
an alternative that we find to be
sufficiently adverse to effectuate the
purpose of the AFA provision of the
statute.
The reliability of the selected AFA
rate was determined by the calculation
of the margin for Norte Pesca, as
published in the LTFV Amended Final
Determination and Order. With respect
to corroboration of a rate calculated in
a segment of a proceeding, we note that,
unlike other types of information, such
as input costs or selling expenses, there
are no independent sources from which
the Department can derive dumping
margins. The only source for calculated
dumping margins is administrative
determinations. Thus, in an
administrative review, if the Department
chooses as total AFA a calculated
dumping margin from the current or a
prior segment of the proceeding, it is not
necessary to question the reliability of
the margin for that time period. See,
e.g., Anhydrous Sodium Metasilicate
from France: Preliminary Results of
Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review, 68 FR 44283, 44284 (July 28,
2003), and Anhydrous Sodium
Metasilicate from France: Final Results
of Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review, 68 FR 60080 (October 21, 2003)
(unchanged in final). Therefore, given
that we are using the highest margin
calculated for any respondent in any
segment of the proceeding, it is not
necessary to question the reliability of
this rate. The Department has received
no information to date that warrants
revisiting the issue of the reliability of
the rate calculation itself.
However, because none of the
following companies (i.e., Acarau Pesca
Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda.,
Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort SA, ITA
Fish - S.W.F. Importacao e Exportacao
Ltda., Orion Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia
Comercio e Exportacao Ltda., Secom
Aquicultura Comercio E Industria SA,
and Tecmares Maricultura Ltda.)
submitted information to the
Department or participated in a
previous segment of this proceeding, we
do not have information specific to
these companies to consider in
determining whether the 67.80-percent
margin is relevant to each of them or to
the current POR. Therefore, to
determine whether the 67.80-percent
margin is relevant in this administrative
review, we compared this rate to the
transaction-specific rates calculated for
AMASA in this review. With respect to
Compescal, which participated in the
2004–2006 administrative review, we
also compared the AFA rate to the
transaction-specific rates calculated for
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
39943
Compescal in the previous review.
Based on these comparisons, we find
that the selected AFA rate is relevant
because it fell within the range of, or
approximated, the individual
transaction margins calculated for
AMASA in this review and for
Compescal in the previous review. See
Memorandum to The File from Kate
Johnson and Rebecca Trainor entitled
‘‘Corroboration of Adverse Facts
Available Rate for the Final Results in
the 2006–2007 Antidumping Duty
Administrative Review of Certain
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from
Brazil,’’ dated July 3, 2008; see also
2004–2006 Administrative Review and
Notice of Preliminary Results of
Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review; Partial Rescission and
Postponement of Final Results: Certain
Softwood Lumber Products from
Canada, 71 FR 33964, 33968 (June 12,
2006).
The Department also considers
information reasonably at its disposal to
determine whether there are
circumstances that would render a
margin inappropriate. Where
circumstances indicate that the selected
margin is not appropriate as AFA, the
Department may disregard the margin
and determine an appropriate margin.
See, e.g., Fresh Cut Flowers from
Mexico; Final Results of Antidumping
Duty Administrative Review, 61 FR
6812, 6814 (February 22, 1996) (where
the Department disregarded the highest
calculated margin as AFA because the
margin was based on a company’s
uncharacteristic business expense
resulting in an unusually high margin).
For the instant review, we examined
whether any information on the record
would discredit the selected rate as
reasonable facts available and have
found none. Because we did not find
evidence indicating that the margin
selected as AFA in this review is not
appropriate, we have determined that
the highest margin calculated for any
respondent in any segment of the
proceeding (i.e., 67.80 percent) is
appropriate to use as AFA, and are
assigning this rate to Acarau Pesca Distr.
de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda.,
Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort SA,
Compescal, ITA Fish - S.W.F.
Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Orion
Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e
Exportacao Ltda., Secom Aquicultura
Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares
Maricultura Ltda. in the final results of
this review.
Cost of Production
As discussed in the Preliminary
Results, we conducted an investigation
to determine whether AMASA made
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
11JYN1
39944
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
home market sales of the foreign like
product during the POR at prices below
the cost of production (COP) within the
meaning of section 773(b)(1) of the Act.
We performed the cost test for these
final results following the same
methodology as in the Preliminary
Results, except as discussed in the
Decision Memo.
For AMASA, we found that 20
percent or more of comparison market
sales of a given product during the
reporting period were at prices less than
the weighted-average COP for this
period. Thus, we determined that these
below-cost sales were made in
‘‘substantial quantities’’ within an
extended period of time and at prices
which did not permit the recovery of all
costs within a reasonable period of time
in the normal course of trade. See
sections 773(b)(2)(B) - (D) of the Act.
Therefore, for purposes of these final
results, we found that AMASA made
below-cost sales not in the ordinary
course of trade during the POR.
Consequently, we disregarded these
sales and used the remaining sales as
the basis for determining normal value
pursuant to section 773(b)(1) of the Act.
Analysis of Comments Received
All issues raised in the case briefs by
parties to this administrative review,
and to which we have responded, are
listed in the Appendix to this notice and
addressed in the Decision Memo, which
is adopted by this notice. Parties can
find a complete discussion of all issues
raised in this review and the
corresponding recommendations in this
public memorandum, which is on file in
the Central Records Unit, room 1117, of
the main Department building.
In addition, a complete version of the
Decision Memo can be accessed directly
on the Web at https://ia.ita.doc.gov/
frn/. The paper copy and electronic
version of the Decision Memo are
identical in content.
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Changes Since the Preliminary Results
Based on our analysis of the
comments received, we have made
certain changes in the margin
calculations for AMASA. These changes
are discussed in the relevant sections of
the Decision Memo.
Final Results of Review
We determine that the following
weighted-average margin percentages
exist for the period February 1, 2006,
through January 31, 2007:
Percent
Margin
Manufacturer/Exporter
Amazonas Industrias
Alimenticias S.A. (‘‘AMASA’’) ..
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
48.60
Manufacturer/Exporter
Comercio de Pescado
Aracatiense Ltda.
(‘‘Compescal’’) .........................
Percent
Margin
67.80
Review-Specific Average Rate
Applicable to the Following Companies:
Manufacturer/Exporter
Aquatica Maricultura do Brasil
Ltda./Aquafeed do Brasil Ltda.
Central de Industrializacao e
Distribuicao de Alimentos
Ltda. (‘‘CIDA’’) and Cia
Exportadora de Produtos do
Mar (‘‘Produmar’’) ...................
Ipesca - Industria de Frio e
Pesca S.A. ..............................
Intermarine Servicos Nauticos
Ltda. ........................................
JK Pesca Ltda. ...........................
Pesqueira Maguary Ltda. ...........
Percent
Margin
48.60
48.60
48.60
48.60
48.60
48.60
AFA Rate Applicable to the Following
Companies:
Manufacturer/Exporter
Acarau Pesca Distr. de Pescado
Imp. e Exp. Ltda. ....................
Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort
SA ...........................................
ITA Fish - S.W.F. Importacao e
Exportacao Ltda. .....................
Orion Pesca Ltda. .......................
Santa Lavinia Comercio e
Exportacao Ltda. .....................
Secom Aquicultura Comercio E
Industria SA ............................
Tecmares Maricultura Ltda. ........
Percent
Margin
67.80
67.80
67.80
67.80
67.80
67.80
67.80
Assessment
The Department shall determine, and
CBP shall assess, antidumping duties on
all appropriate entries.
Because AMASA did not report the
actual entered value of its U.S. sales, we
have calculated importer-specific perunit duty assessment rates by
aggregating the total amount of
antidumping duties calculated for the
examined sales and dividing this
amount by the total quantity of those
sales. To determine whether the duty
assessment rates are de minimis, in
accordance with the requirement set
forth in 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2), we have
calculated importer-specific ad valorem
ratios based on the estimated entered
value. For the responsive companies
which were not selected for individual
review, we have calculated an
assessment rate based on the weighted
average of the cash deposit rates
calculated for the companies selected
for individual review excluding any
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
which are de minimis or determined
entirely on AFA.
We will instruct CBP to assess
antidumping duties on all appropriate
entries covered by this review if any
importer-specific assessment rate
calculated in the final results of this
review is above de minimis (i.e., at or
above 0.50 percent). Pursuant to 19 CFR
351.106(c)(2), we will instruct CBP to
liquidate without regard to antidumping
duties any entries for which the
assessment rate is de minimis (i.e., less
than 0.50 percent). See 19 CFR
351.106(c)(1). The Department intends
to issue assessment instructions to CBP
15 days after the date of publication of
these final results of review.
The Department clarified its
‘‘automatic assessment’’ regulation on
May 6, 2003. See Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Proceedings:
Assessment of Antidumping Duties, 68
FR 23954 (May 6, 2003) (Assessment
Policy Notice). This clarification will
apply to entries of subject merchandise
during the POR produced by companies
included in these final results of review
for which the reviewed companies did
not know that the merchandise they
sold to the intermediary (e.g., a reseller,
trading company, or exporter) was
destined for the United States. This
clarification will also apply to POR
entries of subject merchandise produced
by companies for which we are
rescinding the review based on
certifications of no shipments, because
these companies certified that they
made no POR shipments of subject
merchandise for which they had
knowledge of U.S. destination. In such
instances, we will instruct CBP to
liquidate unreviewed entries at the allothers rate established in the LTFV
investigation if there is no rate for the
intermediary involved in the
transaction. See Assessment Policy
Notice for a full discussion of this
clarification.
Cash Deposit Requirements
The following deposit requirements
will be effective for all shipments of
shrimp from Brazil entered, or
withdrawn from warehouse, for
consumption on or after the publication
date of the final results of this
administrative review, as provided for
by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: 1) the
cash deposit rates for the reviewed
companies will be the rates shown
above, except if the rate is less than 0.50
percent, de minimis within the meaning
of 19 CFR 351.106(c)(1), the cash
deposit will be zero; 2) for previously
investigated companies not listed above,
the cash deposit rate will continue to be
the company-specific rate published for
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
11JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 134 / Friday, July 11, 2008 / Notices
the most recent period; 3) if the exporter
is not a firm covered in this review, or
the LTFV investigation, but the
manufacturer is, the cash deposit rate
will be the rate established for the most
recent period for the manufacturer of
the merchandise; and 4) the cash
deposit rate for all other manufacturers
or exporters will continue to be 7.05
percent, the all-others rate established
in the LTFV investigation. These
deposit requirements shall remain in
effect until publication of the final
results of the next administrative
review.
Notification to Importers
This notice serves as a final reminder
to importers of their responsibility,
under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2), to file a
certificate regarding the reimbursement
of antidumping duties prior to
liquidation of the relevant entries
during this review period. Failure to
comply with this requirement could
result in the Secretary’s presumption
that reimbursement of antidumping
duties occurred and the subsequent
assessment of double antidumping
duties.
Notification to Interested Parties
This notice serves as the only
reminder to parties subject to
administrative protective order (APO) of
their responsibility concerning the
disposition of proprietary information
disclosed under APO in accordance
with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely
written notification of return/
destruction of APO materials or
conversion to judicial protective order is
hereby requested. Failure to comply
with the regulations and the terms of an
APO is a sanctionable violation.
We are issuing and publishing these
final results of review in accordance
with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of
the Act and 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5).
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Dated: July 3, 2008.
David M. Spooner,
Assistant Secretary for Import
Administration.
Appendix – Issues in Decision
Memorandum
1. Selection of Adverse Facts Available
Rate
2. Consideration of Grade as a Matching
Criterion
3. Date of Sale for Sales to Kenkoh
4. Sales to Employees
5. Calculation of Variable and Total
Costs of Manufacturing
6. Corrections Presented at Cost
Verification
7. Adjustments to Costs for Reconciling
Differences
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jul 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
8. Adjustments to AMASA’s General
and Administrative Expense Ratio
9. Financial Expense Ratio
[FR Doc. E8–15827 Filed 7–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
A–331–802
Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp
from Ecuador: Final Results and
Partial Rescission of Antidumping
Duty Administrative Review
Import Administration,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: On March 6, 2008, the
Department of Commerce (the
Department) published the preliminary
results of the administrative review of
the antidumping duty order on certain
frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from
Ecuador. This review covers 43
producers/exporters of the subject
merchandise to the United States. The
period of review (POR) is February 1,
2006, through January 31, 2007. We are
rescinding the review with respect to
one company because this company
made no shipments of the subject
merchandise during the POR.
Based on our analysis of the
comments received, we have made
certain changes in the margin
calculations for Promarisco S.A., one of
the producer/exporters selected for
individual review. Therefore, the final
results for Promarisco S.A. differ from
the preliminary results. We have made
no changes to the margin calculation of
OceanInvest S.A., the other producer/
exporter selected for individual review.
The final weighted–average dumping
margins for the reviewed firms are listed
below in the section entitled ‘‘Final
Results of Review.’’
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 11, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Goldberger or Gemal Brangman,
AD/CVD Operations, Office 2, Import
Administration–Room 1117,
International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th
Street and Constitution Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202)
482–4136 or (202) 482–3773,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
AGENCY:
Background
This review covers 43 producers/
exporters.1 The respondents which the
1 This figure does not include those companies
for which the Department is rescinding the
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
39945
Department selected for individual
review are OceanInvest, S.A.
(OceanInvest) and Promarisco, S.A.
(Promarisco). The respondents which
were not selected for individual review
are listed in the ‘‘Final Results of
Review’’ section of this notice.
On March 6, 2008, the Department
published in the Federal Register the
preliminary results of administrative
review of the antidumping duty order
on shrimp from Ecuador. See Certain
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from
Ecuador: Preliminary Results and
Preliminary Partial Rescission of
Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review, 73 FR 12115 (March 6, 2008)
(Preliminary Results). We invited parties
to comment on those preliminary
results. In April 2008, we received case
briefs from the petitioner (the Ad Hoc
Shrimp Trade Action Committee), the
Louisiana Shrimp Alliance (an
interested party in the proceeding),
OceanInvest, and Promarisco, and
rebuttal briefs from the petitioner,
OceanInvest, and Promarisco.
The Department has conducted this
administrative review in accordance
with section 751 of the Tariff Act of
1930, as amended (the Act).
Scope of the Order
The scope of this order includes
certain frozen warmwater shrimp and
prawns, whether wild–caught (ocean
harvested) or farm–raised (produced by
aquaculture), head–on or head–off,
shell–on or peeled, tail–on or tail–off,2
deveined or not deveined, cooked or
raw, or otherwise processed in frozen
form.
The frozen warmwater shrimp and
prawn products included in the scope of
this order, regardless of definitions in
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS), are products
which are processed from warmwater
shrimp and prawns through freezing
and which are sold in any count size.
The products described above may be
processed from any species of
warmwater shrimp and prawns.
Warmwater shrimp and prawns are
generally classified in, but are not
limited to, the Penaeidae family. Some
examples of the farmed and wild–
caught warmwater species include, but
are not limited to, whiteleg shrimp
(Penaeus vannemei), banana prawn
(Penaeus merguiensis), fleshy prawn
(Penaeus chinensis), giant river prawn
(Macrobrachium rosenbergii), giant tiger
prawn (Penaeus monodon), redspotted
administrative review. In the notice announcing the
preliminary results, this figure was incorrectly
reported as 45 companies.
2 ‘‘Tails’’ in this context means the tail fan, which
includes the telson and the uropods.
E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM
11JYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 134 (Friday, July 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39940-39945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15827]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
A-351-838
Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil: Final Results and
Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: On March 6, 2008, the Department of Commerce (the Department)
published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the
antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from
Brazil. This review covers 15 producers/exporters of the subject
merchandise to the United States. The period of review (POR) is
February 1, 2006, through January 31, 2007. We are rescinding the
review with respect to one company which made no shipments of the
subject merchandise during the POR.
Based on our analysis of the comments received, we have made
certain changes to the margin calculations. Therefore, the final
results differ from the preliminary results. The final weighted-average
dumping margins for the reviewed firms are listed below in the section
entitled ``Final Results of Review.''
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 11, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Johnson or Rebecca Trainor, AD/
CVD Operations, Office 2, Import Administration, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20230; telephone (202) 482-
4929 and (202) 482-4007, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
This review covers 15 producers/exporters.\1\ The respondents which
the Department selected for individual review are Amazonas Industrias
Alimenticias S.A. (``AMASA'') and Comercio de Pescado Aracatiense Ltda.
(``Compescal''). The respondents which were not selected for individual
review are listed in the ``Final Results of Review'' section of this
notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This figure does not include those companies for which the
Department is rescinding the administrative review.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On March 6, 2008, the Department published in the Federal Register
the preliminary results of administrative review of the antidumping
duty order on shrimp from Brazil. See Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp
from Brazil:
[[Page 39941]]
Preliminary Results and Preliminary Partial Rescission of Antidumping
Duty Administrative Review, 73 FR 12081 (March 6, 2008) (Preliminary
Results).
We invited parties to comment on our preliminary results of review.
On April 7, 2008, AMASA requested a public hearing. On April 14, 2008,
we received a case brief from the Louisiana Shrimp Association, an
interested party in this proceeding. On April 16, 2008, we received
case briefs from AMASA and the petitioner (i.e., the Ad Hoc Shrimp
Trade Action Committee). On April 28, we received rebuttal briefs from
AMASA and the petitioner. On May 2, 2008, AMASA withdrew its request
for a hearing.
The Department has conducted this administrative review in
accordance with section 751 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the
Act).
Scope of the Order
The scope of this order includes certain frozen warmwater shrimp
and prawns, whether wild-caught (ocean harvested) or farm-raised
(produced by aquaculture), head-on or head-off, shell-on or peeled,
tail-on or tail-off,\2\ deveined or not deveined, cooked or raw, or
otherwise processed in frozen form.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ ``Tails'' in this context means the tail fan, which includes
the telson and the uropods.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The frozen warmwater shrimp and prawn products included in the
scope of this order, regardless of definitions in the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), are products which are processed
from warmwater shrimp and prawns through freezing and which are sold in
any count size.
The products described above may be processed from any species of
warmwater shrimp and prawns. Warmwater shrimp and prawns are generally
classified in, but are not limited to, the Penaeidae family. Some
examples of the farmed and wild-caught warmwater species include, but
are not limited to, whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannemei), banana prawn
(Penaeus merguiensis), fleshy prawn (Penaeus chinensis), giant river
prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon),
redspotted shrimp (Penaeus brasiliensis), southern brown shrimp
(Penaeus subtilis), southern pink shrimp (Penaeus notialis), southern
rough shrimp (Trachypenaeus curvirostris), southern white shrimp
(Penaeus schmitti), blue shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris), western white
shrimp (Penaeus occidentalis), and Indian white prawn (Penaeus
indicus).
Frozen shrimp and prawns that are packed with marinade, spices or
sauce are included in the scope of this order. In addition, food
preparations, which are not ``prepared meals,'' that contain more than
20 percent by weight of shrimp or prawn are also included in the scope
of this order.
Excluded from the scope are: 1) breaded shrimp and prawns (HTSUS
subheading 1605.20.10.20); 2) shrimp and prawns generally classified in
the Pandalidae family and commonly referred to as coldwater shrimp, in
any state of processing; 3) fresh shrimp and prawns whether shell-on or
peeled (HTSUS subheadings 0306.23.00.20 and 0306.23.00.40); 4) shrimp
and prawns in prepared meals (HTSUS subheading 1605.20.05.10); 5) dried
shrimp and prawns; 6) canned warmwater shrimp and prawns (HTSUS
subheading 1605.20.10.40); 7) certain dusted shrimp; and 8) certain
battered shrimp. Dusted shrimp is a shrimp-based product: 1) that is
produced from fresh (or thawed-from-frozen) and peeled shrimp; 2) to
which a ``dusting'' layer of rice or wheat flour of at least 95 percent
purity has been applied; 3) with the entire surface of the shrimp flesh
thoroughly and evenly coated with the flour; 4) with the non-shrimp
content of the end product constituting between four and 10 percent of
the product's total weight after being dusted, but prior to being
frozen; and 5) that is subjected to IQF freezing immediately after
application of the dusting layer. Battered shrimp is a shrimp-based
product that, when dusted in accordance with the definition of dusting
above, is coated with a wet viscous layer containing egg and/or milk,
and par-fried.
The products covered by this order are currently classified under
the following HTSUS subheadings: 0306.13.00.03, 0306.13.00.06,
0306.13.00.09, 0306.13.00.12, 0306.13.00.15, 0306.13.00.18,
0306.13.00.21, 0306.13.00.24, 0306.13.00.27, 0306.13.00.40,
1605.20.10.10, and 1605.20.10.30. These HTSUS subheadings are provided
for convenience and for customs purposes only and are not dispositive,
but rather the written description of the scope of this order is
dispositive.
Period of Review
The POR is February 1, 2006, through January 31, 2007.
Partial Rescission of Review
In the Preliminary Results, we preliminarily rescinded this review
with respect to Qualimar Comercio Imp. E Exp. Ltda. (``Qualimar''). On
September 13, 2007, Qualimar submitted a quantity and value (``Q&V'')
questionnaire response stating that it had no shipments/exports of
subject merchandise to the United States during the POR. Furthermore,
data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') show that
Qualimar did not have shipments of subject merchandise during the POR.
Accordingly, we are rescinding this review with respect to Qualimar.
Successor-In-Interest
As discussed in the Preliminary Results, on April 18, 2007, Empresa
De Armazenagem Frigorifica Ltda. (Empaf) informed the Department that
it is now doing business as Netuno Alimentos S.A. (Netuno).\3\ On May
9, 2007, in response to the Department's request for additional
information, Netuno asserted its view that it is the successor-in-
interest to Empaf. Specifically, Netuno stated that there were no
changes to Empaf's management, production facilities for the subject
merchandise, supplier relationships, or customer base as a result of
the change in corporate structure. Based on our analysis of Netuno's
May 9, 2007, submission, we preliminarily found that its organizational
structure, management, production facilities, supplier relationships,
and customers have remained essentially unchanged. We also found that
Netuno operates as the same business entity as Empaf with respect to
the production and sale of certain frozen warmwater shrimp. Thus, we
preliminarily found that Netuno is the successor-in-interest to Empaf,
and, as a consequence, its exports of certain frozen warmwater shrimp
are subject to the antidumping duty order on shrimp from Brazil.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ In the original investigation, we found that Empaf and
Maricultura Netuno comprised a single entity. See Notice of Final
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Certain Frozen and
Canned Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil, 69 FR 76910 (Dec. 23, 2004).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since the Preliminary Results, no party to this proceeding has
commented on this issue, and we have found no additional information
that would compel us to reverse our preliminary finding. Thus, for
purposes of these final results, we continue to find that Netuno is the
successor-in-interest to Empaf for purposes of determining antidumping
duty liability.
Facts Available
In the Preliminary Results, we determined that, in accordance with
section 776(a)(2)(A) of the Act, the use of facts available was
appropriate as the basis for the dumping margins for the
[[Page 39942]]
following producer/exporters: Acarau Pesca Distr. de Pescado Imp. E
Exp. Ltda., Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort SA, Compescal, ITA Fish -
S.W.F. Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Orion Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia
Comercio e Exportacao Ltda., Secom Aquicultura Comercio E Industria SA,
and Tecmares Maricultura Ltda. See Preliminary Results at 12083.
Section 776(a) of the Act provides that the Department will apply
``facts otherwise available'' if, inter alia, necessary information is
not available on the record or an interested party: 1) withholds
information that has been requested by the Department; 2) fails to
provide such information within the deadlines established, or in the
form or manner requested by the Department; 3) significantly impedes a
proceeding; or 4) provides such information, but the information cannot
be verified.
In April 2007, the Department requested that all companies subject
to review respond to the Department's Q&V questionnaire for purposes of
mandatory respondent selection. The original deadline to file a
response was April 23, 2007. Because numerous companies did not respond
to this initial request for information, in May and June 2007, we
issued letters to these companies affording them a second and third
opportunity to submit a response to the Q&V questionnaire. The above-
mentioned companies again failed to respond to our requests for Q&V
data. By failing to respond to the Department's Q&V questionnaire,
these companies withheld requested information and significantly
impeded the proceeding. Thus, pursuant to sections 776(a)(2)(A) and (C)
of the Act, we preliminarily found that the use of total facts
available was warranted. Consistent with the Preliminary Results, the
Department finds that the use of total facts available for Acarau Pesca
Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda., Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort SA,
Compescal, ITA Fish - S.W.F. Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Orion Pesca
Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e Exportacao Ltda., Secom Aquicultura
Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares Maricultura Ltda. is appropriate
for purposes of the final results, pursuant to sections 776(a)(2)(A)
and (C) of the Act.
Application of Adverse Facts Available
In selecting from among the facts otherwise available, section
776(b) of the Act authorizes the Department to use an adverse inference
if the Department finds that an interested party failed to cooperate by
not acting to the best of its ability to comply with the request for
information. See, e.g., Notice of Final Results of Antidumping Duty
Administrative Review: Stainless Steel Bar from India, 70 FR 54023,
54025-26 (Sept. 13, 2005); see also Notice of Final Determination of
Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Final Negative Critical
Circumstances: Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Brazil, 67
FR 55792, 55794-96 (Aug. 30, 2002). Adverse inferences are appropriate
``to ensure that the party does not obtain a more favorable result by
failing to cooperate than if it had cooperated fully.'' See Statement
of Administrative Action accompanying the Uruguay Round Agreements Act,
H.R. Rep. No. 103-316, Vol. 1, at 870 (1994) (SAA). Furthermore,
``affirmative evidence of bad faith on the part of a respondent is not
required before the Department may make an adverse inference.'' See
Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties; Final Rule, 62 FR 27296,
27340 (May 19, 1997). See also, Nippon Steel Corp. v. United States,
337 F.3d 1373, 1382 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (Nippon). We find that Acarau
Pesca Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda., Aquacultura Fortaleza
Aquafort SA, Compescal, ITA Fish - S.W.F. Importacao e Exportacao
Ltda., Orion Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e Exportacao Ltda.,
Secom Aquicultura Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares Maricultura
Ltda. did not act to the best of their abilities in this proceeding,
within the meaning of section 776(b) of the Act, because they failed to
respond to the Department's requests for information. Therefore, an
adverse inference is warranted in selecting the facts otherwise
available. See Nippon, 337 F. 3d at 1382-83.
In the Preliminary Results, we assigned to the uncooperative
companies an adverse facts available (AFA) rate of 68.15 percent, the
preliminary margin calculated for AMASA, which, at the time, was the
highest rate determined for any respondent in any segment of the
proceeding (i.e., the less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation, the
first administrative review, or the instant review). However, given the
changes made to the margin calculations for AMASA since the Preliminary
Results,\4\ the rate assigned to AMASA for purposes of these final
results is 48.60 percent. Therefore, in accordance with Department
policy to assign the highest rate on record of the proceeding as AFA,
for the final results, we have applied an AFA margin of 67.80 percent
from the LTFV investigation. The Court of International Trade (CIT) and
the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit have consistently upheld
the Department's practice in this regard. See Rhone Poulenc, Inc. v.
United States, 899 F.2d 1185, 1190 (Fed. Cir. 1990); NSK Ltd. v. United
States, 346 F. Supp. 2d 1312, 1335 (CIT 2004) (upholding a 73.55
percent total AFA rate, the highest available dumping margin from a
different respondent in an LTFV investigation); see also Kompass Food
Trading Int'l v. United States, 24 CIT 678, 680 (2000) (upholding a
51.16 percent total AFA rate, the highest available dumping margin from
a different, fully cooperative respondent) and Shanghai Taoen Int'l
Tading Co., Ltd. v. United States, 360 F Supp 2d 1339, 1348 (CIT 2005)
(upholding a 223.01 percent total AFA rate, the highest available
dumping margin from a different respondent in a previous administrative
review).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See Issues and Decision Memorandum (Decision Memo)
accompanying this notice for further discussion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 776(b) of the Act provides that the Department may use as
AFA information derived from: 1) the petition; 2) the final
determination in the investigation; 3) any previous review; or 4) any
other information placed on the record. The Department's practice, when
selecting an AFA rate from among the possible sources of information,
has been to ensure that the margin is sufficiently adverse ``as to
effectuate the statutory purposes of the AFA rule to induce respondents
to provide the Department with complete and accurate information in a
timely manner.'' See e.g., Certain Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bars from
Turkey; Final Results and Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review in Part, 71 FR 65082, 65084 (November 7, 2006).
In selecting an appropriate AFA rate, the Department considered: 1)
the rates alleged in the petition (see Notice of Initiation of
Antidumping Duty Investigations: Certain Frozen and Canned Warmwater
Shrimp From Brazil, Ecuador, India, Thailand, the People's Republic of
China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 69 FR 3876, 3879 (January
27, 2004)); 2) the rates calculated in the final determination of the
LTFV investigation, as amended, which ranged from 4.97 to 67.80 percent
(see Notice of Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair
Value and Antidumping Duty Order: Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from
Brazil, 70 FR 5143 (February 1, 2005) (LTFV Amended Final Determination
and Order)); 3) the rates calculated in the final results of the 2004-
2006 administrative review, which ranged from 4.62 to 15.41 percent
(see Certain
[[Page 39943]]
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil: Final Results and Partial
Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 72 FR 52061
(September 12, 2007) (2004-2006 Administrative Review); and 4) the rate
calculated for AMASA in the final results of this administrative
review. As discussed further below, we find that the rates alleged in
the petition no longer have probative value for purposes of this
review. In addition, we find that the rate calculated for AMASA in this
review, as well as the rates calculated in the 2004-2006 administrative
review, are not sufficiently high as to effectuate the purpose of the
facts available rule (i.e., we do not find that these rates are high
enough to encourage participation in future segments of this proceeding
in accordance with section 776(b) of the Act). Therefore, we have
assigned a rate of 67.80 percent as AFA, which is the highest margin
determined for any respondent in any segment of the proceeding (i.e.,
the LTFV investigation).\5\ We consider the 67.80-percent rate to be
sufficiently high so as to encourage participation in future segments
of this proceeding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ This margin was based on the rate we calculated for
respondent Norte Pesca S.A. in the preliminary determination of the
LTFV investigation, based on information it submitted in its
questionnaire responses. Although this company withdrew from the
investigation after the preliminary determination, this rate was
used as the AFA rate in the final determination. See LTFV Amended
Final Determination and Order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corroboration
Section 776(c) of the Act requires that the Department corroborate,
to the extent practicable, secondary information used as facts
available from independent sources reasonably at its disposal. The
Department's regulations provide that ``corroborate'' means that the
Department will satisfy itself that the secondary information to be
used has probative value. See 19 CFR 351.308(d); see also SAA. The
rates alleged in the petition and information from prior segments of
the proceeding constitute secondary information and, to the extent
practicable, the Department will examine the reliability and relevance
of the information to be used.
For purposes of the final results, we did not use either of the two
highest of the three petition rates (i.e., 320 percent and 349 percent)
because these rates did not corroborate with independent information
reasonably at our disposal, i.e., the transaction-specific margins in
the current administrative review. We did not use the remaining
petition rate (i.e., 32 percent) because it was lower than the selected
AFA rate, and as such would not accomplish the objectives of AFA,
stated above. Moreover, we have an alternative that we find to be
sufficiently adverse to effectuate the purpose of the AFA provision of
the statute.
The reliability of the selected AFA rate was determined by the
calculation of the margin for Norte Pesca, as published in the LTFV
Amended Final Determination and Order. With respect to corroboration of
a rate calculated in a segment of a proceeding, we note that, unlike
other types of information, such as input costs or selling expenses,
there are no independent sources from which the Department can derive
dumping margins. The only source for calculated dumping margins is
administrative determinations. Thus, in an administrative review, if
the Department chooses as total AFA a calculated dumping margin from
the current or a prior segment of the proceeding, it is not necessary
to question the reliability of the margin for that time period. See,
e.g., Anhydrous Sodium Metasilicate from France: Preliminary Results of
Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 68 FR 44283, 44284 (July 28,
2003), and Anhydrous Sodium Metasilicate from France: Final Results of
Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 68 FR 60080 (October 21, 2003)
(unchanged in final). Therefore, given that we are using the highest
margin calculated for any respondent in any segment of the proceeding,
it is not necessary to question the reliability of this rate. The
Department has received no information to date that warrants revisiting
the issue of the reliability of the rate calculation itself.
However, because none of the following companies (i.e., Acarau
Pesca Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda., Aquacultura Fortaleza
Aquafort SA, ITA Fish - S.W.F. Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Orion
Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e Exportacao Ltda., Secom
Aquicultura Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares Maricultura Ltda.)
submitted information to the Department or participated in a previous
segment of this proceeding, we do not have information specific to
these companies to consider in determining whether the 67.80-percent
margin is relevant to each of them or to the current POR. Therefore, to
determine whether the 67.80-percent margin is relevant in this
administrative review, we compared this rate to the transaction-
specific rates calculated for AMASA in this review. With respect to
Compescal, which participated in the 2004-2006 administrative review,
we also compared the AFA rate to the transaction-specific rates
calculated for Compescal in the previous review. Based on these
comparisons, we find that the selected AFA rate is relevant because it
fell within the range of, or approximated, the individual transaction
margins calculated for AMASA in this review and for Compescal in the
previous review. See Memorandum to The File from Kate Johnson and
Rebecca Trainor entitled ``Corroboration of Adverse Facts Available
Rate for the Final Results in the 2006-2007 Antidumping Duty
Administrative Review of Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Brazil,''
dated July 3, 2008; see also 2004-2006 Administrative Review and Notice
of Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review;
Partial Rescission and Postponement of Final Results: Certain Softwood
Lumber Products from Canada, 71 FR 33964, 33968 (June 12, 2006).
The Department also considers information reasonably at its
disposal to determine whether there are circumstances that would render
a margin inappropriate. Where circumstances indicate that the selected
margin is not appropriate as AFA, the Department may disregard the
margin and determine an appropriate margin. See, e.g., Fresh Cut
Flowers from Mexico; Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review, 61 FR 6812, 6814 (February 22, 1996) (where the Department
disregarded the highest calculated margin as AFA because the margin was
based on a company's uncharacteristic business expense resulting in an
unusually high margin). For the instant review, we examined whether any
information on the record would discredit the selected rate as
reasonable facts available and have found none. Because we did not find
evidence indicating that the margin selected as AFA in this review is
not appropriate, we have determined that the highest margin calculated
for any respondent in any segment of the proceeding (i.e., 67.80
percent) is appropriate to use as AFA, and are assigning this rate to
Acarau Pesca Distr. de Pescado Imp. E Exp. Ltda., Aquacultura Fortaleza
Aquafort SA, Compescal, ITA Fish - S.W.F. Importacao e Exportacao
Ltda., Orion Pesca Ltda., Santa Lavinia Comercio e Exportacao Ltda.,
Secom Aquicultura Comercio E Industria SA, and Tecmares Maricultura
Ltda. in the final results of this review.
Cost of Production
As discussed in the Preliminary Results, we conducted an
investigation to determine whether AMASA made
[[Page 39944]]
home market sales of the foreign like product during the POR at prices
below the cost of production (COP) within the meaning of section
773(b)(1) of the Act. We performed the cost test for these final
results following the same methodology as in the Preliminary Results,
except as discussed in the Decision Memo.
For AMASA, we found that 20 percent or more of comparison market
sales of a given product during the reporting period were at prices
less than the weighted-average COP for this period. Thus, we determined
that these below-cost sales were made in ``substantial quantities''
within an extended period of time and at prices which did not permit
the recovery of all costs within a reasonable period of time in the
normal course of trade. See sections 773(b)(2)(B) - (D) of the Act.
Therefore, for purposes of these final results, we found that AMASA
made below-cost sales not in the ordinary course of trade during the
POR. Consequently, we disregarded these sales and used the remaining
sales as the basis for determining normal value pursuant to section
773(b)(1) of the Act.
Analysis of Comments Received
All issues raised in the case briefs by parties to this
administrative review, and to which we have responded, are listed in
the Appendix to this notice and addressed in the Decision Memo, which
is adopted by this notice. Parties can find a complete discussion of
all issues raised in this review and the corresponding recommendations
in this public memorandum, which is on file in the Central Records
Unit, room 1117, of the main Department building.
In addition, a complete version of the Decision Memo can be
accessed directly on the Web at https://ia.ita.doc.gov/ frn/. The paper
copy and electronic version of the Decision Memo are identical in
content.
Changes Since the Preliminary Results
Based on our analysis of the comments received, we have made
certain changes in the margin calculations for AMASA. These changes are
discussed in the relevant sections of the Decision Memo.
Final Results of Review
We determine that the following weighted-average margin percentages
exist for the period February 1, 2006, through January 31, 2007:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent
Manufacturer/Exporter Margin
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazonas Industrias Alimenticias S.A. (``AMASA'')........... 48.60
Comercio de Pescado Aracatiense Ltda. (``Compescal'')....... 67.80
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review-Specific Average Rate Applicable to the Following Companies:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent
Manufacturer/Exporter Margin
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aquatica Maricultura do Brasil Ltda./Aquafeed do Brasil 48.60
Ltda.......................................................
Central de Industrializacao e Distribuicao de Alimentos 48.60
Ltda. (``CIDA'') and Cia Exportadora de Produtos do Mar
(``Produmar'').............................................
Ipesca - Industria de Frio e Pesca S.A...................... 48.60
Intermarine Servicos Nauticos Ltda.......................... 48.60
JK Pesca Ltda............................................... 48.60
Pesqueira Maguary Ltda...................................... 48.60
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFA Rate Applicable to the Following Companies:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent
Manufacturer/Exporter Margin
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acarau Pesca Distr. de Pescado Imp. e Exp. Ltda............. 67.80
Aquacultura Fortaleza Aquafort SA........................... 67.80
ITA Fish - S.W.F. Importacao e Exportacao Ltda.............. 67.80
Orion Pesca Ltda............................................ 67.80
Santa Lavinia Comercio e Exportacao Ltda.................... 67.80
Secom Aquicultura Comercio E Industria SA................... 67.80
Tecmares Maricultura Ltda................................... 67.80
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assessment
The Department shall determine, and CBP shall assess, antidumping
duties on all appropriate entries.
Because AMASA did not report the actual entered value of its U.S.
sales, we have calculated importer-specific per-unit duty assessment
rates by aggregating the total amount of antidumping duties calculated
for the examined sales and dividing this amount by the total quantity
of those sales. To determine whether the duty assessment rates are de
minimis, in accordance with the requirement set forth in 19 CFR
351.106(c)(2), we have calculated importer-specific ad valorem ratios
based on the estimated entered value. For the responsive companies
which were not selected for individual review, we have calculated an
assessment rate based on the weighted average of the cash deposit rates
calculated for the companies selected for individual review excluding
any which are de minimis or determined entirely on AFA.
We will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on all
appropriate entries covered by this review if any importer-specific
assessment rate calculated in the final results of this review is above
de minimis (i.e., at or above 0.50 percent). Pursuant to 19 CFR
351.106(c)(2), we will instruct CBP to liquidate without regard to
antidumping duties any entries for which the assessment rate is de
minimis (i.e., less than 0.50 percent). See 19 CFR 351.106(c)(1). The
Department intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP 15 days
after the date of publication of these final results of review.
The Department clarified its ``automatic assessment'' regulation on
May 6, 2003. See Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings:
Assessment of Antidumping Duties, 68 FR 23954 (May 6, 2003) (Assessment
Policy Notice). This clarification will apply to entries of subject
merchandise during the POR produced by companies included in these
final results of review for which the reviewed companies did not know
that the merchandise they sold to the intermediary (e.g., a reseller,
trading company, or exporter) was destined for the United States. This
clarification will also apply to POR entries of subject merchandise
produced by companies for which we are rescinding the review based on
certifications of no shipments, because these companies certified that
they made no POR shipments of subject merchandise for which they had
knowledge of U.S. destination. In such instances, we will instruct CBP
to liquidate unreviewed entries at the all-others rate established in
the LTFV investigation if there is no rate for the intermediary
involved in the transaction. See Assessment Policy Notice for a full
discussion of this clarification.
Cash Deposit Requirements
The following deposit requirements will be effective for all
shipments of shrimp from Brazil entered, or withdrawn from warehouse,
for consumption on or after the publication date of the final results
of this administrative review, as provided for by section 751(a)(2)(C)
of the Act: 1) the cash deposit rates for the reviewed companies will
be the rates shown above, except if the rate is less than 0.50 percent,
de minimis within the meaning of 19 CFR 351.106(c)(1), the cash deposit
will be zero; 2) for previously investigated companies not listed
above, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the company-specific
rate published for
[[Page 39945]]
the most recent period; 3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in
this review, or the LTFV investigation, but the manufacturer is, the
cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recent
period for the manufacturer of the merchandise; and 4) the cash deposit
rate for all other manufacturers or exporters will continue to be 7.05
percent, the all-others rate established in the LTFV investigation.
These deposit requirements shall remain in effect until publication of
the final results of the next administrative review.
Notification to Importers
This notice serves as a final reminder to importers of their
responsibility, under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2), to file a certificate
regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation
of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply
with this requirement could result in the Secretary's presumption that
reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent
assessment of double antidumping duties.
Notification to Interested Parties
This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written
notification of return/destruction of APO materials or conversion to
judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with
the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.
We are issuing and publishing these final results of review in
accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.221(b)(5).
Dated: July 3, 2008.
David M. Spooner,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
Appendix - Issues in Decision Memorandum
1. Selection of Adverse Facts Available Rate
2. Consideration of Grade as a Matching Criterion
3. Date of Sale for Sales to Kenkoh
4. Sales to Employees
5. Calculation of Variable and Total Costs of Manufacturing
6. Corrections Presented at Cost Verification
7. Adjustments to Costs for Reconciling Differences
8. Adjustments to AMASA's General and Administrative Expense Ratio
9. Financial Expense Ratio
[FR Doc. E8-15827 Filed 7-10-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S