Department of Commerce October 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS publishes Fraser River salmon inseason orders to regulate salmon fisheries in U.S. waters. The orders were issued by the Fraser River Panel (Panel) of the Pacific Salmon Commission (Commission) and subsequently approved and issued by NMFS during the 2006 salmon fisheries within the U.S. Fraser River Panel Area. These orders established fishing dates, times, and areas for the gear types of U.S. treaty Indian and all citizen fisheries during the period the Panel exercised jurisdiction over these fisheries.

The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) will convene public hearings and seek public comment on a draft amendment to all the fishery management plans (FMPs) under their purview. The omnibus amendment would establish standardized bycatch reporting methodology (SBRM) for each FMP, as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act).

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the quota for the tilefish Part-time permit category has been exceeded for fishing year (FY) 2006, requiring an adjustment of the Part-time permit category quota for FY 2007. This action complies with the Fishery Management Plan for the Tilefish Fishery (FMP) and is intended to continue the rebuilding program in the FMP by taking into account previous overages of the tilefish quota.

NMFS suspends the minimum size limit of 4.75 inches (12.065 cm) for Atlantic surfclams for the 2007 fishing year. This action is taken under the authority of the implementing regulations for this fishery, which allow for the annual suspension of the minimum size limit based upon set criteria. The intended effect is to relieve the industry from a regulatory burden that is not necessary, as the majority of surfclams harvested are larger than the minimum size limit.

NMFS implements this final rule to clarify the expiration date of the limited entry program for Illex squid, reestablish a minimum mesh requirement for the butterfish fishery, and remove a regulatory requirement for annual specifications to be published by a specific date. These measures were initially implemented by the final rule implementing the specifications for the 2005 fishing year for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB). These regulatory measures were intended to be of a permanent nature, unlike the 2005 specifications themselves, which were effective through December 31, 2005. An error in the final rule caused these three measures to expire; this rule restores the regulatory requirements. This action is being taken by NMFS under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

The U.S. Department of Commerce (``the Department'') has received timely requests to conduct new shipper reviews of the antidumping duty order on freshwater crawfish tail meat from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). In accordance with 19 CFR 351.214(d), we are initiating new shipper reviews for Anhui Tongxin Aquatic Product & Food Co., Ltd. (``Anhui Tongxin''), Huoshan New Three-Gold Food Trade Co. Ltd. (``Huoshan NTGF''), Jingdezhen Garay Foods Co., Ltd. (``Jingdezhen Garay''), and Shanghai Now Again International Trading Co., Ltd. (``Shanghai Now Again'').

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene public meetings.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Iraqi Ministry of Trade have established the U.S.-Iraq Business Dialogue (Business Dialogue or Dialogue). This notice announces membership opportunities for American representatives to join the U.S. section of the Dialogue.

The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') is extending the time limit for the preliminary results of the review of glycine from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). This review covers the period March 1, 2005, through February 28, 2006.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory entities will hold public meetings.

NMFS proposes specifications for the 2007 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The implementing regulations for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) require NMFS to publish specifications for the upcoming fishing year for each of the species and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of this action is to establish harvest levels that assure that the target fishing mortality rates (F) or exploitation rates specified for these species in the FMP are not exceeded and to allow for rebuilding of the stocks in accordance with the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). NMFS has conditionally approved four research projects for the harvest of the portion of the quota that has been recommended by the Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) to be set aside for research purposes. In anticipation of receiving applications for Experimental Fishing Permits (EFPs) to conduct this research, the Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator), has made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFPs issued in response to the approved Research Set-Aside (RSA) projects would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the FMP. However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue any EFP.

On September 15, 2006, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published the preliminary results of the antidumping duty changed circumstances review and notice to revoke in part the order on welded large diameter line pipe from Japan (``LDLP'') with respect to certain welded large diameter line pipe as described below. See Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty Changed Circumstances Review and Notice of Intent to Revoke the Order in Part: Certain Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe from Japan, (71 FR 54471) (September 15, 2006) (``Preliminary Results''). In our Preliminary Results, we gave interested parties an opportunity to comment; however, we did not receive any comments from parties opposing the partial revocation of the order. Therefore, the Department hereby revokes this order with respect to all future entries for consumption of certain welded large diameter line pipe, as described below, effective on the date of publication of this Federal Register notice.

NMFS solicits nominations for the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel. Nominations are being sought to fill one-third of the Advisory Panel posts for a 3-year appointment.

Notice is hereby given that Coral World (V.I.), Inc., 6450 Estate Smith Bay, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802 [Gertrude J. Prior, Responsible Party] has been issued a permit to import four South American (Patagonian) sea lions (Otaria flavescens) for public display.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application for a permit for an Endangered Species Act (ESA) scientific research from California Department of Fish and Game Glenn Colusa Irrigation District Fish Screen Facilities Office (DFG GCID FSFO) in Hamilton City, CA. This notice is relevant to federally endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), threatened Central Valley steelhead (O. mykiss), and threatened Southern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of North American green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris). This document serves to notify the public of the availability of the permit application for review and comment.

On June 21, 2006, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published in the Federal Register the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on petroleum wax candles (``candles'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). See Petroleum Wax Candles from the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the 2004-2005 Administrative Review, 71 FR 35613 (June 21, 2006) (``Preliminary Results''). We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the Preliminary Results, but we did not receive any comments. Therefore, we made no changes to the dumping margin calculations for these final results.

U.S. accredited colleges and universities are invited to participate in the U.S. Electronic Education Fair For China by purchasing space on the initiative's internet landing page.

On October 18, 2006, Hylsa, S.A. de C.V. filed a First Request for Panel Review with the United States Section of the NAFTA Secretariat pursuant to Article 1904 of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Panel review was requested of the Notice of Final Results and Partial Rescission of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review made by the International Trade Administration, respecting Oil Country Tubular Goods from Mexico. This determination was published in the Federal Register (71 FR 54614) on September 18, 2006. The NAFTA Secretariat has assigned Case Number USA-MEX-2006-1904-06 to this request.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher processor vessels using hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 directed fishing allowance (DFA) of Pacific cod specified for catcher processor vessels using hook-and-line gear in the BSAI.