Department of Commerce March 12, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) (Stephen B. Reilly, Ph.D., Principal Investigator), Protected Resources Division, 8604 La Jolla Shores Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037, has requested an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 774-1714-05.

NMFS proposes 2007 fishing year (FY) Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for Georges Bank (GB) cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder in the U.S./Canada Management Area, as recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). These TACs may be adjusted during FY 2007, if NMFS determines that the harvest of these stocks in FY 2006 exceeded the TACs specified for FY 2006. The intent of this action is to provide for the conservation and management of those three stocks of fish.

NMFS publishes this final rule to revise the method for renewing and replacing permits issued under the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS). Permits are required for all commercial vessels and all recreational charter vessels participating in HMS fisheries managed under the FMP. The final rule modifies the renewal process by substituting the last day of the month corresponding to the last digit of the vessel's identification number with the last day of the vessel owner's birth month as the expiration date. The rule also requires that vessel owners requiring a duplicate permit to submit a completed application form to NMFS. These regulations are needed to improve the efficiency and timeliness of the permit system. The proposed rule is adopted without change.

NMFS is implementing approved measures contained in Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP), developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). Amendment 1 establishes a limited access program. Amendment 1 also includes the following measures: An open access incidental catch permit; a change in the management area boundaries; establishment of a purse seine/fixed gear-only area; establishment of a maximum sustainable yield (MSY) proxy; an approach to determining the distribution of area-specific Total Allowable Catches (TACs); a multi-year specifications process; a research quota set-aside for herring-related research; a set-aside for fixed gear fisheries; a change in the midwater trawl gear definition; and additional measures that could be implemented through the framework adjustment process. Also, NMFS informs thepublic of the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this final rule and publishes the OMB control numbers for these collections.

NOAA publishes this notice to announce availability of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Draft Human Dimensions Strategic Plan (FY2008-FY2013) for public comment.

NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia is transferring 150,000 lb (68,039 kg) of commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York from its 2007 quota. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

The Department of Commerce (``Department'') is partially rescinding the administrative review with respect to 38 companies, for which it received timely withdrawal requests for review for the antidumping duty order on certain frozen fish fillets from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (``Vietnam''). The period of review (``POR'') covers August 1, 2005, through July 31, 2006. A complete list of the companies for which the administrative review is being rescinded is provided in the ``Partial Rescission'' section below. Furthermore, because nine companies reported that they had no sales or shipments to the United States during the POR, we intend to rescind the review of these companies. Additionally, for the reasons discussed below, the Department is partially extending the preliminary results of this administrative review by an additional 90 days, to no later than August 1, 2007.