Department of Commerce January 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On August 8, 2007, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on canned pineapple fruit (CPF) from Thailand. See Canned Pineapple Fruit from Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 72 FR 44490 (August 8, 2007) (Preliminary Results). This review covers shipments of subject merchandise to the United States for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, made by Vita Food Factory (1989) Ltd. (Vita) and Tropical Food Industries Co. Ltd. (Trofco). The Department determines that Vita and Trofco made sales to the U.S. at less than normal value. The final results are listed below in the section titled ``Final Results of Review''.

We preliminarily determine that laminated woven sacks from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (``LTFV''), as provided in section 733 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''). The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are shown in the ``Preliminary Determination'' section of this notice. We will make our final determination within 135 days after the publication of this preliminary determination.

Notice of availability is hereby given for a 45-day public comment period on ``proposed'' Data Management and Communications (DMAC) standards for implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). A description and references for currently ``proposed'' standards are posted at the following URL: https:// ioosdmac.fedworx.org. At that Web site, standards are categorized in a three level sequence as either ``submitted'', ``proposed'' or ``recommended''. This announcement seeks public comments on those categorized as ``proposed''. The public may view any standard using the anonymous guest login provided; however, submission of comments on the ``proposed'' standards using the website requires registration as provided by the website interface. Public comments are sought as part of the ongoing DMAC standards process adopted by the DMAC Steering Team in May 2006 to manage the review and adoption of standards (including guidance and best practices) in an open, objective, and balanced manner. Suggested standards may be submitted at anytime as this process will run continuously for submission of suggested standards and for public comment on those elevated to ``proposed'' status. Subsequent comment periods will be announced at approximately six-month intervals. The Web site will remain open continuously and display information about the schedule for future comment periods. All substantive comments received during a review period will be considered by a broadly based, expert panel convened by Ocean.US for that purpose. Possible decisions are to: (1) Advance the standard to ``recommended'' status; (2) defer for technical modifications, additional testing or comments; or (3) reject as not appropriate for IOOS implementation. Decisions will be posted to that Web site. Any subsequently modifications or additions to the developing set of IOOS standards shall be subjected to public review and comment through this same process.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement the annual harvest guideline (HG) for Pacific mackerel in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast for the fishing season of July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008. This HG has been calculated according to the regulations implementing the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and establishes allowable harvest levels for Pacific mackerel off the Pacific coast. The HG for the 2007-2008 fishing season is 40,000 metric tons (mt). If this total is reached, Pacific mackerel fishing will be closed to directed harvest and only incidental harvest will be allowed at a 45 percent by weight incidental catch rate when landed with other CPS, except that up to one mt of Pacific mackerel can be landed without landing any other CPS.

This document provides notice of type approval requirements for Mobile Transmitting Units (MTU) to be authorized for use on any vessel participating in the NOAA Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) program. Vessels participating in VMS program must acquire an NMFS- approved MTU to comply with VMS standards set forth in NMFS rules requiring the use of VMS.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that light-walled rectangular pipe and tube from the Republic of Korea is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV), as provided in section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Tariff Act). The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are listed in the ``Suspension of Liquidation'' section of this notice. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination. Pursuant to a request from Nexteel Co., Ltd. (Nexteel), we are postponing for 60 days the final determination and extending provisional measures from a four-month period to not more than six months. Accordingly, we will make our final determination not later than 135 days after publication of the preliminary determination.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that light-walled rectangular pipe and tube from Turkey is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV), as provided in section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Tariff Act). The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are listed in the ``Suspension of Liquidation'' section of this notice. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination. Accordingly, we will make our final determination not later than 75 days after the signature date of the preliminary determination, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.210.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that light-walled rectangular (LWR) pipe and tube from Mexico is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV), as provided in section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are listed in the ``Suspension of Liquidation'' section of this notice. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a public meeting on Aquaculture Amendment.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Trawl Rationalization Tracking and Monitoring Committee (TRTMC) is cancelling and rescheduling a previously announced working meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

We, NMFS, are extending the deadline for providing information to be used during the status review of shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The initial deadline was January 29, 2008. This extension is intended to ensure that the option to submit comments electronically is available for an entire 60-day period.

NMFS announces that the annual harvest guideline for the commercial lobster fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) for calendar year 2008 is established at zero lobsters.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement joint Amendment 27 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Reef Fish FMP) and Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (Shrimp FMP)(Amendment 27/14) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule reduces the commercial and recreational quotas for red snapper, reduces the commercial minimum size limit for red snapper, reduces the recreational bag limit for red snapper, prohibits the retention of red snapper under the bag limit for the captain and crew of a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat, establishes a red snapper recreational season that is open from June 1 through September 30 each year, requires the use of non- stainless steel circle hooks when using natural baits to fish for Gulf reef fish, requires the use of venting tools and dehooking devices when participating in the commercial or recreational reef fish fisheries, and consistent with the Amendment's framework procedure, provides for implementing seasonal closures of the Gulf shrimp fishery to reduce red snapper bycatch based upon the 74 percent bycatch reduction target established in this final rule. In addition, this final rule establishes a framework procedure to adjust the target effort level and any necessary closures for the Gulf shrimp fishery. The measures contained in this final rule are intended to establish a revised red snapper rebuilding plan and to end overfishing of the red snapper resource in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA), NOAA, announces temporary restrictions consistent with the requirements of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan's (ALWTRP) implementing regulations. These regulations apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately 2,637 nm\2\ (9,045 km\2\), south of Rockland, Maine, for 15 days. The purpose of this action is to provide protection to an aggregation of northern right whales (right whales).

On October 26, 2007, the Department of Commerce published the preliminary results of a new-shipper review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel wire rods from India. The stainless steel wire rods (wire rods) were produced and exported by Sunflag Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (Sunflag). The period of review (POR) is December 1, 2005, through November 30, 2006. Based on our analysis of comments received, we have not made any changes to our decision to apply adverse facts available to Sunflag's U.S. sales. Therefore, our final results are identical to our preliminary results. The final results are listed below in the section entitled ``Final Results of the New-Shipper Review''.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) has received requests to conduct administrative reviews of various antidumping and countervailing duty orders and findings with December anniversary dates. In accordance with our regulations, we are initiating those administrative reviews. The Department also received a request to revoke one antidumping duty order in part.

NMFS is implementing approved management measures contained in the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) Omnibus Amendment (SBRM Amendment) to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) of the Northeast Region, developed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils (Councils). The SBRM Amendment establishes an SBRM for all 13 Northeast Region FMPs, as required under the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The measures include: Bycatch reporting and monitoring mechanisms; analytical techniques and allocation of at-sea fisheries observers; an SBRM performance standard; a review and reporting process; framework adjustment and annual specifications provisions; a prioritization process; and provisions for industry-funded observers and observer set- aside programs.

This action corrects a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2007, and which becomes effective February 4, 2008. The final rule requires all vessels fishing pursuant to the harvest guidelines, quotas, and other management measures governing the open access groundfish fishery, and all non-groundfish trawl vessels to provide declaration reports and to activate and use a vessel monitoring system (VMS) transceiver unit while fishing off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. This action corrects an incorrect cross reference in the final rule which allows vessels that leave the open access fishery to obtain an exemption from the VMS reporting requirements.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a three-day Council meeting on February 12-14, 2008, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) gives notice of a proposed new system of records entitled ``COMMERCE/ PAT-TM-21 National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nominations.'' We invite the public to comment on the system announced in this publication.