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

Notice is hereby given that the Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce has approved the revised management plan, which includes an expansion of the boundary of the reserve, for the Chesapeake Bay Maryland National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Chesapeake Bay Maryland National Estuarine Research Reserve has three sites: Monie Bay, Jug Bay, and Otter Point Creek. Monie Bay was designated as part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve in 1985 and Jug Bay and Otter Point Creek were designated in 1990 pursuant to Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1461. The reserve has been operating under a management plan approved in 1990. Pursuant to 15 CFR Section 921.33(c), a state must revise their management plan every five years. The submission of this plan brings the reserve into compliance and sets a course for successful implementation of the goals and objectives of the reserve. A boundary expansion, new facilities, and updated programmatic objectives are notable revisions to the 1990 approved management plan. The revised management plan outlines the administrative structure; the education, stewardship, and research goals of the reserve; and the plans for future land acquisition and facility development to support reserve operations. Since 1990, the reserve has added a coastal training program that delivers science-based information to key decision makers in the Chesapeake Bay. The reserve has realized many aspects of the 1990 plan, including the completion of the Anita C. Leight Center in Harford County. This facility provides classrooms, lab space, exhibit space and office space and has allowed the implementation of research, education and volunteer activity at the Otter Point Creek component of the reserve. This management plan calls for a boundary expansion at two reserve sites: 1,345 acres are incorporated into the Jug Bay component site and approximately 32 acres will be incorporated into the Otter Point Creek site. The Otter Point Creek component will expand its land area from 443 to 475 acres. The land increase consists of two forested parcels adjacent to the current boundary that will serve as a buffer for core estuarine habitat and will also provide an important access point for monitoring and education programming. The expansion at Jug Bay includes land on both sides of the Patuxent River, increasing the acreage of this site from 491 to 1,836. The original boundary for this component site included a portion of the county-owned parks. This expansion incorporates a larger portion of those parks to become designated as part of the National Estuarine Research Reserves. West of the Patuxent River, the reserve will add 455 acres of wetlands and buffer lands that will enhance the protection of core reserve lands and will enhance the research and monitoring. East of the Patuxent River, the reserve will be expanded by 890 acres to increase the level of protection surrounding the river and expand the area available for reserve programming.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to convene its Spiny Lobster Advisory Panel (AP) via conference call.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene public hearings on Reef Fish Amendment 29, Spiny Lobster and Aquaculture Amendment.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by trawl catcher processors participating in the Amendment 80 limited access fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 Pacific cod allowable catch (TAC) specified for trawl catcher processors participating in the Amendment 80 limited access fishery in the BSAI.

The invention listed below is owned in whole by the U.S. Government, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce. The U.S. Government's interest in this invention is available for licensing in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 and 37 CFR 404 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally funded research and development.

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.

NMFS announces three public meetings to solicit comments on the proposed revisions to the guidelines for National Standard 1 (NS1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) specified for AFA trawl catcher processors in the BSAI.

Notice is hereby given that the Hawaii Marine Mammal Consortium, P.O. Box 6107, Kamuela, HI 96743 [File No. 1127-1921] and Dr. Rachel Cartwright, 5277 West Wooley Rd., Oxnard, CA 93035 [File No. 10018] have each been issued a permit to conduct scientific research on several species of cetaceans found in Hawaiian waters.

On June 18, 2008, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued an Export Trade Certificate of Review to AGLA Trade Link International (``ATLI''). This notice summarizes the conduct for which certification has been granted.

The Deputy Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United States Department of Commerce, issues a final rule to implement the Technology Innovation Program (TIP). This rule prescribes the policies and procedures for the award of financial assistance (grants and/or cooperative agreements) under TIP.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the initial determination that the pelagic longline fishery has a high level of mortality and serious injury across a number of marine mammal stocks, and proposes regulations to implement the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan (PLTRP) to reduce serious injuries and mortalities of pilot whales and Risso's dolphins in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery. The PLTRP is based on consensus recommendations submitted by the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Team (PLTRT). This action is necessary because current serious injury and mortality rates of pilot whales and Risso's dolphins incidental to the Atlantic pelagic longline component of a Category I fishery are above insignificant levels approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate (zero mortality rate goal, or ZMRG), and therefore, inconsistent with the long-term goal of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The PLTRP is intended to meet the statutory mandates and requirements of the MMPA through both regulatory and non-regulatory measures, including a special research area, gear modifications, outreach material, observer coverage, and captains' communications.

Notice is hereby given that Michael Etnier, Ph.D., Box 353100, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98227 has been issued a permit to import marine mammal specimens for purposes of scientific research.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) has reached a final determination that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers/exporters of laminated woven sacks (LWS) from the People's Republic of China (PRC). For information on the estimated subsidy rates, see the ``Final Determination'' section of this notice.

The Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') has made a final determination that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of light-walled rectangular pipe and tube (``LWR'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). For information on the estimated countervailing duty rates, please see the ``Suspension of Liquidation'' section, below.