Department of Commerce July 15, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule implements the management measures described in Final Amendment 2 to the Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP). These management measures are designed to rebuild overfished species and prevent overfishing of Atlantic sharks. These measures include, but are not limited to, reductions in the commercial quotas, adjustments to commercial retention limits, establishment of a shark research fishery, a requirement for commercial vessels to maintain all fins on the shark carcasses through offloading, the establishment of two regional quotas for non-sandbar large coastal sharks (LCS), the establishment of one annual season for commercial shark fishing instead of trimesters, changes in reporting requirements for dealers (including swordfish and tuna dealers), the establishment of additional time/area closures for bottom longline (BLL) fisheries, and changes to the authorized species for recreational fisheries. This rule also establishes the 2008 commercial quota for all Atlantic shark species groups. These changes affect all commercial and recreational shark fishermen and shark dealers on the Atlantic Coast.

In response to requests by interested parties, the Department of Commerce (Department) initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on polyethylene retail carrier bags (PRCBs) from Malaysia with respect to three producers/exporters of the subject merchandise. The period of review (POR) is August 1, 2006, through July 31, 2007. The Department is now rescinding this administrative review in its entirety.

The Halibut Managers Workgroup (HMW) will hold a work session to discuss implications of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) proposed catch apportionment methodology and to develop consensus on issues affecting Area 2A halibut fisheries prior to the IPHC workshop on catch apportionment. The HMW is not a committee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), however, the Council has expressed interest in having a report from the HMW, and has offered to provide meeting space. The meeting is open to the public.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Technology Innovation Program (TIP) announces that it will hold a single fiscal year 2008 competition and is soliciting high-risk, high- reward research and development proposals for financial assistance. TIP also announces that it will hold public meetings (Proposers' Conferences) for all interested parties. TIP is soliciting proposals under this fiscal year 2008 competition in one area of critical national need entitled ``Civil Infrastructure'' as described in the Program Description section below.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites and requests nomination of individuals for appointment to its eight existing Federal Advisory Committees: Technology Innovation Program Advisory Committee, Board of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board, Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board, National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee, Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction, and Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology. NIST will consider nominations received in response to this notice for appointment to the Committees, in addition to nominations already received.