Department of Commerce March 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces the availability of long-term direct loans made underthe Fisheries Finance Program (FFP). The FFP provides financing for the purchase of used vessels or the reconstruction of vessels (limited to reconstructions that do not add to fishing capacity); refinancing for existing debt obligations; financing or refinancing fisheries shoreside facilities or aquacultural facilities; and the purchase or refinancing of Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) in the North Pacific. FFP loans are not issued for purposes which could contribute to over capitalization of the fishing industry.

Notice is hereby given that the Louisville Zoological Garden, 1100 Trevilian Way, P.O. Box 37250, Louisville, KY 40233, has applied in due form for a permit to import one South African fur seal (Arctocephalis pusillus) for the purposes of public display.

The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) is giving notice of a meeting of the Census Scientific Advisory Committee (C-SAC). The

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of the next meeting of the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC). The members will discuss issues outlined in the following agenda.

The ONMS is seeking applications for the following vacant seat on the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council: Conservation. Applicants are chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources; and possibly the length of residence in the area affected by the sanctuary. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve three-year terms, pursuant to the council's Charter.

The ONMS is seeking applications for the following vacant seats on the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council: Research, Education, Commercial Fishing, Ocean Recreation, Youth, Tutuila: East Side, Tutila: West Side, and Manua Islands. Applicants are chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources; and possibly the length of residence in the area affected by the sanctuary. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve 3-year terms, pursuant to the council's Charter.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is extending the time limit for the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on purified carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) from the Netherlands. The period of review is July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009. This extension is made pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).

NMFS issues this proposed rule that would implement a regulatory amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would increase the commercial and recreational quotas for red snapper and provide an estimated closure date for the 2010 recreational red snapper component of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish fishery. The intended effect of the proposed rule is to help achieve optimum yield (OY) by relaxing red snapper harvest limitations consistent with the findings of the recent stock assessment for this species.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (CSTL) announces that the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP-CSTL) is soliciting applications for financial assistance from accredited colleges and universities to enable those institutions to provide laboratory experiences and financial assistance to undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral associates in the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (CSTL) at the NIST, Gaithersburg Laboratories in Gaithersburg, Maryland or the NIST, Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina.

NOAA'S Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) is seeking comments on the draft OER STRATEGIC PLAN Fiscal Year (FY) 2011- 2015, submitted to meet the requirement for program direction under Public Law 111-11, Section 12104(b). The draft OER STRATEGIC PLAN describes the vision, mission, core activities, and organization of the Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2010 Pacific cod total allowable catch allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty order on laminated woven sacks (LWS) from the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the period December 3, 2007 to December 31, 2008, with respect to Zibo Aifudi Plastic Packaging Co., Ltd. (Zibo Aifudi). Since Zibo Aifudi was the only remaining producer/exporter subject to review, this notice also serves to rescind the entire administrative review. This rescission is based on Zibo Aifudi's withdrawal of its request for review.

On December 1, 2009, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') initiated a sunset review of the antidumping duty order on certain crepe paper products from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). On the basis of a timely notice of intent to participate, and an adequate substantive response filed on behalf of the domestic interested party, as well as a lack of response from respondent interested parties, the Department conducted an expedited sunset review. As a result of the sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the antidumping duty order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping. The dumping margins are identified in the Final Results of Review section of this notice.

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement the Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 1 (CE-BA1) to the following South Atlantic fishery management plans (FMPs): The FMP for Coral, Coral reefs, and Live/Hard Bottom Habitats of the South Atlantic Region (Coral FMP); the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin and Wahoo FMP); the FMP for Golden Crab of the South Atlantic Region (Golden Crab FMP); the FMP for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Shrimp FMP); and the FMP for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper-Grouper FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council); as well as the FMP for Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources (CMP FMP); and the FMP for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (Spiny Lobster FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils. This proposed rule would establish Deepwater Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (Deepwater Coral HAPCs) off the coast of the southern Atlantic States in which the use of specified fishing gear and methods and the possession of coral would be prohibited. Within the Deepwater Coral HAPCs, fishing zones would be created that would allow continued fishing on the historical grounds for golden crab and deepwater shrimp. In addition, CE-BA1 would update existing Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) information in the area off the southern Atlantic States, thus,

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2010 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.

NIST is soliciting interest in Phase III of the benchmark research for voting equipment used in an election in 2008 or later and/ or certified (or submitted for certification) by the Election Assistance Commission. Manufacturers interested in participating in Phase III of this research will be asked to execute a Letter of Understanding. Interested parties are invited to contact NIST for information regarding participation, Letters of Understanding and shipping.

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued an amended Export Trade Certificate of Review to the Association for the Administration of Rice Quotas, Inc. (``AARQ'') on March 11, 2010. The Certificate has been amended ten times. The previous amendment was issued to AARQ on March 31, 2009, and published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2009 (74 FR 16363). The original Certificate for AARQ was issued on January 21, 1998, and published in the Federal Register on January 28, 1998 (63 FR 4220).