Department of Commerce June 16, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is implementing approved measures in Amendment 3 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (Skate FMP), including final specifications for the 2010 and 2011 fishing years (FY). Amendment 3 was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) to rebuild overfished skate stocks and implement annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) consistent with the requirements of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Amendment 3 implements a rebuilding plan for smooth skate and establishes an ACL and annual catch target (ACT) for the skate complex, total allowable landings (TAL) for the skate wing and bait fisheries, seasonal quotas for the bait fishery, new possession limits, in season possession limit triggers, and other measures to improve management of the skate fisheries. This interim final rule also includes skate fishery specifications for FY 2010 and 2011, pursuant to the specifications process established in Amendment 3.

This proposed rule would establish requirements and procedures for soliciting, reviewing, and approving community development plans for access to western Pacific fisheries. The intent of this proposed rule is to promote the participation of island communities in fisheries that they have traditionally depended upon, but may not have the capabilities to support continued and substantial participation in, possibly due to economic, regulatory, or other constraints.

NMFS is reopening the comment period on the proposed rule to set the commercial possession limit for weakfish caught in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at 100 lb (45 kg) per day or trip, whichever is longer in duration, and set the recreational possession limit at 1 fish per person per day or trip, whichever is longer in duration. The intent of the proposed rule is to modify regulations for the Atlantic coast stock of weakfish to be more compatible with Addendum IV to Amendment 4 of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Interstate Fishery Management Plan (ISFMP) for weakfish. Such action is authorized under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act).

In response to timely requests, the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review and a new- shipper review of the antidumping duty order on freshwater crawfish tail meat from the People's Republic of China (PRC). The period of review (POR) is September 1, 2008, through August 31, 2009.