Department of Commerce May 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is opening directed fishing for northern rockfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2012 total allowable catch (TAC) of northern rockfish in the BSAI.

NMFS is closing the commercial fishery for porbeagle sharks. This action is necessary because landings for the 2012 fishing season have reached at least 80 percent of the available quota.

Notice is hereby given that Robert A. Garrott, Ecology Department, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT, 59717, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii).

Notice is hereby given that Shannon Atkinson, Ph.D., University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Pt. Lena Loop Road, Juneau, AK 99801 has applied in due form for a permit to import, export, and receive marine mammal parts for scientific research.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement management measures described in 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 rule increases the commercial and recreational quotas for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish fishery for the 2012 fishing year, and for the 2013 fishing year if NMFS determines the acceptable biological catch (ABC) is not exceeded in the 2012 fishing year; eliminates the October 1 closure date of the recreational fishing season; and announces the quota closure date of the 2012 recreational fishing season. This final rule is intended to provide more flexibility in managing recreational red snapper and to help achieve optimum yield (OY) for the Gulf red snapper resource without increasing the risk of red snapper experiencing overfishing.

In response to a request from DuPont Teijin Films, Mitsubishi Polyester Film, Inc., SKC, Inc., and Toray Plastics (America), Inc. (collectively, petitioners), the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet, and strip (PET Film) from Brazil for the period November 1, 2010, through October 31, 2011. Based on petitioners' withdrawal of its request, we are now rescinding this administrative review.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) is proposing to amend the rules of practice in patent cases to implement the micro entity provision of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. Certain patent fees set or adjusted under the fee setting authority in the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act will be reduced by seventy-five percent for micro entities. The Office is proposing changes to the rules of practice to set out the procedures pertaining to claiming micro entity status, paying patent fees as a micro entity, notification of loss of micro entity status, and correction of payments of patent fees paid erroneously in the micro entity amount. In a separate rulemaking, the Office is in the process of proposing to set or adjust patent fees under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, including setting fees for micro entities with a seventy-five percent reduction.

The National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship will hold a meeting on Tuesday, June 12, 2012. The open meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and will be open to the public via conference call. The meeting will take place at the U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230. The Council was chartered on November 10, 2009 to advise the Secretary of Commerce on matter related to innovation and entrepreneurship in the United States.

On February 14, 2012, in accordance with section 751(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and section 351.216(b) of the Department of Commerce's (the Department) regulations, Suruga USA Corp. (Suruga), a U.S. importer of subject merchandise, filed a request for a changed-circumstances review of four types of stainless steel bar (SSBar) \1\ that are subject to the antidumping duty order on SSBar from Japan (the Order).

The National Marine Fisheries Service is considering the inclusion of Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks in an amendment to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan that is currently under development. This amendment process began in October 2011 to address the results of recent stock assessments for scalloped hammerhead, dusky, sandbar, and blacknose sharks. A new stock assessment is ongoing for Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks, and is expected to be complete and available before the amendment process is completed. Therefore, we are considering including Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks in the amendment to ensure any changes in the shark fisheries as a result of recent stock assessments are considered at the same time for public clarity and for administrative efficiency.

NMFS issues this notice to inform interested parties that the Oregon Pink Shrimp sub-loan in the fishing capacity reduction program for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery has been repaid. Therefore, buyback fee collections on Oregon pink shrimp will cease.

Notice is hereby given that Mark Baumgartner, Ph.D., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MS33 Biology Department, Woods Hole, MA 02543, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), blue whales (B. musculus), sei whales (B. borealis), bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), North Pacific right whales (E. japonica), and Eastern North Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus).

Notice is hereby given that NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC; Responsible Party: Frank Almeida), 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA, 02543 has applied in due form for a permit to take loggerhead (Caretta caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee (SSLMC) will meet in Juneau, AK.

NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center will sponsor a workshop to address the stock structure of cod in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, Scotian Shelf and Southern New England regions. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) in Portland, ME will organize and host the meeting scheduled for June 12-14, 2012.

NOAA announces the public release of the Final SEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, and NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act. Since completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) in April of 2009, substantial changes to the proposed action are being considered by NOAA within portions of the project area containing the 2.5-acre property currently occupied by Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) and managed by NOAA under long-term lease from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP). These newly proposed actions were not previously analyzed in the Final EIS/EIR and involve additional demolition activities, substantial excavation and grading, installation of a geohazard soil stabilization system, structural upgrade to remaining structures, and other site alterations. These proposed actions were deemed necessary by NOAA based on additional geotechnical information and design recommendations received since approval of the Final EIS/EIR. A Draft and Final SEIS evaluated each environmental topic addressed in the Final EIS/EIR, and focused on the newly proposed action and its potential effects to the human environment. The No-Action Alternative was analyzed and assumes the newly proposed actions would not be implemented. Comments on the Draft SEIS were received during a 45-day public comment period that ended October 31, 2011. The Final SEIS evaluates and responds to these comments. An opportunity to comment on the Final SEIS is provided for 30 days following this Notice of Availability.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued three Letters of Authorization (LOAs) to take marine mammals by harassment, incidental to the U.S. Navy's training activities within the Virginia Capes (VACAPES), Jacksonville (JAX), and Cherry Point (CHPT) Range Complexes to the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, 1562 Mitscher Avenue, Suite 250, Norfolk, VA 23551-2487 and persons operating under his authority.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and its Research Set-Aside Committee, Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Committee, and its Surfclam, Ocean Quahog Committee will hold public meetings.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Habitat Committee (HC) will hold a meeting, which is open to the public, to discuss habitat issues related to Council-managed fisheries.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a four-year Letter of Authorization (LOA) to the U.S. Navy (Navy) to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to its Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities at the NAVSEA Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Keyport Range Complex.