Department of Commerce December 11, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On November 26, 2012, NMFS published a proposed rule for Amendment 5 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) in response to several shark stock assessments that were completed from 2009 to 2012. As described in the proposed rule, NMFS is proposing measures that would reduce fishing mortality and effort in order to rebuild overfished Atlantic shark species while ensuring that a limited sustainable shark fishery can be maintained consistent with our legal obligations. The proposed measures include changes to commercial quotas and species groups, the creation of several time/area closures, a change to an existing time/area closure, an increase in the recreational minimum size restrictions, and the establishment of recreational reporting for certain species of sharks. Comments received by NMFS will be considered in the development and finalization of Amendment 5 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP. This notice announces public hearings, conference calls, and an HMS Advisory Panel meeting to discuss the proposed rule.

On August 9, 2012, the Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') published the preliminary results of the administrative review (``AR'') of certain cut-to-length carbon steel plate (``CTL plate'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') covering the period of review (``POR'') November 1, 2010 through October 31, 2011.\1\ After analyzing the comments submitted by Nucor Corporation (``Petitioner'') with respect to the AR, the Department continues to find that Baosteel and Hunan Valin did not have shipments during the POR and that shipments by Anshan and Liaoning should be liquidated at the PRC-wide rate of 128.59 percent.

NMFS reopens the 2012 commercial sector for red snapper and gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS previously determined the commercial annual catch limits (ACLs) for gray triggerfish and red snapper had been reached, and closed the commercial sector for gray triggerfish at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 11, 2012 and the commercial sector for red snapper at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 21, 2012. However, updated landings estimates indicate the commercial ACLs for red snapper and gray triggerfish have not been reached at this time. Therefore, NMFS is reopening the commercial sector for red snapper and gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic at 12:01 a.m., on December 12, 2012. These species will remain open until 12:01 a.m. on December 19, 2012. The intended effect of this temporary rule is to maximize harvest benefits for commercial red snapper and gray triggerfish fishermen. Additionally, this reopening for red snapper provides an opportunity to collect fishery-dependent data that could be useful for the 2014 red snapper stock assessment.

In response to requests by interested parties, the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain circular welded non-alloy steel pipe from Mexico. This administrative review covers mandatory respondents Pytco, S.A. de C.V. (PYTCO), Conduit S.A. de C.V. (Conduit); Mueller Comercial de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. (Mueller); Lamina y Placa Comercial, S.A. de C.V. (Lamina y Placa); and Tuberia Nacional, S.A. de C.V. (TUNA). We preliminarily determine that the respondents did not have reviewable sales, shipments, or entries during the POR. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.