Department of Commerce June 16, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is seeking public comment on virtual marking, which was provided for by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) as an alternative to physically marking patented articles as a means to provide notice to the public that such articles are subject to patent protection. The AIA requires that the Director of the USPTO prepare, not later than three years from the date of enactment of the AIA, a report of: The effectiveness of virtual marking as an alternative to the physical marking of articles; whether such virtual marking has limited or improved the ability of the general public to access information about patents; and any legal issues or deficiencies that arise from such virtual marking.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding twenty-nine (29) persons to the Unverified List (the ``Unverified List'' or UVL). The 29 persons are being added to the UVL on the basis that BIS could not verify their bona fides because an end-use check could not be completed satisfactorily for reasons outside the U.S. Government's control. In addition, this rule reinserts a requirement for exporters to file an Automated Export System (AES) record for all exports subject to the EAR involving persons listed on the UVL following that provision's inadvertent removal from the EAR. The UVL contains the names and addresses of foreign persons who are or have been parties to a transaction, as that term is described in the EAR, involving the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of items subject to the EAR, and whose bona fides BIS has been unable to verify through an end-use check. There is a suspension of license exceptions for exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) involving a party or parties to the transaction who are listed on the UVL, and a requirement for exporters, reexporters, and transferors to obtain (and keep a record of) a UVL statement from a party or parties to the transaction who are listed on the UVL before proceeding with exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) involving items subject to the EAR, but where the item does not require a license.

NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has transmitted Amendment 18 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan for Commercial and Recreational Salmon Fisheries off the Coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (FMP) for Secretarial review. Amendment 18 revises the description and identification of essential fish habitat (EFH) for Pacific salmon, designates habitat areas of particular concern (HAPC), modifies the current information on fishing activities and potential measures to minimize their effects on EFH, and updates the list of non-fishing related activities that may adversely affect EFH and potential conservation and enhancement measures to minimize those effects. Amendment 18 is available on the Council's Web site (www.pcouncil.org).

NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 20A to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources (CMP) in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP) (Amendment 20A), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf Council) and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) (collectively, the Councils). This final rule restricts sales of king and Spanish mackerel caught under the bag limit (those fish harvested by vessels that do not have a valid commercial vessel permit for king or Spanish mackerel and are subject to the bag limits) and removes the income qualification requirements for king and Spanish mackerel commercial vessel permits. The purpose of this final rule is to obtain more accurate landings data while ensuring the CMP fishery resources are utilized efficiently.

The SEDAR Procedural Workshop 7 will evaluate the shrimp data in the South Atlantic. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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.