Department of Commerce 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has determined that Atlantic sharpnose sharks (Rhizoprinodon terraenovae) are split into two stocks (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico), each with a status of ``not overfished, no overfishing occurring,'' and bonnethead sharks (Sphyrna tiburo) are split into two stocks (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico), each with a status of ``unknown.''

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a final rule in the Federal Register on Thursday, August 7, 2014 (79 FR 46316), that amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement the understandings reached at the 2005, 2012, and 2013 Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Plenary meetings. That final rule also amended the EAR to implement a decision adopted under the NSG intersessional silent approval procedures, in December 2009, and to reflect the status of Croatia, Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, and Serbia as participating countries in the NSG. In that final rule, the amendatory instruction for the EAR supplement that lists ``Country Groups'' contained an error with respect to Mexico. In addition, the amendments to Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 6A203 in the August 7, 2014, final rule inadvertently omitted the controls that apply to certain radiation-hardened TV cameras and lenses therefor. This document amends the EAR to correct these errors. Finally, the contact information in the preamble of the August 7, 2014, NSG Plenary rule contained an incorrect telephone number and the saving clause in the preamble omitted specific instructions concerning certain items newly controlled under ECCN 3A225. This document amends the preamble of the August 7, 2014, NSG Plenary rule to correct these errors.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Advisory Panel to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Fixed Gear Electronic Monitoring (EM) workgroup will meet in Anchorage, AK.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the training activities conducted in the Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area (GOA TMAA) from April 2016 through April 2021. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing our receipt of the Navy's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals and inviting information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application and request.

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.

NMFS received a petition to ``designate the Sakhalin Bay-Amur River stock of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) as a depleted stock under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).'' On August 1, 2014, NMFS announced that the petition presented substantial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted and that NMFS would initiate a status review promptly. NMFS also solicited information from the public that may contribute to the status review. NMFS is extending the comment period for 30 days.

With this final rule, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expands the boundary of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS or sanctuary), clarifies the correlation between TBNMS regulations and Indian tribal fishing activities, and revises the corresponding sanctuary terms of designation. The new boundary for TBNMS increases the size of the sanctuary from 448 square miles to 4,300 square miles and extends protection to 47 additional known historic shipwrecks of national significance. NOAA has prepared a final environmental impact statement for this action.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is requesting public comments on the effectiveness of its licensing procedures as defined in the Export Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of these comments in its biennial report to Congress, as required by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, as amended.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) 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 fully use the 2014 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), 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 the continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

BIS is seeking public comments on the effect of existing foreign policy-based export controls in the Export Administration Regulations. BIS is requesting public comments to conduct consultations with U.S. industries. Section 6 of the Export Administration Act (EAA) requires BIS to consult with industry on the effect of such controls and to report the results of the consultations to Congress. Comments from all interested persons are welcome. All comments will be made available for public inspection and copying and included in a report to be submitted to Congress.

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC; Responsible Party, Tara Jones, Ph.D.) 301 Railway Avenue, P.O. Box 1329, Seward, AK 99664, to conduct research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).

The Department of Commerce (the Department) has conducted an administrative review of the countervailing duty order on certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from the People's Republic of China (PRC). On February 25, 2014, the Department published the Preliminary Results for this administrative review.\1\ The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012. We find that Wuxi Seamless Oil Pipe Co., Ltd. (Wuxi) and Jiangsu Chengde Steel Tube Share Co., Ltd. (Jiangsu Chengde) received countervailable subsidies during the POR.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is amending the final determination of sales at less than fair value in the antidumping duty investigation of certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from Ukraine covering the period of investigation (POI) July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013. For information on the amended weighted-average dumping margins, see the ``Amended Final Determination'' section of this notice.

We (NMFS) announce a 90-day finding on seven Indo-Pacific species included in a petition to list eight species of pomacentrid reef fish as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These are the orange clownfish (Amphiprion percula) and six other damselfishes: The Hawaiian dascyllus (Dascyllus albisella), blue- eyed damselfish (Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus), black-axil chromis (Chromis atripectoralis), blue-green damselfish (Chromis viridis), reticulated damselfish (Dascyllus reticulatus), and blackbar devil or Dick's damselfish (Plectroglyphidodon dickii). Another of our regional offices is leading the response to the petition to list the yellowtail damselfish (Microspathodon chrysurus) and a separate 90-day finding will be issued later for this species. We find that the petition presents substantial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for the orange clownfish (Amphiprion percula). We will conduct a status review for this species to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial information pertaining to Amphiprion percula from any interested party. We find that the petition fails to present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for the remaining six petitioned Indo-Pacific species: The Hawaiian dascyllus (Dascyllus albisella), reticulated damselfish (Dascyllus reticulatus), blue-eyed damselfish (Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus), black-axil chromis (Chromis atripectoralis), blue-green damselfish (Chromis viridis), and blackbar devil or Dick's damselfish (Plectroglyphidodon dickii).

On June 11, 2014, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order polyethylene retail carrier bags (PRCBs) from Thailand.\1\ For these final results, we continue to find that subject merchandise has been sold at less than normal value by the companies subject to this review.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of sugar from Mexico. The period of investigation is January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2013. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Observer Advisory Committee (OAC) will meet in Seattle, WA.

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting.

Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 14327 has been issued to the National Marine Fisheries Service's National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), 7600 Sand Point Way, Seattle, WA 98115 [Principal Investigator: Thomas Gelatt, Ph.D.].

This action closes the Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area for the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2014. Based on our projection, the common pool fishery has caught over 90 percent of its Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder Trimester 1 total allowable catch, triggering the regulatory requirement to close the area for the remainder of the trimester. This action is intended to prevent further overages of the common pool's annual quota of Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder.