Department of Commerce 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is prohibiting retention of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear and not participating in the cooperative fishery of the Rockfish Program in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2016 total allowable catch of sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl gear and not participating in the cooperative fishery of the Rockfish Program in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has been reached.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, has discontinued Information Collection 0694-0009, ``Triangular Transactions Covered by a U.S. Import Certificate.'' Although this collection has been discontinued, the Triangular Transactions ``Stamp'' is still valid and has been added to collection 0694-0017 as a supplemental document.

NMFS is amending the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) based on the results of the 2016 stock assessment update for Atlantic dusky sharks. Based on this assessment, NMFS determined that the dusky shark stock remains overfished and is experiencing overfishing. Consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act), NMFS is proposing management measures that would reduce fishing mortality on dusky sharks and rebuild the dusky shark population consistent with legal requirements. The proposed measures could affect U.S. commercial and recreational fishermen who harvest sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

On September 9, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the final results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on small diameter graphite electrodes (SDGEs) from the People's Republic of China (the PRC). The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2014, through January 31, 2015. We are amending the final results of the administrative review to correct certain ministerial errors.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for commercial king mackerel in the western zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that the commercial quota for king mackerel in the western zone of the Gulf EEZ will be reached by October 14, 2016. Therefore, NMFS closes the western zone of the Gulf EEZ to commercial king mackerel fishing on October 14, 2016. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf king mackerel resource.

NMFS proposes to implement management measures described in a framework action to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council). If implemented, this proposed rule would revise the yellowtail snapper commercial and recreational fishing year and remove the requirement to use circle hooks for the commercial harvest of yellowtail snapper in the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ) south of Cape Sable, Florida. The purpose of this proposed rule is to increase the operational efficiency of the yellowtail snapper component of the commercial reef fish fishery, achieve optimum yield, and decrease the regulatory burden of compliance with differing regulations established by separate regulatory agencies across the adjacent Gulf and South Atlantic jurisdictions.

The Regional Administrator, NMFS West Coast Region, has determined that an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) warrants further consideration and requests public comment on the application. The application requests 2-year exemptions from various prohibitions under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP) to test the effects and efficacy of using deep-set buoy gear (DSBG) to fish for swordfish and other highly migratory species (HMS) off the U.S. West Coast. This notice also announces NMFS' intent to extend two current DSBG EFPs through 2018 and also requests public comment on these EFPs.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO'') seeks public input on patent subject matter eligibility in view of recent decisions by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The USPTO remains interested in feedback from members of the public to improve the USPTO's existing subject matter eligibility guidance and training examples. The USPTO is also interested in facilitating a discussion among members of the public regarding the legal contours of eligible subject matter in the U.S. patent system. The USPTO will be facilitating these discussions by hosting two roundtable events. The first roundtable will be directed to receiving feedback from members of the public to improve the USPTO's existing subject matter eligibility guidance and training examples. The second roundtable will be focused on receiving feedback regarding larger questions concerning the legal contours of eligible subject matter in the U.S. patent system. The roundtables will provide a forum for discussion of the topics identified in this notice.

On September 8, 2016, NMFS published a notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for Amendment 10 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The purpose of this Draft Amendment is to update Atlantic HMS Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) with recent information following the EFH delineation methodology established in Amendment 1 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP (Amendment 1); update and consider new Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs) for Atlantic bluefin tuna and sandbar, lemon, and sand tiger sharks based on recent information, as warranted; minimize to the extent practicable the adverse effects of fishing and non-fishing activities on EFH; and identify other actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of EFH. NMFS announces two public hearing conference calls/webinars to allow opportunities for interested members of the public from all geographic areas to submit verbal comments on Draft Amendment 10.

The First Responder Network Authority (``FirstNet'') announces the availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the South Region (``Draft PEIS''). FirstNet also announces a series of public meetings to be held throughout the South Region to receive comments on the Draft PEIS. The Draft PEIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the proposed nationwide public safety broadband network in the South Region, composed of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

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 New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish 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.

In response to requests from interested parties, the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain lined paper products (CLPP) from India, covering the period September 1, 2014, through August 31, 2015. We preliminarily determine that mandatory respondent Navneet Education Ltd. (Navneet) made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value (NV) during the period of review (POR) and that mandatory respondent Kokuyo Riddhi Paper Products Private Limited (Kokuyo Riddhi) did not. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

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.

On September 6, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary determination of sales at less than fair value (LTFV) in the LTFV investigation of truck and bus tires from the People's Republic of China (the PRC). We are amending our preliminary determination to correct two ministerial errors which are significant in combination.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from the Republic of Korea (Korea). The period of review (POR) is July 18, 2014, through August 31, 2015. The Department preliminarily determines that the producers or exporters subject to the review, including the mandatory respondents NEXTEEL Co. Ltd. (NEXTEEL) and SeAH Steel Corporation (SeAH), made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of new pneumatic off-the-road tires (OTR Tires) from the People's Republic of China (PRC). The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS is proposing regulations under the authority of Section 303(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to implement an immediate closure of the California thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet (DGN) (mesh size >=14 inches) fishery if a hard cap (i.e., limit) on mortality/injury is met or exceeded for certain protected species during a rolling 2-year period. The length of the closure would be dependent on whenduring the 2-year periodthe hard cap is reached.

Based on Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recommendations, we are issuing this advance notice of proposed rulemaking announcing our intent to develop regulations in support of an Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Jonah crab. The advance notice of proposed rulemaking is necessary to provide the public with background information and to alert interested parties of future regulations governing Jonah crab fishing in Federal waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone. We are also announcing our intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. This notice is to alert the interested public of the scoping process and potential development of a draft Environmental Impact Statement, and to outline opportunity for public participation in that process.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a Post Council Meeting Briefing for the public via webinar.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel (AP) and Information and Education AP. The Snapper Grouper AP will meet to discuss items pertaining to the management of the snapper grouper fishery of the South Atlantic Region. A meeting of the Council's Information and Education AP will follow with the AP addressing outreach efforts and communication needs. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS issues regulations to modify the recordkeeping and reporting requirements for the groundfish fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands management areas. This rule is organized into four actions. Under the first action, NMFS implements a requirement for tender vessel operators to use the applications software ``tLandings'' to prepare electronic landing reports. This action is necessary to improve timeliness and reliability of landing reports for catcher vessels delivering to tender vessels for use in catch accounting and inseason management. Under the second action, NMFS modifies the definition of a buying station. This action is necessary to clarify the different requirements that apply to tender vessels and land-based buying stations. Under the third action, NMFS removes the requirement for buying stations to complete the buying station report because this report is no longer necessary. Under the fourth action, NMFS revises the definition of a mothership to remove unnecessary formatting without changing the substance of the definition. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP), the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP), and other applicable laws.

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) for the administrative review and the new shipper review is September 1, 2014, through August 31, 2015. The Department preliminarily determines that imports of freshwater crawfish tail meat from the PRC are being sold in the United States at prices below normal value. The Department also preliminarily determines that the new shipper review respondent, Hubei Qianjiang Huashan Aquatic Food and Product Co., Ltd. (Hubei Qianjiang), has not made sales of freshwater crawfish tail meat at prices below normal value. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.