Department of Commerce 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is rescinding the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Italy for the period February 1, 2015, through January 31, 2016.

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4), the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) announces the appointment of members who will serve on the ESA Performance Review Board (PRB). The purpose of the PRB is to provide fair and impartial review of senior executive service and scientific and professional performance appraisals, bonus recommendations, pay adjustments and Presidential Rank Award nominations. The term of each PRB member will expire on December 31, 2018.

NMFS issues regulations 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 Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule revises the commercial quota and annual catch limit (ACL) and the recreational annual catch target (ACT) and ACL for red grouper in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The purpose of this final rule is to adjust the allowable red grouper harvest to achieve optimum yield (OY) based upon an updated Gulf red grouper stock assessment.

The Economic and Statistics Administration (ESA) is giving notice of the fifth meeting of the Commerce Data Advisory Council (CDAC). The CDAC will discuss Council recommendations, the institutionalization of the Commerce Data Service, as well as other Council matters. The CDAC will meet in a plenary session on Friday, October 28, 2016. Last-minute changes to the schedule are possible, which could prevent giving advance public notice of schedule adjustments.

This final rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category XII (Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance Equipment) of the United States Munitions List (USML) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) will be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by amending Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 7A611 and creating new ``600 series'' ECCNs 7B611, 7D611, and 7E611. In addition, for certain dual-use infrared detection items, this final rule expands controls for certain software and technology, eliminates the use of some license exceptions, revises licensing policy, and expands license requirements for certain transactions involving military end users or foreign military commodities. This final rule also harmonizes provisions within the EAR by revising controls related to certain quartz rate sensors.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain lined paper products from India. The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014, and the review covers one producer/ exporter of the subject merchandise, Goldenpalm Manufacturers PVT Ltd. (Goldenpalm). We preliminarily determine that Goldenpalm received countervailable subsidies during the POR.

We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to designate critical habitat concurrently with the listing. We find that the petition presents substantial scientific information indicating the petitioned action may be warranted. We will conduct a status review of the Pacific bluefin tuna to determine whether the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial information pertaining to this species.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) is sponsoring a workshop to review methods used to reconstruct historical groundfish catches off Washington, Oregon, and California. The workshop is open to the public.

NMFS proposes regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act to implement provisions of two Resolutions adopted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in 2016: Resolution C-16-01 (Collection and Analyses of Data On Fish-Aggregating Devices) and Resolution C-16-06 (Conservation Measures for Shark Species, with Special Emphasis on the Silky Shark (Carcharhinus Falciformis) for the Years 2017, 2018, and 2019). Per Resolution C-16-01, these regulations would require the owner or operator of a U.S. purse seine vessel to ensure characters of a unique code be marked indelibly on each fish aggregating device (FAD) deployed or modified on or after January 1, 2017, in the IATTC Convention Area. The vessel owner or operator would also be required to record and submit information about the FAD, as described in Annex I of the Resolution C-16-01. Per Resolution C-16-06, these regulations would prohibit the owner or operator of a U.S. purse seine vessel from retaining on board, transshipping, landing, or storing, in part or whole, carcasses of silky sharks caught by purse- seine vessels in the IATTC Convention Area. These regulations would also provide limits on the retained catch of silky sharks caught in the IATTC Convention Area. This proposed rule is necessary for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

Notice is hereby given that Joseph Wilson, 1st Augustine's Yard, Gaunts Lane, Bristol, BS1 5DE, United Kingdom, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial or educational photography of killer (Orcinus orca) and minke (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) whales.

The Department of Commerce (Department) is rescinding the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on high pressure steel cylinders (steel cylinders) from the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the period of review June 1, 2015, through May 31, 2016.

The Department of Commerce (``Department'') preliminarily determines that 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (``R-134a'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (``LTFV''). The period of investigation (``POI'') is July 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are shown in the ``Preliminary Determination'' section of this notice. The final determination will be issued 75 days after publication of this preliminary determination in the Federal Register. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) has submitted Amendment 37 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 37 would modify the management unit boundaries for hogfish in the South Atlantic by establishing two hogfish stocks off (1) Georgia through North Carolina and (2) Florida Keys/East Florida; establish a rebuilding plan for the Florida Keys/ East Florida hogfish stock; specify fishing levels and accountability measures (AMs), and modify or establish management measures for the Georgia through North Carolina and Florida Keys/East Florida stocks of hogfish. The purpose of Amendment 37 is to manage hogfish using the best scientific information available while ending overfishing and rebuilding the Florida Keys/East Florida hogfish stock.

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.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO'' or ``Office'') is amending the Trademark Rules of Practice (``Trademark Rules'' or ``Rules''), in particular the rules pertinent to practice before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (``Board''), to benefit the public by providing for more efficiency and clarity in inter partes and ex parte proceedings. Certain amendments are directed to reducing the burden on the parties, to conforming the rules to current practice, to updating references that have changed, to reflecting technologic changes, and to ensuring the usage of standard, current terminology. This final rule also furthers strategic objectives of the Office to increase end-to-end electronic processing.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) finds that revocation of the antidumping duty order (AD) order on certain cased pencils from the People's Republic of China (PRC) would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping at the level indicated in the ``Final Results of Review'' section of this notice.

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 is exchanging unused flathead sole Community Development Quota (CDQ) for yellowfin sole CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2016 total allowable catch of yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area to be harvested.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Charter Implementation Committee will meet telephonically on October 24, 2016.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of Pacific cod from catcher vessels greater than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using pot gear, catcher vessels using trawl gear, and vessels using jig gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear, catcher processors (C/Ps) using pot gear, and Amendment 80 (A80) C/Ps in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2016 total allowable catch of Pacific cod to be harvested.