Department of Commerce November 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS publishes standard prices and fee percentages for cost recovery for the Amendment 80 Program, the American Fisheries Act (AFA) Program, the Aleutian Islands Pollock (AIP) Program, and the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) groundfish and halibut Programs. The fee percentage for 2017 is 0.71 percent for the Amendment 80 Program, 0.19 percent for the AFA inshore cooperatives, 0.21 percent for the AFA catcher/processor sector, 0.22 percent for the AFA mothership cooperative, 0 percent for the AIP program, and 0.55 percent for the CDQ groundfish and halibut Programs. This action is intended to provide the 2017 standard prices and fee percentages to calculate the required payment for cost recovery fees due by December 31, 2017.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain tool chests and cabinets (tool chests) from the People's Republic of China (PRC). The period of investigation is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016. For information on the estimated subsidy rates, see the ``Final Determination'' section of this notice.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad hoc Ecosystem Workgroup (EWG) will hold a meeting via webinar to discuss the work associated with the Climate Change and Communities Initiative. The meeting is open to the public.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is seeking public comments on the impact that implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), through the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act (CWCIA) and the Chemical Weapons Convention Regulations (CWCR), has had on commercial activities involving ``Schedule 1'' chemicals during calendar year 2017. The purpose of this notice of inquiry is to collect information to assist BIS in its preparation of the annual certification to Congress on whether the legitimate commercial activities and interests of chemical, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical firms are being harmed by such implementation. This certification is required under Condition 9 of Senate Resolution 75, April 24, 1997, in which the Senate gave its advice and consent to the ratification of the CWC.

The Office of Trade and Economic Analysis (``OTEA'') of the International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce, received an application to amend an Export Trade Certificate of Review (``Certificate''). This notice summarizes the proposed amendment and requests comments relevant to whether the amended Certificate should be issued.

The United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (Board or TTAB) will hold an open meeting via teleconference on Thursday, December 14, 2017. The Board advises the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the U.S. travel and tourism industry. The purpose of the meeting is for Board members to consider recommendations being developed by the National Goal Subcommittee, the Secure Travel Partnership Operations Subcommittee, and the Secure Travel Partnership Communications Subcommittee. The final agenda will be posted on the Department of Commerce Web site for the Board at https://trade.gov/ttab at least one week in advance of the meeting.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) determines that imports of carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Belarus, the Russian Federation (Russia), and the United Arab Emirates (the UAE) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The final estimated dumping margins of sales at LTFV are shown in in the ``Final Determinations'' section of this notice.

NMFS proposes to implement annual harvest specifications and management measures to establish the allowable catch levels for Pacific mackerel in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the West Coast (California, Oregon and Washington) for the fishing years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. This rule is proposed pursuant to the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The proposed harvest guideline (HG) and annual catch target (ACT) for the 2017-2018 fishing year are 26,293 metric tons (mt) and 25,293 mt respectively. The proposed HG and ACT for the 2018-2019 fishing year are 23,840 mt and 22,840 mt respectively. If the fishery attains the ACT in either fishing year, the directed fishery will close, reserving the difference between the HG and ACT as a 1,000 mt set-aside for incidental landings in other CPS fisheries and other sources of mortality. If the HG is reached, all retention would be prohibited through the end of the fishing year. This rule is intended to conserve and manage the Pacific mackerel stock off the U.S. West Coast.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2017 Pacific Ocean perch total allowable catch (TAC) in the Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI.

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (the Department) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that revocation of the antidumping duty orders on certain stilbenic optical brightening agents (stilbenic OBAs) from the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, the Department is publishing a notice of continuation of the antidumping duty orders.

On August 1, 2017, the Department of Commerce (Department) initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on tapered roller bearings and parts thereof, finished and unfinished (TRBs) from the People's Republic of China (PRC) for 24 companies. Based on timely withdrawal of requests for review, we are now rescinding this administrative review with respect to four of these companies, Changshan Peer Bearing Co., Ltd. (CPZ/SKF), Hubei New Torch Science & Technology Co Ltd (New Torch), Shanghai General Bearing Co., Ltd (SGBC), and Wanxiang Group Corp (Wanxiang).

NMFS has received a request from Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic (the Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to Bravo Wharf Recapitalization, Year 2 in Naval Station Mayport (NSM), Jacksonville, Florida. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of its Citizen Science Advisory Panel Volunteers; Communication/Outreach/Education; and Data Management Action Teams via webinar.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold its 161st meeting in December to discuss the items contained in the agenda in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Through this final rule, NMFS announces approval of a regulatory amendment to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to reallocate quota shares (QS) of widow rockfish in the Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program. In January 2011, NMFS implemented the trawl rationalization program, which includes an IFQ Program for limited entry (LE) trawl participants. At the time of implementation, the widow rockfish stock was overfished and QS were allocated to QS permit holders in the Shorebased IFQ Program (the Program) only to cover widow rockfish bycatch that may be associated with harvest of target species. Now that widow rockfish has been rebuilt, this action reallocates QS to initial recipients to reestablish a target widow rockfish fishery. The reallocation is based on a target species formula that more closely represents the fishing history of permit holders when widow rockfish was a targeted species. This final rule also removes the daily vessel limit for widow rockfish, allows the trading of widow rockfish QS, and sets a deadline for divestiture of excess QS should the reallocation of widow rockfish cause any QS permit holder to exceed an accumulation limit.