Department of Commerce December 13, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA), is requesting nominations for the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (``The Committee''). The Committee was established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Committee was first chartered on November 21, 2011, and subsequently renewed on November 20, 2013, and November 17, 2015. The Department of Commerce most recently renewed the Committee for another two-year term beginning on November 16, 2017. The Committee has functioned effectively, and the Department has an on-going need for consensus advice regarding U.S. supply chain competitiveness. The Committee advises the Secretary on the necessary elements of a comprehensive policy approach to supply chain competitiveness designed to support U.S. export growth and national economic competitiveness, encourage innovation, facilitate the movement of goods, and improve the competitiveness of U.S. supply chains for goods and services in the domestic and global economy; and provides advice to the Secretary on regulatory policies and programs and investment priorities that affect the competitiveness of U.S. supply chains. The Department is seeking nominations for the newly- rechartered Committee.

NMFS announces that U.S. purse seine vessels will be prohibited from fishing on fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the area of application of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (Convention) in the area between the latitudes of 20[deg] N. and 20[deg] S., as a result of reaching the 2017 limit on FAD sets. This action is taken to enable the United States to implement provisions of a conservation and management measure adopted by the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC or Commission) and to satisfy the obligations of the United States under the Convention, to which it is a Contracting Party.

NMFS proposes revised longfin squid, Illex squid, and butterfish specifications for the 2018 fishing year and projected specifications for fishing years 2019 and 2020. NMFS previously set specifications for Atlantic mackerel for three years in 2016 (2016- 2018) and, therefore, new Atlantic mackerel specifications will not be included in this year's specification rulemaking. This action is necessary to specify catch levels for the squid and butterfish fisheries based upon updated information on stock status. These proposed and projected specifications are intended to promote the sustainable utilization and conservation of the squid and butterfish resources.