Department of Commerce August 6, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Acting Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would allow four commercial fishing vessels, directed by Coonamessett Farm Foundation, to be exempt from Atlantic sea scallop regulations for the purpose of bycatch reduction research. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

NMFS has received a request from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) previously issued to ADOT&PF to incidentally take nine species of marine mammal, by Level A and Level B harassment, during construction activities associated with the Sand Point City Dock Replacement Project in Sand Point, Alaska. ADOT&PF reported that the project has been delayed. The IHA issued on October 13, 2017 has effective dates of August 1, 2018 through July 31, 2019. ADOT&PF requested that a new IHA be issued to conduct their work between May 31, 2019 and May 30, 2020. NMFS is, therefore, issuing a second IHA to cover the incidental take analyzed and authorized in the first IHA. The authorized take numbers would be the same as authorized previously, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting would remain the same as authorized for the 2018 IHA referenced above. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is notifying the public about the issuance of an IHA to ADOT&PF to incidentally take marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment only, during the specified activity.

The Department of Commerce is currently seeking nominations of individuals for consideration for up to 35 appointments by the Secretary of Commerce to serve as members of a new Central California District Export Council (CenCal DEC). The CenCal DEC is closely affiliated with the Fresno and Bakersfield U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEACs) of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS), and will play a key role in the planning and coordination of export activities in Central California communities. As representatives of the local exporting community, DEC Members must reside in, or conduct the majority of their work in, the territory that the DEC covers which includes the counties of Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and surrounding areas.

Notice is hereby given that Aaron Roberts, Ph.D., University of North Texas, Biological Sciences, 1155 Union Circle, #310559, Denton, TX 76203, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 21217.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Whiting Advisory Panel and Committee on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 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 SEDAR 58 assessment of the Atlantic stock of Cobia will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: Data Workshop; Assessment Webinars; and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on stainless steel sheet and strip (SSSS) from the People's Republic of China (China) for the period September 19, 2016, through March 31, 2018.