Department of Commerce December 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This advises the public that three direct-take permits have been issued for research and enhancement purposes in the San Joaquin River Basin, Central Valley, California. Permit 16608-2R has been issued to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for implementation of the San Joaquin Steelhead Monitoring Program. Permit 21477 has been issued to FISHBIO Environmental, LLC for implementation of the Stanislaus Native Fish Plan. Permit 20571 has been issued to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for implementation of one Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan associated with the San Joaquin River Restoration Program's (SJRRP) Salmon Conservation and Research Facility, operating to reintroduce Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon to the San Joaquin River.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Interior will hold a public meeting of the 41st U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF).

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily finds that certain companies made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review (POR), April 1, 2017, through March 31, 2018. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

On September 10, 2018, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) published a notice of initiation of an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on carbon steel butt-weld pipe fittings from the People's Republic of China (China). Based on Jinan Mech Piping Technology Co., Ltd (Jinan Mech)'s timely withdrawal of its request for review, we are now rescinding this administrative review with respect to Jinan Mech.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that producers and/or exporters subject to this administrative review made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results of review.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Committee 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.

NMFS announces that the 2018 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the state of Rhode Island has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in Rhode Island for the remainder of calendar year 2018, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notice to advise Rhode Island that the quota has been harvested, and to advise vessel and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available to land summer flounder in Rhode Island.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 (TCA) to implement Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) Resolution C-18-01 (Measures for the Conservation and Management of Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, 2019-2020) and Resolution C-18-02 (Amendment to Resolution C-16- 08 on a Long-term Management Framework for the Conservation and Management of Pacific Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean). This proposed rule would implement annual limits on commercial catch of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) for 2019 and 2020. This action is necessary to conserve Pacific bluefin tuna and for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that steel propane cylinders from the People's Republic of China (China) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

On February 1, 2018, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated the fourth sunset review of the suspended antidumping duty investigation on fresh tomatoes from Mexico. Commerce finds that termination of the suspended antidumping duty investigation on fresh tomatoes from Mexico would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping at the levels 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 published a final rule on December 3, 2018, to implement management measures revising Federal regulations that currently restrict the use and configuration of bottom and midwater trawl gear for vessels fishing under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery's Trawl Rationalization Program. This notification corrects language describing where vessels are prohibited from carrying any other type of small footrope trawl gear other than selective flatfish trawl gear (SFFT); restores language which clarifies the trawl gear types vessels are allowed to carry simultaneously on a trip; restores the prohibition on the use of small footrope trawl inside the Columbia and Klamath River Salmon Conservation Zones; and restores vessel declarations for non- trawl and open access groundfish trips, open access trips for other fisheries, and other trip types.

NMFS proposes specifications for the 2019 Atlantic bluefish fishery, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This action is necessary to comply with the implementing regulations of the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan that require NMFS to publish specifications for the fishery after providing the opportunity for public comment. The proposed specifications are intended to establish allowable harvest levels for the stock that will prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan. This action also informs the public of the proposed fishery specifications, and provides an opportunity for comment.

We are finalizing specifications for the 2019 Atlantic deep- sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and total allowable landings limit. This action is necessary to fully implement previously projected allowable red crab harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield. This action is intended to establish the allowable 2019 harvest levels, consistent with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is correcting an advance notification of sunset review.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is initiating a changed circumstances review to determine if Sunrise Seafoods India Private Limited (SSIPL) is the successor-in-interest to Sunrise Aqua Food Exports (SAFE) in the context of the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from India.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Committee 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 Council will hold a meeting of its System Management Plan (SMP) Workgroup via webinar.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold a meeting, which is open to the public.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a half day meeting via webinar of its Standing, Reef Fish, and Mackerel Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC).

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) to amend NMFS' Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations authorizing the take of marine mammals incidental to Navy training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area from November 2018 to November 2023 to cover seven years of the Navy's activities, instead of five. Section 316 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA), signed into law on August 13, 2018, amended the MMPA to extend the maximum period for MMPA incidental take regulations under section 101(a)(5)(A) from five to seven years for military readiness activities. The Navy's activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2004. The Navy proposes no changes to their specified activities, mitigation measures, monitoring, or reporting and requests that NMFS amend the final rule issued on November 14, 2018, to authorize incidental take of marine mammals for the two additional years now allowed under the statute. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application.

NMFS announces that the commercial per-trip possession limit for southern red hake has been reduced for the remainder of the 2018 fishing year. Regulations governing the small-mesh multispecies fishery require this action to prevent the southern red hake total allowable landing limit from being exceeded. This announcement also informs the public of the reduced southern red hake possession limit.