Department of Commerce December 21, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

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

NMFS is adjusting the Swordfish General Commercial permit retention limits for the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean regions for January through June of the 2019 fishing year, unless otherwise later noticed. The Swordfish General Commercial permit retention limits in each of these regions are increased from the regulatory default limits (either two or three fish) to six swordfish per vessel per trip. The Swordfish General Commercial permit retention limit in the Florida Swordfish Management Area will remain unchanged at the default limit of zero swordfish per vessel per trip, as discussed in more detail below. These adjustments apply to Swordfish General Commercial permitted vessels and to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial endorsement when on a non-for-hire trip. This action is based upon consideration of the applicable inseason regional retention limit adjustment criteria.

NMFS is holding a meeting to present and solicit public input on preliminary results of the North Pacific albacore Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) conducted by the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific. The meeting topics are described under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

On October 12, 2018, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published a Federal Register notice, Request for Applicants for Appointment to the United States-Brazil CEO Forum, requesting applications for appointment to the United States-Brazil CEO Forum and providing October 31, 2018, as the deadline to submit applications to the Department for immediate consideration. This notice re-opens the request for applications and postpones the start of the three-year term of the incoming members of the U.S. Section from December 1, 2018, to February 25, 2019. The term will now expire on February 24, 2022. Nominations received in response to this notice will also be considered for on-going appointments to fill any future vacancies that may arise before February 24, 2022.