Department of Commerce March 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and Socio-Economic Panel (SEP) in Charleston, SC. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the gray triggerfish recreational sector in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2019 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has projected that the 2019 recreational annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf gray triggerfish will be met by May 11, 2019. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for Gulf gray triggerfish on May 11, 2019, and it will remain closed through the end of the fishing year on December 31, 2019. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf gray triggerfish resource.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that Jindal Poly Films Limited of India (Jindal) and SRF Limited (SRF), exporters of polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet, and strip (PET film) from India, received countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR) January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

Notice is hereby given that permits or permit amendments have been issued to the following entities under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as applicable.

This action transfers unused quota of Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder from the Atlantic scallop fishery to the Northeast multispecies fishery for the remainder of the 2018 fishing year. This quota transfer is authorized when the scallop fishery is not expected to catch its entire allocations of yellowtail flounder. The quota transfer is intended to provide additional fishing opportunities for groundfish vessels to help achieve the optimum yield for these stocks while ensuring sufficient amounts of yellowtail flounder remain available for the scallop fishery.

On April 16, 2018, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated an administrative review on frozen warmwater shrimp from India for the period February 1, 2017, through January 31, 2018, for 241 companies. Because all interested parties timely withdrew their requests for administrative review for certain companies, we are rescinding this administrative review with respect to those companies, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1). For a list of the companies for which we are rescinding this review, see the Appendix to this notice.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by hook- and-line catcher/processors in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2019 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to hook-and-line catcher/processors in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

We are implementing specifications for the 2019 monkfish fishery. This action is necessary to ensure allowable monkfish 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 Monkfish Fishery Management Plan and previously announced multi-year specifications.

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that revocation of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells, whether or not assembled into modules, from the People's Republic of China (China) would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies and material injury to an industry in the United States, Commerce is publishing a notice of continuation of this CVD order.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Community Development Quota (CDQ) pollock directed fishing allowances (DFA) from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2019 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI).

Notice is hereby given that David Johnston, Ph.D., Duke University, Marine Science and Conservation, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, has applied in due form for a permit to receive specimens of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) for scientific research.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) 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 is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 2019, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 14, 2019. This period is the same as the 2019 commercial halibut fishery opening dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season is specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issues this Notice on behalf of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to initiate the annual process to seek expressions of interest from individuals who would like to serve on the FirstNet Board. One of the 12 appointments of nonpermanent members to the FirstNet Board will expire in August 2019. NTIA issues this Notice to obtain expressions of interest in being appointed by the Secretary to the FirstNet Board.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has received petitions for certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance from the firms listed below. Accordingly, EDA has initiated investigations to determine whether increased imports into the United States of articles like or directly competitive with those produced by each of the firms contributed importantly to the total or partial separation of the firms' workers, or threat thereof, and to a decrease in sales or production of each petitioning firm.

On November 1, 2018, NMFS published a notice inviting qualified commercial shark permit holders to submit applications to participate in the 2019 shark research fishery. The shark research fishery allows for the collection of fishery-dependent data for future stock assessments and cooperative research with commercial fishermen to meet the shark research objectives of the Agency. Every year, the permit terms and permitted activities (e.g., number of hooks and retention limits) specifically authorized for selected participants in the shark research fishery are designated depending on the scientific and research needs of the Agency, as well as the number of NMFS- approved observers available. In order to inform selected participants of this year's specific permit requirements and ensure all terms and conditions of the permit are met, NMFS is holding a mandatory meeting (via conference call) for selected participants. The date and time of that meeting is announced in this notice.

Notice is hereby given that Benjamin Hubert, Ph.D., New York Genome Center, 101 Avenue of the Americas, New York City, NY 10013, has applied in due form for a permit to import specimens from southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).