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

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is initiating and issuing expedited preliminary results of a changed circumstances review (CCR) of the antidumping duty (AD) order on carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from the Republic of Korea (Korea).

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies have been provided to producers and exporters of aluminum extrusions from the People's Republic of China (China) for the period of review (POR) January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that none of the companies subject to this review have established their entitlement to a separate rate during the May 1, 2017, through April 30, 2018 period of review (POR) and, thus, are part of the China- wide entity. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in the Central 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 vessels using jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear 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 vessels using jig gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS issues this proposed rule for the 2019 Pacific whiting fishery under the authority of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and the Pacific Whiting Act of 2006. This proposed rule would allocate 17.5 percent of the U.S. Total Allowable Catch of Pacific whiting for 2019 to Pacific Coast Indian tribes that have a treaty right to harvest groundfish. It would also amend the provisions regarding reapportionment of the treaty tribes' whiting allocation to the non-treaty sectors to require that NMFS consider the level of Chinook salmon bycatch when determining whether to reapportion whiting. This rule is necessary to manage the Pacific whiting stock to Optimal Yield, ensure that the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is implemented in a manner consistent with treaty rights of four treaty tribes to fish for Pacific whiting in their ``usual and accustomed grounds and stations'' in common with non-tribal citizens, and to protect salmon stocks listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a revised permit application request for one new enhancement permit. The original permit application was released for public comment on September 26, 2018. However, before the permit application was processed, the applicant requested substantive changes that required additional public review and comment. The proposed work is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management, conservation, and recovery efforts. The application may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/ preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) hereby publishes a list of scope rulings and anticircumvention determinations made between July 1, 2017, and September 30, 2017, inclusive. We intend to publish future lists after the close of the next calendar quarter.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily finds that Teh Fong Min International Co., Ltd. (TFM), the sole producer and/or exporter subject to this administrative review, has made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value. The period of review (POR) is May 1, 2017, through April 30, 2018. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

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.

NMFS announces final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the remainder of the 2019 and the start of the 2020 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The 2019 harvest specifications supersede those previously set in the 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications, and the 2020 harvest specifications will be superseded in early 2020 when the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications are published. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

NMFS and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) of three 2019 benchmark stock assessments for bottomfish in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Guam.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines not to revoke the antidumping duty (AD) orders on large residential washers (LRWs) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) and Mexico and the countervailing duty (CVD) order on large residential washers from Korea, in part, with respect to LRWs that (1) have a horizontal rotational axis; (2) are front loading; and (3) have a drive train consisting, inter alia, of (a) a controlled induction motor and (b) a belt drive (hereinafter, FL CIM/Belt washers).

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that Jindal Poly Films Ltd. (India) made sales of subject merchandise below normal value, and that SRF Limited of India did not. The period of review (POR) is July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that imports of carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) with actual diameters less than 4.75 mm produced and/or exported by Deacero S.A.P.I. de C.V (Deacero), and otherwise meeting the description of subject merchandise, are circumventing the antidumping duty (AD) order on wire rod from Mexico.

This action increases the possession and trip limits of Gulf of Maine cod and witch flounder for Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year, in order to provide the common pool fishery greater opportunity to harvest, but not exceed, its annual quota for these stocks.

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 implements an accountability measure for the commercial longline component for golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial longline landings for golden tilefish are projected to reach the longline component's commercial quota on March 14, 2019. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial longline component of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ on March 14, 2019, at 12:01 a.m., local time. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.

NMFS is reducing the Atlantic mackerel possession limit for Federal limited access Atlantic mackerel permitted vessels based on a projection that the 2019 river herring and shad catch cap for that fishery has been reached. This action is necessary to comply with the regulations implementing the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan and is intended to limit the harvest of river herring and shad in the Greater Atlantic Region.

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 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Social Science Planning Committee (SSPC) by teleconference.

The SEDAR 58 assessment(s) of the Atlantic stock of Cobia will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: Stock ID Workshop; Stock ID Review Workshop; Stock ID Joint Cooperator Technical Review; Data Workshop; Assessment Webinars; and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold a webinar meeting to review the 2019 update stock assessment for Pacific sardine. This webinar is open to the public.