Department of Commerce January 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of U.S. Direct Investment AbroadTransactions of U.S. Reporter with Foreign Affiliate (BE-577). The data collected on the BE-577 survey are needed to measure the size and economic significance of U.S. direct investment abroad and its impact on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Annual Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad (BE-11). The data collected on the BE-11 survey are needed to measure the size and economic significance of U.S. direct investment abroad and its impact on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

In accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended (NMSA), NOAA is initiating a review of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS or sanctuary) management plan, to evaluate substantive progress toward implementing the goals of the sanctuary, and to make revisions to the management plan as necessary to fulfill the purposes and policies of the NMSA. NOAA anticipates management plan changes will require preparation of an environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NOAA will conduct public scoping meetings to gather information and other comments from individuals, organizations, tribes, and government agencies on the scope, types, and significance of issues related to the OCNMS management plan and the proper scope of environmental analysis for the management plan review. The scoping meetings are scheduled as detailed in the DATES section.

Based upon the timely withdrawal of all review requests, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative reviews covering the periods of review and the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders identified in the table below.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) submitted Amendment 34 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 34 to the CMP FMP would revise the acceptable biological catch (ABC), the annual optimum yield (OY), sector allocations, the stock and sector annual catch limits (ACL), recreational annual catch target (ACT), and the recreational bag and possession limits off the east coast of Florida for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel (Atlantic king mackerel). For both Atlantic king mackerel and Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel (Atlantic Spanish mackerel), Amendment 34 would revise the landing fish intact provisions for the recreational sector. The purpose of Amendment 34 is to revise the catch limits based on a recent stock assessment and revise sector allocations for Atlantic king mackerel based on the best scientific information available, and to revise management measures for Atlantic king mackerel and Atlantic Spanish mackerel.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the A season allowance of the 2023 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed topics of discussion for the upcoming public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (Committee).

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will host a presentation from the Nature Conservancy on anglers' release practices and attitudes towards descending devices in Southeast Florida and South Carolina via webinar on February 14, 2023.

NMFS is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950, as amended (TCA), to revise in-season action announcement procedures for the commercial fisheries for Pacific bluefin tuna. This final rule amends procedures to add notice of in-season action by direct emails to the affected public in addition to publication in the Federal Register. In-season actions will be effective upon the earlier of either receipt of the notice by email or publication of the notice in the Federal Register. In-season actions will also be posted on the NMFS website. This rule adds a provision to the in-season action procedures to allow any Pacific bluefin tuna already on board a fishing vessel on the effective date of a notice of in-season action to be retained on board and landed or transshipped within 24 hours of the effective date of the in-season action.

The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) seeks nominations to fill vacancies on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC or Committee). MAFAC is responsible to advise the Secretary, NOAA, and NMFS on all matters concerning living marine resources that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce. The Committee makes recommendations to assist in the development and implementation of Departmental regulations, policies, and programs critical to the mission and goals of NMFS. Nominations are encouraged from all individuals involved with or representing interests affected by NMFS actions in managing living marine resources. Nominees should possess demonstrable expertise in a field related to the management of living marine resources and be able to fulfill the time commitment required for two annual meetings and year-round subcommittee work. Individuals serve for a term of 3 years for no more than two consecutive terms if re-appointed. NMFS seeks qualified nominees to fill pending vacancies.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined that a request for a new shipper review (NSR) of the antidumping duty order on carbazole violet pigment 23 from India meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for initiation. The period of review (POR) for the NSR is December 1, 2021, through November 31, 2022.

NMFS publishes the standard ex-vessel prices and fee percentage for cost recovery under the Central Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Rockfish Program (Rockfish Program). This action is intended to provide participants in a rockfish cooperative with the standard prices and fee percentage for the 2022 fishing year, which was authorized from May 1 through November 15. The fee percentage is 2.53 percent. The fee payments are due from each rockfish cooperative on or before February 15, 2023.

This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial and recreational groundfish fisheries. This action is intended to allow fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting rebuilding stocks.

This final rule adopts, without change, an interim final rule with a request for comments published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2022, that eliminated provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations related to voluntary continuing legal education (CLE) certification and recognition for registered patent practitioners and individuals granted limited recognition to practice in patent matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office).

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is amending the final results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate from Italy to correct a ministerial error. The period of review (POR) is May 1, 2020, through April 30, 2021.

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA), is organizing a Cyber Security Business Development Mission to India on May 22-26, 2023. Cyber Security Business Development Mission to India originally scheduled for May 23-27, 2022, is postponed to May 22-26, 2023. The application deadline is now April 14, 2023.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), announce the availability of a Draft Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery Plan for the threatened oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) for public review. We are soliciting review and comment from the public and all interested parties on the Draft Recovery Plan, and will consider all substantive comments received during the review period before submitting the Recovery Plan for final approval.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of Financial Services Transactions between U.S. Financial Services Providers and Foreign Persons (BE-185). The data collected on the BE-185 survey are needed to measure U.S. trade in financial services and to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act and by Section 5408 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Annual Survey of Foreign Ocean Carriers' Expenses in the United States (BE-29). The data collected on the BE-29 survey are needed to measure U.S. trade in transport services and to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.