[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 160 (Monday, August 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50383-50385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20164]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-560-825]


Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From the Republic of Indonesia: 
Final Negative Countervailing Duty Determination

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) determines that 
countervailable subsidies are not being provided to producers and/or 
exporters of certain frozen warmwater shrimp (frozen shrimp) from the 
Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia).

DATES: Effective Date: August 19, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene Calvert, Jun Jack Zhao, or Emily 
Halle, AD/CVD Operations, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
3586, (202) 482-1396, or (202) 482-0176, respectively.

Background

    The petitioner in this investigation is the Coalition of Gulf 
Shrimp Industries (Petitioner).\1\ This investigation covers 28 
government programs. In addition to the Government of Indonesia (GOI), 
the respondents in this investigation are (1) PT. Central Proteinaprima 
and PT. Central Pertiwi Bahari, along with their affiliated companies; 
and (2) PT. First Marine Seafoods and its cross-owned affiliate, PT. 
Khom Foods.
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    \1\ The members of the Coalition of Gulf Shrimp Industries are: 
Bayou Shrimp Processors, Inc.; Bluewater Shrimp Company, Inc.; 
Carson & Co., Inc.; C.F. Gollott & Sons Seafood, Inc.; Dean 
Blanchard Seafood, Inc.; Dominick Seafood; Fisherman's Reef Packing 
Plant; Golden Gulf Coast Pkg. Co., Inc. (and Gollott's Oil Dock & 
Ice House); Graham Fisheries, Inc.; Graham Shrimp, Inc.; Gulf Crown 
Seafood Co., Inc.; Gulf Fish Inc.; Gulf Island Shrimp & Seafood, 
LLC; Gulf Pride Enterprises, Inc.; Hi-Seas of Dulac, Inc.; Indian 
Ridge Shrimp Co.; JBS Packing Co., Inc.; Lafitte Frozen Foods Corp.; 
M&M Shrimp (Biloxi Freezing and Processing); Ocean Springs Seafood 
Market, Inc.; Paul Piazza & Sons, Inc.; R.A. Lesso Brokerage Co., 
Inc.; Sea Pearl Seafood Co., Inc.; Smith and Sons Seafood; Tidelands 
Seafood Co., Inc.; Tommy's Seafood; Vincent Piazza & Sons Seafood, 
Inc.; Wood's Fisheries; Mariah Jade Shrimp Company, LLC; David 
Chauvin's Seafood Company, LLC; and Rountree Enterprises, Inc. (dba 
Leonard & Sons Shrimp Co. and R&R Fisheries).
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Period of Investigation

    The period for which we are measuring subsidies, or period of 
investigation, is January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2011.

Case History

    The events that have occurred since the Department published the 
Preliminary Determination on June 4, 2013,\2\ are discussed in the 
Memorandum to Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Import 
Administration, ``Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Negative 
Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation of Certain 
Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from the Republic of Indonesia'' (Decision 
Memorandum), which is dated concurrently with and hereby adopted by 
this notice.
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    \2\ See Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Indonesia: Negative 
Preliminary Countervailing Duty Determination, 78 FR 33349 (June 4, 
2013) (Preliminary Determination), and the accompanying Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum.
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Scope Comments

    On March 28, 2013, Petitioner asked the Department to clarify that 
the scope of this investigation does not include brine-frozen 
shrimp.\3\ We have addressed this request and comments thereon in the 
Memorandum to Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Import 
Administration, ``Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Ecuador, India, 
Indonesia, Malaysia, People's Republic of China, Thailand, and 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam--Final Scope Memorandum Regarding Onboard 
Brine-Frozen Shrimp'' (Scope Memorandum), which is dated concurrently 
with and hereby adopted by this notice.
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    \3\ See Letter from Petitioner, ``Countervailing Duty 
Investigation on Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Indonesia (C-
560-825)--Request for Scope Clarification'' (March 28, 2013).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The products covered by this investigation are certain frozen 
warmwater shrimp and prawns, whether wild-caught (ocean harvested) or 
farm-raised (produced by aquaculture), head-on or head-off, shell-on or 
peeled, tail-on or tail-off, deveined or not deveined, cooked or raw, 
or otherwise processed in frozen form, regardless of size. See Appendix 
I for a complete description of the scope of this investigation.

Analysis of Subsidy Programs and Comments Received

    The subsidy programs under investigation and the issues raised in 
the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in this investigation are 
discussed in the Decision Memorandum. A list of subsidy programs and 
the issues that parties have raised, and to which we responded in the 
Decision

[[Page 50384]]

Memorandum, is attached to this notice as Appendix II.
    The Decision and Scope Memoranda are public documents and are on 
file electronically via IA ACCESS. IA ACCESS is available to registered 
users at http://iaaccess.trade.gov and in the Central Records Unit, 
room 7046 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, 
complete versions of the Decision and Scope Memoranda can be accessed 
directly on the Internet at http://www.trade.gov/ia/. The signed and 
the electronic versions of these memoranda are identical in content.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Company                      Subsidy rate  (percent)
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PT. Central Pertiwi Bahari, PT. Central     0.23 (de minimis)
 Proteinaprima Tbk.
PT. First Marine Seafoods, PT. Khom Foods.  0.27 (de minimis)
All Others................................  0.25 (de minimis)
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    For this final determination, we have calculated de minimis total 
net countervailable subsidy rates for the individually investigated 
producers/exporters of the subject merchandise . The all others rate is 
also de minimis. Therefore, we determine that countervailable subsidies 
are not being provided to producers and/or exporters in Indonesia with 
respect to frozen shrimp. Because we have reached a final negative 
determination, consistent with section 705(c)(2) of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended (the Act), we are terminating this investigation.
    In the Preliminary Determination, the total net countervailable 
subsidy rates for the individually examined respondents were de minimis 
and, therefore, we did not suspend liquidation.\4\ Because the rates 
for the respondents remain de minimis, we are not directing U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation of entries of 
subject merchandise.
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    \4\ See Preliminary Determination, 78 FR 33349.
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International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 705(d) of the Act, we will notify the 
International Trade Commission of our determination.

Return or Destruction of Proprietary Information

    This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information 
disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely 
written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or 
conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure 
to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation that 
is subject to sanction.
    This determination is issued and published pursuant to sections 
705(d) and 777(i) of the Act.

    Dated: August 12, 2013.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The products covered by this investigation are certain frozen 
warmwater shrimp and prawns, whether wild-caught (ocean harvested) 
or farm-raised (produced by aquaculture), head-on or head-off, 
shell-on or peeled, tail-on or tail-off,\5\ deveined or not 
deveined, cooked or raw, or otherwise processed in frozen form, 
regardless of size.
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    \5\ ``Tails'' in this context means the tail fan, which includes 
the telson and the uropods.
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    The frozen warmwater shrimp and prawn products included in the 
scope, regardless of definitions in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States (HTSUS), are products which are processed from 
warmwater shrimp and prawns through freezing and which are sold in 
any count size.
    The products described above may be processed from any species 
of warmwater shrimp and prawns. Warmwater shrimp and prawns are 
generally classified in, but are not limited to, the Penaeidae 
family. Some examples of the farmed and wild-caught warmwater 
species include, but are not limited to, whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus 
vannemei), banana prawn (Penaeus merguiensis), fleshy prawn (Penaeus 
chinensis), giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), giant 
tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon), redspotted shrimp (Penaeus 
brasiliensis), southern brown shrimp (Penaeus subtilis), southern 
pink shrimp (Penaeus notialis), southern rough shrimp (Trachypenaeus 
curvirostris), southern white shrimp (Penaeus schmitti), blue shrimp 
(Penaeus stylirostris), western white shrimp (Penaeus occidentalis), 
and Indian white prawn (Penaeus indicus).
    Frozen shrimp and prawns that are packed with marinade, spices 
or sauce are included in the scope. In addition, food preparations 
(including dusted shrimp), which are not ``prepared meals,'' that 
contain more than 20 percent by weight of shrimp or prawn are also 
included in the scope.
    Excluded from the scope are: (1) Breaded shrimp and prawns; (2) 
shrimp and prawns generally classified in the Pandalidae family and 
commonly referred to as coldwater shrimp, in any state of 
processing; (3) fresh shrimp and prawns whether shell-on or peeled; 
(4) shrimp and prawns in prepared meals; (5) dried shrimp and 
prawns; (6) canned warmwater shrimp and prawns; and (7) certain 
``battered shrimp'' (see below).
    ``Battered shrimp'' is a shrimp-based product: (1) That is 
produced from fresh (or thawed-from-frozen) and peeled shrimp; (2) 
to which a ``dusting''' layer of rice or wheat flour of at least 95 
percent purity has been applied; (3) with the entire surface of the 
shrimp flesh thoroughly and evenly coated with the flour; (4) with 
the non-shrimp content of the end product constituting between four 
and 10 percent of the product's total weight after being dusted, but 
prior to being frozen; and (5) that is subjected to individually 
quick frozen (``IQF'') freezing immediately after application of the 
dusting layer. When dusted in accordance with the definition of 
dusting above, the battered shrimp product is also coated with a wet 
viscous layer containing egg and/or milk, and par-fried.
    The products included in the scope of this investigation are 
currently classified under the following HTSUS subheadings: 
0306.17.00.03, 0306.17.00.06, 0306.17.00.09, 0306.17.00.12, 
0306.17.00.15, 0306.17.00.18, 0306.17.00.21, 0306.17.00.24, 
0306.17.00.27, 0306.17.00.40, 1605.21.10.30 and 1605.29.10.10. These 
HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and for customs 
purposes only and are not dispositive, but rather the written 
description of the scope is dispositive.

Appendix II

Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Subsidy Valuation Information
    A. Period of Investigation
    B. Allocation Period
    C. Attribution of Subsidies
    D. Application of Section 771B of the Act
    E. Denominators
    F. Loan Benchmarks and Discount Rate Benchmarks for Allocating 
Non-Recurring Subsidies
IV. Analysis of Programs
    A. Programs Determined To Be Countervailable
    1. Export Financing from the Indonesia Export-Import Bank
    2. Article 31E Income Tax Reduction
    B. Programs Determined To Be Not Countervailable
    1. Import Duty Exemptions for Raw Materials Imported into Bonded 
Zones
    2. VAT Exemptions for Raw Materials and Equipment Imported into 
Bonded Zones
    3. VAT Exemptions for Purchases of Fish Feed
    C. Programs Determined To Have Been Not Used By Respondents or 
To Not Confer a Benefit During the POI
    1. Import Duty Exemptions for Equipment Imported into Bonded 
Zones
    2. Debt Forgiveness from the Government of Indonesia
    3. Government Provision of Loans to the Indonesian Fishing and 
Aquaculture Sector
    4. Government Loans to the Indonesian Fishing and Aquaculture 
Sector through Bank Rakyat Indonesia
    5. Government Provision of Electricity to the Indonesian Fishing 
and Aquaculture Sector for LTAR

[[Page 50385]]

    6. Government Provision of Goods and Services Used to Promote 
the Indonesian Fishing and Aquaculture Sector for LTAR
    7. Government Provision of Land to the Indonesian Fishing and 
Aquaculture Sector for LTAR
    8. Government Provision of Shrimp Breeding Stock and Fry for 
LTAR
    9. Tax Incentives from the Capital Investment Coordinating Board
    10. Government Provision of Grants to the Indonesian Fishing and 
Aquaculture Sector
    11. Government Provision of Grants for the Lampung Shrimp Pond 
Project
    12. Export Credit Insurance
    13. Export Credit Guarantees
    14. Export Ban on Raw Shrimp
    15. Government Provision of Assistance through the Aquaculture 
Intensification (INBUDKAN) Program
    16. Government Provision of Assistance through the Fish Culture 
Intensification (FCIP) Program
    17. Government Provision of Assistance through the 
Revitalisation of Aquaculture Development (RPPB) Program
    18. Government Provision of Clean Water Facilities to the 
Indonesian Fishery Sector for LTAR
    19. Government Provision of Fishing Boats for LTAR
    20. Government Provision of Cold Storage Facilities for LTAR
    21. Government Provision of Shrimp Breeding Stock and Seed for 
LTAR
    22. Government Loans to Coastal Community Businesses under the 
Project of Coastal Community Empowerment/Loans for the Economic 
Development of Coastal Communities (PEMP) Program
    23. Government Provision of Land to Brackish-Water Aquaculture 
Farms for LTAR
V. Analysis of Comments
    General Issues
    Comment 1: The Application of Section 771B of the Act (the 
Agricultural Processing Provision) to Subsidies to Fresh Shrimp 
Farmers
    Comment 2: The Attribution of Fresh Shrimp Subsidies to 
Respondent Processors; Use of a Simple or Weighted Average
    Comment 3: The Attribution of Fresh Shrimp Subsidies to 
Respondent Processors: Proper Sales Denominator
    Cross-Ownership
    Comment 4: CPP and the Plasma Farmers
    Comment 5: CPP and CWS
    Comment 6: Windu Mantap and its Cross-Owned Companies
    Debt Forgiveness
    Comment 7: CPP's 2001 Restructuring Agreement
    Comment 8: CPP's Repayment Terms
    Comment 9: Forgiven Loans to CPP's Plasma Farmers
    Comment 10: CPP's Investment Commitments for the Shrimp Pond 
Revitalization Project
    Comment 11: The Indonesia Ex-Im Bank's Waiver for CPP
    Export Financing
    Comment 12: CPP's Export Financing
    Income Tax Reduction
    Comment 13: The Article 31E Income Tax Reduction Program
    VAT Exemptions for Strategic Goods
    Comment 14: VAT Exemptions are Countervailable in their Entirety
    Comment 15: Time Value of Money Benefits from VAT Exemptions
    Import Duty Exemptions for Bonded Zones
    Comment 16: Import Duty Exemptions for Equipment Imported into 
Bonded Zones
    Comment 17: Import Duty Exemptions for Raw Materials Imported 
into Bonded Zones
    VAT Exemptions for Bonded Zones
    Comment 18: VAT Exemptions for Equipment and Raw Materials 
Imported into Bonded Zones
    Land
    Comment 19: First Marine's Land Lease at the Jakarta Fishery 
Port
    Comment 20: Land Provided to CPP and CWS by KIM
    Creditworthiness
    Comment 21: The Department's Preliminary Determination Regarding 
CPP's Uncreditworthiness During 2011
    Comment 22: Petitioner's Other Uncreditworthiness Allegations
    Voluntary Respondents
    Comment 23: The Department's Denial of Bumi Menara's Voluntary 
Respondent Request
    Miscellaneous
    Comment 24: CPP's Minor Corrections
VI. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2013-20164 Filed 8-16-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P