Recent Department of Commerce regulations affecting small businesses
Page 8 of 17 • Last updated April 22, 2026
250 Department of Commerce regulations have been published in the past 30 days, covering rule changes, notices, and final actions affecting small businesses.
- Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Secrecy and License To ExportApril 22, 2026 • Impact: low
The USPTO seeks public comments through January 2026 on information collection renewal 0651-0034 regarding secrecy orders and export licenses, extending the comment period by 30 days to assess reporting burden compliance with the Paperwork Reduction…
- Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Sparrows Point Container Terminal Project in Baltimore County, MarylandApril 22, 2026
NMFS invites public comments on a proposal to issue incidental harassment authorizations to Tradepoint TiL Terminal for marine mammal takes during the Sparrows Point Container Terminal construction project in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Fisheries of the South Atlantic; 2026 Recreational Accountability Measure and Closure for Gag in the South AtlanticApril 22, 2026
NMFS closes the South Atlantic recreational gag season on August 2, 2026, due to 2025 landings exceeding the annual catch limit.
- Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Francis Scott Key Bridge Rebuild Project in Baltimore, MarylandApril 22, 2026
NMFS requests public comments on proposed incidental harassment authorizations for marine mammal takes during the Francis Scott Key Bridge Rebuild project in Baltimore, Maryland under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- Final 2024 Marine Mammal Stock Assessment ReportsApril 22, 2026
NMFS releases 21 final 2024 marine mammal stock assessment reports required under the Marine Mammal Protection Act after incorporating public comments.
- Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NOAA Office of Education Higher Education Scholarship, Fellowship, and Internship ProgramsApril 22, 2026
NOAA's Office of Education requests OMB approval for information collection activities related to scholarship, fellowship, and internship programs; public comments are due within 60 days of Federal Register publication.
- The 51st Meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task ForceApril 21, 2026
The 51st U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting convened by NOAA and Department of the Interior will accept oral and written public comments on coral reef conservation and management initiatives.
- Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public MeetingApril 21, 2026
Pacific Fishery Management Council's Sacramento River Fall Chinook Workgroup holds an online meeting in May 2026 to address fishery management issues.
- Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of AlaskaApril 21, 2026
NMFS prohibits directed pollock fishing in Gulf of Alaska Statistical Area 610 to prevent exceeding the 2026 total allowable catch A season allocation.
- Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Request for an Exempted Fishing PermitApril 21, 2026
NMFS is reviewing an exempted fishing permit application from Cultimar Technologies to collect 200 sexually mature American red snapper from Federal Atlantic waters off Florida for broodstock research and aquaculture development in Puerto Rico.
- Pacific Island Fisheries; Annual Catch Limit and Accountability Measures; Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish for Fishing Years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027April 21, 2026
NMFS sets the annual catch limit for main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 bottomfish at 493,000 pounds for fishing years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, with automatic fishery closure if the limit is reached.
- Regulations Governing the Taking and Importing of Marine MammalsApril 20, 2026
Federal regulations govern the taking and importing of marine mammals, with exemptions for scientific research and incidental catches during commercial fishing operations.
- Foreign-Trade Zone 200; Application for Subzone; Shiseido America, Inc.; Cranbury and East Windsor, New JerseyApril 20, 2026
Shiseido America seeks Foreign-Trade Zone 200 subzone status for cosmetics manufacturing facilities in Cranbury and East Windsor, New Jersey to reduce tariffs on imported materials.
- Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) SurveysApril 20, 2026
The USPTO seeks public comment for 60 days on revising its Global Intellectual Property Academy Surveys information collection before submitting to the Office of Management and Budget.
- Disposable Aluminum Containers, Pans, Trays, and Lids From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty OrdersApril 20, 2026 • Impact: low
The U.S. Department of Commerce preliminarily determines that disposable aluminum containers assembled in Thailand from Chinese aluminum foil circumvent existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Chinese aluminum containers.