Chr. Bjelland Seafoods A/S v. United States

16 Ct. Int'l Trade 945
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedOctober 23, 1992
DocketCourt No. 91-05-00364
StatusPublished

This text of 16 Ct. Int'l Trade 945 (Chr. Bjelland Seafoods A/S v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of International Trade primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chr. Bjelland Seafoods A/S v. United States, 16 Ct. Int'l Trade 945 (cit 1992).

Opinion

Memorandum and Order

Goldberg, Judge:

Plaintiffs, Norwegian Salmon A/S, et al., bring this action under section 516A of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 [946]*946U.S.C. §§ 1516a(a)(2)(A) (i)(II) and 1516a(a)(2)(B) (1988), challenging the final affirmative antidumping determination by the United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (“Commerce”) in Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 56 Fed. Reg. 7661 (1991), Commerce’s final affirmative countervailing duty determination in Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 56 Fed. Reg. 7678 (1991), the final affirmative injury determination by the U.S. International Trade Commission (“Commission”) in Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon From Norway, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-302, 731-TA-454 (Final), USITC Pub. 2371 (April 1991), and the antidump-ing and countervailing duty orders entered therefrom.

This matter is before the court pursuant to plaintiffs’ motion for review of the administrative determinations upon the agency record under USCIT Rule 56.1. The court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(c) (1988). The court reverses and remands the Commission’s determination. The court reserves decision on its review of the challenged Commerce determinations pending the remand results from the Commission.

The Merchandise

The product covered by the contested orders is the species Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar). Atlantic salmon is a whole or nearly-whole fish, typically (but not necessarily) marketed gutted, bled, and cleaned, with the head on. It is typically packed in fresh-water ice. The challenged orders do not cover fillets, steaks, or other cuts of Atlantic salmon, or frozen, canned, smoked or otherwise processed Atlantic salmon. See Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon From Norway, 55 Fed. Reg. 11418 (1990); and Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon From Norway, 55 Fed. Reg. 11423 (1990). Prior to January 1,1989, imports of Atlantic salmon were classified under item 110.2045 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States Annotated. After that time, imports of Atlantic salmon were classified under items 0302.12.0060.8 and 0302.12.0065.3 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States.

Nature of Atlantic Salmon Industry

The Atlantic salmon industry operates on a three-year production cycle. Salmon eggs are hatched and the salmon is grown through their fry and parr stages in fresh-water tanks. After approximately 18 months, the salmon “smoltify.” The smolt are placed in the ocean in large pens or cages where they grow to market size adult fish over a period of 18 to 24 months. Harvesting begins in late summer/early fall and continues until the following late spring/early summer.

Background

On February 28,1990, the Coalition for a Fair Atlantic Salmon Trade, representing domestic producers of fresh Atlantic salmon, filed a petition with Commerce alleging that imports of fresh Atlantic salmon from Norway were being sold in the United States at less than fair value, that the imports were being subsidized by a party described by 19 U.S.C. [947]*947§ 1671(a)(1) (1988), and that these imports were causing material injury to a United States industry. On March 20,1990, Commerce initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 55 Fed.Reg. 11418 (1990) and 55 Fed. Reg-11423 (1990).

On April 17, 1990, the Commission made a preliminary determination that there was a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States was materially injured by reason of allegedly subsidized and less than fair value imports of fresh and chilled Atlantic salmon from Norway. Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-302, 731-TA-454 (Preliminary), USITC Pub. No. 2272 (1990).

Upon request by petitioner, Commerce extended the time for making its preliminary subsidy determination to no later than June 21, 1990. On June 29, 1990, Commerce issued a preliminary determination that benefits, which constituted subsidies within the meaning of 19 U.S.C. § 1671(a)(1), were being provided to producers or exporters in Norway of fresh and chilled Atlantic salmon. Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 55 Fed. Reg. 26727 (1990). In addition, Commerce directed the U.S. Customs Service to suspend liquidation of all entries of fresh and chilled Atlantic salmon from Norway, and it ordered a cash deposit or bond for all entries of this product equal to NOK 0.77/kilogram, the amount of the preliminarily determined net subsidy. Id.

On August 3,1990, the petitioner alleged that, based upon the price information provided in questionnaire responses, Norwegian sales to third countries were being made below the cost of production. Commerce determined that petitioner presented sufficient information to support its allegation and commenced a cost of production investigation on August 20,1990. See Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 55 Fed. Reg. 40418 (1990).

On October 3, 1990, Commerce issued a preliminary determination that imports of fresh and chilled Atlantic salmon from Norway were being, or were likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value. Id. Commerce ordered that cash deposits or a bond be required on the subject imports in the amount of the estimated preliminary dumping margins, which for most of the investigated Norwegian firms ranged from 1.6 to 4.9 percent ad valorem. Id.

Following Commerce’s affirmative preliminary determinations, the Commission instituted final material injury investigations. Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 55 Fed. Reg. 31246 (1990) (final countervailing duty investigation); and Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 55 Fed. Reg. 45867 (1990) (final antidumping investigation).

On October 28, 1990, Commerce terminated suspension of liquidation in accordance with article 5, paragraph 3 of the Agreement on Interpretation and Application of Articles VI, XVI, and XXIII of the General [948]*948Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 56 Fed. Reg. 7678 (Final) (1991).

Commerce issued a final affirmative determination on February 25, 1991 that imports of Atlantic salmon from Norway were being, or were likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value as provided in Section 735 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1673d(a) (1988)), Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 56 Fed. Reg. 7661 (1991); and that certain benefits which constitute subsidies within the meaning of Section 701 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, were being provided to producers and exporters in Norway of fresh and chilled Atlantic salmon. Fresh and Chilled Atlantic Salmon from Norway, 56 Fed. Reg. 7678 (1991).

In its final determination on April 1,1991, the Commission, with Acting Chairwoman Anne E.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Burlington Truck Lines, Inc. v. United States
371 U.S. 156 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Consolo v. Federal Maritime Commission
383 U.S. 607 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Zenith Radio Corp. v. United States
437 U.S. 443 (Supreme Court, 1978)
Imbert Imports, Inc. v. United States
331 F. Supp. 1400 (U.S. Customs Court, 1971)
USX Corp. v. United States
655 F. Supp. 487 (Court of International Trade, 1987)
C. J. Tower & Sons v. United States
71 F.2d 438 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1934)
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. v. United States
569 F. Supp. 853 (Court of International Trade, 1983)
Rhone Poulenc, S.A. v. United States
592 F. Supp. 1318 (Court of International Trade, 1984)
British Steel Corp. v. United States
593 F. Supp. 405 (Court of International Trade, 1984)
American Spring Wire Corp. v. United States
590 F. Supp. 1273 (Court of International Trade, 1984)
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. v. United States
573 F. Supp. 122 (Court of International Trade, 1983)
National Knitwear & Sportswear Ass'n v. United States
779 F. Supp. 1364 (Court of International Trade, 1991)
Carlisle Tire & Rubber Co. v. United States
622 F. Supp. 1071 (Court of International Trade, 1985)
Imbert Imports, Inc. v. United States
475 F.2d 1189 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
16 Ct. Int'l Trade 945, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chr-bjelland-seafoods-as-v-united-states-cit-1992.