[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 72178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30154]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XP18
Marine Mammals; File No. 14334
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC),
301 Railway Avenue, Seward, AK 99664 (Dr. Ian Dutton, Responsible
Party), has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No.
14334-01.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or emailed comments must be received on or
before December 22, 2011.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the
Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species home
page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 14334
from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the following office(s):
Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD
20910; phone (301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376; and
Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone
(907) 586-7221; fax (907) 586-7249.
Written comments on this application should be submitted to the
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, at the address
listed above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-
0376, or by email to [email protected]. Please include the File
No. in the subject line of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the
specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be
appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Sloan or Tammy Adams, (301) 713-
2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 14334-01
is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the regulations governing
the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.),
and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Permit No. 14334-01, issued on March 21, 2011 (76 FR 18724),
authorizes the permit holder to investigate reproductive physiology of
adult Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus; permanently captive,
eastern stock) and survival, growth, and physiology of captive-bred
offspring. They may also deploy biotelemetry instruments on the
captives to develop and validate methods for monitoring wild Steller
sea lions. The permit authorizes four mortalities of captive animals
over the duration of the permit and two mortalities have occurred to
date. The permit expires on August 31, 2014.
The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to allow for
the following: (1) The addition of a respiratory stimulant drug
administered prior to anesthesia (in addition to during anesthesia, as
currently permitted) to mitigate breath holding and decreased heart
rate; (2) an increase in the number of pups/juveniles authorized for
research from six to nine, to allow for an increased sample size for
the permitted research due to acquisition of three new females in the
breeding program; (3) the use of additional fecal markers (berries,
rice, food coloring, and sesame seeds) to provide individually
identifiable fecal samples for hormone analysis; (4) administration of
deuterium oxide via a gastric tube followed by serial blood sampling to
assess energy transfer from mother to pup during nursing; (5) the
addition of a second male (currently a juvenile at ASLC) for breeding
purposes; and (6) two additional mortalities of captive sea lions for
the duration of the permit.
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that
the activities proposed are consistent with the Preferred Alternative
in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Steller
Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Research (NMFS 2007), and that issuance
of the permit would not have a significant adverse impact on the human
environment.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: November 14, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-30154 Filed 11-21-11; 8:45 am]
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