[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 135 (Monday, July 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42041-42042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16766]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC100
Marine Mammals; File No. 17115
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 James Lloyd-Smith, Department of
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los
Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Box 723905, Los Angeles, CA
90095-7239, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit
No. 17115-00.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before August 14, 2013.
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. 17115
from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the following offices:
Permits and Conservation 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
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax (562) 980-4018.
Written comments on this application should be submitted to the
Chief, Permits and Conservation 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 File No. 17115 in
the subject line of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation 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, (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 17115-00
is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the regulations
governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
Permit No. 17115-00, issued on September 24, 2012 (77 FR 63296),
authorizes the permit holder to study the prevalence of leptospirosis
in wild California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) in California. Up
to 80 California sea lions may be taken annually on A[ntilde]o Nuevo
Island by capture (including restraint and anesthesia); marking and
measuring; sampling (blood, urine, vibrissae); and release. A limited
number of non-target sea lions may be captured and released without
sampling. Up to 5,000 sea lions, 3,000 northern elephant seals
(Mirounga angustirostris), and 60 harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) may be
taken by incidental disturbance annually. Four
[[Page 42042]]
unintentional mortalities of California sea lions are authorized. The
permit expires September 30, 2017.
The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to expand the
scope of the study and include authorization for capture, sampling, and
release of California sea lions as described above at two additional
sampling sites in California (160 animals at San Nicolas Island and 80
animals at Monterey Bay). A limited number of non-target sea lions may
be captured and released without sampling. The permit holder also
requests incidental disturbance at each of the new sites for the
following species: California sea lions (6,000 on San Nicolas Island;
and 3,000 in Monterey Bay); Northern elephant seals (2,000 on San
Nicolas; and 100 in Monterey Bay); and Pacific harbor seals (100 on San
Nicolas, and 50 in Monterey Bay). The permit holder proposes to
disentangle and mark/sample a limited number of California sea lions
encountered during the research activities. Permission to increase the
number of mortalities of California sea lions from four to eight over
the duration of the permit is requested. The applicant also requests to
extend the maximum number of sampling years from four to five over 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 activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
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: July 9, 2013.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-16766 Filed 7-12-13; 8:45 am]
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