[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 68 (Wednesday, April 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19578-19579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07844]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD224
Marine Mammals; File No. 18537
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
[[Page 19579]]
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game (ADF&G), Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK, (Principal
Investigator: Michael Rehberg), has applied in due form for a permit to
take marine mammals for purposes of scientific research in Alaska.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before May 9, 2014.
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. 18537
from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the 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.
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 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: Tammy Adams or Courtney Smith, (301)
427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit 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.), the regulations
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and
threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
This application supports continuation of ADF&G's long-term Steller
sea lion (SSL) research program. The applicant requests takes during
research activities that incorporate improved methodology based on
previous work authorized under permit No. 14325 and subsequent
modifications, including: incidental disturbance during aerial, skiff-
and ground-based count and brand resight surveys; captures supporting
marking, external instrument attachment, and physiology, toxicology,
feeding ecology and health sampling; and permanent marking of pups and
older age classes for describing vital rates and intra-/inter-Discrete
Population Segment (DPS) movement. The applicant also requests takes by
incidental disturbance of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus),
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), and harbor (Phoca
vitulina), spotted (Phoca largha), ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata),
ringed (Pusa hispida) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) are also
requested due to proximity of isolated individuals to the study area.
See tables in permit application for numbers of takes by species, stock
and activity. Authorization for annual unintentional mortality of 5 SSL
from the Western DPS and 10 SSL from the Eastern DPS is requested.
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 effects of 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: April 3, 2014.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-07844 Filed 4-8-14; 8:45 am]
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