[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 21735]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08739]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD237
Marine Mammals; File No. 18438
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC;
Responsible Party, Tara Jones, Ph.D.) 301 Railway Avenue, P.O. Box
1329, Seward, AK 99664, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct
research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before May 19, 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
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File
No. 18438 from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the following office:
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 File No. 18438 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 or Tammy Adams, (301) 427-
8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226).
The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) requests a five-year permit to
conduct Steller sea lion population monitoring and health, nutrition,
and foraging studies to provide data on pup and juvenile survival,
reproductive rates, diet, epidemiology, endocrinology, immunology,
physiology, ontogenetic and annual body condition cycles, and behavior.
Individual sea lions may be taken by the following means with maximum
number of takes per year in parentheses: disturbance associated with
capture, observational studies, and material/scat/carcass collection
(14,000); capture, restraint, and sampling (200); and remote biopsy
(150). Captured sea lions will undergo morphometric measurements, blood
and tissue collection, digital imaging, hot-branding, body condition
measurement, whisker, hair, and milk sampling, temporary marking, and
ultrasound exams. Individuals will be taken from the Gulf of Alaska and
Aleutian Islands. Marine mammals that may be incidentally disturbed
include harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), sea otters (Enhydra lutris), and
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus).
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 the application to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: April 14, 2014.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-08739 Filed 4-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P