[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 131 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 39411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16779]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XS35
Marine Mammals; File No. 14450
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 NMFS Southeast Fisheries
Science Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149
[Principal Investigator: Dr. Keith Mullin], has applied for an
amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 14450-02.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before August 10, 2015.
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. 14450
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. 14450
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: Jennifer Skidmore or Amy Hapeman,
(301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 14450-02
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. 14450-02, last amended on December 31, 2014, authorizes
the SEFSC to take all cetacean species that occur in U.S. and
international waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and
Caribbean Sea. Activities include aerial and vessel-based line-transect
sampling, acoustic sampling, behavioral observations, vessel-based
photo-identification, and biopsy sampling. Satellite tagging of ESA-
listed large whales is also authorized. Tissue samples collected in
other countries may be imported into the U.S. The permit expires on
February 28, 2019.
The SEFSC is requesting the permit be amended to authorize
satellite tagging of non-ESA listed cetaceans during authorized vessel
surveys to support NMFS stock assessments as follows: 40 Bryde's whales
(Balaenoptera edeni), 40 of each species of short-finned (Globicephala
macrorhynchus) and long-finned (Globicephala melas) pilot whales, and
20 individuals each of the 21 other authorized non-listed cetacean
species, annually. Tags would be either suction cup attachments, fully
implantable or minimally invasive dart attachments. A maximum of 2 tags
could be placed on an animal at one time. Adults of both sexes without
calves would be tagged. In addition, the SEFSC is requesting
authorization to import and export marine mammals samples from sources
(other than currently authorized biopsy sampling) to support the NMFS
research on these species.
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 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 the amendment requests to the
Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: June 30, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-16779 Filed 7-8-15; 8:45 am]
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