[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39749-39750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16911]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC014
Marine Mammals; File No. 17670
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 Northeast Fisheries
Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (Responsible
Party: William Karp, Ph.D.), has applied for an amendment to Scientific
Research Permit No. 17670-02.
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 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 File No. 17670 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 Courtney Smith, (301)
427-8401.
[[Page 39750]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 17670-02
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. 17670-00 issued on April 11, 2013 (77 FR 64959),
authorized the permit holder to take gray (Halichoerus grypus), harbor
(Phoca vitulina),, harp (Pagophilus groenlandicus), and hooded
(Cystophora cristata) seals in waters within or proximal to the U.S.
EEZ from North Carolina northward to Maine, during conduct of stock
assessment research, including estimation of distribution and
abundance, determination of stock structure, habitat requirements,
foraging ecology, health assessment and effects of natural and
anthropogenic factors. Types of take include harassment during
shipboard, skiff, and aircraft transect and photo-identification
surveys, and scat collection; and, capture with tissue sampling and
instrument or tag attachment. A limited number of research-related
mortality is also allowed, as well as world-wide import and export of
pinniped samples. The permit was amended on two occasions via minor
amendments: Permit No. 17670-01 authorized sampling of pinniped
carcasses aboard commercial fishing vessels; and, Permit No. 17670-02
authorized nail clipping and fecal loop sampling during permitted
captures.
The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to include
authorization to (1) increase the number of gray and harbor seals
harassed annually during research; (2) add use of unmanned aircraft
systems to survey seals; (3) increase the number of gray and harbor
seals captured and handled for sampling and instrumentation, and
increase the frequency of sampling; (4) increase the number of biopsy
samples (from one to two) taken during sampling; (5) add harassment
from photo-identification of gray seals to study pup molting; (6)
increase the number of gray and harbor seal samples imported/exported
annually; (7) increase unintentional mortality including via euthanasia
in the event sick or injured seals are inadvertently captured. Take
numbers are enumerated in the amendment request take tables.
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 7, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-16911 Filed 7-9-15; 8:45 am]
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