[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44754-44755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18106]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XA840
Marine Mammals; File Nos. 14097 and 16479
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendments.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No.
14097-03 has been issued to the National Marine Fisheries Service,
Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) (Responsible Party: Lisa
Ballance, Ph.D.), Protected Resources Division, 8901 La Jolla Shores
Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 and a major amendment to Permit No. 16479-01
has been issued to The Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) (Responsible
Party: Gregory Kaufman), 300 Maalaea Road, Suite 211, Wailuku, HI
96793.
ADDRESSES: The permit amendments and related documents are available
for review 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Courtney Smith, (301)
427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 2, 2014 and January 10, 2014,
notice was published in the Federal Register (79 FR 18527 and 79 FR
1833) that a request for an amendment to Permit No. 14097-03 and an
amendment to Permit No. 16479-01, respectively, to conduct research on
57 cetacean species, including endangered Hawaiian insular false killer
whales (Pseudorca crassidens), had been submitted by the above-named
applicants. The requested permit amendments have been issued 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Permit No. 14097-04 authorizes the SWFSC to conduct scientific
research on 5 pinniped species, 57 cetacean species, and 5 sea turtle
species in U.S. territorial and international waters of the Pacific,
Southern, Indian, and Arctic Oceans for three projects. Cetacean
surveys are conducted to determine the abundance, distribution,
movement patterns, and stock structure of cetaceans. These studies are
conducted through vessel surveys, aerial surveys, small plane
photogrammetry, photo-identification (from vessels and small boats),
biological sampling, radio tagging, and satellite tagging. The
amendment to the permit authorizes: (1) The use of an unmanned aerial
system (UAS) to photograph cetaceans during aerial surveys; (2) collect
breath samples from gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) using the UAS;
(3) suction cup tag gray whales; and (4) attach dart/barb tags to 15
bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and 15 Risso's dolphins (Grampus
griseus) per year. The permit amendment is valid through June 30, 2015.
Permit No. 16479-02 authorizes vessel-based research on humpback
whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in waters around Maui, Hawaii to
quantify the potential for near misses between vessels and humpback
whales, and
[[Page 44755]]
define the probability of 'surprise encounters' with humpback whales.
The permit amendment authorizes PWF to approach false killer whales for
photo-identification and behavioral observation to study their
occurrence, distribution, movement, site fidelity, abundance, social
organization, home ranges, and life history in place of previously
authorized takes for incidental harassment during vessel surveys. The
number of annual takes authorized for the stock would not change. The
permit expires on June 1, 2017.
An environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the effects of the
permitted activities on the human environment was prepared in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) for each permit. Based on the analyses in the EAs,
NMFS determined that issuance of the amended permits would not
significantly impact the quality of the human environment and that
preparation of an environmental impact statement was not required. That
determination is documented in a Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) for each action, signed on July 7, 2014 (File No. 14097) and
September 17, 2012 (File No. 16479).
As required by the ESA, issuance of each permit amendment was based
on a finding that such permit: (1) Was applied for in good faith; (2)
will not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and
(3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2
of the ESA.
Dated: July 22, 2014.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18106 Filed 7-31-14; 8:45 am]
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