[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27265-27267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13050]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 050198B]
Marine Mammals; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
[[Page 27266]]
ACTION: Issuance of permits (774-1437, 782-1446, and 559-1442); and
issuance of permit amendments (887, 839, 1000).
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SUMMARY: Notice is given that NMFS has issued permits that authorize
takes of marine mammals for the purpose of scientific research, subject
to certain conditions set forth therein, to: NMFS, Southwest Fisheries
Science Center (SWFSC), P.O. Box 271, La Jolla, CA 92038; NMFS,
National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN
C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070; and Salvatore Cerchio.
Notice is also given that NMFS amended permit nos.: 887, Institute
of Marine Sciences , LML, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
95060; 839, Dr. Paul Becker, NIST, Charleston Laboratory, 219 Fort
Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412; 977, NMFS, National Marine Mammal
Laboratory (NMML) (address above) and 1000, Alaska Department of Fish
and Game (ADF&G), P.O. Box 3-2000, Juneau, AK 99802.
DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before June
17, 1998.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for
review upon written request or by appointment (See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson or Sara Shapiro 301/713-
2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Permits are issued 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.), the regulations governing the taking, importing,
and exporting of endangered fish and wildlife (50 CFR parts 222-227),
and the Fur Seal Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
Issuance of permits, as required by the ESA, was based on a finding
that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will not
operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species which is the
subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.
Permits Issued
On January 12, 1998, notice was published in the Federal Register
(63 FR 1830) that an application had been filed by NMFS, SWFSC for a
scientific research permit. Permit No. 774-1437 was issued on April 16,
1998, to take by harassment multiple cetacean species, and to import
and export parts taken from these same species. On January 15, 1998,
notice was published in the Federal Register (63 FR 2366) that the same
above-named applicant had submitted a request for a scientific research
permit to take by harassment multiple pinniped species. These two
requests were combined under one permit. The purpose of the research is
to estimate abundance and determine population structure of cetaceans
in U.S. territorial and international waters, and to conduct population
assessments for pinnipeds via ground/vessel surveys and photogrammetry.
On February 13, 1998, notice was published in the Federal Register
(63 FR 7403-7404) that an application had been filed by NMFS, National
Marine Mammal Laboratory, for a scientific research permit. The Permit
was issued March 26, 1998 to: conduct aerial, ground, and vessel
surveys annually for stock assessment of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina),
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), Steller sea lions
(Eumetopias jubatus), and northern elephant seals (Mirounga
angustirostris); capture, tag, and brand harbor seals for long term
identification of individuals and information on reproductive success,
survival and longevity, blood and biopsy sample them for contaminant
analysis, tissue sample them for genetic analysis, and instrument them
with VHF radio transmitters and/or time-depth recorders or satellite
tags to document movements activity and foraging patterns; conduct the
same activities on California sea lions, except they will not be tissue
sampled; exported/imported to/from Canada harbor seal tissue samples;
capture, tag, mark and release elephant seals; and incidentally harass
animals during these activities and scat collections. Accidental
mortalities are also authorized for each species to be captured.
Activities will occur in Washington, Oregon.
On January 27, 1998, notice was published in the Federal Register
(63 FR 3881-3882) that an application had been filed by Mr. Salvatore
Cerchio for a scientific research permit. The Permit was issued April
30, 1998. The Permit authorizes import of humpback whale samples from
Mexico.
Permit Amendments Issued
On February 18, 1998, notice was published in the Federal Register
(63 FR 8165) that an application had been filed by NMFS, NMML, to
amendment permit no. 977. The amendment was issued March 26, 1998. The
amendment extends the duration to December 31, 2000, and allows an
additional 500 California sea lions to be taken for research purposes.
A minor amendment was issued on March 30, 1998, for permit no. 836
issued to Institute of Marine Science, UCSC. The amendment authorizes
the Holder to alter the buoyancy of 10 elephant seals by adding weights
or syntactic foam, and administering tritiated or deuterated water to
10 adult males to measure water flux and energy expenditure. All
animals were already authorized under permit and amendment did not
require additional takes.
A minor amendment was issued on April 27, 1998, to Dr. Paul Becker,
NIST to extend the expiration date to December 31, 1998. The permit
authorizes collection of samples from Alaska native subsistence
harvests.
On February 13, 1998, notice was published in the Federal Register
(63 FR 7403) that an application had been filed by ADF&G, to amendment
permit No. 1000. The amendment was issued March 31, 1998. The amendment
authorizes the Holder to: administer oral deuterium oxide to 100
additional harbor seals being captured for other purposes; and
incidentally harass annually 12,000 harbor seals.
Documents may be reviewed in the following locations:
All documents: Permits and Documentation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver
Spring, MD 20910 (301/713-2289);
For permits 774-1437, 977, and 887: Regional Administrator,
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long
Beach, CA 90802-4213 (310/980-4001);
For permit 782-1446: Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, and
Director, National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), NMFS, 7600 Sand
Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070 (206/526-
6150) and NMML (206/526-4045);
For permits 774-1437, 839 and 1000: Regional Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668 (907/586-7721);
For permit 774-1437: Regional Administrator, Southeast Region,
NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432,
(813/570-5301); and
For permit 559-1442: Regional Administrator, Northeast Region,
NMFS, One Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 (508/ 281-9250).
[[Page 27267]]
Dated: May 8, 1998.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-13050 Filed 5-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F