[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5645]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 10, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 030494B]

 

Marine Mammals

AGENCIES: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing on scientific research permit 
applications (P557 and P557A).

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SUMMARY: In response to several requests, NMFS will hold a public 
hearing on two applications for scientific research permits to 
incidentally harass marine mammals by a low frequency sound source, and 
monitor its affects.
DATES: A public hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. on March 22, 1994. A 
written copy of each presentation is requested on the day of the 
hearing. It is advised to limit the use of slides or overheads during 
presentations, and copies of any slides or overheads used are requested 
to be made available to NMFS on the day of the hearing.
    Additional written comments may be sent to the address below, or 
may be sent by facsimile to 301/713-0376, and must be received by close 
of business March 25, 1994.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at Conference Room 4527, 
1315 East-West Highway, SSMC III, Silver Spring, Maryland. The 
applications and related documents are available for review upon 
written request or by appointment in the following office(s):
    Permits Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-
West Highway, room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713-2289);
    Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, 
suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (310/980-4016); and
    Coordinator, Pacific Area Office, NMFS, NOAA, 2570 Dole Street, 
room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396 (808/955-8831).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact the following 
individuals at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing if you plan to 
present comments so that a general agenda can be prepared, or at least 
7 days in advance if you need additional information or special 
accommodations to attend the public hearing: Carol Fairfield or Jeannie 
Drevenak, 301/713-2289 or 301/713-0376 (facsimile). People who are deaf 
or hearing impaired may place a call through the Maryland Relay Service 
on 1-800-735-2258.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Two applications have been submitted by 
Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Institute for Geophysics and 
Planetary Physics, Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate Program, 9500 
Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0225.
    On November 16, 1993, notice was published in the Federal Register 
(58 FR 60426) that a request for a scientific research permit (P557) 
was submitted, to take by incidental harassment, the following species 
of marine mammals for purposes of scientific research in waters off the 
northern coast of Kauai, Hawaii: Humpback whale (Megaptera 
novaeangliae), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), pygmy sperm whale 
(Kogia breviceps), short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala 
macrorhynchus), Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), Baird's 
beaked whale (Berardius bairdii), Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon 
densirostris), spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris), spotted dolphin 
(Stenella attenuata), false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), rough-
toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops 
truncatus), and monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi).
    On February 17, 1994, notice was published in the Federal Register 
(59 FR 7983) that a modification to the above scientific research 
permit application (P557) was submitted to request incidental 
harassment of sea turtles, and additional species of marine mammals 
which have only occasionally been observed in Hawaiian waters.
    On February 3, 1994, notice was published in the Federal Register 
(59 FR 5177) that a request for a scientific research permit (P557A) 
was submitted, to take by incidental harassment several species of 
marine mammals and sea turtles for purposes of scientific research in 
waters off the coast of Pt. Sur, California.
    These permit applications were to incidentally harass marine 
mammals by low frequency (70 Hz) sound sources at depths of 850-900m. 
These sources are part of the Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate 
(ATOC) program, and will be operated from March 1994 through December 
1995 off Hawaii, and from April 1994 through March 1996 off California. 
The maximum duty cycle will be 8%, with a transmission bandwidth of 20 
Hz at a level of 195 dB (re 1 uPa at 1m), and with a spectrum level for 
the peak frequency (70 Hz) at 182 dB. The effects of these 
transmissions on marine mammals will be monitored through a variety of 
methods.
    The subject permit is requested 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 (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, 
and exporting of endangered fish and wildlife (50 CFR part 222), the 
Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.), and fur seal 
regulations at 50 CFR part 215.

    Dated: March 7, 1994.

Herbert W. Kaufman,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-5645 Filed 3-7-94; 4:18 pm]
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