[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 126 (Friday, June 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 34233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16095]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 062095C]


Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Issuance of scientific research permit no. 965 (P66J).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish and 
Game (principal investigator: Donald Calkins), 333 Raspberry Road, 
Anchorage, AK 99518-1599, has been issued a permit to take Steller sea 
lions (Eumetopias jubatus) and California sea lions (Zalophus 
californianus) for the purpose of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review by 
interested persons in the following offices by appointment:
    Permits Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-
West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713-2289);
    Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 99802-
1668 (907/586-7221); and
    Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 
4200, Long Beach, CA, 90802-4213 (310/980-4001).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kellie M. Foster (301/713-1401) or 
Ruth Johnson (301/713-2289).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 21, 1995, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (60 FR 19888) that a permit had been requested by 
the above-named organization. The requested permit has been granted 
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 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the 
Regulations Governing the Taking, Importing, and Exporting of 
Endangered Species (50 CFR part 222).
    The permit authorized the holder to take a maximum of 125 Steller 
sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) by trapping, darting, sampling, and gas 
anesthesia (including a maximum of 20 by recapture for follow-up blood 
sampling and removal of instruments); a maximum of 400 Steller pups 
over 6 months old by hand capture, gas anesthesia, and marking; a 
maximum of 10,000 Stellers by harassment during the course of capturing 
suitable animals; a maximum of 15 Stellers by unintentional mortality 
during the course of capture and chemical immobilization and salvaged 
specimens of stranded animals, premature pups, and mortalities 
associated with this and other research activities. The applicant is 
also authorized to take up to 30 rehabilitated California sea lions 
(Zalophus californianus) by injection with experimental immobilization 
drugs and a maximum of 3 for unintentional mortality. All takes will be 
over a 5-year period. The objectives of the research are to: (1) 
Develop a consistent, safe, and reliable chemical restraint and 
anesthesia protocol for various age classes and sexes of Steller sea 
lions using California sea lions; (2) determine the differences between 
movements, feeding patterns, diving behavior, habitat use, and patterns 
of the eastern and western stocks to better understand the significance 
of interactions between Steller sea lions and commercial fisheries; (3) 
determine the differences of condition indices, the prevalence of 
disease agents, and the levels of pollutants found in tissues between 
the eastern and western stocks; (4) determine dispersal area and extent 
of mixing of eastern and western stock pups; and (5) develop and test a 
safe and reliable winter capturing method for sea lions.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, 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 
Endangered Species Act.

    Dated: June 20, 1995.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits & Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-16095 Filed 6-29-95; 8:45 am]
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