[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 12, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47401-47402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-22556]



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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-541)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, P.L. 95-541.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish 
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published 
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670 
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of 
permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to these permit applications by October 6, 1995. 
Permit applications may be inspected by interested parties at the 
Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 

[[Page 47402]]
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address or (703) 306-1031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-541), has 
developed regulations that implement the ``Agreed Measures for the 
Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora'' for all United States 
citizens. The Agreed Measures, developed by the Antarctic Treaty 
Consultative Parties, recommended establishment of a permit system for 
various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and 
certain geographic areas as requiring special protection. The 
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Specially 
Protected Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
    The applications received are as follows:
    1. Applicant: William D. Fraser, Biology Department, Montana State 
University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, Permit Application No. 96-021.

Activity for Which Permit is Requested

    Enter Specially Protected Area and Enter Site of Special Scientific 
Interest. The applicant requests permission to enter Litchfield Island 
(SPA #17) 3 times per week for 1-2 hours to census penguins and other 
seabirds breeding on the island. The island can be accessed safely and 
easily at times of the year when sea ice and bad weather make access to 
other penguin rookeries difficult or impossible. The applicant relies 
heavily on the ability to document weekly changes in penguin 
populations and breeding effort. This island has thus become a reliable 
source of long-term comparative data on penguin demography important to 
the hypotheses being tested by the LTER. All visits will be restricted 
to the unvegetated parts of the island.
    In addition, the applicant would also like to enter Biscoe Point, 
Anvers Island (SSSI #20) on 5 separate occasions to census penguins and 
other seabirds. Some penguins banded as chicks are not returning to 
their natal colonies, but are instead moving to colonies on islands 
quite distant from Palmer. The applicant needs to document how 
pervasive this trend is by finding previously banded birds so as to 
adequately incorporate them into data on survival and recruitment.

Location

SPA #17--Litchfield Island, and SSSI #20--Biscoe Point, Anvers Island

Dates

October 1, 1995-May 31, 1998

    2. Applicant: William D. Fraser, Biology Department, Montana State 
University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, Permit Application No. 96-022.

Activity for Which Permit is Requested

    Taking. The applicant proposes to continue work associated with the 
Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) on the Antarctica Marine Ecosystem 
project studying the relating variability in seabird reproductive 
success, survival and recruitment to fluctuations in certain biotic and 
abiotic features in their environment. This work involves censusing 
populations; marking, weighing and measuring adults, chicks and eggs; 
obtaining diet samples; and placing radio transmitters on some 
individuals to develop profiles on foraging efforts. As in the past, 
all seabirds involved in the research will be released unharmed.

Location

Palmer Station vicinity and nearby islands accessible by zodiac

Dates

October 1, 1995-May 31, 1998

    3. Applicant: William D. Fraser, Biology Department, Montana State 
University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, Permit Application No. 96-023.
Activity for Which Permit is Requested

    Taking. The applicant requests permission to tag 200 Adelie 
penguins using the subcutaneous tag method. The tagging of penguins is 
part of a long-term ecological research (LTER) program studying the 
relating variability in seabird reproductive success, survival and 
recruitment to fluctuations in certain biotic and abiotic features in 
their environment.

Location

Palmer Station vicinity and nearby islands

Dates

    October 1, 1995--May 31, 1998

    4. Applicant, Colin Harris, International Center for Antarctic 
Information and Research (ICAIR), P.O. Box 14-199, Orchard Road, 
Christchurch, New Zealand, Permit Application No. 96-013.

Activity for Which Permit is Requested

    Enter Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The applicant proposes 
to enter the Arrival Heights and Cape Crozier Sites of Special 
Scientific Interest to survey ground control points needed to prepare 
up-to-date and detailed site maps for these areas. The work involves 
obtaining precise measurements of up to 6 ground control points at each 
site. In addition aerial photography above each control point will be 
necessary so the control points can be transferred to existing aerial 
photography for each site. Access to sites will follow restrictions 
outlined in the management plans for each site.

Location

SSSI #2--Arrival Heights, Hut Peninsula, Ross Island, and SSSI #4--Cape 
Crozier, Ross Island

Dates

November 1, 1995--January 31, 1996
Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 95-22556 Filed 9-11-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M