[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 57 (Friday, March 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11809-11810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7029]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 030696B]


Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for a scientific research permit (P66K) 
and application to modify permit no. 841 (P129J).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish and 
Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, P.O. Box 3-2000, Juneau, AK 
99802, has applied in due form for a permit to take marine mammals for 
purposes of scientific research, and Dr. Bruce R. Mate, Professor, 
Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365-
5296, has requested a modification to permit no. 841.

DATES: Submit comments on or before April 18, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The application and modification requests 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);
    (P66K)--Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668 
(907/586-7221); and
    (P129J)--Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 
CA 90802-4213 (310/570-5301).
    Written data or views, or requests for a public hearing on these 
requests should be submitted to the Director, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 
20910. Those individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the 
specific reasons why a hearing on these particular requests would be 
appropriate.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of these applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject actions are 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.) and the regulations 
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered fish and 
wildlife (50 CFR part 222).
    The Alaska Department of Fish and Game requests authority to take 
harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) and spotted seals (Phoca 
largha) for scientific research in the following manner:
    Harbor seals--Up to 1000 to be captured, restrained, measured 
(weight, length, girth, blubber thickness by ultrasound, and 
bioimpedence), sampled (flipper punches, vibrissae, blubber biopsy), 
flipper tagged, and released. Of these, 225 will be equipped with 
satellite-linked time-depth recorders (SLTDR) and/or VHF telemetry; 50 
muscle biopsied; and 50 injected with deuterium oxide and Evans Blue 
solution. Additionally up to 1000 may be harassed during collection of 
scats from haulouts (individual animals may be inadvertently harassed 
more than once during research activities) and up to 10 may be 
accidentally killed during capture activities.
    Spotted seals--Up to 100 to be captured, restrained, measured 
(weight, length, girth, blubber thickness by ultrasound, bioimpedence), 
sampled (flipper punches, vibrissae, blubber biopsy), flipper tagged, 
and released. Of these, 50 will be equipped with a SLTDR or VHF 
telemetry. Additionally up to 500 may be inadvertently harassed 
(individual animals may be harassed more than once) and up to 5 may be 
accidentally killed during capture activities. Samples collected from 
seals may be exported on a worldwide basis as the need arises. 
Activities will occur in southeast Alaska and along the west coast of 
Alaska.
    (P129J)--Permit No. 841 authorizes the permit holder to conduct 
radio

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tagging and biopsy sampling on up to 55 blue whales (Balaenoptera 
musculus), and up to 50 each of fin whales (B. physalus), humpback 
whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) 
over a 5-year period and to inadvertently harass up to 200 each during 
tagging and biopsy sampling cruises. The permit holder requests 
authorization to tag an additional 50 blue whales through the duration 
of the Permit (i.e., through 1998). The work in 1996 and 1997 will 
concentrate on animals feeding in southern California prior to their 
southward migration.

    Dated: March 6, 1996.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-7029 Filed 3-19-96; 4:41 pm]
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