[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 145 (Friday, July 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39120-39121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18984]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 071696C]


Marine Mammals; Permit No. 976 (P5H)

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Donald B. Siniff, University 
of Minnesota, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, has 
requested an amendment to permit no. 976.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before August 26, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The amendment request 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); and
    Director, Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, 
MA 01930-2298.
    Written data or views, or requests for a public hearing on this 
request 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 this particular amendment request 
would be appropriate.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine 
Mammal

[[Page 39121]]

Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to permit no. 976, 
issued on August 29, 1995 (60 FR 46576) is requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the Regulations Governing the Taking and 
Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    Permit no. 976 authorizes the permit holder to: Capture and tag 
(with plastic cattle ear tags) annually up to 900 Weddell seals 
(Leptonychotes weddelli), (550 pups, 200 adult and subadult females 
(20% may be pregnant), and 150 adult and subadult males), 20 each of 
crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus), leopard seal (Hydrurga 
leptonyx), Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossii), southern elephant seal, 
(Mirounga leonina), and Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella); 
inadvertently harass up to 2000 seals up to 10 times during approach to 
tag, read tags, and retag animals; and blood sample up to 50 adult and 
50 pup Leptonychotes. Two seals may be accidentally killed during the 
conduct of the research authorized herein. Blood samples and tooth and 
tissue samples collected from seals found dead may be imported.
    The permit holder requests authorization to conduct the following 
additional activities on Leptonychotes: Increase the number of blood 
samples that can be taken from 100 to 200 [125 from adults and 75 from 
pups]; retain the core sample from flipper tagging; and lavage up to 
50. No additional animals are requested.

    Dated: July 18, 1996.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18984 Filed 7-25-96; 8:45 am]
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