[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 113 (Thursday, June 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32079-32080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15397]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.052397C]


Marine Mammals; Permit No. 1021 (P532C)

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

ACTION: Scientific research permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a request for amendment of 
scientific research permit no. 1021 submitted by Texas A&M University 
at Galveston, P.O. Box 1675, Galveston, TX 77551 (Principal 
Investigator: Dr. Randall W. Davis) has been granted.

ADDRESSES: The amendment 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
    Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive 
Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 3, 1997, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (62 FR 9414) that an amendment of permit no. 1021 
issued December 17, 1996 (61 FR 67998) had been requested by the above-
named organization. The requested amendment has been granted under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the provisions of Sec. 216.39 of the Regulations 
Governing the Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216), 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.), and the provisions of Sec. 222.25 of the regulations governing 
the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered fish and wildlife 
(50 CFR part 222.23).
    In the original permit application, the applicant requested 
authority to conduct low frequency sound experiments on sperm whales in 
the Gulf of Mexico. The project was deferred pending completion of an 
environmental assessment (EA). The EA had a finding of no significant 
impact, therefore, the permit was amended to include this project.  
Additionally, the permit was amended to allow the take of up to 30 
Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) per year for three years.

[[Page 32080]]

    Issuance of this amendment, as required by the ESA 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 ESA.

    Dated: May 23, 1997.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-15397 Filed 6-11-97; 8:45 am]
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