[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 63697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31581]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. # 112497C]


Marine Mammals; Permit No. 917 (P774#2)

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. 917 submitted by The Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water Street, 
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1097, 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 and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289); and
    Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, One Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 (508/281-9250).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 17, 1997, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (62 FR 48822) that an amendment of permit no. 
917, issued May 12, 1994 (59 FR 25892), had been requested by the 
above-named organization. The original permit authorized a number of 
studies on several cetacean species as well as gray and harbor seals in 
the northeastern U.S. and Canadian waters over a five-year period. The 
research activities include: vessel surveys, aerial surveys and 
photogrammetry, photo-identification studies, and the collection of 
biopsies. The research also includes import and export of cetacean 
tissue samples taken via projectile dart for genetic analyses. 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 
222.23).
    The permit was amended to authorize the increased number of biopsy 
samples to be collected from 25 to 50 annually from humpback whales, 
and 25 to 100 annually from common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), 
Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus), bottlenose 
dolphins (offshore stock, Tursiops truncatus), and striped dolphins 
(Stenella coeruleoalba).
    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: November 24, 1997.
Ann D. Terbush, Chief,
Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-31581 Filed 12-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F