[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7403-7404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3623]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 020698A]


Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that applications have been submitted 
in due form for a permit or the amend an existing permit to take marine 
mammals for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
March 16, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668 (907/
586-7221); and
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, 
Seattle, WA 98115-0070 (206/526-6150).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on these 
applications should be mailed to the Chief, Permits and Documentation 
Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Room 13705, 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.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376, 
provided

[[Page 7404]]

the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please 
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or by other 
electronic media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson, 301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits are requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered fish and wildlife (50 CFR 222.23), and the Fur Seal Act of 
1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).

Applicants

    Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, 
7600 Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (File No. 782-1446) requests 
a permit to conduct aerial, ground and boat surveys annually for stock 
assessment of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), California sea lions 
(Zalophus californianus), Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), and 
northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). California sea lions 
and harbor seals will be: captured, tagged and branded for long term 
identification of individuals for information on reproductive success, 
survival and longevity; blood and biopsy sampled for contaminant 
analysis; tissue sampled for genetic analysis; and instrumented with 
VHF radio transmitters and/or time-depth recorders or satellite tags to 
document movements activity and foraging patterns. Elephant seals will 
be captured, tagged, marked and released. Animals will be incidentally 
harassed during these activities and accidental mortalities are 
requested for each species to be captured. Activities will occur in 
Washington, Oregon and Alaska.
    University of Alaska Museum, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775-
6960 (File No. 704-1444) requests a permit to obtain and archive 
specimens from all species of Cetacea and Pinnipedia (except walrus) 
for scientific research purposes. Samples will be obtained from marine 
mammals taken by Alaska Native subsistence hunters, and scientists 
involved in marine mammal research under other permit. Samples will 
also be imported and exported.
    Alaska Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 3-2000, Juneau, AK 
99802 (Principal Investigators: Lloyd Lowry, Kathryn Frost, Jonathan 
Lewis, and Kenneth Pitcher), (File No. P66K) requests an amendment to 
Permit No. 1000. The original permit authorizes capture, tagging and 
sampling of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and spotted seals (P. largha) 
in Alaska. The Permittee wants to amend the permit by increasing the 
number of animals that may be injected with deuterium oxide, and the 
number of animals may be incidentally harassed during the conduct of 
the authorized activities and increased scat collection activities.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that 
the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: February 6, 1998.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-3623 Filed 2-12-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F