[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8165-8166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4049]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.# 021098H]


Marine Mammals; File No. P771#74

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 the Alaska Fisheries Science 
Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way 
NE, BIN C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070, has requested an amendment to 
scientific research Permit No. 977.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
March 20,1998.

ADDRESSES: The amendment request 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 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802-
4213 (310/980-4001); 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 this request 
should be submitted to the Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, 
F/PR1, 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.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376, 
provided 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 other electronic 
media.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 977, 
issued on September 14, 1995 (60 FR 49260) is 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), and the Fur Seal Act of 
1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    Permit No. 977 authorizes the permit holder to: take up to 250,410 
California sea lions, 9,275 Northern fur seals and 21,650 Northern 
elephant seals in the course of conducting four research projects over 
a 3 to 5-year period which will focus on several aspects of California 
sea lion biology: 1) annual at-sea distribution, foraging behavior, and 
food habits of adult females, mother-pup activity patterns and weaning 
behavior; 2) identification of diseases in the population and the 
effects of diseases on survival of individuals and weaning parameters 
of pups; 3) assessment of vital parameters; and 4) assessment of 
population trends and pup mortality: live and dead pup

[[Page 8166]]

counts. Research will take place on San Miguel Island, the Channel 
Islands and haul-out sites along the entire coast of California. 
Research will be initiated in September 1995.
    The permit holder requests authorization to: extend the 3-year 
project to 5 years; extend the duration of the permit to December 31, 
2000; and increase the number of pups by 1500 over the next three field 
seasons.
    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 11, 1998.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-4049 Filed 2-17-98; 8:45 am]
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