[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 13228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7040]



[[Page 13228]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 030598A]


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 Bruce A. Carlson, Ph.D., 
University of Hawaii at Manoa, Waikiki Aquarium, 2777 Kalakaua Avenue, 
Honolulu, HI 96815, has applied in due form for a permit to take 
Hawaiian monk seals, Monachus schauinslandi, for purposes of scientific 
research and enhancement. In addition, Douglas P. DeMaster, Ph.D., 
National Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Building 1, Seattle, WA 
98115-0070, has applied in due form for a permit to take Steller sea 
lions, Eumetopias jubatus, and northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus, 
for the purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
April 17, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment: See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.
    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 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: Sara Shapiro or 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.).
    The activity proposed by Dr. Carlson involves the continued holding 
of three Hawaiian monk seals for the purposes of enhancing the survival 
and recovery of the species, and for scientific research. The seals 
have been held under the authority of Scientific Research Permit 
Numbers 413 and 482, issued to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center 
(SWFSC). The applicant seeks to: assess the efficiency with which 
Hawaiian monk seals assimilate and metabolize amino acids and fatty 
acids from common prey types; and elucidate and monitor how 
reproductive and metabolic activity of male Hawaiian monk seals are 
related.
    In addition to the projected research above, the seals will be made 
available for scientific studies to other researchers whose protocols 
have been approved by the University of Hawaii Institutional Animal 
Care and Use Committee (UHIACUC) and the National Marine Fisheries 
Service, Office of Protected Resources. Due to the possibilities of 
disease transmission, release would present a finite and unwarranted 
risk to the wild population. Any public display of the seals would be 
incidental to and not interfere with the proposed research and 
enhancement activities.
    The second applicant, Dr. DeMaster, seeks authorization to count, 
capture, handle, flipper tag, blood sample, and biopsy sample Steller 
sea lion pups, dart biopsy adult and juvenile Steller sea lions, and 
disturb Stellers of all ages during the conduct of aerial surveys. 
Research activities are scheduled to take place in Alaska. In addition, 
the applicant requests authority to disturb a small number of northern 
fur seals on Bogoslov Island during aerial surveys.
    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 activities proposed are 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 these applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
     The application and related documents submitted by Dr. Carlson may 
be reviewed in the following locations: 
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-
4213; and
    Coordinator, Pacific Area Office, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 2570 Dole Street, Room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396;
    The application and related documents submitted by Dr. DeMaster may 
be reviewed in the following locations:
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Building 1, 
Seattle, WA 98115-0700; and
    Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.

    Dated: March 12, 1998.
Art Jeffers,
Acting Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-7040 Filed 3-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F