[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 59 (Friday, March 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 14906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8114]



[[Page 14906]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.031798A]


Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Permit No. 978, issued to the 
Oregon Coast Aquarium, 2820 SE Ferry Slip Road, Newport, Oregon 97365, 
was amended effective on March 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The amendment 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 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289); and
    Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point 
Way, NE, BIN C15700, Seattle, WA 98115 (206/526-6150).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Hochman, 301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment has been issued under 
the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the provisions of Sec. 216.39 of the 
Regulations Governing the Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 
CFR part 216).
    By letter of February 9, 1998, the Oregon Coast Aquarium (Aquarium) 
and the Free Willy Keiko Foundation (Foundation) jointly requested that 
the public display permit issued on September 25, 1995, to the Oregon 
Coast Aquarium be amended to change the Permit Holder from the Aquarium 
to the Foundation. NMFS reviewed this request along with supporting 
documentation and determined that: (1) The Foundation has the 
responsibility for and the authority to determine the disposition of 
``Keiko''; (2) the Foundation meets the three criteria for holding 
marine mammals for purposes of public display; (3) for Marine Mammal 
Inventory purposes, the holder of record of ``Keiko'' should be the 
Foundation; and (4) it was appropriate to amend the permit to change 
the Permit Holder from the Aquarium to the Foundation.
    This amendment of Permit No. 978 is considered a ``minor 
amendment'' under 50 CFR 216.39(a)(2) and, therefore, publication of 
this Federal Register notice is not required. However, NMFS determined 
that, in this case where a change in Permit Holder is involved, a 
notice is appropriate. This notice should not be perceived as a 
precedent concerning other minor amendments.

    Dated: March 23, 1998.
Art Jeffers,
Acting Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-8114 Filed 3-26-98; 8:45 am]
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