[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 151 (Thursday, August 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 42010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21068]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 072998B]


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 77#3-54 and 881-1443

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following Permit Holders have 
requested an amendment to their scientific research Permit:
    Dr. Bradford E. Brown, Southeast Fisheries Science Center (File No. 
77#3-54), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149 (843/762-8541); and
    Dr. Michael Castellini, Alaska Sealife Center (File No. 881-1443), 
Box 1329, Seward, AK 99664 (907/224-2600).

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
October 5, 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);
    (77#3-54) - Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 
Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432 (813/570-
5312); and
    Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, (978/281-9250).
    (881-1443) - Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 
21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668 (907/586-7221).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on these requests 
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 these 
particular amendment 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 other electronic 
media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson or Sara Shapiro 301/713-
2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendments to Permits No. 77#3-
54 and 881-1443, issued on June 13, 1995 (60 FR 31214), and March 23, 
1998 (63 FR 14905), respectively, are 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), the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the regulations governing the 
taking, importing, and exporting of endangered fish and wildlife (50 
CFR 222.23).
    Permit No. 77#3-54 authorizes the permit holder to: take by 
harassment a maximum of 2,000 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins per year for 
the purpose of locating a maximum of 100 dolphins per year suitable for 
take by capture for examination, sampling, marking, tagging and 
release. Sampling procedures include venipuncture, marking by freeze-
brand, tooth extraction, skin/blubber biopsy, diagnostic ultrasound, 
urine, fecal, microbiological, milk, and sperm sampling, colonic 
temperature measurements, acoustic recordings, and the application of 
cattle ear tags (roto-tags) and telemetry devices.
    The permit holder requests an amendment to this permit to: (1) 
extend geographic coverage to include entire summer range of the 
depleted coastal migratory stock of bottlenose dolphins to include 
coasts of VA, MD, DE, NJ; (2) include satellite telemetry and different 
attachment packages for VHF transmitters and increase the number of 
animals that will be tagged annually to 60; and (3) include hoop-
netting as an alternative capture method.
    Permit No. 881-1443 authorizes the permit holder to: import from 
Canada, three juvenile Steller sea lions and two juvenile harbor seals, 
and to obtain six harbor seals domestically. The Holder conducts 
research on these animals that involve nutritional physiology, 
metabolic development, and clinical health under captive conditions.
    The permit holder requests an amendment to this permit to: (1) 
collect whiskers or toenails from each animal for background 
concentrations of the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen; (2) 
ingest stable isotope carbon or nitrogen labeled fish orally or 
intravenously and blood sample collected following injection; (3) 
collect serial biopsies of blubber (50mg) to assess lipid profiles in 
Stellers and harbor seals; and (4) collection serial biopsies of muscle 
in harbor seals only for lipid profiles.
    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: July 30, 1998.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-21068 Filed 8-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F