[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47172-47173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22466]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 082399C]


Marine Mammals; File No. 848-1335

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 NMFS Southwest Fisheries 
Science Center, Honolulu Laboratory, 2570 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 
96822-2396, has requested an amendment to scientific research and 
enhancement Permit No. 848-1335.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
September 29, 1999.
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);
    Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean 
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (562/980-4001); and
    Protected Resources Program Manager, Pacific Islands Area Office, 
NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700 (808/
973-2937).
    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: Jeannie Drevenak or Trevor Spradlin, 
301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 848-
1335, issued on July 10, 1997 (62 FR 32586) 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), 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 and 
threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    Permit No. 848-1335 authorizes the permit holder to: to conduct 
population assessment, disease assessment, recovery actions, and 
pelagic ecology studies of Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) 
at all locations within the Hawaiian Archipelago and at Johnston Atoll, 
through May 31, 2002. Research methods include: observation and 
monitoring; capture; physical and chemical restraint; flipper tagging 
and retagging; instrumentation; bleach marking; measuring and weighing; 
blood and tissue sampling; swabbing; biopsy sampling (blubber); lavage; 
capture for the purpose of rehabilitation and release to the wild; 
experimental medical treatment; and relocation or removal of up to 10 
adult male Hawaiian monk seals from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, 
in the event that such seals are known to cause mortality to nursing or 
weaned pups.
    The Permittee is now requesting to amend Activity IV, Task 7 of the 
permit to increase the number of animals authorized to be taken from 30 
to 100 seals annually for the duration of the permit. In addition, 
authorization is requested to: (1) allow retrieval of time-depth 
recorders (TDRs) from Hawaiian monk seals; (2) provide additional take 
by instrumentation (including sonic tags) to support continued research 
into the foraging ecology of Hawaiian monk seals; and (3) allow an 
additional procedure, isotopic water dilution, to estimate the body 
composition as an indication of foraging success and condition of study 
subjects. Activity IV, Task 7 currently authorizes seals to be 
captured, sedated, blood sampled, and tagged with various instrument 
packages up to two times each (once to apply the instrument package and 
once to remove it).

[[Page 47173]]

    For this amendment, some of these seals may be taken up to three 
times: Once to apply a VHF transmitter; a second time to apply a TDR or 
satellite-linked time-depth recorder (SLTDR), and a third time to 
retrieve the TDR/SLTDR. The increased takes are necessary to: (1) 
remove time-depth recorders (TDRs) from weaned Hawaiian monk seal pups, 
and (2) continue research on Hawaiian monk seal foraging ecology in 
future years.
    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: August 24, 1999.
Ann Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-22466 Filed 8-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F