[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 72 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19877-19878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9124]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D.040300B]


Marine Mammals; File No. 526-1523-00

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

ACTION: Receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Allied Whale, College of the 
Atlantic, 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 (Principal 
Investigator: Sean K. Todd, Ph.D.), has applied in due form for a 
permit to take humpback whale

[[Page 19878]]

(Megapteray novaeangliaey), finback whale (Balaenopteray physalusy), 
and minke whale (Galaenopteray acutorostratay) for purposes of 
scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before May 
15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The application 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 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289); and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, 
(978/281-9250).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 ety seqy.), 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 ety seqy.), and 
the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226).
    The applicant proposes to continue and extend photo-identification 
and biopsy sampling program of large whales. The following table 
outlines the animals to be taken and types of take requested annually 
primarily in the Gulf of Maine and occasionally from the New York Bight 
to the U.S./Canada border.

 
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                                                                                        #Incidental    #Biopsy
                                                                #Animals    #Takes per   harassment    samples
                    Species                       # Photo-ID     Biopsy       animal     of target     Import/
                                                                Sampled                   species       Canada
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Humpback whale.................................          200           50            5          300           50
Finback whale..................................          200           50            5          400           50
Minke whale....................................           50           15            5           75           50
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                  Non-Target Species                           # Non-Target Animals Incidentally harassed
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Harbor porpoise......................................                                                 Unlimited
Atlantic white-sided dolphin.........................                                                        ''
Harbor seal..........................................                                                        ''
Gray seal............................................                                                        ''
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    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 ety seqy.), 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.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application 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 this particular 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 by other 
electronic media.
    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: April 4, 2000.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-9124 Filed 4-12-00; 8:45 am]
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