[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81844-81845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33002]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 112700A]


Marine Mammals; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for a scientific research permit (605-
1607); receipt of application to amend a scientific research permit 
(782-1446).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding 
permits for takes of marine mammal species for the purposes of 
scientific research:
    NMFS has received a permit application from Mason T. Weinrich, 
Whale Center of New England, P.O. Box 159, Gloucester, Massachusetts 
01930-0159; NMFS has received a request to amend Permit No. 782-1446 
from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, 
WA 98115-0070.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments on the new application and 
amendment request must be received on or before January 26, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The application, amendment request and related documents are 
available for review upon written request or by appointment in the 
following offices:
    For permit 782-1446: Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way 
NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; 
fax (206)526-6426;

[[Page 81845]]

    For permit 782-1446: Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., 
Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax 
(562)980-4018; and,
    For permit 605-1607: Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930-2298; phone (508)281-9250; fax (508)281-9371.
    All documents may also be requested from the Permits and 
Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-
West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713-2289; 
fax (301)713-0376.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit and amendment is 
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.)and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting 
of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-227).

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following endangered and threatened marine mammal species are 
covered in this notice:
    Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae),
    Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus),
    Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis), and
    North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

New Applications Received

File No. 605-1607

    Mason T. Weinrich, Whale Center of New England, proposes to assess 
the health, status and trends of endangered populations of humpback 
whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), sei 
whale (Balaenoptera borealis), and North Atlantic right whale 
(Eubalaena glacialis) off the U.S. Atlantic coast from southern Maine 
to northern Florida. The applicant proposes to annually take, by close 
approach, a maximum of 400 humpback whales, 250 fin whales, 50 sei 
whales, and 50 North Atlantic right whales over a 5-year period. These 
takes will be used to collect photographs for identifying individuals 
from all species (minimum approach of 100 feet (30 meters)), for 
collecting information on the prey densities around humpback, fin and 
sei whales (minimum approach of 50-100 ft (15-30 m)), for collecting 
biopsy dart samples from humpback and fin whales (minimum approach of 
30-70 ft (9-21 m)), and for attaching suction-cup time-depth recorder 
and VHF tags to humpback and fin whales (minimum approach of 15-20 ft 
(5-6 m)). For biopsy sampling, no more than three attempts will be made 
per whale and for suction-cup tag attachment, no more than two attempts 
will be made per whale.

Amendment Requests Received

Permit No. 782-1446

    The National Marine Mammal Laboratory has requested an amendment 
(no. 3) to scientific research permit no. 782-1446, issued on May 18, 
1998 (63 FR 27265). Permit no. 782-1446 authorizes the permit holder to 
conduct aerial, ground, and vessel surveys annually for stock 
assessment of harbor seals, California sea lions, Steller sea lions and 
northern elephant seals. The permit holder requests authorization to 
increase the number of California sea lions captured, local or gas 
anesthetized, instrumented and sampled for a multi-disciplinary study 
of the role of persistent organochlorine pollutants (OPR) and herpes 
virus in the development of cancer in California sea lions. California 
sea lions of both sexes and ages 0 through 5 years are proposed to be 
taken. Additionally, branded and un-branded 6-month old California sea 
lions of both sexes are proposed to be captured, sampled and 
photographed as part of a study to evaluate the condition of branded 
pups.
    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 the application and amendment 
request to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific 
Advisors.
    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.

    Dated: December 20, 2000.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-33002 Filed 12-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 3510-22-S