[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16660-16661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7540]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 031401C]


Marine Mammals; File No. 731-1509.

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. 731-1509-01, issued to 
Robin W. Baird, Ph.D., C201-2747 S. Kihei Road, Kihei, HI 96753, was 
amended.

ADDRESSES: (See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION)

[[Page 16661]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Lewandowski or Trevor Spradlin, 
301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 20, 2000, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (65 FR 69738) that a request for a scientific 
research permit amendment to take various cetacean species had been 
submitted by the above-named individual. After the comment period, the 
request was changed to only include an increase in suction cup tagging 
and incidental harassment takes of North Pacific humpback whales in 
Hawaii. All other permit amendment requests included in the above-
referenced Federal Register notice were postponed from consideration 
until a later date.
    The subject permit amendment has been issued 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the regulations governing the 
taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species 
(50 CFR parts 222-226), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    The permit has been amended to increase the authorized takes for: 
(1) suction cup tagging of North Pacific humpback whales in Hawaii from 
15 to 35 individual animals annually; and (2) incidental harassment of 
North Pacific humpback whales in Hawaii from 25 to 50 individual 
animals annually.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species which is the 
subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.
    Documents may be reviewed in the following locations:
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907)586-7221; fax (907)586-7249;
    Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean 
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (562/980-4027); and
    Pacific Islands Area Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA, 1601 Kapiolani Boulevard, Suite 1110, Honolulu HI 96814-4700 
(808/973-2935).

    Dated: March 20, 2001.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-7540 Filed 3-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S