[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30428-30429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14282]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 053001C]


Marine Mammals; File No. 774- 1634-00

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 the Southwest Fisheries Science 
Center, NMFS, P.O. Box 271, La Jolla, CA 92038 (Principal Investigator: 
Dr. Karin A. Forney) has applied in due form for a permit to take, 
primarily, the eastern and southern `Whitebelly' stocks of spinner 
dolphin (Stenella longirostris orientalis) and the northeastern 
offshore and coastal stocks of pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella 
attenuata graffmani). Additional species that may be encircled and 
sampled include: short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), long-
beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis), spotted dolphin (Stenella 
attenuata), southern/western stock spinner dolphin (Stenella 
longirostris centroamericana), Central American stock striped dolphin 
(Stenella coeruleoalba), Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei), 
Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), bottlenose 
dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), rough-toothed dolphin (Steno 
bredanensis), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), pilot whale 
(Globicephala spp.), and melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), 
for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before July 
6, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The application, accompanying Environmental Assessment, and 
other related documents are available for review by written request, by 
downloading from the internet, 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; 
phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 713-0376, or the Permits Division's web 
page, (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/overview/permits.html); and
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax (562) 980-4018, or the 
Center's web page (http://swfsc.ucsd.edu).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson or Tammy Adams, Ph.D., 
(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 et seq.), and the Regulations Governing the 
Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    The applicant proposes to take the above mentioned species in a 
research project that covers the ``experiment involving the repeated 
chasing and capturing of dolphins by means of intentional 
encirclement'', as mandated in the 1997 International Dolphin 
Conservation Program Act (IDCPA) (MMPA, Sec. 304 (a)(3)(C)) as one 
component of stress studies on dolphins involved in the eastern 
tropical Pacific tuna purse seine fishery. The objective of the 
experiment, as outlined in the law, is to ``evaluate whether the 
intentional deployment on, or encirclement of, dolphins by purse-seine 
nets is having a significant adverse impact on any depleted dolphin 
stock.'' The requested studies will include several complementary 
research projects that address different ways in which chase and 
capture stress may manifest itself in individual dolphins involved in 
tuna purse seine operations. The number of animals and research 
techniques that will be used for evaluating stress are outlined in the 
following table:

                                              Broken down by combination of take types for each individual
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                                                  TOTAL       Not handled     Restrained                   Handled in raft and examined
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  in water  ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             ------------
                                                          Set Only   Biopsy    Skin Swab  (Adults  (Adults  (Adults  (Adults  (Adults    (Adults only)
                                                                     (Adult)    (Calf)     only)    only)    only)    only)    only)
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Number of dolphins:                               24,000     21360      1800        300        20        5       15       50      445                  5
Set-related takes
Chase                                                            X         x          x
Helicopter overflight                                            x         x          x

[[Page 30429]]

 
Encirclement                                                     x         x          x
Photographed                                                     x         x          x         x        x        x        x        x                  x
Biopsy                                                                     x
Calf skin swab                                                                        x
Handling-related takes
Blood sample                                                                                    x        x        x        x        x                  x
Saddle Package - Radio tag                                                                      x
Saddle Package - Satellite tag                                                                           x                             .................
Saddle Package - Thermal tag                                                                                      x
Roto-Radio Tag                                                                                                       .......        x
Roto Tag                                                                                                                   x
Suction Cup Package - Thermal                                                                                                                          x
Core temperature probe                                                                          x                 x                                    x
Skin sample                                                                                     x        x        x        x        x                  x
Ultrasound                                                                                      x        x        x        x        x                  x
EKG                                                                                             x        x        x        x        x                  x
Accidental mortality                                                                 40 inclusive of all species\1\
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\1\This dolphin mortality will be part of the IATTC Director's Reserve under the annual Dolphin Mortality Limits (DMLs) set for the fishery. It will
  replace any mortality that the chartered fishing vessel would have caused if it had been engaged in normal fishing operations.

    Scientific research permits are generally categorically excluded 
from National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) 
(NEPA) requirements to prepare an EA or EIS; however, because of the 
impacts to the species involved and the intense public interest in this 
project, NMFS, in compliance with NEPA, has determined that an 
environmental assessment (EA) is warranted. The draft EA is a companion 
document to the scientific research permit application and is available 
for review simultaneously.
    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.

    May 31, 2001.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-14282 Filed 6-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S