[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 111 (Friday, June 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30885-30886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14522]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 060101A]


Marine Mammals; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of application No. 751-1614-00; and receipt of 
applications to amend permits (782-1532-00, 981-1578-00).

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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: Ocean Alliance/Whale 
Conservation Institute, 191 Weston Road, Lincoln, Massachusetts 01773 
(Dr. Roger S. Payne, Principal Investigator) (Application No. 751-1614-
00); NMFS has received applications for permit amendments from:; NMFS, 
National Marine Mammal Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way, N.E., BIN 
C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070 (Permit No. 782-532-00)); and Dr. Peter 
L. Tyack, Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 
Woods Hole, MA 02543 (Permit No. 981-1578).

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments on the new application or 
amendment requests must be received on or before July 9, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the 
application or amendment requests 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject application and permit 
amendments are 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.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, 
and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), 
and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.)

New Application Received

    For Application No. 715-1614-00, the applicant requests permission 
to conduct vessel and aerial surveys, collect tissue samples (sloughed 
skin and skin and blubber biopsies) from living, free-ranging animals 
and collect skin, blubber, blood, bone, baleen and other organ tissue 
samples from dead stranded animals from all age and sex

[[Page 30886]]

classes of 21 cetacean species in U.S., foreign, and international 
waters. Tissue samples would be used to quantify toxicant loads and 
immunochemical responses to these loads to test the hypothesis that 
there are demonstrable differences between different populations ans 
species with regard to the levels of toxic compounds present. Genetic 
analyses would also be performed on samples to investigate the genetic 
diversity and variability of the population groups sampled. This 
information would be used to establish a baseline for comparisons with 
future samples and to assist in making future management and 
conservation policies.

Permit Amendment Requests Received

    For Permit No. 782-1532-00, the Permit authorizes the Holder to 
take Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) for research that involves 
takes by aerial and ship based surveys biennally, capture and take 
morphological measurements, collect specimens (blood and biopsy), 
brand, tag, and disturb during scat collection. The Holder now requests 
to amend the take authority to conduct aerial surveys each year, 
include Southeast Alaska in monthly surveys, increase the number of 
animals to be incidentally harassed during scat collection, allow 
additional procedures for animal handling such as: using gas 
anesthesia, branding pups 4 mos and juveniles to 3 yrs, 
injecting Evan's blue dye and deuterated water, collecting muscle 
biopsy, using noninvasive bioelectric impedance analysis, increasing 
blood sample volume, extracting a tooth, and pulling vibrissae. This 
Permit amendment will improve field techniques and incorporate 
collaborative efforts of scientists funded under the Steller Sea Lion 
Research Initiative.
    For Permit No. 981-1578-00, the Permit authorizes the Holder to tag 
cetaceans with an advanced digital sound recording tag (DTAG) that can 
record the acoustic stimuli an animal hears, along with measuring 
vocal, behavioral, and physiological responses to sound played back at 
received levels of 120-160 dB re 1 micron Pa. The research was 
authorized in the Mediterranean and Ligurian Seas and off the coast of 
the Azores in the North Atlantic. The Holder requests an amendment to 
increase the source level but not the received level for a whale-
finding sonar to 200 dB re 1 micron Pa at 1 m, add playbacks involving 
exposure to impulse signals from airguns as used in seismic surveys, 
include one additional baleen whale species and 12 species of 
Odontocete whale, and extend the study area to include North Atlantic 
and Gulf of Mexico.
    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.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the 
application or amendment requests 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 these particular requests 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 thee application and amendment 
requests to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of 
Scientific Advisors.
    Documents may be reviewed in the following locations:
    For all permits and permit amendments: 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;
    For permit 751-1614-00: Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way 
NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206) 526-6150; 
fax (206) 526-6426;
    For permits 751-1614-00 and 782-1532-00: Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. 
Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone (907) 586-7221; fax (907) 586-
7249;
    For permit 751-1614-00: Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean 
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax 
(562) 980-4018;
    For permits 751-1614-00 and 981-1578-00: Northeast Region, NMFS, 
One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298; phone (978) 281-9200; 
fax (978) 281-9371; and
    For permits 751-1614-00 and 981-1578-00: Southeast Region, NMFS, 
9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; phone 
(727) 570-5301; fax (727) 570-5320.

    Dated: June 4, 2001.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-14522 Filed 6-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S