[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44120-44121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21206]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081601A]


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 774-1649 and 1010-1641

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following applicants have 
applied in due form for a permit to take marine mammals for purposes of 
scientific research:
    File No. 774-1649 - NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 
La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 (Principal Investigator: 
Rennie S. Holt, PhD); and File No. 1010-1641 - Aleutians East Borough, 
211 4th Street, Suite 314, Juneau, AK 99801 (Principal Investigator: 
Ms. Kate Wynne).

[[Page 44121]]


DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
September 21, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office(s):
    All actions available in the 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;
    File 774-1649 - Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax (562) 980-
4018;
    File 1010-1641 - Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, 
BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206) 526-6150; fax 
(206) 526-6426; and
    File 1010-641 - Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802-1668; phone (907) 586-7221; fax (907) 586-7249.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits 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.), and the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226).
    File 774-1679 - The United States Antarctic Marine Living Resources 
(U.S.-AMLR) Program, administered by the SWFSC, requests permission to 
take pinniped species in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, as 
part of a long-term ecosystem monitoring program established in 1986. 
Permission is requested to take Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus 
gazella), Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), Crabeater seals 
(Lobodon carcinophagus), Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx), Ross seals 
(Ommatophoca rossii), and Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) by 
harassment associated with life history studies and census surveys for 
abundance and distribution of pinnipeds. The targeted species for 
census surveys is the Antarctic fur seal, however, due to overlap of 
their breeding range with southern elephant and ice seals, a relatively 
small number of other Antarctic pinniped could be taken incidentally 
during these surveys. Studies will be conducted annually during austral 
summers over the next five years (2001/02-2005/06) and primarily 
restricted to Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, Antarctica. The AMLR 
Program also proposes to conduct a regional census survey for estimates 
of abundance and distribution of pinniped in the South Shetlands.
    File 1010-1641 - The applicant proposes to take Steller sea lions 
(Eumetopias jubatus) by harassment during aerial surveys, vessel-based 
behavioral observations, and scat collection. The purpose of the 
research is to provide additional information on seasonal prey 
consumption by Steller sea lions through scat collection at rookeries 
and haulouts along the Alaska Peninsula and Eastern Aleutian Islands 
and to improve the accuracy and precision of population indices through 
expanded aerial and vessel surveys in the western Gulf of Alaska.
    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 these 
applications 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 a 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 the applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: August 16, 2001.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-21206 Filed 8-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S