[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2198-2199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1135]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 010902B]


Marine Mammals; File No. 775-1600-01

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Michael Sissenwine, Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Room 312, 
166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, has requested an amendment to 
scientific research Permit No. 775-1600-01.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
February 15, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The amendment request and related documents are available 
for review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office(s):
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 713-0376; and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (508) 281-9250; fax (508) 281-9371.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this request 
should be submitted to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 
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 amendment 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 other electronic 
media.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 775-
1600-01, issued on March 6, 2001 (66 FR 32793) is requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the Regulations Governing the Taking and 
Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    Permit No. 775-1600-01 authorizes the permit holder to conduct 
research on 28 species of cetacean in the North Atlantic Ocean, and on 
harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), gray seals (Halichoerus grypus), harp 
seals (Phoca groenlandica), and hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) in 
coastal Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Delaware. The 
principal purpose of the research, for all species, relates to stock 
assessment, an activity for which NMFS has primary responsibility under 
the MMPA. Types of take for cetaceans include potential harassment by 
shipboard and aerial approach, photo-ID, biopsy sampling, acoustic 
sampling, and tagging. Types of take for the 4 species of pinnipeds 
include potential harassment by shipboard and aerial approach; type of 
takes for harbor and gray seals include photo-ID and incidental 
harassment during scat and carcass collections; harbor seals may also 
be captured, biopsy and blood sampled, VHF tagged, ``hat tagged'', and 
flipper tagged. The Permit also authorizes import and export of marine 
mammal parts (including soft and hard tissue, blood, extracted DNA, and 
whole dead animals or parts thereof) to and from any country.
    The permit holder requests authorization to capture, examine, 
measure, flipper tag (retain tissue from tagging), apply a ``seal 
hat'', and photograph up to 200 gray seal pups; blood sample 50 of the 
200 pups captured; and VHF tag 30 of the 200 pups captured. These 
activities would occur in coastal Maine and Massachusetts for purposes 
of stock assessment.
    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 activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

[[Page 2199]]

    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.

    Dated: January 9, 2002.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-1135 Filed 1-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S