[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 106 (Monday, June 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38296-38299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13831]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish 
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published 
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670 
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of 
permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by June 30, 2002. 
Permit applications may be inspected by

[[Page 38297]]

interested parties at the Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address 
or (703) 292-7405.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), has 
developed regulations that implement the ``Agreed Measures for the 
Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora'' for all United States 
citizens. The Agreed Measures, developed by the Antarctic Treaty 
Consultative Parties, recommended establishment of a permit system for 
various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and 
certain geographic areas as requiring special protection. The 
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Specially 
Protected Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
    The applications received are as follows:

1. Applicant

[Permit Application No. 2003-001]

    Randall Davis, Marine Biology, Texas A&M University, 5007 Avenue U, 
Galveston, TX 77551.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Taking. The applicant proposes to capture by net up to 20 free 
ranging adult Weddell seals and approximately 10 Weddell seal pups. 
Animal-borne video system/data loggers will be attached to the seals to 
record diving behavior, physiology, and locomotor performance of marine 
mammals at depth. This research is part of a project studying Weddell 
seals to test hypothesis related to general foraging strategy, foraging 
location, searching mode, prey detection, and the cost of diving and 
foraging. All captured seals will be released.

Location

    McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.

Dates

    October 1, 2002 to February 15, 2003.

2. Applicant

[Permit Application No. 2003-002]

    David Ainley, H.T. Harvey and Associates, 3150 Almaden Expressway, 
Suite 3150, San Jose, CA 95118.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take and Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The applicant 
proposes to enter the Adelie penguin rookeries in the Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas of Beaufort Island (ASPA 105), Cape Royds, 
Ross Island (ASPA 121), and Cape Crozier, Ross Island (ASPA 124) to 
assess (1) reproductive success, annual mortality, and between colony 
movement rates, and, (2) the environmental context of the populations. 
Up to 1800 birds will be banded. Up to 70 adult birds will have stomach 
lavages to collect stomach contents for diet studies. An additional 100 
adult birds will have either a satellite tag (PTT) attached to 
determine foraging area, or a time-depth-recorder (TDR) to determine 
foraging behavior. These instruments will be removed after 1-2 foraging 
dives and attached to other birds. Finally, approximately 15 adult 
birds at each site will have a geolocation tag (GLS) attached to their 
leg bands to determine the wintering area of each individual. These 
tags will be removed the following summer and the data downloaded for 
analysis.

Location

    Beaufort Island (ASPA 105), Cape Royds, Ross Island (ASPA 121), and 
Cape Crozier, Ross Island (ASPA 124).

Dates

    November 1, 2002 to February 15, 2005.

3. Applicant

[Permit Application No. 2003-003]

    Paul J. Ponganis, Center for Marine Biotechnology & Biomedicine, 
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San 
Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0204.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take, Enter an Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, and Import into 
the United States. The applicant proposes to enter the Emperor penguins 
colonies at Antarctic Specially Protected Areas of Beaufort Island 
(ASPA 105), and Cape Crozier, Ross Island (ASPA 124) to conduct a 
census of the bird population. The colonies were severely affected by 
the B15 iceberg in 2001; there were no living emperors at Cape Crozier, 
and the census was extremely reduced at Beaufort Island. Access to 
these sites will allow continuation of the census of these populations 
from previous research, and will provide continuity with planned 
censuses in the future. The B15 iceberg has become a natural experiment 
to evaluate the fidelity of Emperor penguins to colony sites and to 
examine the resilience of Emperor penguins to short-term disasters. The 
applicant also proposes to salvage up to 20 Emperor carcasses, if 
found, for return to the States for autopsy/specimen collection/
anatomical study.

Location

    Beaufort Island (ASPA 105), and Cape Crozier, Ross Island (ASPA 
124).

Dates

    October 1, 2002 to October 1, 2003.

4. Applicant

[Permit Application No. 2003-004]

    William R. Fraser, Polar Oceans Research Group, P.O. Box 368, 
Sheridan, MT 59749.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take. The applicant, as a participant in a long-term ecological 
research program in the western Antarctic Peninsula, proposes to 
capture, collect samples, weigh, band and attach transmitters to a 
number of penguin and seabird species to assess how annual 
environmental variability affects seabird diets, breeding success, 
growth rates, survival, recruitment, behavior, population trends, 
foraging success and seasonal dispersal. The methods and species are 
listed in the chart below.
    Manner of Taking By Capture and Release For (1) Census populations 
and/or mark breeding territories; (2) capture, mark, band and/or weight 
adults, chicks and eggs; (3) obtain diet data through stomach lavage, 
by screening the contents of terrestrial sediment traps and/or by 
collecting naturally regurgitated prey items; (4) place transmitters on 
individuals; (5) place instrumented artificial eggs under incubating 
individuals; and (6) use GIS/GPS technologies to update existing 
breeding habitat maps.

                                                                  Specimen Information
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             Species               Number            Age                  Sex                  Size              Condition         Ultimate Disposition
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Adelie Penguin..................       600  AD/CK...............  Unknown............  ...................  Take by 1,2,3,4,5,6  Released
Chinstrap.......................        70  Adult...............  ``.................  ...................  Take by 1,3,4......  ''

[[Page 38298]]

 
Penguin.........................        70  Adult...............  ``.................  ...................  Take by 1,3,4......  ''
Gentoo..........................       100  AD/CK...............  ``.................  ...................  Take by 1,2,3,4....  ''
Penguin.........................       500  AD/CK...............  ``.................  ...................  Take by 1,2,3,4....  ''
Brown Skua......................      1600  AD/CK...............  ``.................  ...................  Take by 1,2,3,4,5..  ''
South Polar.....................       250  Adult...............  ``.................  ...................  Take by 1,3........  ''
Skua............................       250  AD/CK...............  ``.................  ...................  Take by 1,2,3......  ''
Southern
Giant Petrel
Blue-Eyed
Shag
Kelp Gulls
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Location

    Palmer Station, Anvers Island vicinity, and Marguerite Bay and 
vicinity.

Dates

    October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2007.

5. Applicant

[Permit Application No. 2003-005]

    William R. Fraser, Polar Oceans Research Group, P.O. 368, Sheridan, 
MT 59749.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take, and Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, and Import 
into the United States. The applicant is a participant in two long-term 
ecological research (LTER) programs in the western Antarctic Peninsula 
region. The focus of the research is to relate variability in seabird 
ecology to changes in the physical and biological environment, 
especially sea ice, snow conditions and prey availability. Studies will 
assess how annual environmental variability affects seabird diets, 
breeding success, growth rates, survival and recruitment, behavior, 
population trends, foraging success and seasonal dispersal. To 
accomplish these objective, the applicant proposes to: (1) Census 
populations and mark breeding territories; (2) capture, mark, and 
weight a select number of adults, chicks and eggs; (3) obtain diet 
samples through stomach lavage, by screening the contents of 
terrestrial sediment taps and collecting naturally regulagitated prey 
items; (4) place transmitters on individuals to develop foraging and 
dispersal profiles; (5) place instrumented artificial eggs under 
incubating individuals to measure heart-rate and body temperature; and, 
(6) use GIS/GPS technologies to update existing breeding habitat maps * 
* * The applicant proposes to enter the following Antarctic Specially 
Protected Areas:
    Dion Islands, Marguerite Bay (ASPA 107)--This site has the only 
known breeding population of Emperor Penguins in the western Antarctic 
Peninsula. The applicant proposes to conduct a census in order to 
update the population data available on this species, since a census 
has not been conducted in more than two decades.
    Litchfield Island, Arthur Harbor (ASPA 113) and Biscoe Point, 
Anvers Island (ASPA 139)--These two sites near Palmer Station, Anvers 
Island, serve as research control areas. The applicant proposes to 
enter Litchfield Island 2-3 times a week and Biscoe Point up to 5 times 
a season, for 4-5 hours each visit to census, brand, weight, collect 
diet samples of seabirds and conduct habitat mapping. Heavily vegetated 
areas will be avoided.
    Avian Island, Marguerite Bay (ASPA 117)--This site serves as an 
alternate site in the Marguerite Bay region for obtaining Adelie 
Penguin diet samples and censuses during the annual Palmer LTER 
research cruise. The applicant proposes to obtain diet samples from 20-
25 penguins to determine trends in diets and populations of this 
species in the Marguerite Bay region to determine if it differs from 
those in the Palmer Station region due to differences in annual sea ice 
and snow conditions.
    Lagotellerie Island, Marguerite Bay (ASPA 115)--This site has a 
population of Adelie penguins that could be used as an alternate 
sampling area in the event access to Avian Island is impeded by ice or 
weather.

Location

    Dion Islands, Marguerite Bay (ASPA 107); Litchfield Island, Arthur 
Harbor (ASPA 113); Lagotellerie Island, Marguerite Bay (ASPA 115); 
Avian Island, Marguerite Bay (ASPA 117); and, Biscoe Point, Anvers 
Island (ASPA 139).

Dates

    October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2007.

6. Applicant

[Permit Application No. 2003-006]

    William R. Fraser, Polar Oceans Research Group. P.O. 368, Sheridan, 
MT 59749.

Activity for Which Permit is Requested

    Take, and Import into the United States. The applicant is a 
participant in two long-term ecological research (LTER) programs in the 
western Antarctic Peninsula region, and during the course of normal 
research occasionally encounters specimens of various species 
(penguins, seabirds, etc.) that have died of natural causes. The 
application proposes to salvage and preserve these specimens for import 
into the U.S. and disposition at teaching and research institutions.

Location

    Palmer Station, Anvers Island and vicinity.

Dates

    October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2007.

7. Applicant

[Permit Application No. 2003-007]

    Mark Buckley, Multimedia Manager, Raytheon Polar Services Company, 
7400 S. Tucson Way, Centennial, CO 80112.

Activity for Which Permit is Requested

    Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The applicant is a 
member of Raytheon Polar Services Company, which is the prime civilian 
contractor to the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), and is tasked by the 
National Science Foundation (NSF) with video production in Antarctica. 
During the past year or so, unprecedented ice conditions had adverse 
impact on penguin colonies in the McMurdo Sound and Ross Sea region. 
With the

[[Page 38299]]

recent calving of C-19 and the influence of B-15, it is expected that 
scientific interest and activities, as well as public interests will 
continue. Therefore the applicant proposes his staff of videographers 
be permitted to enter the Antarctic Specially Protected Areas of 
Beaufort Island (ASPA 105), New College Valley, Cape Bird (ASPA 116), 
Cape Royds, Ross Island (ASPA 121), and, Cape Crozier, Ross Island 
(ASPA 124) for the purpose of taking ``low impact'' documentary film 
footage. The video team will accompany a similarly permitted researcher 
into the sites to film scientific research. Access to the sites will be 
dependant upon operational, scientific conditions, and availability of 
transportation.

Location

    Beaufort Island (ASPA 105), New College Valley, Cape Bird (ASPA 
116), Cape Royds, Ross Island (ASPA 121), and, Cape Crozier, Ross 
Island (ASPA 124).

Dates

    October 1, 2002 to February 14, 2003.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Officer, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-13831 Filed 5-31-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M