[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61850-61851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25075]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 092602E]


Marine Mammals; File No. 774-1649-00

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 NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Science 
Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, has requested 
an amendment to Permit No. 774-1649 to take Southern elephant seals 
(Mirounga leonina).

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
November 1, 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
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018.Written 
comments or requests for a public hearing on this request should be 
submitted to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and

[[Page 61851]]

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: Ruth Johnson and Amy Sloan (301)713-
2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 774-1649 
issued on November 14, 2001 (66 FR 58445) 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.774-1649-00 authorizes the permit holder 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 
pinnipeds are authorized be taken incidentally during these surveys.
    The permit holder requests authorization to take Southern elephant 
seal pups by level A harassment associated with capture, tagging and 
marking. A total of 200 seals will be taken with four accidental 
mortalities over the next four years.
    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.
    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: September 26, 2002.
Eugene T. Nitta,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-25075 Filed 10-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S