[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 65956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27507]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 030602C]


Marine Mammals; File No. 1009-1640

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

ACTION: Receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Jerome Siegel, Neurobiology 
Research 151A3, 16111 Plummer St., VA GLAHS-Sepulveda, North Hills, CA 
91343, has applied in due form for a permit to import tissue samples 
from bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), harbor porpoise 
(Phocoena phocoena), common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), beluga whales 
(Delphinapterus leucas), and Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) 
from Russia, and to analyze tissue samples from captive killer whales 
(Orcinus orca) and bottlenose dolphins in the U.S. for purposes of 
scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
November 29, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The application 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the Regulations Governing the Taking 
and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    The applicant proposes three projects. The first is to investigate 
the anatomy and immunohistology of several structures of cetacean 
brains. Three bottlenose dolphin, three harbor porpoise, two common 
dolphin, and two beluga whale brains will be imported from Russia. 
Brains will be collected from animals killed during subsistence harvest 
or that died in fishing nets, and from dead animals stranded on shore. 
No animals will be deliberately killed to fulfill samples for this 
project. The second project involves the study of sleep in fur seals. 
Six seals will be caught on the Bering Island in Russia, temporarily 
held in captivity, implanted for polygraphic sleep studies, and 
euthanized. Microdialysis samples and brains of the six fur seals will 
be imported for anatomical studies. The third study involves the 
determination of hormonal and peptidergic properties of the extended 
waking behavior in mothers and calves of killer whales and bottlenose 
dolphins. Blood and urine samples from six U.S. captive killer whale 
mother/calf pairs and three bottlenose dolphin mother/calf pairs will 
be analyzed for hormone concentrations. Four bottlenose dolphins will 
be collected from the Black Sea in Russia, held in temporary captivity, 
administered hormones, and blood samples from these animals will be 
imported for this study. The requested duration of the permit is five 
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.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application should be mailed 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 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 this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: October 23, 2002.
Eugene T. Nitta,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-27507 Filed 10-28-02; 8:45 am]
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