[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69724-69725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29357]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 103102C]


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 358-1564, 782-1532, 1016-1651, 800-
1664, 434-1669, 1010-1641, and 881-1668

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

ACTION: Issuance of permits and permit amendments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following individuals/
organizations have been issued a permit or permit amendment to take 
Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) for the purposes of scientific 
research: Dr. Glenn VanBlaricom, Washington Cooperative Fish and 
Wildlife Research Unit, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; Dr. Randall Davis, 
Department of Marine Biology, Texas A M University, Galveston, TX 
77551; the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Corvallis, 
Oregon 97330 (PI: Robin Brown); the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), 
Seward, Alaska 99664 (PI: Don Calkins); the National Marine Mammal 
Laboratory (NMML), National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 
98115-0070 (PI: Dr. Thomas Loughlin); the Alaska Department of Fish and 
Game (ADFG), Juneau, Alaska 99802-5526 (PI: Dr. Thomas Gelatt).

ADDRESSES: The permits, permit amendments, and related documents, are 
available for review upon written request, by downloading from the

[[Page 69725]]

internet, or by appointment in the following office(s):
    All documents: Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office 
of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910, (301)713-2289, or the Division's Web Page at 
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/PR1/Permits/pr1permits_review.html.
    For permit 782-1532 (NMML) and Files No. 1016-1651 (Univ. of 
Washington) and 434-1669 (ODFW): Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand 
Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700,(206)526-
6150; and
    For permits 782-1532 (NMML), 358-1564-02 (ADFG) and Files No. 1016-
1651 (Univ. of Washington), 800-1664 (Davis), and 881-1668 (ASLC): 
Alaska Region, NMFS, PO Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668,(907)586-7221.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 27, 2002 , notice was published in 
the Federal Register (67 FR 43283) that requests for scientific 
research permits and permit amendments to take Steller sea lions had 
been submitted by the above-named individuals/organizations. The 
requested permits and permit amendments have been issued under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (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.), the regulations 
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and 
threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226), and the Fur Seal Act of 
1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    Permit No. 358-1564-02, which expires on June 30, 2005, authorized 
the permit holder to take Steller sea lions of all ages and both sexes 
in Alaska and British Columbia by aerial/boat surveys, capturing, 
handling, flipper tagging, blood/biopsy sampling, hot-branding, 
collection of blood and tissue samples, attachment of scientific 
instruments, recaptures, and accidental mortality. The amended permit 
authorizes takes of additional sea lions by increased frequency of 
aerial surveys, and additional takes of individual sea lions by 
additional recaptures, increased blood and tissue sampling, tagging, 
administering Evans blue dye, and additional accidental mortality.
    Permit No. 782-1532, which expires on December 31, 2004, authorizes 
the permit holder to take Steller sea lions of all ages and both sexes 
in Alaska, by aerial/boat surveys, capturing, handling, flipper 
tagging, blood/biopsy sampling, attachment of scientific instruments, 
and hot-branding. The amended permit increase the frequency of takes by 
aerial surveys; includes Southeast Alaska in monthly surveys; increases 
the number of animals to be incidentally harassed during scat 
collection; and allows additional procedures for animals already 
authorized for capture, including using gas anesthesia, branding of any 
animal captured, injecting Evan's blue dye and deuterated water, 
collecting additional blood and tissue samples, using bioelectric 
impedance analysis, and an increase in the number of accidental 
mortalities.
    Permit No. 800-1664 authorizes takes of threatened and endangered 
juvenile and adult female Steller sea lions in Alaska by capture, 
anesthesia, hot-branding, tissue sampling (including blood, skin, and 
blubber), attachment of scientific instruments (video system/data 
logger and satellite transmitters), and accidental mortality.
    Permit No. 1016-1641 authorizes takes of threatened and endangered 
Steller sea lions in the Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, and 
southeast Alaska by remote biopsy darting, incidental harassment, and 
accidental mortality, to collect blubber samples for analysis to assess 
prey selection. Some samples will be exported to Canada for analysis. 
Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) and harbor seals (Phoca 
vitulina richardsi) may be incidentally harassed during biopsy 
sampling.
    Permit No. 434-1669 authorizes takes of threatened Steller sea 
lions in California, Washington, and Oregon by capture, hot-branding, 
flipper tagging, collection of blood and tissue samples from, 
attachment external scientific instruments to, harassment incidental to 
these activities and remote monitoring, and accidental mortality.
    Permit No. 881-1668, issued to the Alaska SeaLife Center, 
authorizes takes of threatened and endangered Steller sea lions in 
Alaska by capture, hot-branding, flipper tagging, collection of blood 
and tissue samples from, attachment of external scientific instruments, 
accidental mortality, and harassment incidental to these activities and 
remote monitoring.
    Permit No. 1010-1641 authorizes takes of Steller sea lions of all 
ages by harassment during aerial surveys and vessel-based behavioral 
observations in the western Gulf of Alaska, and scat collection at 
rookeries and haulouts along the Alaska Peninsula and Eastern Aleutian 
Islands.
    Issuance of these permits and permit amendments, as required by the 
ESA, was based on a finding that the permits (1) were applied for in 
good faith, (2) will not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered 
species which is the subject of these permits, and (3) is consistent 
with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: November 12, 2002.
Eugene T. Nitta,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-29357 Filed 11-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S