[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13281-13282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6594]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 010203E]


Marine Mammals; File No. 1026-1671

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

[[Page 13282]]


ACTION: Issuance of permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Belinda L. Rubinstein, New England 
Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110 has been issued a permit to 
take harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), harp seals (Phoca groenlandica), 
gray seals (Halichoerus grypus), hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) and 
ringed seals (Phoca hispida) for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit 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;
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371; andSoutheast Region, 
NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; 
phone (727)570-5301; fax (727)570-5320.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 5, 2002, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (67 FR 50632) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take harbor seals, harp seals, gray seals, hooded 
seals, and ringed seals had been submitted by the above-named 
individual. The requested permit has been issued 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).
    Solitary seals will be captured, tagged, sampled (including tooth 
extraction, blubber biopsy, blood and milk collection, anal swabs and 
fecal samples), and released. In addition to taking wild animals, the 
applicant also requests authority to sample conspecifics held in 
rehabilitation facilities. Samples may be exported and re-imported for 
analyses. The purposes of the research are to study habitat utilization 
using satellite telemetry and flipper tagging, determine stock 
association, and monitor health of phocids along the east coast of the 
U.S., from Maine to Virginia.

    Dated: March 11, 2003.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-6594 Filed 3-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S