[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 99 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27990-27991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12886]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 050903A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 369-1440-01

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

[[Page 27991]]


ACTION: Issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Bruce R. Mate, Oregon State 
University, Newport, Oregon 97365-5296, has been issued an amendment to 
Permit No. 369-1440-01 to take various species of large whales and 
opportunistically take by Level B harassment other species of marine 
mammals, for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The amendment and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Northeast 
Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298; phone 
(508)281-9346; fax (508)281-9371; and
    Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Southeast 
Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 
33702-2432; phone (813)570-5301; fax (813)570-5517.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson 301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 28, 2003, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (68 FR 4178) that an amendment of Permit No. 369-
1440-01, issued April 19, 1999 (64 FR 19135), had been requested by the 
above-named individual. The requested amendment has been granted under 
the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the provisions of Sec.  216.39 of 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.), and the regulations governing the taking, 
importing, and exporting of threatened and endangered fish and wildlife 
(50 CFR 222.226).
    The amendment authorizes the applicant to tag and biopsy sample fin 
whales in international water in the Mediterranean Sea and extends the 
expiration date through October 2004.
    Issuance of this amendment, as required by the ESA was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species which is the 
subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: May 13, 2003.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-12886 Filed 5-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S