[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47294-47295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20287]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 072503A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 881-1668

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit amendment.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), 
Seward, Alaska 99664 (Principal Investigator: Don Calkins) has been 
issued a permit amendment to take Steller sea lions (Eumetopias 
jubatus) for the purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review upon written request, by downloading from the internet, 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, (301)713-2289, or the 
Division's Web page at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/

[[Page 47295]]

prot--res/PR1/Permits/pr1permits--review.html.
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-
1668,(907)586-7221.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 27, 2002 , notice was published in 
the Federal Register (67 FR 43283) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take Steller sea lions had been submitted by the 
above-named organization. The requested permit was issued on November 
11, 2002 (67 FR 69724) 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.), and the regulations governing the taking, 
importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 
parts 222-226). However, a decision regarding the proposed transport of 
juvenile sea lions to the ASLC for temporary maintenance and associated 
experiments was deferred pending additional environmental analyses. A 
supplemental environmental assessment on the effects of these 
activities was prepared, resulting in a Finding of No Significant 
Impact.
    Permit No. 881-1668, issued to the Alaska SeaLife Center, 
authorizes takes of threatened and endangered Steller sea lions of all 
ages in Alaska by capture, hot-branding, flipper tagging, collection of 
blood and tissue samples from, attachment of external scientific 
instruments, mortality incidental to research, and harassment 
incidental to these activities and remote monitoring. In addition to 
these activities, the amended permit authorizes transport of up to 16 
juvenile Steller sea lions per year to the ASLC for short-term 
captivity, health assessments (including anesthesia, blood sampling, 
blubber biopsy, diagnostic x-ray, endoscopy, bioelectric impedance 
analysis, deuterated water, and urinalysis), controlled fasting, and 
adrenocorticotrophic hormone challenge experiments.
    Issuance of this permit 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: July 31, 2003.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-20287 Filed 8-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S