[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 156 (Wednesday, August 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48417-48418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20597]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-541)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95-541.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish 
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published 
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670 
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of 
permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by September 12, 2003. 
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit 
Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address 
or (703) 292-7405.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-541), as 
amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, 
has developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for 
various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and 
certain geographic areas a requiring special protection. The 
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas.
    The applications received are as follows:

1. Applicant--Permit Application No. 2004-008

    Patrick Shore, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 
Washington University, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area
    The applicant proposes to enter the Barwick Valley Antarctic 
Specially Protected Area (ASPA  123) to remove seismic 
equipment, solar panels, and all other associated equipment. This 
seismic station was established in December 2001, before the boundaries 
of the Barwick Valley were modified to include the seismic station's 
location. Removal of the station will prevent further need to access 
the Specially Protected Area.

Location

    ASPA 123--Barwick Valley, Victoria Land

Dates

    November 1, 2003--December 31, 2003

2. Applicant--Permit Application No. 2004-009

    Robert L. Pitman, NOAA/NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 
8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take and Import into the U.S.A. The applicant proposes to collect 
up to 200 biopsy samples (tiny bits of skin--the size of a pencil 
eraser) from Antarctic killer whales using a crossbow or modified 
rifle. The samples will be studied to determine the taxonomic status of 
the three different morphotypes recently observed in Antarctic waters. 
These biopsy techniques have been used to sample thousands of whales 
and dolphins over the years with little or no disturbance to the 
animals. The applicant will take the samples from a launch or the bow 
of a larger ship.

Location

    At sea in Antarctic waters, continent-wide

Dates

    December 15, 2003 to March 31, 2005

3. Applicant--Permit Application No. 2004-010

    Paul J. Ponganis, Center for Marine Biotechnology/Biomedicine, 
Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 
La Jolla, CA 92093-0204.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take, Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, and Import into 
the U.S.A. The applicant proposes to capture and release up to 80 adult 
and 20 Emperor chicks. Diving physiology studies will be conducted on 
birds diving at an isolated dive hole in McMurdo Sound. Blood and 
tissues samples will be taken to examine blood oxygen and nitrogen 
levels in order to understand how emperors dive so deeply, and yet 
avoid complications such as decompression sickness (``the bends''), 
hypoxemia, and shallow water blackout. In addition, antioxidant and 
oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes will be examined in tissue 
biopsy samples in order to understand the biochemical mechanisms, which 
may protect tissues from free radical damage during diving. Diving 
behavior (stroke frequency and prey capture) will be investigated at 
the dive hole with application of accelerometer recorders and digital 
cameras. Penguins will be equipped with one of a variety of 
microprocessor recorders (depth recorder, P02 recorder, ECG 
recorder, accelerometer, blood sampler, or digital camera). Any 
electrodes or catheters are implanted under general anesthesia with 
techniques developed on prior projects; birds dive with the recorders 
for 1-2 days after which the microprocessors are removed and 
downloaded; for the blood sampler, it is removed once a sample is taken 
in order to allow analyses to be performed. Tissue samples will be 
obtained under

[[Page 48418]]

general anesthesia with biopsy techniques developed on past projects.
    In addition the applicant proposes to continue annual censuses at 
emperor colonies in order to continue monitoring colony status, 
especially in relation to the B15 iceberg. This will require entrance 
into the Cape Crozier (ASPA 124) and Beaufort Island (ASPA 
105) Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The applicant also 
proposes to collect up to 10 frozen emperor penguin carcasses found on 
the sea ice per year, and return them to the U.S. for anatomical 
studies.

Location

    Cape Washington, Cape Crozier (ASPA 124) and Beaufort 
Island (ASPA 105).

Dates

    September 1, 2003 to January 31, 2006.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Officer, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 03-20597 Filed 8-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M