[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 73 (Thursday, April 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 19985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8594]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040604A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 881-1724

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska SeaLife Center, 301 
Railway Avenue, Seward, Alaska 99664, has been issued a permit to 
import and export marine mammal parts 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; and
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907)586-7221; fax (907)586-7249.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 2003, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (68 FR 70234) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take parts from the following species: Antarctic fur 
seal (Arctocephalus gazella), Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus 
pusillus), Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), California sea lion 
(Zalophus californianus), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), northern fur 
seal (Callorhinus ursinus), ribbon seal (Phoca fasciata), ringed seal 
(Phoca hispida), Southern fur seal (Arctocephalus australis), Southern 
sea lion (Otaria flavescens), Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), 
beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), bowhead whale (Balaena 
mysticetus), gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), humpback whale 
(Megaptera novaeangliae), killer whale (Orcinus orca), and sperm whale 
(Physeter catodon) had been submitted by the above-named organization. 
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.), 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.).
    The applicant has been authorized to import and export specimen 
samples (hard and soft parts) from the above-named species for a number 
of projects to study marine mammal population ecology, diet and 
nutrition, reproductive physiology, toxicology, and health. The 
applicant has been issued a five-year permit.
    Issuance of this permit, 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: April 9,2004.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-8594 Filed 4-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S