[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34138-34139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-13732]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 060804B]


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 1065-1749 and 1034-1685

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following individuals have 
applied in due form for permits or permit amendments to conduct 
scientific research on marine mammals: Dr. Patrick Butler, University 
of Birmingham, School of Biosciences, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United 
Kingdom (File No. 1069-1749); and Dr. Markus Horning, Texas A&M 
University, Laboratory for Applied Biotelemetry and Biotechnology, 
Department of Marine Biology, 5007 Avenue U, Galveston, TX 77551 
(Permit No. 1034-1685).

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before July 19, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    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
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on these 
applications should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and 
Education Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 
East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those 
individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons 
why a hearing on the particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301)713-0376, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no

[[Page 34139]]

later than the closing date of the comment period.
    Additionally, comments may be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox 
address for providing email comments is [email protected]. 
Include the appropriate File No. (1065-1749 or 1034-1685) as a document 
identifier in the subject line of the e-mail comment.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit and permit amendment are 
requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the Regulations 
Governing the Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    File No. 1065-1749:The applicant requests a 5-year permit to 
develop a heart rate logger and surgical procedures for implanting 
instruments in pinnipeds in general and in Steller sea lions 
(Eumetopias jubatus) in particular. The applicant proposes to use 
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), Northern elephant seals 
(Mirounga angustirostris), and Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) 
from animals in rehabilitation at The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC) in 
Sausalito, California, for development and monitoring trials. The 
purpose of the implantable heart rate logger is to measure heart rate 
and body temperature over periods of months to years, allowing 
estimation of field metabolic rates which will enable greatly improved 
assessment of food requirements of free-ranging individuals over more 
representative samples of their life histories than has been possible 
thus far. While actual numbers will vary depending on availability, the 
total number of marine mammals proposed for the trials is up to six 
individuals of each species over five years.
    Permit No. 1034-1685: Permit No. 1034-1685, issued on March 17, 
2003 (68 FR 20117) and which expires on April 30, 2008, currently 
authorizes the holder to surgically implant transmitters in 30 
rehabilitated California sea lions at TMMC to determine long-term post-
release survival rates; attach external tags for short-term monitoring; 
blood sample to assess stress and health; and assess body condition 
through blubber biopsies, bioelectrical impedance analysis, deuterium 
dilution determinations, and blubber ultrasound measurements. 
Researchers may perform blood and blubber sampling, bioelectrical 
impedance analyses, deuterium dilutions, and blubber ultrasound 
measurements on an additional 90 control animals. The permit holder 
requests an amendment to study the adrenal response of California sea 
lions. A total of up to six sea lions undergoing rehabilitation at TMMC 
would be injected intramuscularly with adrenocorticotropic hormone and 
have pre-injection and post-injection blood samples taken while under 
anesthesia for analysis of glucocorticoids. Feces would also be 
collected for analysis.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that 
the activities proposed are categorically excluded from the requirement 
to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact 
statement.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: June 8, 2004.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-13732 Filed 6-17-04; 8:45 am]
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