[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46521-46522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17668]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 072904A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 369-1757

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

ACTION: Receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Bruce R. Mate, Ph.D., Hatfield 
Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, has 
applied in due form for a permit to take large whales, and other non-
endangered species for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before September 2, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment: (See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application 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 this particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)713-0376, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.
    Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for 
providing email comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 369-1757.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 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 222-226).
    The Applicant requests a permit to conduct the following 
activities:
    (1) Tag 200 each of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), blue 
whales (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), 
gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), North Atlantic right whales 
(Eubalaena glacialis), southern right whales (Eubalaena australis), 
bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), sperm whales (Physeter catodon) 
and 60 North Pacific right whales (Eubalaena japonica) in U.S. and 
foreign waters of the North Atlantic (including Gulf of Mexico), North 
Pacific (including Hawaii), Arctic and Indian Oceans, Beaufort, Bering 
and Chukchi Seas, and international waters of the Mediteranean Sea over 
a 5-year period. No more than 50 of each whale species will be tagged 
in a single year. Up to 200 of each species would be incidentally 
harassed annually. Satellite-monitored radio tags, GPS-linked satellite 
tags and acoustic tags will be deployed to monitor the movements and 
diving behavior of these species. The objectives of the proposed 
research are to: (a) identify migration routes; (b) identify specific 
feeding and breeding grounds for each species, if unknown; (c) 
characterize local movements and dive habits in both feeding and 
breeding grounds, and during migration; (d) examine the relationships 
between movements/dive habits and prey distribution, time of day, 
geographic location, or physical and biological oceanographic 
conditions; (e) provide surfacing-rate information that can be useful 
in the

[[Page 46522]]

development of more accurate abundance estimations; (f) characterize 
whale vocalizations; and (g) characterize sound pressure levels to 
which whales are exposed. Tagged whales will be approached for photo-
identification, behavioral observation and assessment of possible tag 
effects;
    (2) Tag 100 killer whales (Orcinus orca) over a five-year period 
not to exceed 20 in a single year. This would occur on an opportunistic 
basis, should killer whales be encountered during tagging activities 
with other species. The objectives of this research are to document 
killer whale movements and seasonal distribution patterns;
    (3) Conduct non-invasive Level B harassment (photo-identification 
and behavioral observation) on the other non-target non-endangered/
threatened marine mammal species encountered during tagging activities, 
in order to contribute to the knowledge of species (or situations) for 
which little information has been documented; and
    (4) Import and export marine mammal biopsy samples and baleen from 
beach-cast (dead) whales. Baleen will be used for isotopic ratio 
analysis which may help validate movements between ocean areas with 
distinctive isotopic ratio signatures. Biopsy samples would be analyzed 
in different laboratories depending upon the species in question or the 
specific tests being conducted. Samples would imported/exported on a 
worldwide basis.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
    Documents may be reviewed in the following locations:
    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;
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907)586-7221; fax (907)586-7249;
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018;
    Protected Species Coordinator, Pacific Area Office, NMFS, 1601 
Kapiolani Blvd., Rm, 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-
2935; fax (808)973-2941;
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. 
Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; phone (727)570-5301; fax (727)570-5320.

    Dated: July 29, 2004.
Patrick Opay,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-17668 Filed 8-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S