[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 26, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43131-43132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14724]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 072005C]


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 782-1768 and 486-1790

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment, receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions: (1) the 
National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 
Seattle, WA (NMML: File No. 782-1768), has been issued a major 
amendment to a permit for research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias 
jubatus) in California and Oregon; and (2) Brent Stewart, Hubbs-Sea 
World Research Institute, 2595 Ingraham Street, San Diego, California 
92109 (File No. 486-1790), has applied for a permit to conduct research 
on California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), northern elephant 
seals (Mirounga angustirostris), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and 
northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) on the southern California 
Channel Islands and surrounding waters.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before August 25, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office(s):
    File Nos. 782-1768 and 486-1790: 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)427-2521;
    File No. 782-1768: Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, 
BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax 
(206)526-6426; and
    File Nos. 782-1768 and 486-1790: 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 the 
application File No. 486-1790 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 on the application File No. 486-1790 may also be submitted 
by facsimile at (301)427-2521, provided the facsimile is confirmed by 
hard copy submitted by mail and postmarked no later than the closing 
date of the comment period.
    In addition, comments on the application File No. 486-1790 may 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. 486-1790.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: File No. 782-1768: On June 4, 2003, notice 
was published in the Federal Register (68 FR 33477) that a request for 
a scientific research permit to take Steller sea lions and other 
pinnipeds California and Oregon had been submitted by NMML (File No. 
782-1702). The requested permit was issued on October 10, 2003 (68 FR 
58663) 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, this permit did not include the requested capture, sampling, 
and marking of Steller sea lions in California and Oregon. A decision 
on these activities was deferred pending completion of the appropriate 
analyses under the ESA and the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
    In compliance with NEPA, an environmental assessment was prepared 
analyzing the effects of the proposed permitted activities. After a 
Finding of No Significant Impact, the determination was made that it 
was not necessary to prepare an environmental impact statement. 
Subsequent to that analysis, a decision was made by the applicant and 
the NMFS to include the activities on Steller sea lions in California 
and Oregon proposed for File No. 782-1702 in a permit recently issued 
to NMML for range-wide studies of Steller sea lions, Permit No. 782-
1768-00. Permit No. 782-1768-00 was issued on May 31, 2005 (70 FR 
35065). The amendment to Permit No. 782-1768-00 now incorporates 
capture, blood and tissue sampling, hot-branding, flipper tagging, and 
attachment of scientific instruments to up to 12 Steller sea lions per 
year in California and Oregon to determine predation rates of 
individual sea lions on endangered salmonids, to perform disease 
screening and genetic analyses, and to document movements and migration 
rates of individuals.
    Issuance of this amendment to Permit No. 782-1768-00, 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 such 
endangered species; and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.
    File No. 486-1790: 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.) and the Regulations Governing the Taking 
and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    The applicant, Dr. Stewart, proposes to capture individuals of any 
age of the above mentioned pinniped species for continuation of studies 
begun in 1978 on the demography, physiological ecology, foraging 
ecology, and behavior of pinnipeds in California. Marine mammals would 
be captured by a variety of techniques; physically or chemically 
immobilized; have blood, skin, blubber, muscle, urine, feces, and

[[Page 43132]]

various skin and mucousal swabs collected; receive flipper tags; have 
radio transmitters attached; receive exams of musculoskeletal and 
cardiovascular systems, ears, nares, oral cavity, and eyes. Dr. Stewart 
requests allowance for mortality of up to two animals of each species 
per year incidental to the research.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the application from Dr. 
Stewart, File No. 486-1790, to the Marine Mammal Commission and its 
Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: July 20, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-14724 Filed 7-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S