[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 221 (Thursday, November 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 69743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22811]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 110905H]


Marine Mammals; File No. 1076-1789

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks 
and Aquariums, 418 North Pitt Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 
[Kristi West, Ph.D., Principal Investigator], has applied in due form 
for a permit to import and export parts from all cetaceans and pinniped 
species (excluding walrus) for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
December 19, 2005.

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)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.
    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. 1076-1789.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore (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.), the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), and the Fur Seal 
Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums members 
participate in multiple research and husbandry programs with the 
overall objective to study and document the health and biology of wild 
marine mammals as well as those marine mammals maintained in public 
display, research, or stranding facilities. To fully achieve this 
objective, the applicant is requesting a permit to import/export parts 
and specimen samples (hard and soft parts) collected from all species 
of marine mammals (all cetaceans and pinnipeds, except for walrus). The 
majority of the specimens will be obtained from animals maintained in 
Alliance member facilities for public display. However, specimens from 
stranded animals and those involved in legally authorized research 
projects would also be covered by this permit. Topics of particular 
interest include diseases of marine mammals, effects of environmental 
contaminants, artificial insemination, stock structure, age 
determination, mortality determinations, pregnancy rates, calf 
production, feeding habits and nutrition, and distribution. Parts and 
specimen samples may be taken at any time during the year and in all 
areas worldwide. The requested duration of the permit is five years.
    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 activity proposed is 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 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; http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/review.htm;
    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;
    Pacific Islands Region, 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;
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.

    Dated: November 10, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-22811 Filed 11-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S