[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 125 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37060-37061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5815]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 062106A]


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 1034-1854 and 1070-1783

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that applications have been received 
for a permit and a permit amendment for scientific research on marine 
mammals.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before July 31, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The applications 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)427-2521;
    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
    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 submitted 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 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, 
as applicable: File No. 1034-1854 or 1070-1783.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit (File No. 1034-1854) and 
amendment to Permit No. 1070-1783 are requested under the authority of 
the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et 
seq.), and the Regulations Governing the Taking and Importing of Marine 
Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    File No. 1034-1854: Dr. Markus Horning, Department of Fisheries & 
Wildlife, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 
SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, has applied for a permit to 
conduct research on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) to study 
aging; and specifically, to compare oxygen handling, body condition, 
muscle physiology, and foraging behavior in young adults and old 
adults. Over a 2-year period, up to 48 animals would have some or all 
of the following procedures performed: capture, sedation; 
morphometrics; ultrasound; blood and muscle samples taken; 
administration of Evans blue dye and deuterium oxide; external data 
recorders attached to pelage and internal data recorders administered 
by gavage; release; recapture to add device to manipulate energy 
expenditure; and recapture to remove instruments. Up to 250 animals 
seals would be incidentally harassed during these activities. Samples 
would be imported into the U.S. for analyses. A 5-year permit is 
requested to accommodate potential future studies and import of 
additional samples.
    File No. 1070-1783: Dr. Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez, Biology 
Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9160, 
has requested an amendment to Permit No. 1070-1783 for research on 
seals in Washington. This permit, issued on March 13, 2006 (71 FR 
14503), authorizes aerial and vessel surveys of harbor seals (Phoca 
vitulina) and fecal sample collections from rookeries and haul-out 
sites in inland waters of Washington. The permit holder requests

[[Page 37061]]

authorization to (1) increase the number of seals harassed in Padilla 
and Samish Bays (from 1500 to 2000 with 20 takes per seal in 2006, and 
to 4000 with 20 takes per seal per year from 2007 to 2010); and (2) 
extend the location of the research to include a floating dock used as 
a haul-out in Drayton Harbor, with up to 4800 harbor seals harassed (48 
times per seal per year) at this location from 2006 to 2010. The 
purposes of this amendment request are to increase the sample size to 
provide a more robust sample size and extend the location of research 
to include seals throughout the region. The amendment would be valid 
for the duration of the permit, which expires on March 31, 2011.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of these applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: June 22, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-5815 Filed 6-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S