[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 250 (Friday, December 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78407-78408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22332]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 122106C]


Marine Mammals; File No. 555-1870

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 James T. Harvey, Ph.D., Moss 
Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 
95039, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct scientific 
research on harbor seals (Phoca vitulina).

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before January 29, 2007.

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 e-mail comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 555-1870.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Sloan or Dr. Tammy Adams, 
(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.), and the regulations governing the 
taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    The applicant proposes to examine the biology and ecology of harbor 
seals and monitor health and condition of coastal populations of harbor 
seals in California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska over a 5-year 
period. The primary hypotheses are: (1) actual abundance can be 
determined using aerial surveys and a correction factor, and distinct 
stocks exist latitudinally; (2) seals are a major (>5%) source of 
natural mortality for nearshore fishes and cephalopods; (3) pollutants 
and anthropogenic inputs are compromising seal health; (4) human 
disturbance causes increased energetic costs and seals can have 
significant effects on fisheries; (5) dispersal of juvenile harbor 
seals increases survival; and (6) male harbor seals establish 
underwater territories and maintain hierarchies using underwater 
vocalizations and aggression. To test these hypotheses researchers will 
capture a maximum of 670 harbor seals annually. An additional 2,910 
individuals may be taken annually via Level B harassment by incidental 
disturbance during capture or scat collection and exposure to playback 
of vocalizations. Animals captured would have some or all of the 
following procedures done: mass and morphometrics, blubber depth and 
biopsy, lavage/enema, flipper tagging and instrument application, blood 
sample, swabs, and skin and hair sampling. The applicant requests up to 
two incidental mortalities per year.
    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) 427-2521; and
    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; and
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax (562)980-4018.


[[Page 78408]]


    Dated: December 20, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-22332 Filed 12-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S