[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2868-2869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-944]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011707A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 774-1847-01

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for amendment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science 
Center, Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program (Rennie Holt, Ph.D., 
Principal Investigator), 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 
92037, has requested an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 
774-1847.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before February 22, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The amendment request 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; 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 this request 
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 on this particular amendment 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. 774-1847-01.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 774-
1847, issued on September 11, 2006 (71 FR 53423) is 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).
    Permit No. 774-1847 authorizes the permit holder to continue a 
long-term ecosystem monitoring program of pinniped species in the South 
Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The applicant is authorized to take up to 
710 Antarctic fur seals and 20 leopard seals annually. The animals are 
captured, measured, weighed, tagged, blood sampled, and have time-depth 
recorders, VHF transmitters, and platform terminal transmitters 
attached. A subset of fur seals are given an enema, have a tooth 
extracted, milk sampled, and are part of a doubly-labeled water study 
on energetics. A subset of leopard seals are blubber and muscle 
sampled. The permit authorizes the research-related mortality of up to 
three Antarctic fur seals (one adult and two pups) and one leopard seal 
annually.
    The permit holder requests authorization to increase research-
related mortality to eight Antarctic fur seals (3 adults and 5 pups) 
and two leopard seals annually. Permit conditions are such that 
research must be stopped when the mortality level is reached. The 
requested amendment is intended to allow the continuation of the long-
term monitoring studies in the event of greater than anticipated levels 
of research-related mortality.
    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.


[[Page 2869]]


    Dated: January 17, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-944 Filed 1-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S