[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 28 (Monday, February 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 6533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2338]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020507B]


Marine Mammals; File No. 731-1774

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Robin Baird, Ph.D., Cascadia 
Research, 218 1/2 W. 4\th\ Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501, has requested an 
amendment to scientific research Permit No. 731-1774.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before March 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The amendment request 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 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. 731-1774.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 731-
1774, issued on September 16, 2005, and most recently amended on 
December 29, 2006, is requested 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).
    Permit No. 731-1774, issued to Robin Baird, Ph.D. (Cascadia 
Research) authorizes vessel approaches, aerial over-flights, photo-
identification, video and audio recording and suction cup tagging of 
cetacean species in all U.S. and international waters in the Pacific, 
including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, and other 
U.S. territories. The objectives of the research are to assess cetacean 
populations and to study diving and night-time behavior, social 
organization, and inter-specific interactions. The purpose of the 
modification is to enhance the examination of movements (for stock 
structure assessment) and habitat use of: Blainville's (Mesoplodon 
densirostris), Cuvier's (Ziphius cavirostris), Longman's (Indopacetus 
pacificus), and Baird's (Berardius bairdii) beaked whales, short-finned 
pilot (Globicephala macrorhynchus), non-Southern Resident killer 
(Orcinus orca), pygmy killer (Feresa attenuata), melon-headed 
(Peponocephala electra), and false killer (Pseudorca crassidens) 
whales, bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus), rough-toothed (Steno 
bredanensis), and Risso's (Grampus griseus) dolphins, and dwarf (Kogia 
sima) and pygmy (Kogia breviceps) sperm whales using satellite tagging 
with dart tags. For each species, up to 20 individuals may be dart 
tagged per year for the duration of the permit. Incidental harassment 
of non-target animals is already authorized no additional harassment 
takes are requested. Dart tagging would occur concurrently with already 
permitted activities, primarily in Hawaiian waters, though some species 
may be tagged opportunistically elsewhere where activities are 
authorized. No takes by dart tagging or additional incidental takes of 
ESA listed species are requested. The amended permit, if issued, would 
be valid until the permit expires on August 31, 2010.
    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;
    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; and
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941.

    Dated: February 6, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-2338 Filed 2-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S