[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 47 (Monday, March 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10986-10987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4445]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 030607D]


Marine Mammals; File No. 774-1714

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 the National Marine Fisheries 
Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) (Stephen B. Reilly, 
Ph.D., Principal Investigator), Protected Resources Division, 8604 La 
Jolla Shores Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037, has requested an amendment to 
scientific research Permit No. 774-1714-05.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before April 11, 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. 774-1714.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Carrie Hubard, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 774-
1714, issued on June 30, 2004 (68 FR 57673), 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), the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the regulations 
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and 
threatened species (50 CFR 222-226).
    Permit No. 774-1714-05 authorizes the SWFSC to conduct research on 
seven pinniped species, 53 cetacean species, and five sea turtle 
species in the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern Oceans. 
The permit authorizes Level B harassment during aerial and vessel 
surveys for photo-identification/photogrammetry, incidental harassment, 
collection of sloughed skin, and salvage of carcasses and parts; Level 
A harassment for capture, biopsy sampling, and tagging activities; and 
the import/export of specimens. The permit holder requests 
authorization to: (1) reorganize their take table to reflect annual 
takes instead of 5-year cumulative takes; (2) increase the number of 
animals harassed during aerial and vessel surveys, biopsy sampled, and/
or tagged for several cetacean species; (3) collapse authorized takes 
of six cetacean stocks to the species level; (4) add Antarctic minke 
whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) to species that may be harassed 
during aerial and vessel surveys for photo-id and biopsy sampled; (5) 
add four new cetacean categories for animals that are observed but not 
identifiable during surveys; (6) add 14 cetacean species/stocks to 
those that may be harassed/sampled in the Southern Ocean; and (7) 
satellite tag up to 50 non-endangered killer whales (Orcinus orca) in 
Antarctic waters annually.
    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

[[Page 10987]]

96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941.

    Dated: March 6, 2007.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-4445 Filed 3-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S