[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 85 (Thursday, May 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24564-24565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8398]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 042607A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 727-1915

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 Scripps Institute of 
Oceanography, University of California, 8635 Discovery Way, La Jolla, 
CA 92093, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on 
marine mammals for scientific research purposes.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before June 4, 2007.

ADDRESSES:  The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    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; and
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941.
    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. 727-1915.

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

[[Page 24565]]


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.), the regulations governing the taking 
and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 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).
    The applicant requests authority to study 31 cetacean species 
including blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), 
and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales. The purpose of the 
research is to improve baseline data on marine mammal status, 
abundance, stock structure, life history, seasonal distribution, and 
acoustic communication and behavior of non-ESA and ESA listed species. 
Activities include photo-identification, biopsy, suction-cup tagging, 
and fecal sampling. Research would be conducted in the Pacific Ocean 
off the west coast of the United States and around the Hawaiian 
Islands. No mortality of animals is requested. The permit would be 
issued for five years.
    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.

    Dated: April 26, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-8398 Filed 5-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S