[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 45 (Thursday, March 6, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12137-12138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4374]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF97


Marine Mammals; File No. 10137

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 the NMFS Pacific Islands 
Fisheries Science Center, Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), 2570 
Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396 (Responsible Party: George A. 
[Bud] Antonelis, Jr.), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct 
research and enhancement activities on Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus 
schauinslandi).

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before April 7, 2008.

ADDRESSES:  The application 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)713-0376; and
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)944-2200; 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)713-0376, 
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. 10137.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit 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).
    The MMRP proposes to continue research and enhancement activities 
on Hawaiian monk seals currently authorized under Permit No. 848-1695. 
The purposes of the proposed activities are to (1) assess survivorship, 
reproductive rates, pup production, condition, abundance, movements 
among subpopulations, and incidence and causes of injury or mortality; 
(2) diagnose disease, monitor exposure to disease, and develop normal 
baseline hematology and biochemistry parameters; (3) conduct activities 
to increase survival of individuals; and (4) investigate foraging 
ecology to determine foraging locations, diving parameters, 
characteristics of foraging substrate, and prey identification and 
foraging behaviors.
    The type and manner of research takes proposed include monitoring 
(ground, vessel, and aerial surveys); marking (bleach marks, flipper 
tags, passive integrated transponder [PIT] tags, photo-identification) 
and measuring (morphometrics); health and disease assessments (capture, 
sedation, biological sampling [swabs, fecal loop, blood, blubber 
biopsy]; administration of an anthelminthic to assess efficacy of 
reducing intestinal parasite loads in pups and juveniles; import/export 
of specimens; necropsies; and opportunistic specimen collection); and 
foraging studies (instrumentation). The type and manner of enhancement 
takes includes translocations of pups and juveniles to increase 
survival; removal of adult males known to kill immature seals; and 
disentanglements of seals.
    The following takes will occur annually: Up to 1,440 seals of any 
age/sex could be incidentally disturbed from monitoring activities; 200 
seals may be incidentally disturbed during all other research and 
enhancement activities. Up to 1,315 seals will be bleach marked, and a 
total of 556 seals of any size or sex except lactating females and 
nursing pups will be flipper and PIT tagged, measured, and sampled for 
flipper plugs (includes retagging). Up to 80 seals of any age/sex will 
be sampled for health and disease screening, tagged, and measured. Up 
to 75 immature seals of either sex will be translocated. Up to 50 seals 
of any age/sex except lactating females or nursing pups will be 
externally tagged with instrumentation, flipper/PIT tagged, and sampled 
for health and disease screening (additional to above screening). Up to 
200 seals of either sex, up to age 3 years, will be treated for 
intestinal parasites. An unlimited number of seals will be 
disentangled. Necropsies will be performed on all carcasses, and 
samples (molt, scat, spew, urine, placentae) will be collected 
opportunistically from beaches. Samples may be exported/imported for 
analysis.
    The following takes may occur over the 5-year duration of the 
permit: Up to 5 adult males may be relocated or removed to enhance 
survival of immature animals; up to 10 moribund seals of any age/sex 
may be humanely euthanized or die incidental to handling; up to 5 
incidental mortalities may occur during research and enhancement 
activities.
    Other species which may be incidentally taken annually are 
threatened green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and endangered Laysan finches 
(Telespyza cantans). Non-listed marine mammals that may be incidentally 
taken are spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris).
    Geographic locations of the take include the Hawaiian Archipelago 
(Main Hawaiian Islands and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands) and Johnston 
Atoll. Specimen samples may be imported/exported world-wide. The permit 
is requested for a 5-year period.

[[Page 12138]]

    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: March 3, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-4374 Filed 3-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S