[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25668-25669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10104]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XH71


Marine Mammals; File No. 540-1811

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 Mr. John Calambokidis, Cascadia 
Research Collective, Waterstreet Building, 218 1/2 West Fourth Avenue, 
Olympia, WA 89501, has requested an amendment to scientific research 
Permit No. 540-1811.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before June 6, 2008.

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.

[[Page 25669]]

    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 Carrie Hubard, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 540-
1811, issued on March 31, 2006, and most recently amended on June 16, 
2006, 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).
    Permit No. 540-1811, issued to John Calambokidis, currently 
authorizes aerial and vessel surveys, photo-identification, behavioral 
observations, tagging (using suction-cup attached tags), biopsy, video 
and acoustic recording, and incidental harassment of all species of 
odontocetes and baleen whales in the North Pacific Ocean. The purpose 
of the modification is to enhance the examination of movements (for 
stock structure assessment) and habitat use of: blue (Balaenoptera 
musculus), fin (B. physalus), sei (B.a borealis), gray (Eschrichtius 
robustus), sperm (Physeter macrocephalus), Bryde's (B. edeni), humpback 
(Megaptera novaeangliae) and minke (B. acutorostrata) whales, 
Mesoplodon beaked whales (Mesoplodon spp), Cuvier's (Ziphius 
cavirostris) and Baird's (Berardius bairdii) beaked whales, and 
bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and Risso's (Grampus griseus) dolphins 
via dart tagging. For each species, an addition of 20 takes by dart 
tagging are requested, with the exception of sei whales, where only 5 
takes are requested. Additionally, an increase in the number of biopsy 
and suction-cup tagging takes (between 10 - 40 takes) for several 
cetacean species (fin, sperm, and short-finned pilot whales 
(Globicephala macrorhynchus) and Baird's, Cuvier's, and Mesoplodon 
beaked whales) are being requested in order to better increase 
understanding of stock structure and behavior. Takes by Level B 
harassment (e.g., incidental harassment of non-target animals) are 
already authorized under Permit No. 540-1811 and no additional Level B 
harassment takes are requested. Dart tagging will occur concurrently 
with already permitted activities (i.e., vessel surveys, photo-
identification, suction-cup tagging etc), primarily in Californian 
waters, though some species may be tagged opportunistically elsewhere 
where activities are authorized (i.e., U.S. and international waters of 
the Pacific including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and other U.S. 
territories). The amended permit, if issued, would be valid until the 
permit expires on April 14, 2011.
    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; and
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018.

    Dated: May 1, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-10104 Filed 5-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S