[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 42551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-16781]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD09


Marine Mammals; File No. 10045

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Samuel Wasser, Ph.D., has been 
issued a permit to conduct research on southern resident killer whales 
(Orcinus orca) for scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit 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)427-2521; and
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 10, 2007, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (72 FR 57523) that a request for a permit to 
conduct research on the species identified above had been submitted by 
the above-named applicant. The requested permit has been issued 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    The permit authorizes the permit holder to closely approach and 
collect fecal samples from southern resident killer whales. The purpose 
of the research is to investigate the impacts of prey availability, 
toxins, and vessel traffic on killer whales using hormone fecal 
analysis.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an environmental assessment (EA) was prepared 
analyzing the effects of the permitted activities on the human 
environment. Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS determined that 
issuance of the permit would not significantly impact the quality of 
the human environment and that preparation of an environmental impact 
statement was not required. That determination is documented in a 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), signed on July 8, 2008.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit: (1) Was applied for in good faith; (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and (3) is 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA.

    Dated: July 15, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-16781 Filed 7-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S