[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31413-31414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15550]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XQ09


Marine Mammals; File No. 774-1847

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

ACTION:  Notice; receipt of application for an amendment

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science 
Center, Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program (Michael Gobel, Ph D, 
Principal Investigator), 3333 N Torrey Pines Ct, La Jolla, CA 92037, 
has requested an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 774-1847-
03.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:  The application and related documents are available for 
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the 
Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
No. 774-1847-04 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment in the following office(s):
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources,

[[Page 31414]]

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 
phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 427-2521.
    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. 774-1847-04.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 774-
1847-03, is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and 
the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals 
(50 CFR part 216).
    Permit No. 774-1847-03, issued on August 14, 2008 (73 FR 49648) 
authorizes the applicant to take up to 710 Antarctic fur seals 
(Arctophalus gazella), 20 leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx), and 180 
southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) annually in Antarctica.. The 
animals are captured, measured, weighed, tagged, blood sampled, 
vibrissae collected, and have time-depth recorders, VHF transmitters, 
and platform terminal transmitters attached. A subset of seals are 
given an enema, have a tooth extracted, milk sampled, blubber/muscle 
sampled, tissue sampled, and are part of a doubly-labeled water study 
on energetics.
    The Permit Holder requests authorization to begin a Weddell seal 
(Leptonychotes weddellii) study to understand movements, site fidelity, 
and demographics of this species in Antarctica. Up to 60 Weddell seals 
would be taken annually. Seals would be instrumented and sampled 
(blood, vibrissae, muscle/blubber, milk, and tissue). The applicant is 
requesting up to 4 research-related mortalities of Weddell seals (2 
adults and 2 juveniles) annually. The applicant also requests 
authorization to deploy microprocessors attached to flipper tags on fur 
seals, increase the number of tissue samples collected from fur seals, 
increase the number of leopard seals and fur seals tagged (for the 
purposes of retagging), and use an unmanned aircraft system for aerial 
photography. These activities are proposed for the duration of the 
permit, which expires on September 30, 2011.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that 
the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    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: June 25, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-15550 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S