[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64247-64248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26288]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XZ51


Marine Mammals; File No. 15543

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 Randall S. Wells, PhD (Principal 
Investigator), Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine 
Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, has applied 
in due form for a permit to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins 
(Tursiops truncatus).

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before November 18, 2010.

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. 15543 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, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room

[[Page 64248]]

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 713-
0376; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, 
Florida 33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309.
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, at the address 
listed above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-
0376, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Please include the 
File No. in the subject line of the e-mail comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 
Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the 
specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be 
appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Morse or Carrie Hubard, (301) 
713-2289.

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.), and the regulations governing the 
taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    The applicant requests a five-year permit to take bottlenose 
dolphins for scientific research. Annually, up to 15,000 individuals 
would be approached for photo-identification and behavioral studies and 
100 dolphins would be remotely biopsy sampled. Fifty dolphins a year 
would be captured, examined, sampled, tagged, marked, and released for 
health assessment studies. Research would occur in the shallow coastal 
waters of west Florida out to 50 nm offshore, with a focus along the 
central west coast, from Clearwater southward to Fort Myers, including 
Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay, Lemon Bay, Gasparilla Sound, Charlotte Harbor, 
and Pine Island Sound. Females with calves less than one year old would 
not be captured. The research would provide crucial background 
information on individual identification, sex, age, reproductive 
status, and genetic relationships to support long-term observational 
studies of population structure, population dynamics, life history, 
social structure, genetic structure including paternity patterns, and 
human interactions. The sampling and tagging would support studies of 
contaminant loads and associated medical effects, immune system 
function, effects of harmful algae, nutritional status, feeding 
behavior, ranging patterns, studies of whistle development and 
function, measures of hearing ability, and behavior associated with 
sound production. Research would also include assessments of oil spill 
impacts at individual and population levels.
    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 the application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: October 13, 2010.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-26288 Filed 10-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P