[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-33309]



[[Page 542]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA123


Marine Mammals; File No. 15616

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 Craig Matkin, North Gulf Oceanic 
Society, Homer, AK, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct 
research on marine mammals.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before February 4, 2011.

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. 15616 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 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 713-0376; and
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907) 586-7221; fax (907) 586-7249.
    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 email 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: Tammy Adams or Kristy Beard, (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 study marine mammals 
in Alaskan waters, including southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound, 
the Kenai Peninsula, the Eastern Aleutian Islands, and the Bering Sea. 
The purpose of the research is to maintain a long-term killer whale 
(Orcinus orca) monitoring program in Alaskan waters that was initiated 
over 25 years ago. In addition, the permit holder would examine 
movements of other non-endangered cetacean species along the North Gulf 
Coast of Alaska in relation to U.S. Navy testing activities. The 
proposed research activities include photo-identification, passive 
acoustic recording, biopsy sampling, tagging with barbed darts and 
suction cups, and collecting samples of marine mammal carcasses from 
sites of killer whale predation.
    The applicant requests to photoidentify and acoustically record 
(PI), biopsy sample (BS), attach barbed dart satellite tags (DT), and 
suction cup tags (ST) to the following cetacean species: killer whales 
(PI 2000, BS 100, DT 75, ST 75), gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus; PI 
100, BS 8, DT 25), Baird's beaked whales (Berardius bairdii; PI 50, BS 
8, DT 8), Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris; PI 50, BS 8, DT 
8), and Stejneger's beaked whales (Mesoplodon stejnegeri; PI 50, BS 8, 
DT 8). Prey remains would be collected from carcasses of the following 
species: 15 minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), 25 gray whale, 
15 harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), 15 Dall's porpoise 
(Phocoenoides dalli), 25 harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), 15 Pacific 
white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), 25 northern fur 
seals (Callorhinus ursinus), 25 other ``unidentified'' cetaceans, and 
25 other ``unidentified'' pinnipeds.
    An initial determination has been made in compliance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) 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: December 29, 2010.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-33309 Filed 1-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P