[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18724-18725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8074]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XP18


Marine Mammals; File No. 14334

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that that the Alaska SeaLife Center 
(ASLC), 301 Railway Avenue, Seward, AK 99664 (Dr. Ian Dutton, 
Responsible Party), has been issued a major amendment to Permit No. 
14334.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room

[[Page 18725]]

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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 13, 2010, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (75 FR 77616) that a request for an amendment 
Permit No. 14334 to conduct research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias 
jubatus) had been submitted by the above-named applicant. The requested 
permit amendment 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).
    Permit No. 14334-01 increases the number of Steller sea lion 
mortalities allowed under the permit (from two to four over the 
duration of the permit), authorizes the transfer of sea lions to and 
from an additional facility (The Dolfinarium in Harderwijk, 
Netherlands), and makes a correction to an error in the take table.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NMFS has determined that the activities 
proposed are consistent with the Preferred Alternative in the Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Steller Sea Lion and 
Northern Fur Seal Research (NMFS 2007), and that issuance of the permit 
would not have a significant adverse impact on the human environment.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit 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: March 21, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-8074 Filed 4-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P