[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 18725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8076]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA346


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 14330 and 14335

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following applicants have been 
issued major amendments to permits for research on marine mammals in 
Alaska: (File No. 14330) the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, Tribal 
Government, Ecosystem Conservation Office, St. Paul Island, AK; and 
(File No. 14335) the Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, AK.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendments 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 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: Tammy Adams or Amy Sloan, (301) 713-
2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The requested permit amendments have 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.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting 
of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226), and the 
Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    File No. 14330. On January 4, 2011, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (76 FR 329) that a request for an amendment Permit No. 
14330 to conduct research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) had 
been submitted by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island. The permit 
has been amended to include authorization for harassment of additional 
Steller sea lions and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) on St. Paul, St. 
George, Otter, and Walrus Islands, and Sea Lion Rock, all of the 
Pribilof Island group in the Bering Sea during collection of scat 
samples to be used for characterizing the diet of marine mammals in the 
region. The amendment is valid through August 31, 2014.
    File No. 14335. On December 22, 2010, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (75 FR 80470) that a request for an amendment Permit 
No. 14335 to conduct research on Steller sea lions had been submitted 
by the Alaska SeaLife Center. The permit has been amended to revise 
terms and conditions related to mitigation for temporary captivity, and 
associated post-surgical and hot-branding monitoring.
    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 
amendments would not have a significant adverse impact on the human 
environment.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of these permit amendments 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 31, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-8076 Filed 4-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P