[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 219 (Monday, November 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70421-70422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29306]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XS41


Marine Mammals; File No. 87-1851

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 Daniel P. Costa, Ph.D., University 
of California at Santa Cruz, Long Marine Laboratory, 100 Shaffer Road, 
Santa Cruz, CA has been issued a major amendment to Permit No. 87-1851-
03.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review 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) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376; and 
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 
CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax (562) 980-4018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Sloan or Tammy Adams, Ph.D., (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 2, 2011, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (76 FR 46279) that a request for an amendment to 
Permit No. 87-1851-03 to conduct research on Weddell seals 
(Leptonychotes weddellii) 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.), and the regulations governing the taking and 
importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    Permit No. 87-1851-04 changes the expiration date of the permit 
from January 31, 2012 to December 31, 2012, and authorizes capture, 
tagging, and sampling of 35 Weddell seals, and

[[Page 70422]]

weighing 35 Weddell seal nursing pups, during 2012. The amendment also 
increases the number of authorized mortalities from 3 to 4 annually, 
but does not increase the number authorized over the duration of the 
permit (eight total).
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the 
activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

    Dated: November 4, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-29306 Filed 11-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P