[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 267-268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33765]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA915


Marine Mammals; File No. 16621

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 Alejandro Acevedo-
Guti[eacute]rrez, Ph.D., Biology Department, Western Washington 
University, Bellingham, WA has applied in due form for a permit to 
conduct research on harbor seals (Phoca vitulina).

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before February 3, 2012.

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. 16621 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment in the following offices:
    Permits and Conservation 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
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206) 526-6150; fax (206) 526-6426.
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above. 
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-0376, or by 
email 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 and Conservation 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 Joselyd Garcia-Reyes, 
(301) 427-8401.

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 address the 
interactions between humans and harbor seals in the Salish Sea, USA. 
They propose to estimate harbor seal response to (1) different kayak 
speeds in four haul-out sites to recommend management policies and (2) 
calls from bald eagles at two haul-out sites with different levels of 
boat traffic to estimate the effect of human activity on the response 
of seals to natural predators. The applicant

[[Page 268]]

requests harassment of 13,600 harbor seals annually from ground 
surveys, and 50,000 annually from vessel surveys and playback 
experiments. The geographic locations of the proposed study are the 
Washington State inland waters of the Salish Sea: two haul-out sites in 
Puget Sound and four haul-out sites in the vicinity of Sucia Island, in 
the San Juan Islands.
    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: December 28, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-33765 Filed 1-3-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P