[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4013-4014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1700]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XU87


Marine Mammals; File No. 15126

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 a major amendment to Permit No. 
15126-01 has been issued to NMFS National Marine Mammal Laboratory 
(Responsible Party: Dr. John Bengtson, Director), Seattle, WA.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review 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
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) 427-
8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 25, 2011, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (76 FR 72681) that a request for an amendment 
Permit No. 15126-01 to conduct research on marine mammals 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).
    The permit has been amended to include harassment of ribbon seals 
(Phoca fasciata), spotted seals (P. largha), ringed seals (P. hispida), 
and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) in the North Pacific Ocean, 
Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean, and coastal regions of Alaska during aerial 
surveys conducted from either rotary or fixed wing manned or unmanned 
aircraft. The amendment does not change the duration of the permit, 
which expires on March 30, 2015.
    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

[[Page 4014]]

activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

    Dated: January 20, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-1700 Filed 1-25-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P