[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36999-37000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15104]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA626


Marine Mammals; File No. 16160

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that The Whale Museum (Responsible 
Party: Jenny Atkinson; Principal Investigator: Eric Eisenhardt), PO Box 
945, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, has applied for an amendment to 
Scientific Research Permit No. 16160.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before July 20, 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 home 
page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 16160 
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: Joselyd Garcia-Reyes or Kristy Beard, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 16160 is 
requested 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 222-226).
    Permit No. 16160, issued on June 5, 2012 (77 FR 35657), authorizes 
takes of eight species of cetaceans in the inland waters of Washington 
State for scientific research. Two of the eight species targeted for 
research are listed as threatened or endangered: Killer whales (Orcinus 
orca) from the Southern Resident stock and humpback whales (Megaptera 
novaeangliae). Other species targeted for research are: Pacific white-
sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), Dall's porpoises 
(Phocoenoides dalli), harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), eastern 
gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), minke whales (B. acutorostrata), 
and killer whales. The research involves harassment by vessel approach 
for photo-identification, behavioral observation, and monitoring. The 
permit expires June 6, 2017.
    The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to increase 
Southern Resident killer whale takes from 50 to 200 per year based on 
recommendations provided during the ESA Section 7 consultation.
    An environmental assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) (signed June 4, 2012) prepared for the permit has 
analyzed the requested 200 Southern Resident killer whale annual takes. 
NMFS determined that 200 Southern Resident killer whale takes would not 
significantly impact the quality of the human environment and that 
preparation of an environmental impact statement was not required. The 
EA and FONSI are available upon request. A Biological Opinion was also 
prepared for the permit, which analyzed 200 Southern Resident killer 
whale takes (signed June 4, 2012) and concluded that the research would 
not jeopardize threatened and endangered species or destroy or 
adversely modify critical habitat. However, the permit authorizes 50 
annual takes of Southern Resident killer whales pending public 
opportunity to comment on the higher take number.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the amendment request to the 
Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.


[[Page 37000]]


    Dated: June 14, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-15104 Filed 6-19-12; 8:45 am]
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