[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 161 (Monday, August 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50085-50086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20405]


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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; issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 
16160 has been issued to The Whale Museum (Responsible Party: Jenny 
Atkinson), PO Box 945, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

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
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426.

[[Page 50086]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joselyd Garcia-Reyes or Kristy Beard, 
(301)427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 20, 2012, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (77 FR 36999) that a request for an amendment to 
Permit No. 16160 to conduct research on marine mammals had been 
submitted by the above-named organization. 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.), 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 
parts 222-226).
    The permit has been amended to increase Southern Resident killer 
whale takes to 200 per year. The amended permit is valid through the 
expiration date of the original permit, June 6, 2017.
    An environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the effects of the 
permitted activities on the human environment was prepared in 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS determined 
that issuance of the permit amendment would not significantly impact 
the quality of the human environment and that preparation of an 
environmental impact statement was not required. That determination is 
documented in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), signed on 
June 4, 2012.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit amendment 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: August 13, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-20405 Filed 8-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P