[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 58358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23256]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XX47


Marine Mammals; File No. 14097

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. 
14097-01 has been issued to National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) (Responsible Party: Lisa 
Ballance, Ph.D.), Protected Resources Division, 8901 La Jolla Shores 
Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices: 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristy Beard or Amy Hapeman, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 11, 2012, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (77 FR 40859) that a request for an amendment to 
Permit No. 14097-01 to conduct research on 5 pinniped species, 57 
cetacean species, and 5 sea turtle species in U.S. territorial and 
international waters of the Pacific, Southern, Indian, and Arctic 
Oceans 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 (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).
    The amendment authorizes: (1) The attachment of dart/barb tags or 
implantable tags on Arnoux's beaked whales (Berardius arnuxii) in the 
Southern Ocean; and (2) an increase in the takes of pinniped species 
encountered during aerial, ground, and vessel surveys in the Pacific 
Ocean, to account for ten additional surveys per year. The amended 
permit expires June 30, 2015.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a determination was made that issuance of the 
permit is consistent with the Proposed Action Alternative in the 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for Issuance of a Scientific Research 
Permit [File No. 14097] for Pinniped, Cetacean, and Sea Turtle Studies 
(NMFS 2010) and the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 
for Steller Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Research (NMFS 2007). Based 
on that analysis, NMFS determined that issuance of the permit 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 July 1, 2010.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit 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.
    Documents may be reviewed in the following locations:
    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;
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206) 526-6150; fax (206) 526-6426;
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907) 586-7221; fax (907) 586-7249;
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax (562) 980-4018; and
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808) 944-2200; fax (808) 973-2941.

    Dated: September 17, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-23256 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P