[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60107-60108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24206]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC218


Marine Mammals; File No. 17298

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 Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, 
Connecticut 06355 [Responsible Party: Stephen Coan], has applied in due 
form for a permit to collect, import, export, and receive marine mammal 
parts for scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before November 1, 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. 17298 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
    Northeast Region, NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 
01930; phone (978) 281-9328; fax (978) 281-9394.
    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 Amy Sloan, 
(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.), 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.), the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), and the Fur Seal 
Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    The objective of this application is to support multiple ongoing 
research programs at the Mystic Aquarium, including studies of diet and 
nutrition, disease, immune function, environmental stressors, 
toxicology and health of marine mammals. Mystic Aquarium requests the 
annual collection, receipt, import and export of samples from 5,000 
individual cetaceans and 5,000 individual pinnipeds under NMFS 
jurisdiction for continued research on these species.

[[Page 60108]]

Please refer to the following Web site for the list of species: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs_cfm/species_lists.cfm. The applicant is 
requesting samples of marine mammals legally taken in the countries of 
origin that are the product of a legal subsistence hunt, incidental by-
catch, routine husbandry/medical examinations of legally held captive 
animals, stranded animals in foreign countries, and samples taken under 
other permitted research activities. No takes of live animals, direct 
or indirect, are requested in this application. Mystic Aquarium 
requests the permit be valid for five years.
    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: September 25, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-24206 Filed 10-1-12; 8:45 am]
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