[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21112-21113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08166]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XB161


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 16992 and 14535

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that (1) Paul Nachtigall, Ph.D., Hawaii 
Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, P.O. Box 1106, 
Kailua, HI 96734, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct 
research on captive cetaceans; and (2) Colleen Reichmuth, Ph.D., Long 
Marine Laboratory, University of California at Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer 
Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, has applied in due form for an amendment to 
Permit No. 14535-01 to conduct research on captive pinnipeds.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before May 9, 2013.

ADDRESSES: The applications 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 
Nos. 16992 and 14535 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment in the following offices:
    File Nos. 16992 and 14535: 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;
    File No. 16992: Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., 
Room 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808) 944-2200; fax (808) 
973-2941; and
    File No. 14535: Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562) 980-4001; fax (562) 980-
4018.
    Written comments on the applications 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 ``File No. 16992'' 
or ``File No. 14535'' in the subject line of the email comment.

[[Page 21113]]

    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 either of these applications would be appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore (File No. 16992) and 
Amy Sloan (File No. 14535) at 301-427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit and permit amendment are 
requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the regulations 
governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    File No. 16992: The applicant has requested a five-year permit to 
continue research activities currently authorized under Permit No. 978-
1857. The purpose of this research is to study basic hearing and 
echolocation in three bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and one 
false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) maintained in captivity at 
the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology in Kaneohe, HI. Researchers 
would conduct hearing measurements using suction cup sensors to monitor 
electrical signals in the brain in response to sound and echolocation 
clicks. Temporary threshold shift (TTS) experiments would be conducted 
on one adult male bottlenose dolphin to provide basic measures of low 
frequency TTS necessary for establishing regulations for sound levels 
for navy sonars and geophysical oil exploration arrays. The research is 
accomplished using trained behaviors in which the animals voluntarily 
participate and can leave the testing area at any time.
    File No. 14535: The applicant requests an amendment to Permit No. 
14535-01 (75 FR 58352) to allow the addition of TTS studies to the 
currently approved research activities for captive pinnipeds held at 
Long Marine Laboratory in Santa Cruz, CA. This research may be 
conducted with up to two individuals from each of three species of ice 
seal: spotted (Phoca largha), ringed (Phoca hispida), and bearded 
(Erignathus barbatus) seals trained for participation in ongoing 
behavioral hearing studies. The proposed research will determine the 
onset of TTS as a result of voluntary exposure to single-pulse noise 
events similar to those that might be received by seals during seismic 
testing in arctic waters. This research will provide the first-ever 
direct information about the noise levels that cause a temporary, 
recoverable reduction in hearing sensitivity following exposure events 
in ice seals. Such information will help to fill data gaps on the issue 
of assessing potential adverse effects of industrial noise on arctic 
seals. The research is accomplished using trained behaviors in which 
the animals voluntarily participate and can leave the testing area at 
any time.
    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 activities proposed are 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 these applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: April 3, 2013.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-08166 Filed 4-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P