[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 110 (Friday, June 7, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34309-34310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13514]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 223 and 224

[Docket No. NOAA-NMFS-2012-0236]
RIN 0648-XC365


Endangered and Threatened Species; Extension of Public Comment 
Period Soliciting Information about Harbor Seals in Iliamna Lake, 
Alaska

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

ACTION: Extension of public comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, NMFS, are extending the public comment period soliciting 
information to inform our status review of Pacific harbor seals (Phoca 
vitulina richardii) in Iliamna Lake, Alaska. On May 17, 2013, we 
published a notice announcing a positive 90-day finding on a petition 
to list the harbor seals in Iliamna Lake as threatened or endangered 
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and we initiated a status 
review. As part of that notice, we solicited scientific and commercial 
information about the status of the seals and announced a 60-day 
comment period to end on July 16, 2013. Today, we extend the public 
comment period to August 16, 2013.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of comments is extended from July 16, 
2013, to August 16, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments about the harbor seals in Iliamna 
Lake, identified by FDMS Docket Number NOAA-NMFS-2012-0236, by any of 
the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/

[[Page 34310]]

!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2012-0236, click the ``Comment 
Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your 
comments.
     Mail: Address written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant 
Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802-1668.
     Fax: Address written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant 
Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Fax comments to 907-586-7557.
     Hand delivery to the Federal Building: Address written 
comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected 
Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Deliver comments 
to 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Interested persons may obtain a copy of the petition online at the 
NMFS Alaska Region Web site: http://www.alaskafisheris.noaa.gov/protectedresources/seals/harbor.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mandy Migura, NMFS Alaska Region, 
(907) 271-1332; Jon Kurland, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7638; or 
Lisa Manning, NMFS Office of Protected Resources, (301) 427-8466.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On May 17, 2013, we published a notice (78 FR 29098) announcing a 
positive 90-day finding on a petition to list harbor seals in Iliamna 
Lake, Alaska under the ESA and initiated a status review. In that 
notice we also solicited comments and information from the public about 
the harbor seals in Iliamna Lake to be considered during the status 
review.
    We have received a request from the Bristol Bay Native Association/
Bristol Bay Marine Mammal Council to extend the public comment period 
by a minimum of 30 days. This extension would allow the communities of 
Bristol Bay and Iliamna Lake more time to comment because the current 
schedule overlaps with their summer subsistence and commercial fishing 
seasons. We considered this request and concluded that a 30-day 
extension should allow sufficient time for responders to submit 
comments without significantly delaying the completion of the status 
review. We are therefore extending the close of the public comment 
period from July 16, 2013, to August 16, 2013. Although we have 
extended the public comment period, we are unable to extend the 
deadline for completing the status review. As such, we urge members of 
the public to submit their comments as soon as possible to allow us 
more time to review and incorporate the submitted information where 
appropriate.

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: June 4, 2013.
Helen M. Golde,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-13514 Filed 6-6-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P