[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 14218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05471]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC986


Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; 
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Surveys 
on the South Farallon Islands, California

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

ACTION: Notice; withdrawal of an incidental take authorization 
application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Ocean Service's 
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Gulf of the Farallones National 
Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS) has withdrawn its application for an 
Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA). The following action is in 
relation to a proposed IHA to GFNMS for the take of small numbers of 
marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to rocky intertidal 
monitoring work and searching for black abalone, components of the 
Sanctuary Ecosystem Assessment Surveys.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the application, which contains several 
attachments, including COP's marine mammal mitigation and monitoring 
plan and Plan of Cooperation, can be viewed on the internet at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Candace Nachman, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 12, 2013, NMFS received an 
application from GFNMS for the taking of marine mammals incidental to 
rocky intertidal monitoring work and searching for black abalone. NMFS 
determined that the application was adequate and complete on November 
14, 2013. The requested IHA was for an authorization to take, by Level 
B harassment, small numbers of five species of marine mammals 
incidental to GFNMS' rocky intertidal monitoring work and the search 
for black abalone in areas previously unexplored for black abalone from 
January 25 through February 1, 2014. NMFS published a Notice of 
Proposed IHA, initiating a 30-day public comment period, on November 
27, 2013 (78 FR 70921). On January 14, 2014, NMFS accepted notice from 
GFNMS withdrawing their IHA application for the proposed action. The 
trip was cancelled due to a lack of funding. Therefore, NMFS did not 
issue an IHA for the proposed specified activity.

Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-05471 Filed 3-12-14; 8:45 am]
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