[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 68 (Wednesday, April 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19579-19580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07956]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XV92


Marine Mammals; File No. 14610

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given the Alaska Department of Fish and Game 
(ADFG), Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK (Principal 
Investigator: Lori Quakenbush), has applied for an amendment to 
Scientific Research Permit No. 14610-02.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before May 9, 2014.

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 home 
page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 14450-01 
from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment in the 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.
    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: Tammy Adams or Courtney Smith, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 14610-02 
is requested 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 parts 222-226).
    On April 20, 2010, notice was published in the Federal Register (75 
FR 20565) that a request for a permit to conduct research on beluga 
whales

[[Page 19580]]

(Delphinapterus leucas), endangered bowhead whales (Balaena 
mysticetus), gray whales (Eschrictius robustus), and endangered 
humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) had been submitted by the 
above-named applicant. The requested permit was issued on May 21, 2010 
(75 FR 30383) for the beluga whale and gray whale projects 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). A decision on 
the bowhead whale and humpback whale projects was deferred pending 
completion of consultation under section 7 of the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
    An amended permit (No. 14610-01) was issued on August 3, 2010 (75 
CFR 50748) under the authority of the MMPA, the regulations governing 
the taking and importing of marine mammals, the ESA, and the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226) to include 
remote biopsy and instrument attachment for bowhead and humpback 
whales. The amended permit is valid through the expiration date of the 
original permit, May 31, 2015.
    The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to include 
authorization for takes during photo-identification efforts to 
determine stock or feeding group affiliation of gray whales encountered 
in Alaskan waters (Chukchi and western Beaufort seas). Photo-
identification, in addition to currently authorized tagging and biopsy 
efforts, will allow larger sample sizes to increase knowledge of gray 
whale movements, habitat use, and behavior relative to industrial 
activities including oil and gas and shipping in the Arctic. The permit 
holder is requesting to take up to 300 gray whales per year by 
harassment during photo-identification efforts, including opportunistic 
encounters during tagging and biopsy activities, and increase 
incidental harassment of gray whales by 50 per year. The permit holder 
is also requesting to alter a current tag attachment method to allow 
for the attachment of a temporary acoustic tag using a two-anchor 
system on bowhead whales. This request is to allow for two much shorter 
anchors with one set of barbs each to be used for the short-term 
attachment of a base-plate for a temporary acoustic tag. The two anchor 
attachment is similar to that used by the LIMPET tag that has been used 
successfully on 13 species of whales. No additional takes are requested 
for tagging activities. The expiration date of the permit would not 
change.
    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 potential environmental impacts of the proposed activity are 
consistent with the effects in the Environmental Assessment and Finding 
of No Significant Impact prepared for issuance of a prior version of 
the permit.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: April 4, 2014.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-07956 Filed 4-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P