[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31314-31315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12680]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XS35


Marine Mammals; File No. 14450

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 
14450-01 has been issued to the National Marine Fisheries Service's 
Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, 
Miami, FL 33149 [Principal Investigator: Dr. Keith Mullin].

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review 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;

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore or Amy Hapeman, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 14, 2014, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (79 FR 14484) that a request for an amendment 
Permit No. 14450 to conduct research on cetaceans had been submitted by 
the above-named applicant. The requested permit amendment has been 
issued 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 (ESA; 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).
    The permit amendment authorizes takes by harassment during 
satellite tagging to support NMFS stock assessment research on ESA-
listed large whales that occur in U.S. and international waters of the 
western North Atlantic. Up to four attempts may be made to attach a tag 
to an animal. Directed satellite tagging efforts may be conducted to 
tag 20 sperm whales and 5 North Atlantic right whales. Opportunistic 
tagging would occur of 10 fin, 5 blue, 5 sei, and 10 humpback whales 
when encountered during other

[[Page 31315]]

SEFSC assessment surveys. The permit expires on February 28, 2019.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the 
activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit was based on a 
finding that such permit: (1) Was applied for in good faith; (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and (3) is 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA.

     Dated: May 28, 2014.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-12680 Filed 5-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P