[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44754-44755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18106]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA840


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 14097 and 16479

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 
14097-03 has been issued to the National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) (Responsible Party: Lisa 
Ballance, Ph.D.), Protected Resources Division, 8901 La Jolla Shores 
Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 and a major amendment to Permit No. 16479-01 
has been issued to The Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) (Responsible 
Party: Gregory Kaufman), 300 Maalaea Road, Suite 211, Wailuku, HI 
96793.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendments and related documents are available 
for review 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 2, 2014 and January 10, 2014, 
notice was published in the Federal Register (79 FR 18527 and 79 FR 
1833) that a request for an amendment to Permit No. 14097-03 and an 
amendment to Permit No. 16479-01, respectively, to conduct research on 
57 cetacean species, including endangered Hawaiian insular false killer 
whales (Pseudorca crassidens), had been submitted by the above-named 
applicants. The requested permit amendments have 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).
    Permit No. 14097-04 authorizes the SWFSC to conduct scientific 
research on 5 pinniped species, 57 cetacean species, and 5 sea turtle 
species in U.S. territorial and international waters of the Pacific, 
Southern, Indian, and Arctic Oceans for three projects. Cetacean 
surveys are conducted to determine the abundance, distribution, 
movement patterns, and stock structure of cetaceans. These studies are 
conducted through vessel surveys, aerial surveys, small plane 
photogrammetry, photo-identification (from vessels and small boats), 
biological sampling, radio tagging, and satellite tagging. The 
amendment to the permit authorizes: (1) The use of an unmanned aerial 
system (UAS) to photograph cetaceans during aerial surveys; (2) collect 
breath samples from gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) using the UAS; 
(3) suction cup tag gray whales; and (4) attach dart/barb tags to 15 
bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and 15 Risso's dolphins (Grampus 
griseus) per year. The permit amendment is valid through June 30, 2015.
    Permit No. 16479-02 authorizes vessel-based research on humpback 
whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in waters around Maui, Hawaii to 
quantify the potential for near misses between vessels and humpback 
whales, and

[[Page 44755]]

define the probability of 'surprise encounters' with humpback whales. 
The permit amendment authorizes PWF to approach false killer whales for 
photo-identification and behavioral observation to study their 
occurrence, distribution, movement, site fidelity, abundance, social 
organization, home ranges, and life history in place of previously 
authorized takes for incidental harassment during vessel surveys. The 
number of annual takes authorized for the stock would not change. The 
permit expires on June 1, 2017.
    An environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the effects of the 
permitted activities on the human environment was prepared in 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) for each permit. Based on the analyses in the EAs, 
NMFS determined that issuance of the amended permits would not 
significantly impact the quality of the human environment and that 
preparation of an environmental impact statement was not required. That 
determination is documented in a Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) for each action, signed on July 7, 2014 (File No. 14097) and 
September 17, 2012 (File No. 16479).
    As required by the ESA, issuance of each permit amendment 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: July 22, 2014.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18106 Filed 7-31-14; 8:45 am]
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