[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60809-60810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23928]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD443


Identifying Research Funding Priorities for a Potential 
Competitive Financial Assistance Program Addressing the Conservation 
and Recovery of Pinnipeds in Waters off Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is considering the adoption of a new competitive, merit-
based, financial assistance program supporting research on Alaska 
pinniped populations (seals and sea lions). To this end, NMFS is 
soliciting comments from the public and the marine mammal research 
community concerning possible program priorities to consider for an 
annual Alaska Pinniped Research Program. The objective of the program 
would be to support effective conservation and management of pinnipeds 
in waters off Alaska through a grant program focused on high priority 
research objectives related to NMFS recovery plans, conservation plans, 
research plans (including those developed with Alaska Native co-
management organizations), or post-delisting monitoring plans for these 
species. Final competitive program priorities will be selected by NMFS 
after considering input received from the public.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than November 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by FDMS docket Number 
NOAA-NMFS-2014-0123, any of the following methods:
    Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0123, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
    Mail: Submit written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant Regional 
Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen 
Sebastian, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
    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 http://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.
    Copies of pertinent NMFS recovery plans, conservations plans, 
research plans (including those developed with Alaska Native co-
management organizations), and post-delisting monitoring plans for 
Alaska pinniped species are available at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Rivera, NMFS Alaska Region, 907-
586-7424, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is responsible for the stewardship, 
conservation, and management of pinniped species in Alaska, including 
the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), Northern fur seal 
(Callorhinus ursinus), ringed seal (Phoca hispida), bearded seal 
(Erignathus barbatus), spotted seal (Phoca largha), ribbon seal 
(Histriophoca fasciata), and harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii). 
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the western Distinct Population 
Segment of Steller sea lions is listed as endangered and the Arctic 
subspecies of ringed seals is listed as threatened. NMFS is entrusted 
with the recovery of these ESA-listed species and under the Marine 
Mammal Protection Act, as well as with the conservation of all pinniped 
populations in waters off Alaska. Additionally, NMFS partners with 
Alaska Native Organization in the co-management of marine mammal stocks 
which are an important subsistence resource throughout Alaska. 
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015, NMFS is considering supporting pinniped 
research in Alaska that would be administered through a competitively-
funded, merit-based grants program.

[[Page 60810]]

This proposed program would restrict its focus on Alaska pinnipeds 
under the statutory jurisdiction of NMFS (seals and sea lions); 
proposals focusing on marine mammals under the jurisdiction of the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service would not be eligible.
    The objectives of a potential Alaska Pinniped Research Program 
would include: 1) Supporting effective conservation and management of 
seals, sea lions, and Northern fur seals in waters off Alaska; and 2) 
Implementing high-priority research objectives or address species 
conservation priorities specified in a NMFS recovery plan, 
conservations plan, research plans (including those developed with 
Alaska Native co-management organizations), or post-delisting 
monitoring plans (for copies of these plans see ADDRESSES).
    This is not a notice of availability of grant funds; moreover, any 
future funding is contingent on availability of funds. NMFS is seeking 
input on specific program priorities that might be considered for 
inclusion in an annual Alaska Pinniped Research Program that addresses 
the above-stated objectives. If NMFS proceeds with such a program, NMFS 
will issue a Federal Funding Opportunity notice to solicit applications 
for grants to address the selected priorities.

    Dated: October 2, 2014.
Perry F. Gayaldo,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-23928 Filed 10-7-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P