[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 1027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00072]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[File No. 18662]
RIN 0648-XD694


Marine Mammals

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Allyson Hindle, Assistant 
Professor of Anesthesia, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit 
Street, Thier 503, Boston, MA 02114, has applied in due form for a 
permit to receive, import, and export specimens of marine mammals for 
scientific research purposes.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before February 9, 2015.

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 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
No. 18662 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. 18662 
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: Rosa L. Gonz[aacute]lez or Amy Sloan, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 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.), the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), and the Fur Seal 
Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    The applicant proposes to receive, import, and export tissue and 
other specimen materials (e.g., body fluids) for comparative research 
on the physiology and other biological aspects of marine mammals. 
Unlimited samples from up to 200 individual cetaceans and 200 
individual pinnipeds (excluding walrus) are requested to be received, 
imported, or exported annually on an opportunistic basis. Marine mammal 
samples will be collected by others under separate existing permits and 
may be obtained from the following sources: (1) Animals killed during 
legal subsistence harvests in the U.S. and abroad; (2) animals that 
died incidental to legal commercial fishing operations in the U.S. and 
in foreign countries (i.e., bycatch); (3) animals stranded alive or 
dead in foreign countries; (4) samples collected from captive animals, 
including live animals and those that die in captivity, where such 
samples were taken as a result of routine husbandry/medical procedures/
examination or under separate permit or authorization in the U.S. and 
abroad; and (5) samples from other permitted research in the U.S. and 
abroad. Samples collected from stranded animals in the U.S. and 
received under separate authorization may be exported and re-imported. 
No takes of live animals is requested or would be permitted. The 
applicant has requested a 5-year permit.
    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 activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: December 29, 2014.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-00072 Filed 1-7-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P