[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39749-39750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16911]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC014


Marine Mammals; File No. 17670

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 that the NMFS Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (Responsible 
Party: William Karp, Ph.D.), has applied for an amendment to Scientific 
Research Permit No. 17670-02.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before August 10, 2015.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review by 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 File No. 17670 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: Amy Sloan or Courtney Smith, (301) 
427-8401.

[[Page 39750]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 17670-02 
is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the regulations 
governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    Permit No. 17670-00 issued on April 11, 2013 (77 FR 64959), 
authorized the permit holder to take gray (Halichoerus grypus), harbor 
(Phoca vitulina),, harp (Pagophilus groenlandicus), and hooded 
(Cystophora cristata) seals in waters within or proximal to the U.S. 
EEZ from North Carolina northward to Maine, during conduct of stock 
assessment research, including estimation of distribution and 
abundance, determination of stock structure, habitat requirements, 
foraging ecology, health assessment and effects of natural and 
anthropogenic factors. Types of take include harassment during 
shipboard, skiff, and aircraft transect and photo-identification 
surveys, and scat collection; and, capture with tissue sampling and 
instrument or tag attachment. A limited number of research-related 
mortality is also allowed, as well as world-wide import and export of 
pinniped samples. The permit was amended on two occasions via minor 
amendments: Permit No. 17670-01 authorized sampling of pinniped 
carcasses aboard commercial fishing vessels; and, Permit No. 17670-02 
authorized nail clipping and fecal loop sampling during permitted 
captures.
    The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to include 
authorization to (1) increase the number of gray and harbor seals 
harassed annually during research; (2) add use of unmanned aircraft 
systems to survey seals; (3) increase the number of gray and harbor 
seals captured and handled for sampling and instrumentation, and 
increase the frequency of sampling; (4) increase the number of biopsy 
samples (from one to two) taken during sampling; (5) add harassment 
from photo-identification of gray seals to study pup molting; (6) 
increase the number of gray and harbor seal samples imported/exported 
annually; (7) increase unintentional mortality including via euthanasia 
in the event sick or injured seals are inadvertently captured. Take 
numbers are enumerated in the amendment request take tables.
    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 this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: July 7, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-16911 Filed 7-9-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P