[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 44939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18452]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD900


Marine Mammals; File No. 18786

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to NMFS 
Office of Protected Resources, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding 
Response Program (Responsible Party: Teri Rowles, D.V.M., Ph.D.), 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, to take, import, and export 
marine mammals and marine mammal parts for research and enhancement 
purposes.

ADDRESSES: The permit 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 Sloan or Jennifer Skidmore, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 1, 2015, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (80 FR 24903) that a request for a permit to conduct 
research and enhancement on marine mammals had been submitted by the 
above-named applicant. The requested permit 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.), 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.).
    Permit No. 18786 authorizes the MMHSRP to: (1) Carry out response, 
rescue, rehabilitation and release of threatened and endangered marine 
mammals under NMFS jurisdiction (Cetacea and Pinnipedia [excluding 
walrus]), and disentanglement of all marine mammals under NMFS 
jurisdiction, pursuant to sections 109(h), 112(c), and Title IV of the 
MMPA; and, carry out such activities as enhancement pursuant to section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA; (2) Conduct health-related, bona fide 
scientific research studies on marine mammals and marine mammal parts 
under NMFS jurisdiction pursuant to sections 104(c) and Title IV of the 
MMPA and section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA, including research related to 
emergency response that may involve compromised animals, and research 
on healthy animals that have not been subject to emergency response 
(e.g., baseline health studies); (3) Conduct Level B harassment on all 
marine mammal species under NMFS jurisdiction incidental to MMHSRP 
activities in the U.S.; and (4) Collect, salvage, receive, possess, 
transfer, import, export, analyze, and curate marine mammal specimens 
under NMFS jurisdiction for purposes delineated in numbers (1) and (2) 
above. The permit expires June 30, 2020.
    An environmental assessment (EA) was prepared analyzing the effects 
of the permitted activities on the human environment in compliance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 
Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS determined that issuance of the 
permit 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).
    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: July 9, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-18452 Filed 7-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P