[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 168 (Monday, August 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52453-52454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21390]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE009


Marine Mammals; File Nos. 18722, 18897, 19425, and 19497

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that permits have been issued to the 
following entities to receive, import, and export specimens of marine 
mammals for scientific research:
    Permit No. 18722: Cornell University, 157 Biotechnology Building, 
Ithaca, NY 14850 [Responsible Party: Sharron Mitchell, Ph.D.];
    Permit No. 18897: Kathleen Colegrove, Ph.D., University of 
Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zoological Pathology Program, 
LUMC Room 0745, Building 101, 2160 South First Street, Maywood, IL 
60153;
    Permit No. 19425: Melissa McKinney, Ph.D., University of 
Connecticut, Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, 3107 
Horsebarn Hill Road, U-4210, Storrs, CT 06269; and
    Permit No. 19497: University of Florida, College of Veterinary 
Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology V3-100, VAB, 
PO BOX 110880, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0880 [Responsible Party: Thomas 
B. Waltzek, D.V.M., Ph.D.].

ADDRESSES: The permits 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: The following Analysts at (301) 427-
8401: Rosa L. Gonz[aacute]lez (Permit No. 19497), Carrie Hubard (Permit 
No. 19425), Brendan Hurley (Permit Nos. 18722 and 18897) and Jennifer 
Skidmore (Permit Nos. 18722, 18897, 19425, and 19497).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 26, 2015, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (80 FR 36768) that four requests for permits to 
receive, import, and export specimens of marine mammals for scientific 
research had been submitted by the above-named applicants. The 
requested permits 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.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, 
and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-
226), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et 
seq.).
    Permit No. 18722 authorizes Cornell University to receive, import, 
or export unlimited samples from up to 2000 pinnipeds (excluding 
walrus) and 2000 cetaceans world-wide. These samples will be used for 
genotyping on marine mammals including trait mapping, population/
ecological studies, and germplasm characterization. No live animals 
would be harassed or taken, lethally or otherwise, under the authorized 
permit. The permit is valid through August 10, 2020.
    Permit No. 18897 authorizes Dr. Colegrove to import unlimited 
biological samples from up to 100 individual cetaceans and up to 100 
individual pinnipeds (except walrus) world-wide. All samples (bones and 
organ tissue samples) are being imported for diagnostic testing to 
determine the causes of outbreaks or unusual natural mortalities, the 
ecology of diseases in free-ranging animals, or unexpected mortalities 
in captive populations. Samples will be from animals found deceased or 
euthanized in nature, collected opportunistically during the animals' 
capture by other researchers possessing permits for such activities, or 
legally held in captivity (including those held for rehabilitation) 
outside the U.S. No live animals would be harassed or taken, lethally 
or otherwise, under the authorized permit. The permit is valid through 
August 10, 2020.
    Permit No. 19425 authorizes Dr. McKinney to study marine mammal 
contaminant levels, specifically using fatty acid and stable isotopes 
to examine diets and contaminant loads and how they are affected by 
climate change. Tissue samples from cetaceans and pinnipeds may come 
from remote biopsy sampling, captured animals, and animals collected 
during subsistence harvests and may originate in the United States, 
Canada, and Greenland/Denmark. Samples (up to 50 of each species group 
per year, except for those species specified below) will be analyzed, 
with a focus on the following Arctic species: Ringed seal (30 per 
year), bearded seal (10 per year), and narwhal (10 per year). No live 
animals would be harassed or taken, lethally or otherwise, under the 
authorized permit. The permit is valid through August 1, 2020.
    File No. 19497 authorizes the University of Florida to receive, 
import, and export marine mammal tissue and other specimen materials 
(e.g., body fluids) to research the etiologies and cofactors of 
emerging marine mammal infectious diseases, utilizing standard 
molecular and sequencing approaches. Unlimited samples from up to 300 
individual cetaceans and 700 individual pinnipeds (excluding walrus) 
are authorized to be received, imported, or exported annually on an 
opportunistic basis. They will be collected by others under separate 
existing permits and may be obtained from the following sources: (1) 
Animals killed during legal U.S. or foreign subsistence harvests; (2) 
animals stranded alive or dead in foreign countries; (3) animals that 
died incidental to commercial fishing operations in the U.S. where such 
taking is legal (i.e., bycatch); (4) animals that died incidental to 
commercial fishing operations in foreign countries where such taking is 
legal; (5) animals in captivity where samples were taken as a result of 
routine husbandry procedures or under separate permit; and (6) samples 
from other authorized researchers or collections in academic, federal, 
state or other institutions involved in marine mammal research in the 
U.S. or 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 are requested or would be permitted. The 
permit is valid through July 31, 2020.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the 
activities proposed are categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of these permits was based on a 
finding that such permits: (1) Were applied for in good faith; (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and (3) are 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA.


[[Page 52454]]


    Dated: August 25, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-21390 Filed 8-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P