[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00030]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a 
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published 
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at title 45 part 671 
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of 
permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by February 8, 2016. 
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit 
Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 
Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), as amended 
by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, has 
developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for 
various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and 
certain geographic areas a requiring special protection. The 
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas.

Application Details

1. Applicant Permit Application: 2016-024
    Ari S. Friedlaender, Ph.D., Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State 
University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science 
Drive, Newport, OR 97365

Activity for Which Permit is Requested

    Waste Permit. The applicant will conduct research around the 
Antarctic Peninsula to determine the ecological role of baleen whales. 
Recently developed sensor tags will be used to collect data on the 
underwater movement and behavior of the whales. Over time, the 
applicant will be able to determine how changes in the whales' behavior 
correspond to changes in sea ice, krill, and other critical aspects of 
the Antarctic marine ecosystem that are at risk from rapidly changing 
climates. The applicant will also collect skin and blubber biopsy 
samples to gain a better understanding of the identity, population 
structure, and health of the whales. The applicant will collaborate 
with Antarctic tour operators that will provide platforms to the 
applicant's research team in order to gather data during time periods 
that are undersampled. The applicant is seeking a waste permit to cover 
any accidental releases that may occur if the biopsy darts and/or tags 
are lost.
    Multi-sensor, suction cup tags. The tags contain electronic sensors 
that are contained in a syntactic foam housing (400g in weight). The 
tags also contain a VHF radio beacon that aids in tag retrieval via 
standard radio tracking equipment. The tags remain on whales for up to 
24 hours via silicon suction cups. When they are shed, they float and 
are retrieved using radio telemetry tracking tools. The applicant's 
research team remains in visual or radio contact with the tag 
continuously while it is deployed and until it is recovered. While tag 
failure is rare, if the VHF transmitter fails the tag would likely 
remain floating until it became beach-cast. In the applicant's 
experience, VHF failure occurs rarely, less than 1% of all deployments. 
A lost tag would constitute waste in the form of 300 grams of syntactic 
foam, 100 grams of electronics and 20 grams of silicon suction cups. 
The research teams are comprised of experienced researchers with many 
years of field time. By employing personnel such as this, the applicant 
minimizes the risk of generating waste and losing any equipment due to 
human error.
    Biopsy darts. Biopsy sampling is done with a crossbow firing a 
floating dart, made of aluminum and carbon fiber, that bounces off the 
whale's body after extracting a tiny plug of tissue. The biopsy tips 
are a 40 mm stainless steel barrel. The bolts also contain a 5x2cm foam 
float that is used to aid in dart retrieval. The bolts are highly 
visible and remain at the surface for retrieval. The applicant will 
only collect samples when weather and light conditions are good and 
offer the best chance at retrieving the bolt. The applicant's research 
team generally takes samples at a range of 10-30 meters that allows 
them to maintain visual contact with the bolt when it is in the water. 
During biopsy sampling, the team has an observer whose job is to 
maintain visual contact with the bolt until retrieval. The applicant's 
research team has collected over 500 biopsy samples in Antarctica on 
various projects and has only failed to retrieve two bolts to date. 
When bolts are lost, it is likely that they would remain floating for 
some time unless the foam breaks in which case the bolt would likely 
sink quickly.

Location

    Antarctic Peninsula

Dates

    February 23, 2016 to April 30, 2020

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-00030 Filed 1-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P