[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 93 (Tuesday, May 16, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22498-22499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09865]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF412


Marine Mammals; File No. 20311

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 the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries 
Science Center (PIFSC), 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI 
96818 (Responsible Party: Dr. Evan Howell), has applied in due form for 
a permit to conduct scientific research on marine mammals.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before June 15, 2017.

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. 20311 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. 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: Carrie Hubard or Sara Young, (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.), and the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    PIFSC request a five-year permit to permit to monitor the 
abundance, stock structure, distribution, movement patterns, and 
ecological relationships of cetaceans occurring in United States and 
international waters of the Pacific Islands Region. The study area 
includes the Hawaii archipelago, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Johnston 
Atoll, Wake Atoll, Howland Island, Baker Island, and Jarvis Island. Up 
to 34 cetacean species may be targeted for research, including the 
following endangered or threatened species/stocks: Blue (Balaenoptera 
musculus), fin (B. physalus), sei (B. borealis), humpback (Megaptera 
novaeangliae), North Pacific right (Eubalaena japonica), sperm 
(Physeter macrocephalus), and main Hawaiian Insular false killer 
(Pseudorca crassidens) whales. Research activities include aerial 
surveys with the use of manned and unmanned aircraft systems, vessel 
surveys, behavioral observations, photo-identification, acoustic 
recordings, biological sample collection,

[[Page 22499]]

and dart and suction cup tagging/telemetry studies. Please see the take 
table for numbers of animals requested by species.
    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: May 11, 2017.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-09865 Filed 5-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P