[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 176 (Wednesday, September 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 43002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19393]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF664


Marine Mammals; File No. 21422

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 James Lloyd-Smith, Ph.D., 
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of 
California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90095, has applied in due form 
for a permit to conduct research on marine mammals.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before October 13, 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. 21422 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: Shasta McClenahan 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) and the Fur Seal Act 
of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    The applicant requests a five year research permit to take 
California sea lions (CSL; Zalophus californianus) to study the disease 
ecology of Leptospira in the pinniped populations along the west coast 
of the United States. Up to 460 non-pup CSL may be captured and sampled 
annually at several sites in California, Oregon, and Washington. During 
capture animals may be restrained and receive anesthesia, biological 
sampling (blood, urine, feces, vibrissae, hair and nail clip, and mucus 
membrane swabs), length and weight measurements, and external tags. An 
additional 60 non-target CSL, including large pups, may be incidentally 
captured and restrained to determine age and sex, but would be released 
without sampling. If opportunistically encountered during sampling, up 
to 30 entangled CSL may be captured for disentanglement, and up 100 
dead stranded CSL may be necropsied, annually. Up to 8 CSL may be taken 
by unintentional mortality during the requested five year permit. An 
additional 20,000 CSL, 5,000 Northern elephant seals (Mirounga 
angustirostris), 500 Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), 100 
harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and 50 non-listed Steller sea lions 
(Eumetopias jubatus) may be disturbed incidentally to capture 
activities.
    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: September 7, 2017.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-19393 Filed 9-12-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P