[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 51822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24248]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF592


Marine Mammals; File No. 21158

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Robert Garrott, Ph.D., Montana 
State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, has applied in due 
form for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 21158 for 
research on Weddell seals (Leptoncychotes weddellii).

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before December 8, 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 
home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 
21158 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: Amy Sloan or Sara Young, (301) 427-
8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 21158 is 
requested 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).
    Permit No. 21158, issued on September 25, 2017, (82 FR 48985), 
authorizes the permit holder to conduct long-term studies of the Erebus 
Bay, Antarctica, Weddell seal population to evaluate how temporal 
variation in the marine environment affects individual life histories 
and the population dynamics of long-lived mammal. The permit holder is 
requesting the permit be amended to increase the number of seal pups 
authorized to be flipper tagged from a total of 675 (take table lines 1 
[n=515], 2 [n=10], and 3 [n=150]) to a total take of 800 pups, by 
increasing the number of takes in line 1 from 515 to 640. This field 
season the research team has observed an abnormally high number of pups 
and current take numbers are not be adequate to meet the stated 
scientific goals of tagging all pups produced in the Erebus Bay 
colonies each year.
    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 this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: November 2, 2017.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24248 Filed 11-7-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P