[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 6053]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02705]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


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

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit modification request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a 
notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities 
regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. This is the 
required notice of a requested permit modification.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by March 14, 2018. 
Permit applications may be inspected by interested parties at the 
Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Office of 
Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22314.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address, 703-292-8030, 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.
    Description of Permit Modification Requested: The Foundation issued 
a permit (ACA 2015-011) to Ari Friedlaender on December 3, 2014. The 
issued permit allows the permit holder to take biopsy samples and 
photographs for identification of humpback (n = 200 biopsy & photo-ID), 
Antarctic minke (n = 50 biopy; 200 photo-ID), killer (n = 50; 200 
photo-ID), and Arnoux's beaked (n = 50; 200 photo-ID) whales in the 
Southern Ocean. The permit also allowed for 10 satellite-tagging takes 
of humpback whales.
    A recent modification to this permit, dated December 31, 2015, 
permitted the applicant to increase the number of satellite-tagging 
takes of humpback whales to 20 and to add 10 dart tag takes and 20 
suction cup tag takes for both humpbacks and Antarctic minke whales. 
Now the permit holder proposes a modification to his permit to increase 
biopsy takes to 250 for all four whale species listed on the original 
permit. Of those 250 biopsy takes, 50 would be associated with 
approaches that would also include tagging and the remaining 200 biopsy 
takes would occur during approaches that do not involve tagging. The 
proposed modification would also increase the number of dart tags takes 
of humpback whales (from 10 to 30) and Antarctic minke whales (from 10 
to 20) and increase the number of suction cup tagging takes of 
Antarctic minke whales from 20 to 30. In addition, the permit holder 
proposes to add takes for dart tagging (n = 10) and suction cup tagging 
(n = 40) of Arnoux's beaked whales as well as 50 suction cup tagging 
takes for killer whales. Finally, the permit holder would add southern 
right whales to his ACA permit and is requesting 250 biopsy takes, 200 
photo-ID takes, and 50 suction cup tagging takes for this species. This 
ACA permit modification would increase the consistency of takes with 
those allowed under the most recent amendment of National Marine 
Fisheries Service Permit No. 14809-03 on which the ACA permit holder is 
an approved Co-Investigator.
    Location: Antarctic Peninsula between Marguerite Bay and the 
Gerlache Strait, inshore waters.
    Dates of Permitted Activities: March 1-December 31, 2018.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2018-02705 Filed 2-9-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P