[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 7166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03392]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF592


Marine Mammals; File No. 21158-01

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 
21158 has been issued to Robert Garrott, Ph.D., Montana State 
University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Young or Carrie Hubard, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 8, 2017, a notice was published 
in the Federal Register (82 FR 51822) that a request for an amendment 
Permit No. 21158 to conduct research on Weddell seals had been 
submitted by the above-named applicant. The requested permit amendment 
has been issued under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the regulations 
governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    The permit amendment authorizes an increase in takes of seal pups 
authorized to be flipper tagged from a total of 675 to a total take of 
1,000 pups. 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. This increase is only 
for the 2017-18 field season and not for the duration of the permit. At 
the end of the public comment period, we will assess all substantive 
comments received and if warranted, further amend the permit in 
response to those comments.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the 
activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

    Dated: February 14, 2018.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-03392 Filed 2-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P