[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 5, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26074-26075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11689]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG047


Marine Mammals; File No. 21321

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 Pacific Whale Foundation (300 
Ma'alaea Rd., Suite 211, Wailuku, HI 96793; Responsible Party: 
Stephanie Stack) has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research 
Permit No. 21321.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before July 5, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review by

[[Page 26075]]

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. 21321 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: Courtney Smith or Amy Hapeman, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 21321 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), the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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).
    Permit No. 21321, issued on April 23, 2018 (83 FR 21765), 
authorizes the permit holder to take false killer whales Pseudorca 
crassidens (including the endangered Main Hawaiian Islands insular 
false killer whale distinct population segment) by vessel and unmanned 
aerial surveys within near- and off-shore waters of the Maui 4-island 
region (Hawaii) to assess their distribution, abundance, social 
organization, population structure, population size, foraging, 
reproduction, movements, habitat use, body condition, and behavior.
    The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to include 
authorization to take an additional 20 cetacean species by the same 
aerial and vessel research activities for the same purposes: Bottlenose 
(Tursiops truncatus); Pantropical spotted (Stenella attenuata), Risso's 
(Grampus griseus), Rough-toothed (Steno bredanensis), Short-beaked 
common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Spinner (Stenella longirostris), 
and Striped (Stenella coeruleoalba) dolphins; and Blainville's beaked 
(Mesoplodon densirostris), Bryde's (Balaenoptera brydei), Cuvier's 
beaked (Ziphius cavirostris), Dwarf sperm (Kogia sima), Fin 
(Balaenoptera physalus), Humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), Killer 
(Orcinus orca), Melon-headed (Peponocephala electra), Minke 
(Balaenoptera acutorostrata), Pygmy killer (Feresa attenuata), Pygmy 
sperm (Kogia breviceps), Short-finned pilot (Globicephala 
macrorhynchus), and Sperm whales (Physeter microcephalus).
    Additionally, the applicant requests to add a new procedure to take 
all authorized and requested species by close approach using a small, 
underwater remote operated vehicle (ROV). Take numbers for each species 
and take method are outlined in the amendment request take table.
    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: May 31, 2019.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-11689 Filed 6-4-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P