[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35415-35416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12497]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RTID 0648-XA223


Marine Mammals; File No. 21585

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 Oregon State University, Marine 
Mammal Institute, 2030 Southeast Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 
97365 (Responsible Party: Bruce Mate, Ph.D.)., has applied for an 
amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 21585.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before July 10, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public

[[Page 35416]]

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. 21585 from the list of available applications. 
These documents are also available upon written request via email to 
[email protected].
    Written comments on this application should be submitted via email 
to [email protected]. Please include File No. 21585 in the 
subject line of the email comment. Alternatively, comments may be 
submitted by mail to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427-8401 or by facsimile to 
(301) 713-0376.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request via email to [email protected] or 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 Amy Hapeman, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 21585 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.), 
the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226), and the Fur 
Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    Permit No. 21585, issued on December 20, 2018 (84 FR 4441, February 
15, 2019), authorizes the permit holder to conduct research on 67 
species of marine mammals including the following endangered or 
threatened species and stocks of cetaceans: Blue (Balaenoptera 
musculus), bowhead (Balaena mysticetes), Cook Inlet beluga 
(Delphinapterus leucas), fin (B. physalus), gray (Eschrichtius 
robustus), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), Main Hawaiian Islands 
insular false killer (Pseudorca crassidens), North Pacific right 
(Eubalaena japonica), sei (B. borealis), Southern Resident killer 
(Orcinus orca), Southern right (E. australis), and sperm (Physeter 
macrocephalus) whales. Authorized research may occur during vessel and 
manned aerial surveys for Level B harassment activities including 
observation, photography, passive acoustic recording, echosounders for 
prey mapping, and collection of sloughed skin. The permit also 
authorizes Level A harassment activities including biopsy sampling and 
deep-implant tagging. The permit holder is requesting the permit be 
amended to increase the permitted takes from 500 to 900 annually for 
the Level B harassment activities for humpback whales. No changes to 
the permitted objectives, methods, or Level A harassment activities are 
proposed. The permit expires on December 31, 2023.
    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: June 4, 2020.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-12497 Filed 6-9-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P