[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71633-71634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24917]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA606]


Marine Mammals; File No. 23554

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Colleen Reichmuth, Ph.D., Long 
Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Sciences Address at the 
University of California at Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, 
CA 95060, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on 
pinnipeds in captivity.

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

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 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
No. 23554 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. 23554 in the 
subject line of the email comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request via email to [email protected]. The request 
should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this application 
would be appropriate.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the 
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 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 (ESA; 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).
    The applicant proposes to conduct comparative psychological and 
physiological studies with captive California sea lions (Zalophus 
californianus), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), spotted seals (Phoca 
largha), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), bearded seals (Erignathus 
barbatus), and Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi) at Long 
Marine Laboratory (Santa Cruz, CA) and the Alaska SeaLife Center 
(Seward, AK). Up to four individuals per species may be studied at both 
facilities at any given time over the duration of the permit, with the 
exception of the Hawaiian

[[Page 71634]]

monk seal, for which a max of one seal will be studied at a time.
    During psychological assessments, trained pinnipeds cooperate in 
behavioral stimulus detection and discrimination tasks conducted on 
land or in water. Stimuli are controlled sensory cues used to evaluate 
species-typical sensory and cognitive performance. Stimuli may be from 
any sensory modality, though there is an emphasis on hearing so that 
conservation issues related to ocean noise can be addressed. Up to 
three times per day, depending on the procedure, animals may 
participate in voluntary psychological assessment procedures such as: 
active acoustic playbacks, passive acoustic recording, behavioral 
observations, cognitive studies, incidental harassment, signal 
detection and discrimination, associative learning, photography and 
videography on land and underwater.
    For physiological assessments, the same individuals, except the 
Hawaiian monk seal, participate in routine physical evaluations to 
improve understanding of their general biology, including growth and 
development, nutritional requirements, health status, and environmental 
tolerance. This research includes longitudinal measurements of growth, 
nutrition, health, metabolism, physiological capacities, and 
environmental tolerance. Data are collected from husbandry records, 
individuals trained to cooperate in physiological measurements, and 
sedated animals during routine veterinary examinations. Open-flow 
respirometry methods will be used to gather metabolic data from animals 
trained to rest and breathe under a plastic dome. Up to three times per 
day, depending on the procedure, animals may participate in voluntary 
physiological procedures such as: Passive acoustic recording, drug and 
sedative administration, collection of molt, scat, and urine, Evan's 
blue dye and serial blood samples, external and internal 
instrumentation, flipper tagging, measuring, metabolic chamber or hood 
studies, behavioral observations, oral fecal markers, collecting of 
shed whiskers, photogrammetry, photography and videography, flyovers 
from unmanned aircraft systems, restraint, blood sampling, hair 
clipping, transport, ultrasound, underwater photography and 
videography, and weighing.
    The application also includes a request for the unintentional 
mortality of up to two pinnipeds total of any species over the duration 
of the permit associated with research or transport including humane 
euthanasia at discretion of attending vet for medical purposes due to 
research, as well as necropsy and export of parts from the animals. The 
applicant requests a 5-year permit.
    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 the application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: November 5, 2020.
Amy Sloan,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-24917 Filed 11-9-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P