[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 90 (Tuesday, May 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27989-27990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10028]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC011]


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: Lisa Ballance, Ph.D.) has applied for an 
amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 21585-01.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before June 9, 2022.

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. 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.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request

[[Page 27990]]

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: Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D., or Amy 
Hapeman, (301)427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 21585-02 
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), 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, stocks, or distinct population segment (DPS)of 
cetaceans: Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas; Cook Inlet DPS), blue 
(Balaenoptera musculus), bowhead (Balaena mysticetes), false killer 
(Pseudorca crassidens; Main Hawaiian Islands Insular DPS), fin 
(Balaenoptera physalus), gray (Eschrichtius robustus; Western North 
Pacific DPS), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae; Arabian Sea, Cape Verde 
Islands/Northwest Africa, Central America, Mexico, and Western North 
Pacific DPSs), killer (Orcinus orca; Southern Resident DPS), North 
Pacific right (Eubalaena japonica), sei (Balaenoptera. borealis), 
Southern right (E. australis), and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) 
whales. Authorized research may occur during vessel and manned aerial 
surveys including observation, photography, passive acoustic recording, 
echosounders for prey mapping, and collection of sloughed skin. The 
permit also authorizes biopsy sampling and deep-implant tagging of some 
species. The Permit Holder requests to increase the annual number of 
takes for the currently permitted vessel surveys and biopsy sampling to 
assess the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the Northern 
California Current in California and Oregon. In addition, the Permit 
Holder is requesting to add biopsy sampling as a procedure for 26 
species currently authorized only for Level B harassment during 
surveys. See the take table for specific take number changes requested 
by species. No changes to the currently permitted objectives, methods, 
or number of deep-implant tagging take numbers 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: May 4, 2022.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-10028 Filed 5-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P