[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 41291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14751]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC126]


Marine Mammals; File No. 20648

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 Heidi Pearson, Ph.D., University 
of Alaska--Southeast, 11120 Glacier Hwy, AND1, Juneau, Alaska 99801, 
has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 20648-
01.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before August 11, 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. 20648 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. 20648 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: Courtney Smith, Ph.D., or Carrie 
Hubard, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 20648 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. 20648, issued on June 14, 2019 (84 FR 27767), authorizes 
the permit holder to conduct vessel-based and unmanned aerial surveys 
on the following species: fin (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback 
(Megaptera novaeangliae; range-wide including those from the endangered 
Mexico Distinct Population Segment), gray (Eschrichtius robustus), 
killer (Orcinus orca); minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), and sperm 
(Physeter macrocephalus) whales, Dall's (Hocoenoides dalli) and harbor 
porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), and Pacific white-sided dolphins 
(Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). Researchers may use the following methods 
on all or some of the above listed species: observation, photographic 
identification, photogrammetry, passive acoustic recording, tagging 
(suction-cup), remote biopsy and other biological sampling (breath/
exhaled air, fecal, swabbed and sloughed skin), and sonar for prey 
mapping. A minor amendment to the permit, which increased the number of 
takes per animal from two to four, was issued on September 18, 2020. 
The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to increase the 
number of annual biopsy takes of humpback whales authorized from 50 to 
75, with a maximum of four biopsy samples per year from the same 
animal. Samples would be collected a minimum of 30 days apart. No 
changes to the permitted objectives, methods, or locations are 
proposed. The permit expires on June 1, 2024.
    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: July 6, 2022.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-14751 Filed 7-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P