[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 2070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00502]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC660]


Marine Mammals; File No. 22156

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Douglas Nowacek, Ph.D., Nicholas 
School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke 
Marine Lab Rd, Beaufort, NC 28516, has applied for an amendment to 
Scientific Research Permit No. 22156-02.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before February 13, 2023.

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. 22156 mod No. 8 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. 22156 mod 9 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: Amy Hapeman or Shasta McClenahan, 
Ph.D., (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 22156-02 
is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the regulations governing 
the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    Permit No. 22156, issued on May 8, 2020, (85 FR 35637), authorizes 
the permit holder to conduct research on 31 cetacean species in U.S. 
and international waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Species include 
endangered blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus), sei (B. 
borealis), and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales. The purpose of 
the research is to study variation in cetacean behavior, foraging 
ecology, body condition, health status, population structure, and use 
of and response to sounds. The permit authorizes surveys by vessel and 
an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to approach, count, observe, 
photograph, remotely measure, and track cetaceans. During surveys, 
researchers may conduct acoustic playback trials, collect biological 
samples, and tag animals, with some species receiving two tags at a 
time. Non-target cetaceans in the vicinity of research may be 
unintentionally harassed. Biological samples collected in international 
waters may be imported into the United States and cell lines may be 
developed from tissue samples. Two minor amendments to the permit were 
issued to update biopsy sampling mitigation measures (Permit No. 22156-
01; January 29, 2021) and expand the use of UAS to all authorized 
species (Permit No. 22156-02; May 23, 2022). The permit holder is 
requesting the permit be amended to include authorization to 
temporarily mark adult and juvenile short-finned pilot whales 
(Globicephala macrorhynchus) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops 
truncatus) with paintballs to investigate how social marine mammals 
coordinate dive patterns. Take numbers for these species would not 
increase. The amendment would be valid for the duration of the permit, 
until May 31, 2025.
    A draft environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared in 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), to examine whether significant environmental 
impacts could result from issuance of the proposed amendment to the 
scientific research permit. The draft EA is available for review and 
comment simultaneous with the scientific research permit amendment 
application.
    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: January 6, 2023.
Amy Sloan,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-00502 Filed 1-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P