[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80694-80695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25574]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD538]


Marine Mammals; File No. 23188

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for a permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Institute of Marine Sciences, 
University of California at Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, 
CA 95060 (Responsible Party: Daniel Costa, Ph.D.), has applied for an 
amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 23188-03.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 20, 
2023.

ADDRESSES: The application is 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. 23188 from the 
list of available applications. The application and related 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. 23188 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: Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D., or Amy 
Sloan, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 23188-03 
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).

[[Page 80695]]

    Permit No. 23188, issued on September 25, 2020 (85 FR 63524), 
authorizes the permit holder to conduct scientific research on northern 
elephant seals (NES; Mirounga angustirostris) in California. The permit 
activities continue a long-term research program started in 1968 to 
study NES population growth and status, reproduction, behavioral and 
physiological adaptations for diving and fasting, general physiology 
and metabolism, and sensory physiology. Authorized activities include 
behavioral observations, marking, capture, biological sampling 
(including skin, blubber, and muscle biopsies), active and passive 
acoustics, instrumentation, translocation studies, short-term captive 
holding for laboratory studies, use of hormone challenges and standard 
clinical tracer techniques, and unmanned aircraft system surveys. The 
permit authorizes unintentional mortalities of up to 5 NES annually 
during research, and euthanasia of up to 10 moribund or abandoned NES 
pups annually. Three amendments to the permit were issued to: increase 
take numbers and add a new study area (No. 23188-01; April 27, 2021); 
add new study areas and update methods for acoustic studies (No. 23188-
02; November 19, 2021); and update methods for biological sampling and 
instrumentation (No. 23188-03; February 2, 2022). The permit holder is 
requesting the permit be amended to include authorization for 
additional reproductive studies to investigate embryonic diapause in 
NES. Over a 2-year study period, 39 adult females would be captured, 
anesthetized, marked, sampled, and instrumented, as currently 
authorized. Researchers would use a transrectal ultrasound to check for 
pregnancy and non-pregnant females would then have uterine endoscopy, 
cytology, lavage, and biopsy sampling. The lavage and biopsy procedures 
may result in egg, sperm, or blastocyst removal from the uterus. A 
subset of these females may be captured and sampled twice per year. An 
additional 390 NES may be unintentionally harassed during these 
reproductive studies. The amendment would be valid for the duration of 
the permit, until September 30, 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 scientific research 
permit amendment. 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: November 14, 2023.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-25574 Filed 11-17-23; 8:45 am]
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