[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 31, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53271-53272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21715]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XY39
Marine Mammals; File No. 15271
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 James T. Harvey, Moss Landing
Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, California
95039, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on blue
(Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus), humpback
[[Page 53272]]
(Megaptera novaeangliae), and gray (Eschrichtius robustus) whales.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or
before September 30, 2010.
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. 15271 from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the following offices:
Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD
20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376;
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018; and
Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg.
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426.
Written comments on this application should be submitted to the
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, at the address
listed above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301)713-
0376, or by email to [email protected]. Please include the File
No. in the subject line of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the
specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be
appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristy Beard or Amy Hapeman,
(301)713-2289.
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 222-226).
The applicant requests a five-year permit to conduct research on
large whale species off California, Oregon, and Washington; the primary
research area would be off the Southern California Bight, San Luis
Obispo, Monterey Bay, and San Francisco. The purposes of the research
are to: (1) relate distribution and abundance of marine mammals with
environmental factors; (2) determine diet and foraging behaviors as
marine mammals exploit prey resources; (3) determine types of acoustic
behavior of marine mammals (primarily cetaceans) and how acoustic
signals are affected by anthropogenic factors; and (4) determine the
movements of individuals or pods during migrations or within their home
range. Each year, 50 blue whales would be approached for photo-
identification (photo-ID) and biopsy, of which 30 would be suction-cup
tagged, 10 would be dart-tagged, and 10 would be tagged with small
implantable tags; 30 fin whales would be approached for photo-ID and
biopsy, of which 10 would be suction-cup tagged, 5 would be dart-
tagged, and 5 would be tagged with small implantable tags; 200 humpback
whales would be approached for photo-ID and biopsy, of which 30 would
be suction-cup tagged, 10 would be dart-tagged, and 10 would be tagged
with small implantable tags; 100 gray whales would be approached for
photo-ID and biopsy, of which 40 would be suction-cup tagged, 10 would
be dart-tagged, and 10 would be tagged with small implantable tags.
Tagged individuals would be observed and photographed (e.g., daily for
the first week and every week or so for the next two months). Up to 200
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), 20 harbor seals (Phoca
vitulina richardii), 50 Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus
obliquidens), 20 Northern right whale dolphins (Lissodelphis borealis),
10 harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and 20 short-beaked common
dolphins (Delphinus delphis) would be harassed incidental to research
activities.
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a draft environmental assessment (EA) has
been prepared to examine whether significant environmental impacts
could result from issuance of the proposed scientific research permit.
The draft EA is available for review and comment simultaneous with the
scientific research permit application.
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: August 25, 2010.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-21715 Filed 8-30-10; 8:45 am]
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