2014-00181. Marine Mammals; File No. 17429

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice; issuance of permit.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Sea Life Park Hawaii, 41-202 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo, HI 96795 (Jerry Pupillo, Responsible Party), to maintain non-releasable Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) in captivity for enhancement purposes.

DATES:

Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or before February 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

The permit and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:

Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone [phone]; fax [phone]; and

Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Room 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone [phone]; fax [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Sloan or Jennifer Skidmore, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On August 20, 2013, notice was published in the Federal Register (78 FR 51146) that a request for a permit to conduct enhancement on the species identified above had been submitted by the above-named applicant. The requested permit has been issued 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).

Permit No. 17429-00 authorizes Sea Life Park Hawaii to continue to maintain and provide routine animal husbandry and veterinary care for one non-releasable adult Hawaiian monk seal and up to an additional three seals (four total, considering future non-releasable seals) at the monk seal exhibit at Sea Life Park Hawaii. Sea Life Park will maintain in permanent captivity seals removed from the wild under separate permits for stranding response and enhancement and are deemed non-releasable to the wild. The animals will be made available for scientific studies by researchers whose research protocols are approved by the Sea Life Park Hawaii Curator and staff veterinarian and authorized under separate permits. A public conservation and education lecture will be conducted daily concerning the status of Hawaiian monk seals, and educational descriptive signs with current information are on display at the monk seal exhibit. The permit expires November 30, 2018.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

Dated: January 6, 2014.

P. Michael Payne,

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.