[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 2631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1012]
[[Page 2631]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 123198A]
Marine Mammals
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of application for amendment and notice of emergency
issuance of permit amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that: the Southwest Fisheries Science
Center, Honolulu Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, 2570
Dole Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822-2396, has requested an amendment to
scientific research Permit No. 848-1335; and the Permit has been
amended according to the provisions of 50 CFR 216.33(e)(6).
DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before
February 16, 1999.
ADDRESSES: The amendment request, amended permit, and related documents
are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the
following office(s):
Permits Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-
West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713-2289);
Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries
Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213
(562/980-4001); and
Protected Species Program Manager, Pacific Islands Area Office,
2570 Dole Street, Room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396 (808/973-2941).
Written data or views, or requests for a public hearing on this
request should be submitted to the Chief, Permits and Documentation
Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals
requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a
hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376,
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or other electronic
media.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannie Drevenak, 301/713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment has been issued under
the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the provisions of Secs. 216.33(e)(6) and
216.39 of 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 provisions of
Sec. 222.25 of the regulations governing the taking, importing, and
exporting of endangered fish and wildlife (50 CFR part 222).
The Permit Holder is currently authorized to conduct population
assessment, disease assessment (including health screening), recovery
actions, and pelagic ecology studies of Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus
schauinslandi) at all locations within the Hawaiian Archipelago and at
Johnston Atoll, through May 31, 2002.
The Holder has now requested that the Permit be amended to: (1)
authorize the taking of up to 100 additional Hawaiian monk seals for
disease screening purposes; and (2) authorize the collection and export
of blubber biopsies for toxicological assessment. This increased taking
is necessary in order to allow urgently needed sampling and analyses of
the monk seal population to assess the extent to which the population
has been exposed to a morbillivirus. Given the severity of this
pathogen and its known catastrophic impact on other marine mammal
populations, the amendment has been issued on an emergency basis
pursuant to 50 CFR 216.33(e)(6).
Issuance of this amended permit, as required by the ESA, was based
on a finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2)
will not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species which is
the subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application and emergency
permit amendment to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of
Scientific Advisors.
Dated: January 7, 1999.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-1012 Filed 1-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
