[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-214]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 121897A]
Marine Mammals; Scientific Research Permit No. 875-1401
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Scientific research permit amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a request for amendment of
scientific research permit no. 875-1401 submitted by Dr. Christopher W.
Clark, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, has been granted .
ADDRESSES: The amendment 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); and
Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Long Beach,
CA 90802-4213 (562/980-4001).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 14, 1997, notice was published
in the Federal Register (62 FR 61093) that an amendment of permit no.
875-1401, issued September 8, 1997 (62 FR 48611) had been requested by
the above-name individual. The requested amended permit has been issued
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); the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the
Regulations Governing the Taking, Importing, and Exporting of
Endangered Fish and Wildlife (50 CFR part 222); and the Fur Seal Act of
1966 (16 U.S.C. 1151-1175). Issuance of this 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. The
requested amendment has been issued 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. 875-1401 currently authorizes the harassment of several
species of marine mammals during the conduct of research to study the
effects of low-frequency sound produced by the Navy's Surface Towed
Array Surveillance System Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA) system on
the behavior of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and fin whales
(Balaenoptera physalus) feeding in the Southern California Bight during
September/October of 1997 and/or 1998. The permit has been amended to
provide for: 1) the conduct of playback experiments using a SURTASS LFA
sound source to study behavioral responses of gray whales (Eschrichtius
robustus) to SURTASS LFA signals and related stimuli; and 2) radio
tagging via suction cup attachment of up to 14 gray whales. Individuals
of several other species of cetaceans, pinnipeds, and possibly sea
turtles, may be taken (i.e., by harassment or auditory temporary
threshold shift) during during the proposed experiments.
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an EA examining the environmental
consequences of issuing the requested amended permit has been prepared.
Based upon this EA, NMFS has concluded that issuance of the requested
permit will not have a significant effect on the human environment.
Dated: December 30, 1997.
Ann D. Terbush
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-214 Filed 1-5-98:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
