2012-25480. Marine Mammals; File No. 17115

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 James Lloyd-Smith, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Box 723905, Los Angeles, California 90095-7239 to conduct research on California sea lions (Zalophus californianus).

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

Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone [phone]; fax [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Sloan or Joselyd Garcia-Reyes, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On July 12, 2012, notice was published in the Federal Register (77 FR 41171) that a request for a permit to conduct research 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 (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).

The permit holder is authorized to study the prevalence of leptospirosis in wild California sea lions. Up to 5,100 California sea lions may be taken annually from Año Nuevo Island including 20 by capture and release, 80 by capture/sample/release and 5,000 by incidental disturbance. Procedures include: capture (stalking, hoop net); restraint (board, cage, hand, net); anesthesia (gas); mark (flipper tag); measure; and sample (blood, urine, vibrissae). Up to 3,000 northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) and up to 60 Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) may be taken annually due to incidental disturbance. Up to four California sea lions may die incidental to the permitted activities. The permit expires September 30, 2017.

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: October 10, 2012.

P. Michael Payne,

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