2011-30270. Marine Mammals; File No. 16314

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 Jennifer Lewis, Ph.D., Tropical Dolphin Research Foundation, Aventura, FL to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

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

Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701; phone [phone]; fax [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joselyd Garcia-Reyes or Carrie Hubard, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On June 10, 2011, notice was published in the Federal Register (76 FR 34053) that a request for a permit to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins 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).

Permit No. 16314 authorizes Dr. Lewis to conduct photo-identification surveys and biopsy sampling in Whitewater Bay, Shark River, Ponce de Leon Bay and Florida Bay, which are found in Everglades National Park. Up to 3,020 bottlenose dolphins could be taken by level B harassment each year during photo-identification surveys. Additionally, up to 38 bottlenose dolphins from each location could be taken by level A harassment annually, to acquire 30 successful biopsy samples from each location over the life of the permit. Research would stop when the desired number of samples has been obtained. The permit is valid through November 28, 2016.

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: November 18, 2011.

P. Michael Payne,

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