03-3991. Marine Mammals; File No. 782-1438

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Issuance of permit amendment.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, NMFS, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070, (Dr. Sue Moore, Principal Investigator (PI)) has been issued an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 782-1438.

ADDRESSES:

The amendment and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):

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

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone [phone]; fax [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ruth Johnson, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The requested amendment has been granted 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 of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).

Permit No. 782-1438, issued on issued on May 8, 1998 (63 FR 27265) authorizes the National Marine Mammal Laboratory to take various large and small cetacean species through photographic aerial surveys (Project I); biopsy sampling, tagging and photo-identification (Project II); small cetacean species and pinnipeds through vessel surveys (Project III); gray whales through biopsy sampling, tagging, photo-id and harassment (Project IV); and beluga whales by satellite-tagging, flipper tagging, VHF radio/time depth recorder(TDR) suction cup-tagging and biopsy sampling (Project V). The amendment increased the number of accidental mortalities in Project V to three during 2003. This Project will expire September 30, 2003.

Dated: January 28, 2003.

Stephen L. Leathery,

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