[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 34 (Friday, February 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8612-8613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4366]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021298A]
Marine Mammals
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Issuance of permit amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Christopher W. Clark, Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York 14850, has been issued an amendment to
scientific research Permit No. 875-1401.
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).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannie Drevenak, 301/713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 23, 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 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 provisions of Sec. 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
[[Page 8613]]
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered fish and wildlife (50 CFR 222.23).
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. It was amended on December 10,
1997 to provide for the conduct of playback experiments using a SURTASS
LFA sound source to study behavioral responses of gray whales
(Eschrichtius robustus) to SURTASS LFA signals, radio tagging via
suction cup attachment of up to 14 gray whales, and harassment of
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 the studies on gray whales. Permit
No. 875-1401 has now been amended to authorize the conduct of playback
experiments using the SURTASS LFA sound source to study behavioral
responses of breeding and nursing humpback whales (Megaptera
novaeangliae) and foraging sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in
Hawaii from mid-February through mid-April of 1998. Individuals of
several other cetacean, pinniped, and sea turtle species may be taken
(i.e., by harassment or auditory temporary threshold shift) during the
proposed experiments.
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.
Dated: February 12, 1998.
Art Jeffers,
Acting Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-4366 Filed 2-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
