[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 84 (Monday, May 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 23608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11031]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 041699B]
Marine Mammals; File No. 540-1502-00
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of application.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that John Calambokidis has applied in
due form for a permit to take several species of marine mammals for
purposes of scientific research.
DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before June
2, 1999.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for
review upon written request or by appointment in the following
office(s):
Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point
Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070 (206/526-6426);
and
Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (562/980-4027).
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits and Documentation
Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West
Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals
requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a
hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376,
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or by other
electronic media.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannie Drevenak, 301/713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 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 fish and wildlife (50 CFR 222.23).
The applicant is requesting to harass several species of cetaceans
during the course of photo-identification, aerial survey, biopsy
sampling, and/or tagging activities; and several species of pinnipeds
during the course of aerial surveys. Blue whales (Balaenoptera
musculus), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback whales
(Megaptera novaeangliae), gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), and
sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) may be harassed during photo-
identification, aerial survey, biopsy sampling, and tagging activities.
Sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) and Brydes whales (Balaenoptera
edeni) may be harassed during photo-identification, aerial survey, and
biopsy sampling activities. Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata),
right whales (Balaena glacialis), Baird's beaked whales (Berardius
bairdii), Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris), Bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala
macrorhyncus), false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens), and killer
whales (Orcinus orca) may be harassed during photo-identification and
aerial survey activities. Pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps), dwarf
sperm whales (Kogia simus), Mesoplodon beaked whales (Mesoplodon sp.),
Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), northern
right whale dolphins (Lissodelphis borealis), short-beaked common
dolphins (Delphinus delphis), long-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus
capensis), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), Risso's dolphins
(Grampus griseus), harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), Dall porpoise
(Phocoenoides dalli), Califrnia seal lions (Zalophus californianus),
Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), northern fur seals (Callorhinus
ursinus), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and elephant seals (Mirounga
angustirostris) may be harassed during aerial surveys. The research
will be carried out over a 5-year period in the North Pacific Ocean,
including the waters off California, Oregon, and Washington.
The purposes of the proposed research are to: determine the
abundance and distribution of marine mammals off the coasts of
California, Oregon, and Washington; to determine the abundance,
movements, population structure, diving behavior and feeding behavior
of large whales in the North Pacific. These studies are a continuation
of research that the applicant has been conducting over the past
several years.
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that
the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: April 27, 1999.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-11031 Filed 4-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
