03-17379. Marine Mammals; File No. 984-1587

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Issuance of permit amendment.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that Dr. Terrie Williams, Department of Biology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 has been issued an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 984-1587-02.

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]; 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 Ruth Johnson, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On April 2, 2003, notice was published in the Federal Register (68 FR 16002) that an amendment of Permit No. 984-1587-02 had been requested by the above-named 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.), and the Regulations Governing the Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).

The permit amendment authorizes temporary holding and research on an additional two female California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and their progeny at Long Marine Laboratory. All procedures are performed voluntarily by the sea lions.

Dated: July 1, 2003.

Eugene T. Nitta,

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