[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47172-47173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22466]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 082399C]
Marine Mammals; File No. 848-1335
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of application for amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Southwest Fisheries
Science Center, Honolulu Laboratory, 2570 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI
96822-2396, has requested an amendment to scientific research and
enhancement Permit No. 848-1335.
DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before
September 29, 1999.
ADDRESSES: The amendment request 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 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (562/980-4001); and
Protected Resources Program Manager, Pacific Islands Area Office,
NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700 (808/
973-2937).
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this request
should be submitted to the Chief, Permits and Documentation Division,
F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway,
Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals requesting a
hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this
particular amendment 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 other electronic
media.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannie Drevenak or Trevor Spradlin,
301/713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 848-
1335, issued on July 10, 1997 (62 FR 32586) is requested 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 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the regulations
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and
threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Permit No. 848-1335 authorizes the permit holder to: to conduct
population assessment, disease assessment, recovery actions, and
pelagic ecology studies of Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi)
at all locations within the Hawaiian Archipelago and at Johnston Atoll,
through May 31, 2002. Research methods include: observation and
monitoring; capture; physical and chemical restraint; flipper tagging
and retagging; instrumentation; bleach marking; measuring and weighing;
blood and tissue sampling; swabbing; biopsy sampling (blubber); lavage;
capture for the purpose of rehabilitation and release to the wild;
experimental medical treatment; and relocation or removal of up to 10
adult male Hawaiian monk seals from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands,
in the event that such seals are known to cause mortality to nursing or
weaned pups.
The Permittee is now requesting to amend Activity IV, Task 7 of the
permit to increase the number of animals authorized to be taken from 30
to 100 seals annually for the duration of the permit. In addition,
authorization is requested to: (1) allow retrieval of time-depth
recorders (TDRs) from Hawaiian monk seals; (2) provide additional take
by instrumentation (including sonic tags) to support continued research
into the foraging ecology of Hawaiian monk seals; and (3) allow an
additional procedure, isotopic water dilution, to estimate the body
composition as an indication of foraging success and condition of study
subjects. Activity IV, Task 7 currently authorizes seals to be
captured, sedated, blood sampled, and tagged with various instrument
packages up to two times each (once to apply the instrument package and
once to remove it).
[[Page 47173]]
For this amendment, some of these seals may be taken up to three
times: Once to apply a VHF transmitter; a second time to apply a TDR or
satellite-linked time-depth recorder (SLTDR), and a third time to
retrieve the TDR/SLTDR. The increased takes are necessary to: (1)
remove time-depth recorders (TDRs) from weaned Hawaiian monk seal pups,
and (2) continue research on Hawaiian monk seal foraging ecology in
future 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: August 24, 1999.
Ann Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-22466 Filed 8-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
