[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54643-54644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21591]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 081402C]
Endangered Species; File No. 1374; Marine Mammals; File Nos. 781-
1666, 1035-1688
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Withdrawal of application, return of application, and receipt
of application for permit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following applicants have
applied in due form for a permit to take marine mammals and/or
endangered species for the purposes of scientific research:
Dr. Andrew J. Read, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke
Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516-9721 (File No. 1374);
NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd. E,
Seattle, WA 98112-2097 (Dr. Cynthia Tynan, Principal Investigator)
(File No. 781-1666); and
Dr. Cynthia Tynan, School of Oceanography, University of
Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, WA 98195-7940 (File No. 1035-1688).
DATES: Written or telefaxed comments on the new application must be
received on or before September 23, 2002.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review upon written request or by appointment (See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Hubard or Ruth Johnson,
(301)713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits are 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 and threatened species (50 CFR 222-227), and the Fur Seal
Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
Application Withdrawn
On March 25, 2002 a notice was published in the Federal Register
(67 FR 13607) that an application had been filed by Dr. Andrew J. Read
of Duke University Marine Laboratory. The purpose of this research was
to describe relationships between the movements of sea turtles and the
fall gillnet flounder fishery as well as habitat use of loggerhead,
green and Kemp's ridley sea turtles. Up to 30 loggerhead, 10 green and
10 Kemp's ridley sea turtles would be monitored via satellite
telemetry. The applicant has requested that the application be
withdrawn and will now work on a similar project already authorized
under NMFS Southeast Region scientific research Permit No. 1260.
Application Returned
On April 25, 2002 a notice was published in the Federal Register
(67 FR 20491) that an application had been filed by NMFS, Northwest
Fisheries Science Center, (Dr. Cynthia Tynan, Principal Investigator).
The applicant requested permission to conduct photo-identification,
prey sampling and line-transect surveys of marine mammals in U.S.
waters of the North Pacific. Because the principal investigator on the
permit application has changed affiliations and no longer works at
NWFSC, the application has been returned.
Application Received
For File No. 1035-1688, the applicant requests permission to
conduct shipboard line-transect surveys of marine mammals in U.S.
waters of the North Pacific. The applicant proposes to take various
species of cetaceans and five species of pinnipeds via harassment
during photo-identification from small boats or larger research
vessels, line-transect surveys from ships, and collection of prey near
cetaceans. Cetacean prey will be collected via dip nets and towed
zooplankton nets. The goal of this research is to provide temporal
(seasonal) and spatial (mesoscale and fine-scale) variability in
euphausiid and forage fish occurrence patterns necessary to identify
the important bio-physical linkages between top-predator distributions
and the density and availability of their prey. Line-transect data will
also provide updated abundance estimates.
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.
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and
Education 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
[[Page 54644]]
comment period. Please note that comments will not be accepted by e-
mail or by other electronic media.
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.
Documents are available in the following offices:
All documents: Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office
of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705,
Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376;
For File Nos. 781-1666, 1035-1688: Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600
Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone
(206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;
For File Nos. 781-1666, 1035-1688: Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West
Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-
4001; fax (562)980-4018; and
For File No. 1374: Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center
Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; phone (727)570-5301; fax
(727)570-5320.
Dated: August 19, 2002.
Eugene T. Nitta,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-21591 Filed 8-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S