Marine Mammals; File No. 14450, 60633 [2015-25502]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 194 / Wednesday, October 7, 2015 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XS35 Marine Mammals; File No. 14450 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 14450– 03 has been issued to the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149 [Responsible Party: Bonnie Ponwith, Ph.D.]. SUMMARY: The permit amendment and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices: Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore or Amy Hapeman, (301) 427–8401. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 9, 2015, notice was published in the Federal Register (80 FR 39411) that a request for an amendment to Permit No. 14450–02 to conduct research on cetaceans had been submitted by the above-named applicant. The requested permit 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). The permit amendment authorizes takes by harassment of non-ESA listed cetaceans during vessel surveys to support NMFS stock assessments as follows: 40 Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni), 40 of each species of short-finned (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and long-finned (G. melas) pilot whales, and 20 individuals each of the 21 other authorized nonlisted cetacean species, annually. Tags would be either suction cup attachments or minimally invasive dart attachments. A maximum of 2 tags could be placed on an animal at one time. Adults of both sexes without calves would be tagged. In addition, import and export of marine mammal samples from sources, other than asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES ADDRESSES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:12 Oct 06, 2015 Jkt 238001 current biopsy sampling, is authorized. The permit expires on February 28, 2019. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Dated: October 1, 2015. Julia Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015–25502 Filed 10–6–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XE230 Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Horseshoe Crabs; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit, 2015 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notification of a proposal to conduct exempted fishing; request for comments. AGENCY: The Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, has made a preliminary determination that the subject exempted fishing permit (EFP) application submitted by Limuli Laboratories of Cape May Court House, NJ, contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. The proposed EFP would allow the harvest of up to 10,000 horseshoe crabs from the Carl N. Shuster Jr. Horseshoe Crab Reserve (Reserve) for biomedical purposes and require, as a condition of the EFP, the collection of data related to the status of horseshoe crabs within the reserve. The Director has also made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (Commission) Horseshoe Crab Interstate Fisheries Management Plan (FMP). However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, proposes to recommend that an EFP be issued that would allow up to two commercial SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 60633 fishing vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations promulgated under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act). The EFP would allow for an exemption from the Reserve. Regulations under the Atlantic Coastal Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs. DATES: Written comments on this action must be received on or before October 19, 2015. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Alan Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13362, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Mark the outside of the envelope ‘‘Comments on Horseshoe Crab EFP Proposal.’’ Comments may also be sent via fax to (301) 713–0596. Comments on this notice may also be submitted by email to: nmfs.state-federal@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of the email comment the following document identifier: ‘‘Horseshoe Crab EFP Proposal Comments.’’ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Derek Orner, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, (301) 427–8567. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Limuli Laboratories submitted an application for an EFP dated January 31, 2014, to collect up to 10,000 horseshoe crabs for biomedical and data collection purposes from the Reserve. The applicant has applied for, and received, a similar EFP every year from 2001– 2013. The current EFP application specifies that: (1) The same methods would be used that were used in years 2001–2013, (2) at least 15 percent of the bled horseshoe crabs would be tagged, and (3) there had not been any sighting or capture of marine mammals or endangered species in the trawling nets of fishing vessels engaged in the collection of horseshoe crabs since 1993. The project submitted by Limuli Laboratories would provide morphological data on horseshoe crab catch, would tag a portion of the caught horseshoe crabs, and would use the blood from the caught horseshoe crabs to manufacture Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL), an important health and safety product used for the detection of endotoxins. The LAL assay is used by medical professionals, drug companies, and pharmacies to detect endotoxins in intravenous pharmaceuticals and medical devices that come into contact with human blood or spinal fluid. E:\FR\FM\07OCN1.SGM 07OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 194 (Wednesday, October 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 60633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25502]



[[Page 60633]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XS35


Marine Mammals; File No. 14450

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 
14450-03 has been issued to the National Marine Fisheries Service's 
Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, 
Miami, FL 33149 [Responsible Party: Bonnie Ponwith, Ph.D.].

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices: 
Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 
(301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore or Amy Hapeman, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 9, 2015, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (80 FR 39411) that a request for an amendment to 
Permit No. 14450-02 to conduct research on cetaceans had been submitted 
by the above-named applicant. The requested permit 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).
    The permit amendment authorizes takes by harassment of non-ESA 
listed cetaceans during vessel surveys to support NMFS stock 
assessments as follows: 40 Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera edeni), 40 of 
each species of short-finned (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and long-
finned (G. melas) pilot whales, and 20 individuals each of the 21 other 
authorized non-listed cetacean species, annually. Tags would be either 
suction cup attachments or minimally invasive dart attachments. A 
maximum of 2 tags could be placed on an animal at one time. Adults of 
both sexes without calves would be tagged. In addition, import and 
export of marine mammal samples from sources, other than current biopsy 
sampling, is authorized. The permit expires on February 28, 2019.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the 
activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

    Dated: October 1, 2015.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-25502 Filed 10-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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