Marine Mammals; File No. 42-1908, 31811-31812 [E7-11056]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 110 / Friday, June 8, 2007 / Notices 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dHynek@doc.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Moira Kelly, 978–281–9300 or Moira.Kelly@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract Regulations at 50 CFR 648.84(a), (b), and (d), § 648.123(b)(3), § 648.144(b)(1), § 648.264(a)(5), and § 697.21(a) and (b) require that Federal fishing permit holders using specified fishing gear, mark that gear with specified information for the purposes of identification (e.g., official vessel number, permit number, or other methods identified in the regulations). The regulations also specify how the gear is to be marked for the purposes of visibility (e.g., buoys, radar reflectors, or other methods identified in the regulations). The display of the identifying characters on fishing gear aids in fishery law enforcement. The marking of gear for visibility increases safety at sea. II. Method of Collection No information is submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as a result of this collection. The vessel official number or other means of identification specified in the regulations must be affixed to the buoy or other marker specified in the regulations. pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES III. Data OMB Number: 0648–0351. Form Number: None. Type of Review: Regular submission. Affected Public: Individuals and households, business or other for-profit organizations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,845. Estimated Time Per Response: 8 hours and 50 minutes. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 23,438. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $68,450 in reporting/ recordkeeping costs. IV. Request for Comments Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:14 Jun 07, 2007 Jkt 211001 ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. Dated: June 4, 2007. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E7–11072 Filed 6–7–07; 8:45 am] DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA67 Marine Mammals; File No. 42–1908 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. AGENCY: SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355 (Dr. Lisa Mazzaro, Principal Investigator), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) being held in captivity and to import and export parts from all cetaceans and pinniped species (excluding walrus) for purposes of scientific research. DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or before July 9, 2007. ADDRESSES: The application 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 (301)713–2289; fax (301)427–2521; and Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930–2298; phone (978)281–9300; fax (978)281–9394. 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, Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 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)427–2521, provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for providing e-mail comments is NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: File No. 42–1908. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 31811 Sfmt 4703 Jennifer Skidmore or Amy Sloan, (301)713–2289. 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 and threatened species (50 CFR 222–226), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.). The applicant is requesting a scientific research and enhancement permit to continue activities authorized under Permit No. 42–1642–03 for the following two projects: Project 1: Mystic Aquarium’s current Steller sea lion (SSL) collection consists of one intact adult male and three geriatric females. They are requesting authorization to (1) import or receive a second intact adult male SSL and subsequently return this animal to its facility of origin, if necessary; and (2) to import up to nine female SSL from the Vancouver Aquarium, and to receive a ‘‘nonreleasable’’ one year old male SSL from The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. All of these animals will be incorporated into Mystic Aquarium’s research program, which includes hormone monitoring and immune function, and vitamin and iron studies. Incidental to scientific research and enhancement activities, all of these animals will be on public display. At any one time the maximum number of adult male SSL maintained at Mystic Aquarium will be two and the number of females and pups will not exceed nine. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\08JNN1.SGM 08JNN1 31812 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 110 / Friday, June 8, 2007 / Notices Project 2: The applicant requests authority to annually receive, import and export tissues from a maximum of 10,000 animals, up to 30 samples per animal per year (i.e., 5000 pinniped and 5000 cetaceans) under NMFS jurisdiction in the U.S. and abroad (i.e. worldwide). Sources of samples are from (1) captive animals (from routine husbandry sampling); (2) stranded animals abroad; (3) subsistence-hunted animals; (4) already permitted research projects; (5) animals that died incidental to commercial fishing in foreign countries where such taking is legal and specimens from animals that died incidental to U.S. commercial fishing operations; and (6) Navy dolphins. Mystic Aquarium also requests permission to export samples from stranded animals in the U.S. for research purposes. Samples will be analyzed for purposes of research on marine mammal health (e.g., nutrition, disease, immune function, environmental stressors). 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: June 4, 2007. P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–11056 Filed 6–7–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA61 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS); Atlantic Tuna Fisheries National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public information meetings. pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: NMFS announces public information meetings regarding the use of green-stick fishing gear in Atlantic tuna fisheries including bluefin tuna. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate details and issues related to gear authorization including gear configuration and definitions, quota management, catch reporting, and other related topics. DATES: The meeting dates are: VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:14 Jun 07, 2007 Jkt 211001 1. June 19, 2007, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Manteo, NC. 2. June 20, 2007, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m., Silver Spring, MD. 3. June 21, 2007, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Foxboro, MA. 4. June 25, 2007, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Saint Petersburg, FL. ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are: 1. Manteo – Roanoke Island Festival Park, 1 Festival Park, Manteo, NC 27954. 2. Silver Spring – NOAA/NMFS Headquarters (Building 3 Room 1311– B), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 3. Foxboro – Boyden Library, 10 Bird Street, Foxboro, MA 02035. 4. Saint Petersburg – NOAA/NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701. For copies of current regulations regarding green-stick gear use outlined in the Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Guide for Complying with the Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, Sharks, and Billfish Regulations, contact Margo SchulzeHaugen, Chief, HMS Management Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or at (301) 713–1917 (fax). These documents are also available on the internet at https:// www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Blankinship at 727–824–5399 or 727–824–5398 (fax). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS will hold public information meetings to discuss details related to the use of green-stick fishing gear for Atlantic tunas including bluefin tuna. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate details and issues related to gear authorization including gear configuration and definitions, quota management, catch reporting and other related topics. In the Draft Consolidated HMS FMP, NMFS preferred an alternative to authorize green-stick fishing gear for the commercial harvest of Atlantic bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack (BAYS) tunas; however, NMFS did not select this alternative as preferred in the Final Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2, 2006; 71 FR 58058). The intent of the draft preferred alternative was to allow commercial tuna handgear fishermen targeting BAYS tunas with green-stick fishing gear to increase the number of hooks on their gear from two hooks to no more than 10 hooks. The draft preferred alternative would have also prohibited commercial vessels using or possessing green-sticks from retaining or possessing BFT on board. PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 During public comment on the Draft Consolidated HMS FMP (71 FR 58058, October 2, 2006), NMFS received comments ranging from opposition to the draft alternative to support for it. The comments that NMFS received included those that expressed confusion over the current regulatory regime; concern over the need for better reporting, monitoring, and overall data collection for this gear-type; a desire to land bluefin tuna with the gear; and the need for further understanding of the technical nature of the gear itself. Based on these comments, NMFS decided to clarify the currently allowed use of the gear in the Final Consolidated HMS FMP rather than authorize and define the gear in a manner that may cause further confusion and have unintended negative consequences to the fishery and the resource. Currently, green-stick fishing gear meets the definitions for longline or handgear depending on the configuration and may only be used aboard vessels possessing the permits necessary to use longline or handgear. Authorization of green-stick fishing gear for Atlantic tunas could provide for less restrictive use of green-sticks when and where appropriate. Special Accommodations These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretations or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Randy Blankinship at 727–824–5399 at least 7 days prior to the meeting. Dated: May 30, 2007. Alan D. Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–11051 Filed 6–7–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS Determination under the Textile and Apparel Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican RepublicCentral America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR Agreement) June 5, 2007. The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA). ACTION: Determination to add a product in unrestricted quantities to Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement AGENCY: EFFECTIVE DATE: E:\FR\FM\08JNN1.SGM 08JNN1 June 8, 2007.

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 110 (Friday, June 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31811-31812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11056]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA67


Marine Mammals; File No. 42-1908

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan 
Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355 (Dr. Lisa Mazzaro, Principal Investigator), 
has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on Steller sea 
lions (Eumetopias jubatus) being held in captivity and to import and 
export parts from all cetaceans and pinniped species (excluding walrus) 
for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before July 9, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The application 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 (301)713-2289; fax (301)427-2521; and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9300; fax (978)281-9394.
    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)427-2521, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.
    Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for 
providing e-mail comments is NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 42-1908.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore or Amy Sloan, 
(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 and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), and the Fur Seal 
Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    The applicant is requesting a scientific research and enhancement 
permit to continue activities authorized under Permit No. 42-1642-03 
for the following two projects: Project 1: Mystic Aquarium's current 
Steller sea lion (SSL) collection consists of one intact adult male and 
three geriatric females. They are requesting authorization to (1) 
import or receive a second intact adult male SSL and subsequently 
return this animal to its facility of origin, if necessary; and (2) to 
import up to nine female SSL from the Vancouver Aquarium, and to 
receive a ``non-releasable'' one year old male SSL from The Marine 
Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. All of these animals will be 
incorporated into Mystic Aquarium's research program, which includes 
hormone monitoring and immune function, and vitamin and iron studies. 
Incidental to scientific research and enhancement activities, all of 
these animals will be on public display. At any one time the maximum 
number of adult male SSL maintained at Mystic Aquarium will be two and 
the number of females and pups will not exceed nine.

[[Page 31812]]

    Project 2: The applicant requests authority to annually receive, 
import and export tissues from a maximum of 10,000 animals, up to 30 
samples per animal per year (i.e., 5000 pinniped and 5000 cetaceans) 
under NMFS jurisdiction in the U.S. and abroad (i.e. worldwide). 
Sources of samples are from (1) captive animals (from routine husbandry 
sampling); (2) stranded animals abroad; (3) subsistence-hunted animals; 
(4) already permitted research projects; (5) animals that died 
incidental to commercial fishing in foreign countries where such taking 
is legal and specimens from animals that died incidental to U.S. 
commercial fishing operations; and (6) Navy dolphins. Mystic Aquarium 
also requests permission to export samples from stranded animals in the 
U.S. for research purposes. Samples will be analyzed for purposes of 
research on marine mammal health (e.g., nutrition, disease, immune 
function, environmental stressors).
    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: June 4, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-11056 Filed 6-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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