Marine Mammals; File No. 1039-1916, 52862-52863 [E7-18295]

Download as PDF 52862 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 179 / Monday, September 17, 2007 / Notices jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES region per year; permitting harvest only from tracts designated through contract by WDNR; clearly marking tracts with easily identifiable stakes and/or buoys, and recording latitude and longitude positions on all markers; limiting surface noise levels; applying harvest boundaries and buffers to protect eelgrass beds, forage fish spawning areas and other sensitive nearshore habitats and providing direct oversight of the fishery by maintaining compliance staff aboard vessels on harvest tracts each day that commercial geoduck harvest occurs. Approval of the HCP may qualify as a ‘‘low-effect’’ plan as defined by the Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook (NMFS and USFWS, November, 1996). Determination of low effect HCPs is based upon the plan having: minor or negligible effects on federally-listed, proposed, or candidate species and their habitats; minor or negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; and, impacts that considered together with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects would not result, over time, in cumulative effects to the environmental values or resources which would be considered significant. If the plan is found to qualify as a low-effect HCP, further NEPA documentation beyond a categorical exclusion review would not be required by NMFS. Request for Comments If you wish to comment on the permit application or the proposed HCP, you may submit your comments to the address listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. NMFS requests that comments be specific. In particular, we request information regarding: direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts that implementation of the proposed HCP or other alternatives could have on endangered and threatened and other covered species, and their communities and habitats; potential adaptive management and/or monitoring provisions; funding issues; existing environmental conditions in the plan area; other plans or projects that might be relevant to this proposed project; permit duration; maximum acreage that should be covered; specific species that should or should not be covered; and minimization and mitigation efforts. We will evaluate this permit application, associated documents, and comments submitted thereon to determine whether the permit application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the ESA and NEPA regulations. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home address VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:00 Sep 14, 2007 Jkt 211001 from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold from the record a respondent’s identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. Anonymous comments will not be considered. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety. If we determine that the requirements are met, we will issue an incidental take permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA to the Applicant for take of the proposed covered species, incidental to otherwise lawful activities in accordance with the terms of the permit. We will not make our final decision until after the end of the 30–day comment period and will fully consider all comments received during the comment period. NMFS provides this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA and pursuant to implementing regulations for NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6). Dated: September 11, 2007. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–18305 Filed 9–14–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XC58 Marine Mammals; File No. 1039–1916 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. AGENCY: SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Ann Zoidis, Cetos Research Organization, 11 Des Isle Avenue, Bar Harbor, Maine, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on marine mammals in Hawaii and the Gulf of Maine. DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or before October 17, 2007. ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s): PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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; Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814–4700; phone (808)973–2935; fax (808)973–2941; 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. 1039–1916. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jaclyn Daly or Carrie Hubard, (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.), and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222–226). The applicant is requesting to study 17 species of cetaceans in Hawaii and 10 species in the Gulf of Maine. The purpose of the research is to expand ESA and non-ESA listed species abundance, distribution, and acoustic data. More specifically, this research would provide information on diving and foraging behavior of cetaceans while acoustic studies would contribute to data investigating the relationship between repertoire, pod composition, and behavior. Research activities would include vessel surveys, photo-ID, passive acoustic recording, and E:\FR\FM\17SEN1.SGM 17SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 179 / Monday, September 17, 2007 / Notices behavioral observations for all species. Furthermore, suction-cup tagging of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), sei (Balaenoptera borealis), and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales would also occur. Tagging of sei, minke, and sperm whales would be limited to adults and subadults while all age classes, except neonates, of humpback and fin whales would be tagged. Underwater videography of humpback whales in Hawaii is also requested. No mortality is anticipated. The permit would be valid for 5 years from date of issuance. 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: September 11, 2007. P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–18295 Filed 9–14–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN: 0648–XC64 New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce AGENCY: ACTION: Notice of public meetings. SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Advisory Panels and its Scallop Committee, in October, 2007, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from these groups will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. These meetings will be held on Wednesday, October 10, 2007, at 9 a.m. and Thursday, October 11, 2007, at 9 a.m. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES DATES: These meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street, Peabody, MA 01960; telephone: (978) 535–4600; fax: (978) 535–8238. ADDRESSES: VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:00 Sep 14, 2007 Jkt 211001 Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Scallop Advisory Panels will review and recommend preferred alternatives for Framework 19 to the Scallop Fishery Management Plan. Framework 19 is a biennial action that will set management measures for fishing years 2008 and 2009. Thursday, October 11, 2007; Scallop Committee Meeting. The Committee will review and recommend preferred alternatives for Framework 19 to the Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The Committee will also review and approve research priorities for the 2008–2009 Scallop Research Set-Aside Program. The Committee may consider other topics at their discretion. Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, at (978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: September 12, 2007. Emily Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–18225 Filed 9–14–07; 8:45 am] PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XC62 New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. AGENCY: Wednesday, October 10, 2007; Scallop General Category and Advisory Panels Meeting. BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 52863 SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Monkfish Oversight Committee, in October, 2007, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. DATES: This meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 3, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. This meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, One Thuber Street, Warwick, RI 02886; telephone: (401) 734–9600; fax: (401) 734–9700. Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Committee will identify alternatives to be developed for consideration in Framework Adjustment 5 possibly including, but not limited to, changes to the biological reference points (as recommended by the recent stock assessment workshop), days-at-sea (DAS) carryover limits, minimum mesh requirements for vessels fishing on a monkfish/multispecies DAS, monkfish landings under the 3-hour gillnet rule, frontloading of monkfish DAS, MidAtlantic area large mesh monkfish incidental catch limits, monkfish gillnet rules for vessels fishing as a multispecies trip gillnet vessel and the requirement to obtain a monkfish Letter of Authorization to fish in the northern management area. The final list of issues to be addressed depends on the decisions of the New England Fishery Management Council at its September meeting. Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\17SEN1.SGM 17SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 179 (Monday, September 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52862-52863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18295]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC58


Marine Mammals; File No. 1039-1916

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Ann Zoidis, Cetos Research 
Organization, 11 Des Isle Avenue, Bar Harbor, Maine, has applied in due 
form for a permit to conduct research on marine mammals in Hawaii and 
the Gulf of Maine.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before October 17, 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;
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941; 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. 1039-1916.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jaclyn Daly or Carrie Hubard, 
(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.), and the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226).
    The applicant is requesting to study 17 species of cetaceans in 
Hawaii and 10 species in the Gulf of Maine. The purpose of the research 
is to expand ESA and non-ESA listed species abundance, distribution, 
and acoustic data. More specifically, this research would provide 
information on diving and foraging behavior of cetaceans while acoustic 
studies would contribute to data investigating the relationship between 
repertoire, pod composition, and behavior. Research activities would 
include vessel surveys, photo-ID, passive acoustic recording, and

[[Page 52863]]

behavioral observations for all species. Furthermore, suction-cup 
tagging of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin (Balaenoptera 
physalus), minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), sei (Balaenoptera 
borealis), and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales would also occur. 
Tagging of sei, minke, and sperm whales would be limited to adults and 
subadults while all age classes, except neonates, of humpback and fin 
whales would be tagged. Underwater videography of humpback whales in 
Hawaii is also requested. No mortality is anticipated. The permit would 
be valid for 5 years from date of issuance.
    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: September 11, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-18295 Filed 9-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

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