Marine Mammals; File No. 1128-1922, 889 [E9-234]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 6 / Friday, January 9, 2009 / Notices
I. Abstract
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) provides for
the nomination for members of Fishery
Management Councils by state
governors and Indian treaty tribes, for
the designation of a principal state
fishery official who will perform duties
under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and
for a request by a state for reinstatement
of state authority over a managed
fishery. Nominees must provide the
governor or tribe with the background
documentation which is then submitted
to NOAA with the nomination. The
information submitted with these
actions will be used to ensure that the
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act are met.
II. Method of Collection
Information is submitted on paper
documents.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0314.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: State, local or tribal
government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
275.
Estimated Time Per Response: 1 hour
to designate a principal state fishery
official(s); 80 hours for a nomination for
a Council appointment; 16 hours for
background documentation for
nominees; and 1 hour for a request to
reinstate state authority.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 4,607.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $800 (recordkeeping/reporting
costs).
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
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)
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;
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:16 Jan 08, 2009
Jkt 217001
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: January 6, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E9–161 Filed 1–8–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XM61
Marine Mammals; File No. 1128–1922
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
Eduardo Mercado III, Ph.D., Department
of Psychology, 350 Park Hall, University
at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, New York,
14260, has been issued a permit to
conduct research on humpback whales
(Megaptera novaeangliae).
ADDRESSES: The permit and related
documents are available for review
upon written request or by appointment
in the following offices:
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
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th
Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, Florida
33701; phone (727)824–5312; fax
(727)824–5309.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Hapeman or Carrie Hubard,
(301)713–2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August
21, 2007, notice was published in the
Federal Register (72 FR 46610) that a
request for a scientific research permit
to take humpback whales, had been
submitted by the above-named
individual. The requested permit has
been issued 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.), the regulations governing the
taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50
CFR parts 222–226).
Dr. Mercado is authorized a five-year
scientific research permit to conduct
acoustic playback sessions in the
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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889
presence of humpback whales and
approach animals to record whale songs
in the coastal waters of Puerto Rico. The
purpose of this research is to develop
methods for testing the hearing and
auditory perceptual capabilities of
humpback whales in order to better
predict when anthropogenic sounds
may interfere with social behaviors,
particularly mating and group feeding.
Up to 200 humpback whales may be
harassed by playback experiments
(active acoustics) three times per year
and up to 30 additional humpbacks may
be harassed by close approach during
vessel surveys for passive acoustic
recordings annually. In addition, up to
5 humpback whales, 45 Stenellid
dolphins (Stenella spp.), 45 common
dolphins (Delphinus delphis), 45
bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops
truncatus), and 5 Cuvier’s beaked
whales (Ziphius cavirostris) may be
incidentally harassed up to three times
annually during playback sessions.
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an environmental
assessment was prepared analyzing the
effects of the permitted activities. After
a Finding of No Significant Impact, the
determination was made that it was not
necessary to prepare an environmental
impact statement.
Issuance of this permit, as required by
the ESA, was based on a finding that
such permit: (1) was applied for in good
faith; (2) will not operate to the
disadvantage of such endangered
species; and (3) is consistent with the
purposes and policies set forth in
section 2 of the ESA.
Dated: January 2, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9–234 Filed 1–8–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN: 0648–XM57
Pacific Fishery Management Council;
Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s (Council)
Groundfish Allocation Committee
E:\FR\FM\09JAN1.SGM
09JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-234]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XM61
Marine Mammals; File No. 1128-1922
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Eduardo Mercado III, Ph.D.,
Department of Psychology, 350 Park Hall, University at Buffalo, SUNY,
Buffalo, New York, 14260, has been issued a permit to conduct research
on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).
ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review
upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
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
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg,
Florida 33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Carrie Hubard,
(301)713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 21, 2007, notice was published in
the Federal Register (72 FR 46610) that a request for a scientific
research permit to take humpback whales, had been submitted by the
above-named individual. The requested permit has been issued 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the regulations
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and
threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Dr. Mercado is authorized a five-year scientific research permit to
conduct acoustic playback sessions in the presence of humpback whales
and approach animals to record whale songs in the coastal waters of
Puerto Rico. The purpose of this research is to develop methods for
testing the hearing and auditory perceptual capabilities of humpback
whales in order to better predict when anthropogenic sounds may
interfere with social behaviors, particularly mating and group feeding.
Up to 200 humpback whales may be harassed by playback experiments
(active acoustics) three times per year and up to 30 additional
humpbacks may be harassed by close approach during vessel surveys for
passive acoustic recordings annually. In addition, up to 5 humpback
whales, 45 Stenellid dolphins (Stenella spp.), 45 common dolphins
(Delphinus delphis), 45 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and 5
Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) may be incidentally
harassed up to three times annually during playback sessions.
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an environmental assessment was prepared
analyzing the effects of the permitted activities. After a Finding of
No Significant Impact, the determination was made that it was not
necessary to prepare an environmental impact statement.
Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a
finding that such permit: (1) was applied for in good faith; (2) will
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and (3) is
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the
ESA.
Dated: January 2, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-234 Filed 1-8-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
