Marine Mammals; File No. 14335, 80470-80471 [2010-32162]

Download as PDF 80470 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 245 / Wednesday, December 22, 2010 / Notices Dated: December 17, 2010. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2010–32082 Filed 12–21–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P action under Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the GMT’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt at (503) 820–2280 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA103 Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Council) Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will hold a working meeting, which is open to the public. DATES: The GMT meeting will be held Monday, January 10, 2011 from 3 p.m. until business for the day is completed. The GMT meeting will reconvene Tuesday, January 11 through Friday, January 14, from 8:30 a.m. until business for each day is completed. ADDRESSES: The GMT meeting will be held at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, 111 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802. Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE. Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220–1384. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kelly Ames or Mr. John DeVore, Groundfish Management Staff Officers; telephone: (503) 820–2280. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the GMT work session is to review team roles and responsibilities, conduct workload planning for 2011, review the latest West Coast Groundfish Observer Data, and discuss improvements to the biennial management process. The GMT may also address other assignments relating to groundfish management. No management actions will be decided by the GMT. Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda may come before the GMT for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal GMT action during this meeting. GMT action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 20:24 Dec 21, 2010 Jkt 223001 Dated: December 17, 2010. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2010–32083 Filed 12–21–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA096 Marine Mammals; File No. 14335 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, AK, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 14335. DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or before January 21, 2011. ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for review by selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public Comment’’ from the Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species home page, https:// apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 14335 from the list of available applications. These documents are also available 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) 713–0376; and Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone (907) 586–7221; fax (907) 586–7249. Written comments on this application should be submitted to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, at the address listed above. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713–0376, or by email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please include the File No. in the subject line of the e-mail comment. Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a written request to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be appropriate. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tammy Adams or Amy Sloan, (301) 713–2289. The subject amendment to Permit No. 14335 is requested 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 (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). Permit No. 14335, issued on August 17, 2009 (74 FR 44822), authorizes the permit holder to take Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) during investigations of the decline of the western stock and its failure to recover, and to assist recovery efforts. Data may be obtained on juvenile survival, epidemiology, endocrinology, immunology, virology, physiology, ontogenetic and annual body condition cycles, foraging behavior and habitat selection. Pups and juveniles of both sexes in the Gulf of Alaska may be captured each year, with a subset of juveniles selected for temporary quarantine captivity and associated projects at the ASLC. Activities involve capture, drug administration, anesthesia, fecal and urine collection, external and internal instruments, marking, morphometrics, behavioral observations, photogrammetry, tissue sampling, ultrasound, and x-ray. The permit also authorizes research-related mortality of Steller sea lions from the western stock. The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to revise terms and conditions related to mitigation for temporary captivity, and associated post-surgical and hot-branding monitoring. Specifically, the permit holder requests permission to: (1) Reduce the post-surgical monitoring from 14 days to 10 days prior to release; (2) surgically implant animals that are below capture mass; and (3) retain for surgical implantation and other captive SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 245 / Wednesday, December 22, 2010 / Notices studies animals that fail to feed within 10 days of capture. 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 activities proposed are consistent with the Preferred Alternative in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Steller Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Research (NMFS 2007), and that issuance of the permit would not have a significant adverse impact on the human environment. 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: December 15, 2010. Tammy C. Adams, Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2010–32162 Filed 12–21–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XZ87 Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; St. George Reef Light Station Restoration and Maintenance at Northwest Seal Rock, Del Norte County, CA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental take authorization; request for comments. AGENCY: NMFS has received an application from the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society (SGRLPS), for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment incidental to conducting aircraft operations, and lighthouse renovation and light maintenance activities on the St. George Reef Light Station on Northwest Seal Rock (NWSR) in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to SGRLPS to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, four species of marine mammals during the specified activity. DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than January 21, 2011. srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 20:24 Dec 21, 2010 Jkt 223001 Comments on the application should be addressed to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The mailbox address for providing e-mail comments is ITP.Cody@noaa.gov. NMFS is not responsible for e-mail comments sent to addresses other than the one provided here. Comments sent via e-mail, including all attachments, must not exceed a 10-megabyte file size. Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted to https:// www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ incidental.htm#applications without change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. A copy of the application containing a list of the references used in this document may be obtained by writing to the above address, telephoning the contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) or visiting the internet at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ pr/permits/incidental.htm#applications. The following associated documents are also available at the same internet address: Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared by NMFS; and the finding of no significant impact (FONSI). Documents cited in this notice may be viewed, by appointment, during regular business hours, at the aforementioned address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannine Cody, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713– 2289 or Monica DeAngelis, NMFS Southwest Regional Office, (562) 980– 3232. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ADDRESSES: Background Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(D)) directs the Secretary of Commerce to authorize, upon request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking by harassment of small numbers of marine mammals of a species or population stock, by United States citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region if certain findings are made and, a notice of a proposed authorization is provided to the public for review. Authorization for incidental taking of small numbers of marine mammals shall PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 80471 be granted if NMFS finds that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s), and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where relevant). The authorization must set forth the permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the species or stock and its habitat, and monitoring and reporting of such takings. NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as ‘‘* * * an impact resulting from the specified activity that cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’ Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA establishes a 45-day time limit for NMFS’ review of an application followed by a 30-day public notice and comment period on any proposed authorizations for the incidental harassment of small numbers of marine mammals. Within 45 days of the close of the public comment period, NMFS must either issue or deny the authorization. Except with respect to certain activities not pertinent here, the MMPA defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: Any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild [Level A harassment]; or (ii) has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering [Level B harassment]. Summary of Request NMFS received a letter on October 13, 2010, from the SGRLPS requesting the taking by harassment, of small numbers of marine mammals, incidental to aircraft operations and restoration and maintenance activities on the St. George Reef Light Station (Station). At NMFS’ request, the SGRLPS submitted a complete and adequate application on November 3, 2010. The SGRLPS aims to: (1) Restore and preserve the Station on a monthly basis (November 1–April 30, annually); and (2) perform periodic, annual maintenance on the Station’s optical light system. The Station, which is listed in the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places, is located on Northwest Seal Rock (NWSR) offshore of Crescent City, California in the northeast Pacific Ocean. The proposed activities would occur in the vicinity of a possible pinniped haul out site located on NWSR. E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80470-80471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-32162]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA096


Marine Mammals; File No. 14335

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, 
AK, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 
14335.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before January 21, 2011.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the 
Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species home 
page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 14335 
from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available 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) 713-0376; and
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907) 586-7221; fax (907) 586-7249.
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, at the address 
listed above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-
0376, or by e-mail to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please include the 
File No. in the subject line of the e-mail comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 
Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the 
specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be 
appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tammy Adams or Amy Sloan, (301) 713-
2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 14335 is 
requested 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 (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).
    Permit No. 14335, issued on August 17, 2009 (74 FR 44822), 
authorizes the permit holder to take Steller sea lions (Eumetopias 
jubatus) during investigations of the decline of the western stock and 
its failure to recover, and to assist recovery efforts. Data may be 
obtained on juvenile survival, epidemiology, endocrinology, immunology, 
virology, physiology, ontogenetic and annual body condition cycles, 
foraging behavior and habitat selection. Pups and juveniles of both 
sexes in the Gulf of Alaska may be captured each year, with a subset of 
juveniles selected for temporary quarantine captivity and associated 
projects at the ASLC. Activities involve capture, drug administration, 
anesthesia, fecal and urine collection, external and internal 
instruments, marking, morphometrics, behavioral observations, 
photogrammetry, tissue sampling, ultrasound, and x-ray. The permit also 
authorizes research-related mortality of Steller sea lions from the 
western stock.
    The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to revise 
terms and conditions related to mitigation for temporary captivity, and 
associated post-surgical and hot-branding monitoring. Specifically, the 
permit holder requests permission to: (1) Reduce the post-surgical 
monitoring from 14 days to 10 days prior to release; (2) surgically 
implant animals that are below capture mass; and (3) retain for 
surgical implantation and other captive

[[Page 80471]]

studies animals that fail to feed within 10 days of capture.
    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 activities proposed are consistent with the Preferred Alternative 
in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Steller 
Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Research (NMFS 2007), and that issuance 
of the permit would not have a significant adverse impact on the human 
environment.
    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: December 15, 2010.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-32162 Filed 12-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.