Marine Mammals; File No. 16087, 25113-25114 [2014-10064]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25113-25114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10064]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA292


Marine Mammals; File No. 16087

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS National Marine Mammal 
Laboratory, Seattle, WA, has applied in due form for an amendment to 
Permit No. 16087-01 to conduct research on marine mammals.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before June 2, 2014.

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 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
No. 16087 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment in the following office:
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301)427-8401; fax (301)713-0376.
    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 email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov.

[[Page 25114]]

Please include File No. 16087 in the subject line of the email 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: Amy Sloan or Tammy Adams, (301)427-
8401.

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 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the 
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    Permit No. 16087-00, issued on May 18, 2011 (76 FR 30309), 
authorizes the permit holder to take marine mammals in California, 
Oregon, and Washington to investigate population status, health, 
demographic parameters, life history and foraging ecology of California 
sea lions (Zalophus californianus), Pacific harbor seals (Phoca 
vitulina), and northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustrirostris). 
Research procedures include: capture (stalking, round up, hoop net, 
darting, floating trap); administer drug (IM, subcutaneously); 
anesthesia (gas, sedatives); euthanasia; attach scientific instruments; 
mark (clip hair, flipper tag, hot brand, paint, patch); measure; 
restrain (board, cage, hand, head bag, net, pen); collect tissue sample 
(blood, blubber, enema, fecal loop, hair, stomach lavage, milk, remote 
biopsy, skin, swab, urine, vibrissae); ultrasound; and weigh. Up to 
509,475 California sea lions may be taken annually, including 3,315 by 
capture and handle, 100 by harassment and tissue sampling, and 506,060 
by incidental disturbance. Up to 100 moribund and 40 prematurely born 
California sea lion pups may be euthanized for health studies over the 
duration of the permit. Up to 1,185 harbor seals may be taken annually, 
including 50 by capture and handling, and 1,135 by incidental 
disturbance. Up to 2,766 northern elephant seals may be taken annually, 
including 50 by capture and handling, and 2,716 by incidental 
disturbance. The permit authorizes unintentional research-related 
mortality of up to 49 California sea lions, 4 harbor seals, and 4 
northern elephant seals, and 1 northern fur seal. Up to 4,500 northern 
fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) may be incidentally disturbed annually 
at San Miguel Island, CA during research activities. On April 26, 2012, 
a minor amendment (Permit No. 16087-01) was issued to expand diving 
behavior studies of northern elephant seals to include ultrasound 
measurements for examination of energy acquisition at sea. Permit No. 
16087-01 expires on June 30, 2016.
    The applicant requests an amendment to (1) modify annual takes and 
sample collection methods for California sea lions, Pacific harbor 
seals, and northern elephant seals; (2) add census, tagging and 
monitoring of threatened Guadalupe fur seal (Arctophoca phillipi 
townsendi) populations on the California Channel Islands; and (3) 
extend the duration of the permit by five years.
    The take tables in Permit No. 16087-01 include annual takes for all 
species that limits takes to a maximum number less than the total of 
all annual takes over 5 years. The permit holder requests to remove the 
limit and thus increase the number of animals taken by disturbance, 
capture and sampling, and mortalities as indicated in the application 
take tables to allow annual takes over the duration of the permit. The 
permit holder also requests to collect ocular swabs, increase the 
number of swabs collected from each orifice to improve disease 
surveillance, and increase the number of animals from which swabs may 
be taken for all species. The permit holder requests pulling vibrissae 
in addition to clipping (already permitted) to allow the extraction of 
the entire vibrissae for stable isotope analysis so that entire 
foraging records can be obtained for all species. The request also 
includes an increase of 310 California sea lions that may be taken 
annually by capture and handling (from 3,315 to 3,625 annually) and an 
increase of up to 50 northern elephant seals that may be taken annually 
by capture and handling (from 50 to 100 annually) to allow for seasonal 
sampling for both species.
    The permit holder also requests adding stock assessment research on 
Guadalupe fur seals to include: (1) Vessel and land censuses of all the 
California Channel Islands and haul out sites along the California, 
Oregon and Washington coasts to obtain a current population assessment 
of the species for NMFS status review and to identify the seasonality 
of their presence in U.S. waters; (2) remote camera deployment and 
visual observations for behavioral studies; (3) flipper tagging and 
morphometrics on pups at least one month old; (4) opportunistic 
collection of carcasses, scats, hair or other tissues from haulout 
areas following disturbance from surveys or when adult individuals are 
not present; and (5) incidental disturbance of Guadalupe fur seals 
while conducting California sea lion, northern elephant seal or harbor 
seal research. The permit holder requests to take up to 300 Guadalupe 
fur seals annually distributed over five geographic areas, including 
200 by incidental disturbance and 100 by capture and handling. The 
permit holder also requests one unintentional research-related 
mortality of Guadalupe fur seals over the duration of the permit.
    The permit holder requests that the duration of the permit, with 
the proposed amendments, be extended for a five-year period.
    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 activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: April 28, 2014.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-10064 Filed 5-1-14; 8:45 am]
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