Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, 85267 [2016-28283]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 227 / Friday, November 25, 2016 / Notices NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 National Science Foundation. Notice of Permit Applications Received under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95–541. AGENCY: ACTION: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of permit applications received. DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, or views with respect to this permit application by December 27, 2016. This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit Office, address below. ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at the above address or ACApermits@ nsf.gov. SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation, as directed by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–541), as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, has developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and certain geographic areas a requiring special protection. The regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. Application Details: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Permit Application: 2017–029 1. Applicant John Durban, Ph.D., Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, NOAA NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr. La Jolla, CA 92037. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested Take; Import into USA. The applicant’s study of the health of whales, as a means to assess the health of Antarctic marine ecosystems, calls for VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:57 Nov 23, 2016 Jkt 241001 the use of aerial photogrammetry to collect data on whale morphometrics and condition. The applicant proposes to use unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), particularly small, radiocontrolled hexacopters, for aerial photogrammetry, and to use handheld cameras for photo-identification. The hexacopters will be flown greater than 100 ft above the whales for identification and assessment purposes. The applicant also proposes to sample the exhaled blow (breath) of commonly encountered larger whales by briefly descending the hexacopter to as low as 6 ft above the whale and flying through the blow plume. The breath samples will be analyzed for microorganisms as an indicator of the whales’ respiratory health. In previous studies, the applicant has noted no behavioral disturbances from the overflight of whales by hexacopters for photo- or breath-sampling. In addition to the photogrammetry and sampling via UAS, the study entails collecting tissue samples the size of a pencil eraser to be used for genetic investigations, for stable isotope analyses to describe diet and nutritional status, and for a comparison of the skin microbiome to respiratory samples. The tissue samples will also be used for steroid hormone analysis to infer pregnancy, as well as physiological and nutritional stress. The applicant’s study includes the following whale species (both sexes) and number of takes per annum: Killer whales (photogrammetry, n = 5000; biopsy, n = 475); humpback whales (photogrammetry, n = 2000; breath sample, n = 100; biopsy, n = 235); Antarctic minke whales (photogrammetry, n = 1000; breath sample, n = 500; biopsy, n = 170); common minke whales (photogrammetry, n = 1000; breath sample, n = 500; biopsy, n = 170); Arnoux’s beaked whales (photogrammetry, n = 500; biopsy, n = 55); southern bottlenose whales (photogrammetry, n = 200; biopsy, n = 85); and sperm whales (photogrammetry, n = 2000; biopsy, n = 90). Additionally, samples of dead marine mammals encountered by the applicant may be salvaged for chemical analysis or genetic determination of species (whales, n = 500 per annum; seals, n = 500). All samples will be imported into the USA for analysis and ultimate disposition at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center. Location Antarctic Peninsula region; southern Ross Sea; PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 85267 Dates January 1, 2017–May 31, 2021. Nadene G. Kennedy, Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs. [FR Doc. 2016–28283 Filed 11–23–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Sunshine Act Meeting 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 6, 2016. PLACE: NTSB Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20594. STATUS: The one item is open to the public. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 8620A Railroad Accident Report: Collision of Two Union Pacific Railroad Freight Trains in Hoxie, Arkansas, August 17, 2014. NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Telephone: (202) 314–6100. The press and public may enter the NTSB Conference Center one hour prior to the meeting for set up and seating. Individuals requesting specific accommodations should contact Rochelle Hall at (202) 314–6305 or by email at Rochelle.Hall@ntsb.gov by Wednesday, November 30, 2016. The public may view the meeting via a live or archived webcast by accessing a link under ‘‘News & Events’’ on the NTSB home page at www.ntsb.gov. Schedule updates, including weatherrelated cancellations, are also available at www.ntsb.gov. For More Information Contact: Candi Bing at (202) 314–6403 or by email at bingc@ntsb.gov. For Media Information Contact: Terry Williams at (202) 314–6100 or by email at terry.williams@ntsb.gov. TIME AND DATE: Dated: Tuesday, November 22, 2016. Candi R. Bing, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2016–28540 Filed 11–22–16; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 7533–01–P NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Investigative Hearing On July 30, 2016 at 7:42 a.m. central daylight time, a Kubicek BB85Z hot air balloon, operated by Heart of Texas Balloons, registration N2469L, impacted electrical transmission lines and crashed into a pasture near Lockhart, E:\FR\FM\25NON1.SGM 25NON1

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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 227 (Friday, November 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 85267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28283]



[[Page 85267]]

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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541.

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

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a 
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published 
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670 
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of 
permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by December 27, 2016. 
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit 
Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 
Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address or ACApermits@nsf.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-541), as 
amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, 
has developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for 
various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and 
certain geographic areas a requiring special protection. The 
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas.
    Application Details:

Permit Application: 2017-029

1. Applicant
    John Durban, Ph.D., Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, NOAA NMFS 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr. La Jolla, 
CA 92037.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take; Import into USA. The applicant's study of the health of 
whales, as a means to assess the health of Antarctic marine ecosystems, 
calls for the use of aerial photogrammetry to collect data on whale 
morphometrics and condition. The applicant proposes to use unmanned 
aircraft systems (UAS), particularly small, radio-controlled 
hexacopters, for aerial photogrammetry, and to use handheld cameras for 
photo-identification. The hexacopters will be flown greater than 100 ft 
above the whales for identification and assessment purposes. The 
applicant also proposes to sample the exhaled blow (breath) of commonly 
encountered larger whales by briefly descending the hexacopter to as 
low as 6 ft above the whale and flying through the blow plume. The 
breath samples will be analyzed for microorganisms as an indicator of 
the whales' respiratory health. In previous studies, the applicant has 
noted no behavioral disturbances from the overflight of whales by 
hexacopters for photo- or breath-sampling. In addition to the 
photogrammetry and sampling via UAS, the study entails collecting 
tissue samples the size of a pencil eraser to be used for genetic 
investigations, for stable isotope analyses to describe diet and 
nutritional status, and for a comparison of the skin microbiome to 
respiratory samples. The tissue samples will also be used for steroid 
hormone analysis to infer pregnancy, as well as physiological and 
nutritional stress. The applicant's study includes the following whale 
species (both sexes) and number of takes per annum: Killer whales 
(photogrammetry, n = 5000; biopsy, n = 475); humpback whales 
(photogrammetry, n = 2000; breath sample, n = 100; biopsy, n = 235); 
Antarctic minke whales (photogrammetry, n = 1000; breath sample, n = 
500; biopsy, n = 170); common minke whales (photogrammetry, n = 1000; 
breath sample, n = 500; biopsy, n = 170); Arnoux's beaked whales 
(photogrammetry, n = 500; biopsy, n = 55); southern bottlenose whales 
(photogrammetry, n = 200; biopsy, n = 85); and sperm whales 
(photogrammetry, n = 2000; biopsy, n = 90). Additionally, samples of 
dead marine mammals encountered by the applicant may be salvaged for 
chemical analysis or genetic determination of species (whales, n = 500 
per annum; seals, n = 500). All samples will be imported into the USA 
for analysis and ultimate disposition at the Southwest Fisheries 
Science Center.

Location

    Antarctic Peninsula region; southern Ross Sea;

Dates

    January 1, 2017-May 31, 2021.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-28283 Filed 11-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
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