Marine Mammals; File No. 21158-02, 16343-16344 [2018-07834]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2018 / Notices
protocol, summarize the data recorded
during monitoring, and estimate the
number of marine mammals that may
have been harassed.
(b) If comments are received from
NMFS Office of Protected Resources on
the draft report, a final report shall be
submitted to NMFS within 30 days
thereafter. If no comments are received
from NMFS, the draft report will be
considered to be the final report.
(c) In the unanticipated event that the
construction activities clearly cause the
take of a marine mammal in a manner
prohibited by this Authorization (if
issued), such as an injury, serious
injury, or mortality, WSDOT shall
immediately cease all operations and
immediately report the incident to the
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
and the West Coast Regional Stranding
Coordinators. The report must include
the following information:
(i) Time, date, and location (latitude/
longitude) of the incident;
(ii) description of the incident;
(iii) status of all sound source use in
the 24 hours preceding the incident;
(iv) environmental conditions (e.g.,
wind speed and direction, sea state,
cloud cover, visibility, and water
depth);
(v) description of marine mammal
observations in the 24 hours preceding
the incident;
(vi) species identification or
description of the animal(s) involved;
(vii) the fate of the animal(s); and
(viii) photographs or video footage of
the animal (if equipment is available).
(d) Activities shall not resume until
NMFS is able to review the
circumstances of the prohibited take.
NMFS shall work with WSDOT to
determine what is necessary to
minimize the likelihood of further
prohibited take and ensure MMPA
compliance. WSDOT may not resume
their activities until notified by NMFS
via letter, email, or telephone.
(e) In the event that WSDOT discovers
an injured or dead marine mammal, and
the lead PSO determines that the cause
of the injury or death is unknown and
the death is relatively recent (i.e., in less
than a moderate state of decomposition
as described in the next paragraph),
WSDOT will immediately report the
incident to the Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, and the West Coast
Regional Stranding Coordinators. The
report must include the same
information identified above. Activities
may continue while NMFS reviews the
circumstances of the incident. NMFS
will work with WSDOT to determine
whether modifications in the activities
are appropriate.
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(f) In the event that WSDOT discovers
an injured or dead marine mammal, and
the lead PSO determines that the injury
or death is not associated with or related
to the activities authorized in the IHA
(e.g., previously wounded animal,
carcass with moderate to advanced
decomposition, or scavenger damage),
WSDOT shall report the incident to the
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
and the West Coast Regional Stranding
Coordinators, within 24 hours of the
discovery. WSDOT shall provide
photographs or video footage (if
available) or other documentation of the
stranded animal sighting to NMFS and
the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
WSDOT can continue its operations
under such a case.
8. This Authorization may be
modified, suspended or withdrawn if
the holder fails to abide by the
conditions prescribed herein or if NMFS
determines the authorized taking is
having more than a negligible impact on
the species or stock of affected marine
mammals.
9. A copy of this Authorization must
be in the possession of each contractor
who performs the construction work at
the Bremerton and Edmonds ferry
terminals.
Request for Public Comments
We request comment on our analyses,
the proposed authorization, and any
other aspect of this Notice of Proposed
IHA for the proposed WSDOT dolphin
relocation project at Bremerton and
Edmonds ferry terminals. We also
request comment on the potential for
renewal of this proposed IHA as
described in the paragraph below.
Please include with your comments any
supporting data or literature citations to
help inform our final decision on the
request for MMPA authorization.
On a case-by-case basis, NMFS may
issue a second one-year IHA without
additional notice when (1) another year
of identical or nearly identical activities
as described in the Specified Activities
section is planned or (2) the activities
would not be completed by the time the
IHA expires and a second IHA would
allow for completion of the activities
beyond that described in the Dates and
Duration section, provided all of the
following conditions are met:
• A request for renewal is received no
later than 60 days prior to expiration of
the current IHA.
• The request for renewal must
include the following:
(1) An explanation that the activities
to be conducted beyond the initial dates
either are identical to the previously
analyzed activities or include changes
so minor (e.g., reduction in pile size)
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16343
that the changes do not affect the
previous analyses, take estimates, or
mitigation and monitoring
requirements.
(2) A preliminary monitoring report
showing the results of the required
monitoring to date and an explanation
showing that the monitoring results do
not indicate impacts of a scale or nature
not previously analyzed or authorized.
Upon review of the request for
renewal, the status of the affected
species or stocks, and any other
pertinent information, NMFS
determines that there are no more than
minor changes in the activities, the
mitigation and monitoring measures
remain the same and appropriate, and
the original findings remain valid.
Dated: April 11, 2018.
Elaine T. Saiz,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–07889 Filed 4–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XF592
Marine Mammals; File No. 21158–02
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
Robert Garrott, Ph.D., Montana State
University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman,
MT 59717, has applied for an
amendment to Scientific Research
Permit No. 21158–01.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email
comments must be received on or before
May 16, 2018.
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. 21158 from the list of available
applications.
These documents are also available
upon written request or by appointment
in the Permits and Conservation
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,
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2018 / Notices
Permits and Conservation 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. Please
include the File No. in the subject line
of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public
hearing should submit a written request
to the Chief, Permits and Conservation
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: Sara
Young or Carrie Hubard, (301) 427–
8401.
The
subject amendment to Permit No.
21158–01 is requested under the
authority of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the regulations
governing the taking and importing of
marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
Permit No. 21158, issued on
September 25, 2017 (82 FR 48985;
October 23, 2017), authorizes the permit
holder to continue long-term studies of
the Erebus Bay, Antarctica, Weddell seal
(Leptonychotes weddellii) population to
evaluate how temporal variation in the
marine environment affects individual
life histories and the population
dynamics of long-lived mammal. The
permit holder is requesting the permit
be amended to increase take numbers
for Weddell seals due to a population
boom observed by their long-term
research. We issued a major amendment
on (83 FR 7166; February 20, 2018) to
increase take for the 2017–18 field
season to allow researchers to continue
their work, increasing take of pups from
675 to 1,000 for one field season only.
However, due to the population boom,
the permit holder is requesting an
increase of take by 35 percent to all life
stages. The amendment would increase:
Pups tagged from 515 to 800, pups
retagged due to lost tags from 10 to 20,
tagging adults from 285 to 385, adults
harassed for tag reading from 1325 to
1800, and number of pups harassed
from tag reading from 675 to 910,
annually. The permit holder would also
like to increase the number of carcasses
salvaged from 10 to 35. The permit
expires on September 30, 2022.
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.
srobinson on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Jkt 244001
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: April 11, 2018.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–07834 Filed 4–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XG129
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted
Fishing Permits
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
AGENCY:
The Acting Assistant Regional
Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,
Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has
made a preliminary determination that
Exempted Fishing Permits, to facilitate
the use of fishing year 2018 monkfish
research set-aside days-at-sea, warrants
further consideration. This notice
provides interested parties the
opportunity to comment on the
proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before May 1, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written
comments by any of the following
methods:
• Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov.
Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments
on 2018 Monkfish RSA EFP.’’
• Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional
Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the
outside of the envelope ‘‘Comments on
2018 Monkfish RSA EFP.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cynthia Hanson, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978–281–9180,
Cynthia.Hanson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) that
waive monkfish landing limits have
been routinely approved since 2007 to
increase operational efficiency and
optimize research funds generated from
the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA)
SUMMARY:
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Program. These EFPs would facilitate
compensation fishing in support of the
projects funded under the 2018
monkfish RSA competition. Project
proposals for this year are currently
under review, with selection expected
in late April, just prior to the May 1 start
of the 2018 fishing year. Consistent with
previous years of the monkfish RSA
program, these RSA compensation
fishing EFPs would authorize an
exemption for participating vessels from
days-at-sea (DAS) landing limit
restrictions in the Monkfish Northern
and Southern Fishery DAS would be
allowed to harvest monkfish in excess of
the usual landing limits associated with
their Federal permits.
The monkfish RSA program is
allocated 500 monkfish RSA DAS
annually, as established by the New
England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Councils in Amendment 2
to the Monkfish FMP (70 FR 21929;
April 28, 2005). Each year, these
monkfish RSA DAS may be divided
between research award recipients and
sold to fishermen to fund approved
monkfish research projects. Award
recipients receive an allocation of RSA
DAS and a maximum amount that may
be landed under available DAS. Projects
are constrained to the total DAS,
maximum available landing weight, or
award timetable, whichever is reached
first. To calculate a maximum weight
allocation that is similar to the Councils’
original intent to be harvested under the
allocated 500 RSA DAS, NMFS uses
twice the landing limit for Permit
Category A and C monkfish vessel
fishing in the Southern Fishery
Management Area (4,074 lb (2 mt)
whole weight) for each RSA DAS. This
means that annually, a maximum of
2,037,000 lb (924 mt) of whole weight
may be harvested across all Monkfish
RSA projects. Allowing vessels an
exemption from monkfish landing limits
provides an incentive for vessels to
purchase and fish under RSA DAS to
catch more monkfish per trip, while
constraining each project to a maximum
available harvest limit ensures that the
overall monkfish RSA catch will not be
an excessive burden on the fishery as a
whole.
If approved, the applicants may
request minor modifications and
extensions to the EFP throughout the
year. EFP modifications and extensions
may be granted without further notice if
they are deemed essential to facilitate
completion of the proposed research
and have minimal impacts that do not
change the scope of the initially
approved EFP request. Any fishing
activity conducted outside the scope of
E:\FR\FM\16APN1.SGM
16APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 73 (Monday, April 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16343-16344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07834]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XF592
Marine Mammals; File No. 21158-02
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 Robert Garrott, Ph.D., Montana
State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, has applied for an
amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 21158-01.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before May 16, 2018.
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.
21158 from the list of available applications.
These documents are also available upon written request or by
appointment in the Permits and Conservation 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,
[[Page 16344]]
Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above.
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-0376, or by
email to [email protected]. Please include the File No. in the
subject line of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation 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: Sara Young or Carrie Hubard, (301)
427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 21158-01
is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the regulations governing
the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
Permit No. 21158, issued on September 25, 2017 (82 FR 48985;
October 23, 2017), authorizes the permit holder to continue long-term
studies of the Erebus Bay, Antarctica, Weddell seal (Leptonychotes
weddellii) population to evaluate how temporal variation in the marine
environment affects individual life histories and the population
dynamics of long-lived mammal. The permit holder is requesting the
permit be amended to increase take numbers for Weddell seals due to a
population boom observed by their long-term research. We issued a major
amendment on (83 FR 7166; February 20, 2018) to increase take for the
2017-18 field season to allow researchers to continue their work,
increasing take of pups from 675 to 1,000 for one field season only.
However, due to the population boom, the permit holder is requesting an
increase of take by 35 percent to all life stages. The amendment would
increase: Pups tagged from 515 to 800, pups retagged due to lost tags
from 10 to 20, tagging adults from 285 to 385, adults harassed for tag
reading from 1325 to 1800, and number of pups harassed from tag reading
from 675 to 910, annually. The permit holder would also like to
increase the number of carcasses salvaged from 10 to 35. The permit
expires on September 30, 2022.
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 this application to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: April 11, 2018.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-07834 Filed 4-13-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
