Marine Mammals; File No. 19108, 13638-13639 [2019-06628]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13638-13639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06628]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD953


Marine Mammals; File No. 19108

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Daniel P. Costa, Ph.D., University 
of California at Santa Cruz, Long Marine Laboratory, 100 Shaffer Road, 
Santa Cruz, CA 95064, has applied for an amendment to Scientific 
Research Permit No. 19108-03.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before May 6, 2019.

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. 
19108'' from the list of available applications.

[[Page 13639]]

    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, 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 Shasta McClenahan, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 19108-03 
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. 19108, issued on June 30, 2015 (80 FR 39750), authorizes 
the permit holder to conduct research on northern elephant seal 
population status, reproduction, diving and fasting, physiology, and 
metabolism. Research methods include behavioral observations, marking, 
capture and sampling, instrumentation, translocation, short-term 
captive holding, physiology studies, and acoustic studies. Research is 
permitted from California to Washington, but occurs primarily at 
A[ntilde]o Nuevo. Incidental harassment and mortalities of northern 
elephant seals, and incidental harassment of California sea lions 
(Zalophus californianus), northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), and 
Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) of the Eastern Distinct 
Population Segment is authorized.
    The permit holder is requesting the permit be amended to include 
authorization for an increase in annual take from 10 to 20 animals for 
elephant seals that can be instrumented and translocated and receive 
thermistor placement annually. This annual increase would allow all of 
the translocations in this category to be conducted during the spring 
molt, which further ensures that animals are able to be recaptured for 
instrument removal. The applicant also requests permission to use an 
intravascular electrocardiogram within existing catheter placement (20 
animals annually). The applicant is authorized to experimentally alter 
the buoyancy of seals during translocations, including use of a neutral 
buoyancy control that alters the drag surface of the animal. The 
applicant requests to explicitly modify drag outside of the context of 
a buoyancy modification experiments and to add additional drag surface 
to subjects on one of the two translocations allowed per individual 
elephant seal to assess the impact of increased swimming effort on 
blood oxygen utilization (20 animals annually). The applicant also 
requests to add a head-mounted instrument for electroencephalography on 
translocated animals to give insight into the potential use of 
bihemispheric or unihemispheric sleep and the level of brain 
oxygenation during diving. The instrument uses near-infrared 
spectroscopy sensors or up to six electrodes (20 animals annually).
    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 1, 2019.
Amy Sloan,
Deputy Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-06628 Filed 4-4-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P