Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Seabird Research Activities in Central California, 66379-66380 [2019-26171]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2019 / Notices
Cash Deposit Requirements
Because Gem-Year does not have a
superseding cash deposit rate, i.e., there
have been no final results published in
a subsequent administrative review for
Gem-Year, Commerce will issue revised
cash deposit instructions to CBP.
Effective November 30, 2019, the cash
deposit rate applicable to entries of
subject merchandise exported by GemYear is 206.00 percent.
Notification to Interested Parties
This notice is issued and published in
accordance with sections 516A(e),
751(a)(1), and 777(i)(1) of the Act.
Dated: November 27, 2019
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2019–26215 Filed 12–3–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XR068]
Taking and Importing Marine
Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to Seabird Research
Activities in Central California
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for
Letter of Authorization; request for
comments and information.
AGENCY:
NMFS has received a request
from Point Blue Conservation Science
(Point Blue) for authorization to take
small numbers of marine mammals
incidental to seabird research activities
in central California over the course of
five years from the date of issuance.
Pursuant to regulations implementing
the Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt
of Point Blue’s request for the
development and implementation of
regulations governing the incidental
taking of marine mammals. NMFS
invites the public to provide
information, suggestions, and comments
on Point Blue’s application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must
be received no later than January 3,
2020.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the
application should be addressed to Jolie
Harrison, Chief, Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:17 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 250001
Fisheries Service. Physical comments
should be sent to 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and
electronic comments should be sent to
ITP.Fowler@noaa.gov.
Instructions: NMFS is not responsible
for comments sent by any other method,
to any other address or individual, or
received after the end of the comment
period. Comments received
electronically, including all
attachments, must not exceed a 25megabyte file size. Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word or Excel or Adobe PDF
file formats only. All comments
received are a part of the public record
and will generally be posted online at
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
national/marine-mammal-protection/
incidental-take-authorizations-researchand-other-activities without change. All
personal identifying information (e.g.,
name, address) voluntarily submitted by
the commenter may be publicly
accessible. Do not submit confidential
business information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Fowler, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. An
electronic copy of Point Blue’s
application may be obtained online at:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
national/marine-mammal-protection/
incidental-take-authorizations-researchand-other-activities. In case of problems
accessing these documents, please call
the contact listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the
MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct
the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated
to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the
incidental, but not intentional, taking of
small numbers of marine mammals by
U.S. citizens who engage in a specified
activity (other than commercial fishing)
within a specified geographical region if
certain findings are made and either
regulations are issued or, if the taking is
limited to harassment, a notice of a
proposed authorization is provided to
the public for review.
An incidental take authorization shall
be granted if NMFS finds that the taking
will have a negligible impact on the
species or stock(s), will not have an
unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of the species or stock(s) for
subsistence uses (where relevant), and if
the permissible methods of taking and
requirements pertaining to the
mitigation, monitoring and reporting of
such takings are set forth.
NMFS has defined negligible impact
in 50 CFR 216.103 as an impact
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
66379
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.
The MMPA states that the term take
means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or
attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill
any marine mammal.
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
On September 17, 2019, NMFS
received an application from Point Blue
requesting authorization for take of
marine mammals incidental to seabird
research activities at three research sites
in central California. We determined the
application was adequate and complete
on November 26, 2019. The requested
regulations would be valid for five
years, from July 7, 2020 through July 6,
2025. Point Blue plans to monitor and
census seabird populations, observe
seabird nesting habitat, restore nesting
burrows, and resupply a field station.
The proposed action may incidentally
expose marine mammals occurring in
the vicinity to human presence at
pinniped haulouts, thereby resulting in
incidental take, by Level B harassment
only. Therefore, Point Blue requests
authorization to incidentally take
marine mammals.
NMFS has previously issued nine
Incidental Harassment Authorizations
(IHAs) to Point Blue for similar work
from 2006 through 2018 (72 FR 71121,
December 14, 2007; 73 FR 77011,
December 18, 2008; 75 FR 8677,
February 19, 2010; 77 FR 73989,
December 7, 2012; 78 FR 66686,
November 6, 2013; 80 FR 80321,
December 24, 2015; 81 FR 34978, June
1, 2016; 82 FR 31759, July 7, 2017; 83
FR 31372, July 5, 2018). Point Blue
complied with all the requirements (e.g.,
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting) of
the previous IHAs and their monitoring
reports are available online at: https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/
marine-mammal-protection/incidentaltake-authorizations-research-and-otheractivities.
E:\FR\FM\04DEN1.SGM
04DEN1
66380
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2019 / Notices
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Specified Activities
The planned activities occur on
Southeast Farallon Island (SEFI), An˜o
Nuevo Island (ANO), and Point Reyes
National Seashore (PRNS). Point Blue,
along with partners Oikonos Ecosystem
Knowledge and PRNS, have been
conducting seabird research activities at
these locations for over 30 years. This
research is conducted under cooperative
agreements with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) in
consultation with the Gulf of the
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
Point Blue’s research activities have the
potential to harass California sea lions
(Zalophus californianus), harbor seals
(Phoca vitulina), northern elephant seals
(Mirounga angustirostris), northern fur
seals (Callorhinus ursinus), Guadalupe
fur seals (Arctocephalus townsendi),
and Steller sea lions (Eumetopias
jubatus).
Research on SEFI is conducted year
round. At SEFI, seabird monitoring sites
are visited ∼ 1–3 times per day for a
maximum of 500 visits per year. Most
seabird monitoring visits are brief (∼15
minutes), though seabird observers are
present from 2–5 hours daily at North
Landing from early April—early August
each year to conduct observational
studies on breeding common murres
(Uria aalge). Boat landings to re-supply
the field station, lasting 1–3 hours, are
conducted once every two weeks. At
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:17 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 250001
ANI, research is conducted
approximately once/week from April–
August, with occasional intermittent
visits made during the rest of the year.
The maximum number of visits per year
would be 20. Landings and visits to nest
boxes are brief (∼15 minutes). Research
at PRNS is conducted year round, with
an emphasis during the seabird nesting
season with occasional intermittent
visits the rest of the year. The maximum
number of visits per year is 20. A
component of the seabird research
involves habitat restoration and
monitoring which requires sporadic
visits from September–November,
between the seabird breeding season
and the elephant seal pupping season.
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit
information, suggestions, and comments
concerning Point Blue’s request (see
ADDRESSES). NMFS will consider all
information, suggestions, and comments
related to the request during the
development of proposed regulations
governing the incidental taking of
marine mammals by Point Blue, if
appropriate.
Dated: November 27, 2019.
Angela Somma,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Transmittal No. 19–56]
Arms Sales Notification
Defense Security Cooperation
Agency, Department of Defense.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Arms sales notice.
The Department of Defense is
publishing the unclassified text of an
arms sales notification.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karma Job at karma.d.job.civ@mail.mil
or (703) 697–8976.
This
36(b)(1) arms sales notification is
published to fulfill the requirements of
section 155 of Public Law 104–164
dated July 21, 1996. The following is a
copy of a letter to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Transmittal
19–56 with attached Policy Justification
and Sensitivity of Technology.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: November 27, 2019.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2019–26171 Filed 12–3–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66379-66380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26171]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XR068]
Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to Seabird Research Activities in Central California
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for Letter of Authorization;
request for comments and information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request from Point Blue Conservation
Science (Point Blue) for authorization to take small numbers of marine
mammals incidental to seabird research activities in central California
over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to
regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS
is announcing receipt of Point Blue's request for the development and
implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine
mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions,
and comments on Point Blue's application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than January
3, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the application should be addressed to Jolie
Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. Physical comments should
be sent to 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and
electronic comments should be sent to [email protected].
Instructions: NMFS is not responsible for comments sent by any
other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the
end of the comment period. Comments received electronically, including
all attachments, must not exceed a 25-megabyte file size. Attachments
to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel or
Adobe PDF file formats only. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted online at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-research-and-other-activities without change. All
personal identifying information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Fowler, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401. An electronic copy of Point Blue's
application may be obtained online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-research-and-other-activities. In case of problems accessing these
documents, please call the contact listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.)
direct the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon
request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers
of marine mammals by U.S. citizens who engage in a specified activity
(other than commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region
if certain findings are made and either regulations are issued or, if
the taking is limited to harassment, a notice of a proposed
authorization is provided to the public for review.
An incidental take authorization shall be granted if NMFS finds
that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or
stock(s), will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where
relevant), and if the permissible methods of taking and requirements
pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of such takings
are set forth.
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.
The MMPA states that the term take means to harass, hunt, capture,
kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal.
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
On September 17, 2019, NMFS received an application from Point Blue
requesting authorization for take of marine mammals incidental to
seabird research activities at three research sites in central
California. We determined the application was adequate and complete on
November 26, 2019. The requested regulations would be valid for five
years, from July 7, 2020 through July 6, 2025. Point Blue plans to
monitor and census seabird populations, observe seabird nesting
habitat, restore nesting burrows, and resupply a field station. The
proposed action may incidentally expose marine mammals occurring in the
vicinity to human presence at pinniped haulouts, thereby resulting in
incidental take, by Level B harassment only. Therefore, Point Blue
requests authorization to incidentally take marine mammals.
NMFS has previously issued nine Incidental Harassment
Authorizations (IHAs) to Point Blue for similar work from 2006 through
2018 (72 FR 71121, December 14, 2007; 73 FR 77011, December 18, 2008;
75 FR 8677, February 19, 2010; 77 FR 73989, December 7, 2012; 78 FR
66686, November 6, 2013; 80 FR 80321, December 24, 2015; 81 FR 34978,
June 1, 2016; 82 FR 31759, July 7, 2017; 83 FR 31372, July 5, 2018).
Point Blue complied with all the requirements (e.g., mitigation,
monitoring, and reporting) of the previous IHAs and their monitoring
reports are available online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-research-and-other-activities.
[[Page 66380]]
Specified Activities
The planned activities occur on Southeast Farallon Island (SEFI),
A[ntilde]o Nuevo Island (ANO), and Point Reyes National Seashore
(PRNS). Point Blue, along with partners Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge and
PRNS, have been conducting seabird research activities at these
locations for over 30 years. This research is conducted under
cooperative agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
in consultation with the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine
Sanctuary. Point Blue's research activities have the potential to
harass California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), harbor seals
(Phoca vitulina), northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris),
northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), Guadalupe fur seals
(Arctocephalus townsendi), and Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).
Research on SEFI is conducted year round. At SEFI, seabird
monitoring sites are visited ~ 1-3 times per day for a maximum of 500
visits per year. Most seabird monitoring visits are brief (~15
minutes), though seabird observers are present from 2-5 hours daily at
North Landing from early April--early August each year to conduct
observational studies on breeding common murres (Uria aalge). Boat
landings to re-supply the field station, lasting 1-3 hours, are
conducted once every two weeks. At ANI, research is conducted
approximately once/week from April-August, with occasional intermittent
visits made during the rest of the year. The maximum number of visits
per year would be 20. Landings and visits to nest boxes are brief (~15
minutes). Research at PRNS is conducted year round, with an emphasis
during the seabird nesting season with occasional intermittent visits
the rest of the year. The maximum number of visits per year is 20. A
component of the seabird research involves habitat restoration and
monitoring which requires sporadic visits from September-November,
between the seabird breeding season and the elephant seal pupping
season.
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit information, suggestions, and
comments concerning Point Blue's request (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will
consider all information, suggestions, and comments related to the
request during the development of proposed regulations governing the
incidental taking of marine mammals by Point Blue, if appropriate.
Dated: November 27, 2019.
Angela Somma,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-26171 Filed 12-3-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
