Marine Mammals; File No. 28233, 7661-7662 [2025-01407]
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 22, 2025 / Notices
the negligible impact and small
numbers standards and authorized
under the initial IHA and no new
information has emerged that would
change those findings. The re-issued
2025 IHA includes identical required
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting
measures as the initial IHA, and there is
no new information suggesting that our
analysis or findings should change.
Based on the information contained
here and in the referenced documents,
NMFS has determined the following: (1)
the required mitigation measures will
effect the least practicable impact on
marine mammal species or stocks and
their habitat; (2) the authorized takes
will have a negligible impact on the
affected marine mammal species or
stocks; (3) the authorized takes
represent small numbers of marine
mammals relative to the affected stock
abundances; and (4) Trident’s activities
will not have an unmitigable adverse
impact on taking for subsistence
purposes as no relevant subsistence uses
of marine mammals are implicated by
this action.
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National Environmental Policy Act
To comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
NOAA Administrative Order (NAO)
216–6A, NMFS must review our
proposed action with respect to
environmental consequences on the
human environment.
Accordingly, NMFS has determined
that the issuance of the IHA qualifies to
be categorically excluded from further
NEPA review. This action is consistent
with categories of activities identified in
CE B4 of the Companion Manual for
NAO 216–6A, which do not
individually or cumulatively have the
potential for significant impacts on the
quality of the human environment and
for which we have not identified any
extraordinary circumstances that would
preclude this categorical exclusion.
Endangered Species Act
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) of 1973 (ESA: 16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that each
Federal agency insure that any action it
authorizes, funds, or carries out is not
likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any endangered or
threatened species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of
designated critical habitat. To ensure
ESA compliance for the issuance of
IHAs, NMFS consults internally
whenever we propose to authorize take
for endangered or threatened species, in
this case with the NMFS’ Alaska
Regional Office (AKRO).
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NMFS is authorizing take of the
Mexico-North Pacific distinct
population segment (DPS) of humpback
whale, and the western DPS of the
Steller sea lion, which are listed as
threatened or endangered under the
ESA. The NMFS AKRO issued a
Biological Opinion under section 7 of
the ESA on the issuance of an IHA to
Trident under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the
MMPA by NMFS OPR. The biological
opinion concluded that the action is not
likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of the listed species.
Authorization
NMFS has issued an IHA to Trident
for in-water construction activities
associated with the specified activity
from March 1, 2025, through February
28, 2026. All previously described
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting
requirements from the initial 2024 IHA
are incorporated.
Dated: January 15, 2025.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025–01448 Filed 1–21–25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE619]
Marine Mammals; File No. 28233
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; extension of comment
period.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
the National Marine Fisheries Service is
extending the public comment period
associated with the notice of receipt for
an application for a permit to import
bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops
truncatus) submitted by the Clearwater
Marine Aquarium.
DATES: The comment period for the
notice published on December 20, 2024,
at 89 FR 104107, is extended. Written
comments must be received on or before
March 20, 2025.
ADDRESSES: The application and related
documents are available online at
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/
permit-application-import-5-bottlenosedolphins-file-no-28233-clearwatermarine-aquarium.
You may submit comments, identified
by NOAA–NMFS–2024–0140, by any of
the following methods:
SUMMARY:
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7661
• Electronic Submission: Submit
electronic public comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal
www.regulations.gov. To submit
comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal,
enter NOAA–NMFS–2024–0140 in the
keyword search. Locate the document
you wish to comment on from the
resulting list and click on the
‘‘Comment Now’’ icon on the right of
that line.
• Mail: Comments on the application
should be addressed to: Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Room 13705, Silver
Spring, MD 20910; ATTN: Jolie
Harrison, Chief, Permits and
Conservation Division.
Instructions: Comments must be
submitted by one of the above methods.
All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be
posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change.
All personal identifying information
(e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted
voluntarily by the sender will be
publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NMFS will accept
anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in
the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft
Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats
only.
Those individuals requesting a public
hearing should submit a written request
to the Chief, Permits and Conservation
Division via one of the methods listed
above. The request should set forth the
specific reasons why a hearing on this
amendment would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Skidmore or Courtney Smith,
Ph.D., (301) 427–8401.
On
December 20, 2024 (89 FR 104107), the
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) published notice of a permit
application submitted by the Clearwater
Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward
Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767
(Responsible Party: James Powell,
Ph.D.,). The applicant is requesting to
import up to five adult male bottlenose
dolphins from Attica Zoological Park in
Athina, Greece, to the Clearwater
Marine Aquarium for public display.
The requested duration of the permit is
five years. In response to a request to
extend the public comment period,
NMFS is extending the public comment
period for an additional 45 days.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 22, 2025 / Notices
Dated: January 15, 2025.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025–01407 Filed 1–21–25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0647–XE616]
Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico;
Southeast Data, Assessment, and
Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 87 Assessment
Webinar VI for Gulf of Mexico White,
Pink, and Brown Shrimp.
AGENCY:
The SEDAR 87 assessment
process of Gulf of Mexico white, pink,
and brown shrimp will consist of a Data
Workshop, a series of assessment
webinars, and a Review Workshop. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: The SEDAR 87 Assessment
Webinar VI will be held Tuesday,
February 11, 2025, from 1 p.m. until 5
p.m., Eastern Time.
ADDRESSES:
Meeting address: The meeting will be
held via webinar. The webinar is open
to members of the public. Those
interested in participating should
contact Julie A. Neer at SEDAR (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) to
request an invitation providing webinar
access information. Please request
webinar invitations at least 24 hours in
advance of each webinar.
SEDAR address: 4055 Faber Place
Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC
29405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie
A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; (843) 571–
4366; email: Julie.neer@safmc.net.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf
of Mexico, South Atlantic, and
Caribbean Fishery Management
Councils, in conjunction with NOAA
Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf
States Marine Fisheries Commissions
have implemented the Southeast Data,
Assessment and Review (SEDAR)
process, a multi-step method for
determining the status of fish stocks in
the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a multistep process including: (1) Data
Workshop, (2) a series of assessment
webinars, and (3) A Review Workshop.
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SUMMARY:
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The product of the Data Workshop is a
report that compiles and evaluates
potential datasets and recommends
which datasets are appropriate for
assessment analyses. The assessment
webinars produce a report that describes
the fisheries, evaluates the status of the
stock, estimates biological benchmarks,
projects future population conditions,
and recommends research and
monitoring needs. The product of the
Review Workshop is an Assessment
Summary documenting panel opinions
regarding the strengths and weaknesses
of the stock assessment and input data.
Participants for SEDAR Workshops are
appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South
Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery
Management Councils and NOAA
Fisheries Southeast Regional Office,
HMS Management Division, and
Southeast Fisheries Science Center.
Participants include data collectors and
database managers; stock assessment
scientists, biologists, and researchers;
constituency representatives including
fishermen, environmentalists, and
NGO’s; International experts; and staff
of Councils, Commissions, and State
and Federal agencies.
The items of discussion during the
Assessment Webinar VI are as follows:
Participants will review the
assessment modeling work to date and
provide recommendations to the
analytic team.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, those
issues may not be the subject of formal
action during this meeting. Action will
be restricted to those issues specifically
identified in this notice and any issues
arising after publication of this notice
that require emergency action under
section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, provided the public has been
notified of the intent to take final action
to address the emergency.
Special Accommodations
The meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to the
Council office (see ADDRESSES) at least 5
business days prior to each workshop.
Note: The times and sequence
specified in this agenda are subject to
change.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 15, 2025.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025–01405 Filed 1–21–25; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE596]
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to the Empire
Wind Offshore Wind Energy Project
Offshore of New York
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; modification of letter of
authorization.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA), as amended, its implementing
regulations, and NMFS’ MMPA
Regulations for Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to Construction of
the Empire Wind Offshore Wind Project
Offshore of New York, notification is
hereby given that upon request from
Empire Wind, LLC (Empire Wind),
NMFS has modified a Letter of
Authorization (LOA) issued to Empire
Wind for the take of marine mammals
incidental to activities associated with
construction of the Empire Wind
Offshore Wind Energy Project (hereafter
known as the ‘‘Project’’) in Federal and
State waters offshore New York.
Specifically, NMFS has modified the
LOA Holder’s name as well as
mitigation and monitoring measures
related to vessel strike avoidance, sound
field verification reporting, and
requirements for passive acoustic
monitoring (PAM). NMFS has also made
modifications to additional measures to
improve clarify and better align with the
Biological Opinion. NMFS has
determined that these modifications do
not change the findings made for the
regulations and does not result in any
change in the total estimated number of
takes of marine mammals.
DATES: The modified LOA is valid
through February 21, 2029.
ADDRESSES: The issued modified LOA
may be obtained online at https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/
incidental-take-authorization-empireoffshore-wind-llc-construction-empirewind-project-ew1?check_logged_in=1.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jessica Taylor, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Background
The MMPA prohibits the ‘‘take’’ of
marine mammals, with certain
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22JAN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7661-7662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01407]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XE619]
Marine Mammals; File No. 28233
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Marine Fisheries
Service is extending the public comment period associated with the
notice of receipt for an application for a permit to import bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) submitted by the Clearwater Marine
Aquarium.
DATES: The comment period for the notice published on December 20,
2024, at 89 FR 104107, is extended. Written comments must be received
on or before March 20, 2025.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available online
at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/permit-application-import-5-bottlenose-dolphins-file-no-28233-clearwater-marine-aquarium.
You may submit comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2024-0140, by any
of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit electronic public comments
via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov. To submit
comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, enter NOAA-NMFS-2024-0140 in the
keyword search. Locate the document you wish to comment on from the
resulting list and click on the ``Comment Now'' icon on the right of
that line.
Mail: Comments on the application should be addressed to:
Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; ATTN:
Jolie Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division.
Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above
methods. All comments received are a part of the public record and will
generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without
change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address,
etc.) submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible.
Do not submit confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive
or protected information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter
``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).
Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word,
Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division via one
of the methods listed above. The request should set forth the specific
reasons why a hearing on this amendment would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore or Courtney Smith,
Ph.D., (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 20, 2024 (89 FR 104107), the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published notice of a permit
application submitted by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward
Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767 (Responsible Party: James Powell,
Ph.D.,). The applicant is requesting to import up to five adult male
bottlenose dolphins from Attica Zoological Park in Athina, Greece, to
the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for public display. The requested
duration of the permit is five years. In response to a request to
extend the public comment period, NMFS is extending the public comment
period for an additional 45 days.
[[Page 7662]]
Dated: January 15, 2025.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-01407 Filed 1-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P