[Federal Register: June 4, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 107)]
[Notices]
[Page 33477-33478]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04jn03-65]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 052703G]
Marine Mammals; File Nos. 782-1702, 782-1708, 782-1719, and 358-
1585-02
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of applications for permits and application for permit
amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the following applicants have
applied in due form for a permit or permit amendment to take marine
mammals for purposes of scientific research:
File Nos. 782-1702, -1708, and -1719 - National Marine Fisheries
Service [NMFS], National Marine Mammal Laboratory [NMML], 7600 Sand
Point Way, N.E. Seattle, WA 98115; and
File No. 358-1585-02 - Alaska Department of Fish and Game [ADF&G],
Division of Wildlife Conservation, P.O. Box 25536, Juneau, AK 99802-
5526.
DATES: Written or telefaxed comments on the new applications and
amendment request must be received on or before July 7, 2003.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review upon written request or by appointment in the following
office(s):
Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD
20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376; and
Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Northwest
Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA
98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;
Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska
Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone (907)586-
7235; fax (907)586-7012;
Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Southwest
Region,
[[Page 33478]]
NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213;
phone (562)980-4020; fax (562)980-4027. Only Files 782-1708 and 782-
1719 are available in the Southwest Region.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson, Carrie Hubard, or Amy
Sloan 301/713-2289, or email: Ruth.Johnson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits and amendment are
requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of
1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the Regulations
Governing the Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216),
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting
of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-227), and the Fur Seal
Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
Applications for Permit
The NMML has submitted three applications to take marine mammals
for scientific research.
(1) Application 782-1702 - NMML proposes to conduct aerial, ground
and boat surveys of pinnipeds; capture and release of harbor seals
(Phoca vitulina), California sea lions (Zalophus californianus),
Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), and northern elephant seals
(Mirounga angustirostris). Aerial, ground and boat surveys are proposed
annually for stock assessment of these species. Capture and release of
harbor seals will include tagging and branding for long term
identification of individuals for information on reproductive success,
survival, and longevity; blood sampling for disease screening; blubber
biopsy for contaminant analysis; tissue sampling for genetics and for
fatty acid analysis; some seals will be instrumented with VHF radio
transmitters and/or Time-Depth Recorders (TDR) or satellite tags or
sonic tags to document movements, activity and foraging patterns.
Capture and release of California sea lions will include tagging and
branding for long-term identification of individuals to determine
predation rates on endangered salmonids; blood sampling for disease
screening; blubber biopsy for contaminant analysis; and instrumentation
with VHF radio transmitters, TDRs, or satellite tags to document
movements and migration rates. Capture and release of Steller sea lions
will include tagging and branding for long-term identification of
individuals to determine predation rates on endangered salmonids; blood
sampling for disease screening; tissue sampling for genetic analysis
and instrumentation with VHF radio transmitters, TDRs, or satellite
tags to document movements and migration rates. Tagging of northern
elephant seals will document survival, movements, and site fidelity. In
addition, scat will be collected from harbor seal, California sea lion,
and Steller sea lion haulout areas for food habits analysis. Activities
will occur in the States of Washington, Oregon and California.
(2) Application 782-1708 - NMML proposes to take Northern fur seals
during scientific research. Seals will be captured, tagged, sampled and
annual censuses will be conducted. All of this work is essential for:
(1) monitoring the status and trends of the northern fur seal
population, (2) evaluating the condition of animals from each cohort
(health and strength of year-class), (3) monitoring the diet, and (4)
documenting the movement patterns, foraging behavior, and essential
foraging habitat of various age and sex classes of fur seals. This is a
continuation of work authorized in Permit No. 782-1455. The information
collected under this permit will be important for assessing the
recovery of this depleted species and for evaluating management
actions.
(3) Application 782-1719 - NMML is requesting authority to take
marine mammals during-MMPA mandated stock assessment activities. NMML
proposes to conduct Level B harassment during overflights, vessel-based
observations, and approaches for photography, and by Level A harassment
when doing biopsy sampling or tagging. This permit application is
divided into three Projects: Project I is specifically for aerial
surveys, including circling animals for making identifications, counts,
or photography; Project II covers vessel surveys, including transects
and approaches for photography and biopsies; Project III is in regard
to tagging through remote deployment (via crossbow, gun, or pole) or
capture, holding and release.
Amendment request
The ADF&G requests an amendment to permit 358-1585-02 to conduct
the following activities on harbor seals: (1) permanently mark (hot
brand) all female seals that receive VHF implants to enable
identification from a distance, without disturbance, to determine
whether a radio-tagged female has a pup; (2) place PIT tags in all
live-captured seals to identify recaptured individuals while in the
field to ensure that historic data are compared with subsequent samples
for those individuals to assess changes in health or contaminant loads
over time; (3) conduct transrectal ultrasound to diagnose pregnancy in
seals, a technique that has been safely used in domestic and wild
ungulates for several decades; (4) attach small sonic depth tags to
seal pelage to facilitate real-time tracking of seal foraging behavior
while simultaneously conducting acoustical surveys of prey
availability; and (5) attach an Underwater Timed Picture Recorder
(UTPR), equipped with a time depth recorder, to some seals for 24-hour
periods. These data will be used in a study of optimal foraging
behavior under predation risk and will allow acquisition of detailed
dive data to predict the probability of encounter with predators for
different age classes of seals; from the video data, prey selection,
and pursuit and handling times can be readily calculated.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of these applications to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: May 30, 2003.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-14041 Filed 6-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S