Letters - 2009

Council on Environmental Quality

Developing an interagency ocean policy

Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology

Planned update of "Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States for the Next Decade"

National Marine Fisheries Service

Requests from multiple applicants for permits to conduct research on threatened and endangered Steller sea lions and depleted northern fur seals

Department of Commerce

Continuation of reporting requirements relative to federally controlled fisheries

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Shell Offshore, Inc., and Shell Gulf of Mexico, Inc., for authorization to take by harassment marine mammals incidental to seismic surveys in the Chukchi Sea

National Parks Conservation Association/ Sierra Club

Intent to conduct a review of the effects of oyster farming in Drake’s Estero on harbor seals

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from University of Illinois, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, to import biological samples from manatees, dugongs, sea otters, marine otters, walruses, and polar bears

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Scripps Institution of Oceanography to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to ocean-bottom seismic surveys in the Pacific Ocean

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Gregory Bossart, Ph.D., for a permit to conduct scientific research on bottlenose dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory for a permit to take polar bears and walruses by harassment incidental to conducting aerial surveys in the Chukchi and Bering Seas

Department of Commerce

Continuation of reporting requirements relative to the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Neptune LNG, LLC, for authorization to take by harassment seals, toothed whales, and baleen whales incidental to operation of a liquefied natural gas port in Massachusetts Bay

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for authorization to take by harassment small numbers of marine mammals incidental to a marine seismic survey in the northeast Pacific Ocean

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, for amendment of a permit to conduct research on Pacific walruses

National Science Foundation

Request from Stacy Kim under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 to launch a remotely operated vehicle under the Ross Ice Shelf, White Island, Antarctica

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposal to issue regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to activities at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, Florida

National Marine Fisheries Service

Planned postponement of the 2009 dolphin and ecosystem assessment research cruises in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Whitlow W. L. Au, Ph.D., for amendment of a permit to tag cetaceans and conduct acoustic playback studies on the effects of noise in cetacean behavior in waters off Hawaii

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Ocean World to import three captive-born female California sea lions from Germany for public display

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to military readiness training operations in the Gulf of Mexico Range Complex

Department of Commerce

Continuation of reporting requirements relative to the incidental take of marine mammals in commercial fisheries

Department of Commerce

Continuation of reporting requirements relative to issuance of permits to take marine mammals

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Five-year review of the status of the southern sea otter under the Endangered Species Act

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposed rule to authorize the Port of Anchorage to harass small numbers of marine mammals incidental to a five-year marine terminal redevelopment project

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the Mirage Casino-Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, to import two adult male captive-born bottlenose dolphins from Bermuda

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, for amendment of a permit for research on polar bears

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposed rule regarding illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities and bycatch of protected living marine resources

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center for amendment of a permit authorizing harassment of harbor seals and gray seals incidental to collection of scats and harbor seal pup carcasses

National Marine Fisheries Service

Advance notice of proposed rulemaking on designation of critical habitat for the endangered Cook Inlet stock of beluga whales

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Peter Tyack, Ph.D., for a scientific research permit to harass various species of beaked whales and large delphinids

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the U.S. Air Force, 30th Space Wing, to harass Pacific harbor seals incidental to proposed scientific research at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory for amendment of a permit to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to scientific research

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposed regulations to authorize the Naval Air Weapons Station to take three species of marine mammals by Level B harassment incidental to launch activities near San Nicolas Island, California

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request for reconsideration of the Service’s denial of requests to import polar bear trophies from Canada under an enhancement permit authorization

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the Navy for promulgation of regulations to authorize the incidental take of marine mammals relative to military readiness training operations in the Marina Islands Range Complex

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the Navy for promulgation of regulations to authorize the incidental take of marine mammals relative to military readiness training operations in the Cherry Point Range Complex

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from the Alaska Museum of Natural History for a public display permit for a sea otter skeleton

National Science Foundation

Request from Cindy Lee Van Dover for modification of a permit to export vertebrae from a North Atlantic right whale to Antarctica

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the Navy for promulgation of regulations to authorize the incidental take of marine mammals relative to military readiness training operations in the Northwest Training Range Complex

Department of State

Urging commitment of funds to support efforts to conserve and recover the vaquita in the Gulf of California

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Karen Terio, D.V.M., Ph.D., for a scientific research permit to import samples from up to 200 cetaceans and pinnipeds from locations outside the United States

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Regarding the deaths of three sea otters under a permit issued to the U.S. Geological Survey

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request for an incidental harassment authorization from Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge and Algonquin Gas Transmission relative to operating a liquid natural gas port facility and associated pipeline

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center for amendment of permit authorizing harassment of short-beaked and long-beaked common dolphins during vessel and aerial surveys and by bio-sampling

Minerals Management Service

Draft environmental impact statement on the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea Planning Areas Oil and Gas Lease Sales

U.S. Navy

Draft environmental impact statement on proposed naval activities in the Mariana Islands Range Complex

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory for amendment of a permit and a request from LGL Alaska Research Associates for a scientific research permit for work related to Cook Inlet beluga whales

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Ann Zoidis for amendment of a scientific research permit to authorize the taking by harassment of up to 100 minke whales annually

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, for a scientific research permit to obtain or receive samples from up to 250 manatees annually

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from Niladri Basu, Ph.D., for a scientific research permit to obtain and import tissue samples from polar bears taken by indigenous hunters in Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Niladri Basu, Ph.D., for a scientific research permit to obtain and import marine mammal tissue samples from Denmark

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Proposed critical habitat for the southwest Alaska distinct population segment of northern sea otters

Naval Facilities Engineering Command

Draft environmental impact statement/overseas environmental impact statement regarding training activities at the Northwest Training Range Complex

Naval Facilities Engineering Command

Draft environmental impact statement/overseas environmental impact statement regarding training activities at the Navy's Gulf of Mexico Range Complex

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from Charles Grossman, Ph.D.,  for renewal of a scientific research permit for work on manatees

National Science Foundation

Request from Ross D.E. MacPhee, Ph.D., to modify a permit issued under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 to allow collection of marine mammal bones and teeth

National Science Foundation

Request from Robert Pitman, to modify a permit issued under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 to allow collection of unidentified prey items

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from Mark Baumgartner, Ph.D., for amendment of a scientific research permit to authorize tagging of several species of large whales in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request from SeaWorld, Inc., for extension and amendment of permit authorizing permanent maintenance of a non-releasable, rehabilitated Guadalupe fur seal

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request for scientific research permit, James Hain, Ph.D., for studies involving large whales, including North Atlantic right whales

National Marine Fisheries Service

Petition from Center for Biological Diversity for a ban on importing swordfish and swordfish products from certain countries under section 101(a)(2) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposed “Policy and Guidance for Implementation of the Steller Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Research Permits and Grants Program”

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request for an incidental harassment authorization from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory relative to marine seismic surveys in the South and East China Seas and the Philippines

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request for an incidental harassment authorization from CGGVeritas relative to a geophysical and seismic survey in the U.S. Beaufort Sea

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request for an incidental harassment authorization from the Port of Anchorage relative to Phase II of a five-year marine terminal redevelopment project

National Marine Fisheries Service

Request for an incidental harassment authorization from the U.S. Navy relative to proposed training activities in the Undersea Warfare Training Range off the U.S. East Coast

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposed regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to take six cetacean species incidental to training activities in the Jacksonville (FL) Range Complex

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Proposed amendment to Animal Welfare Act regulations to add a new section requiring contingency planning and training at research facilities and by dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposed regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to training activities in the Virginia Cape study area

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Request from the U.S. Geological Survey to export frozen tissue samples from northern sea otters found dead or dying along the coasts of Washington and Alaska

National Marine Fisheries Service

Proposed regulations pertaining to the activities of the 30th Space Wing, U.S. Air Force, incidental to activities at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California