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Marine Mammals; File No. 995-1608

 

[Federal Register: December 21, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 246)]
[Notices]
[Page 80420]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21de00-51]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121100C]


Marine Mammals; File No. 995-1608

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

ACTION: Receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Thomas Norris, SAIC, 3990 Old Town
Avenue Suite 105A, San Diego, California 92110, has applied in due form
for a permit to take mysticete whales (blue whale, Balaenoptera
musculus; fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus; Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera
edeni; minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata; humpback whale,
Megaptera novaeangliae; gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus) for purposes
of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before
January 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for
review upon written request or by appointment in the following
office(s):
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg.
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426; and
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Lewandowski or Simona Roberts,
301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is 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 222-226).
    The applicant proposes to tag and photograph for identification
purposes mysticete whales (blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus; fin
whale, Balaenoptera physalus; Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni; minke
whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata; humpback whale, Megaptera
novaeangliae; gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus) using Satellite-Linked
ARGOS Transmitters (Sat-LAT) and a new Acoustic/Radio Tracking and
data-Telemetry (ARTT) system. The ARTT system logs and acoustically
telemeters underwater positions and environmental data to a tracking
vessel where GPS integrated updates of animal positions and track
histories are displayed with a PC. The Sat-LAT system will provide
large scale, long-term information on the movement patterns of tagged
whales, whereas the ARTT system will provide fine scale, short-term
information for examining behavioral responses of mysticete whales to
natural and anthropogenic environmental stimuli. Both methods will
provide data necessary to identify critical whale habitat, its
variability in space and time, and the effects of anthropogenic
activities (e.g. noise) relative to these habitat requirements.
    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.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits and Documentation
Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West
Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals
requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a
hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376,
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or by other
electronic media.
    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: December 15, 2000.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-32473 Filed 12-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 3510-22-S

 
 

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