Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 64 / Monday, April 4, 2011 / Notices 18533 

Councils, Commissions, and state and 

Federal agencies. 

SEDAR 25 ‘pre-Data, postAssessment’ Webinar series: 

Using datasets recommended from the 

Data Workshop, participants from both 

the data workshop and the assessment 

workshop will come together for two 

webinars to provide early modeling 

advice. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are 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 10 business 

days prior to the meeting. 

Dated: March 30, 2011. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7914 Filed 4–1–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA342 

Marine Mammals; File No. 15682 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Mithriel MacKay, Texas A&M 

University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 

75003, has applied in due form for a 

permit to conduct research on 

humpback whales (Megaptera 

novaeangliae) [Principal Investigator: 

Bernd Wu ̈rsig]. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail 

comments must be received on or before 

May 4, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the Features box on the 

Applications and Permits for Protected 

Species (APPS) home page, https:// 

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File No. 15682 from the list of available 

applications. 

These documents are also available 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the following offices: 

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 

Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th 

Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, Florida 

33701; phone (727) 824–5312; fax (727) 

824–5309. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted to the Chief, 

Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, at the address listed above. 

Comments may also be submitted by 

facsimile to (301) 713–0376, or by email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. 

Please include the File No. in the 

subject line of the e-mail comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and 

Education Division at the address listed 

above. The request should set forth the 

specific reasons why a hearing on this 

application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kristy Beard or Joselyd Garcia-Reyes, 

(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.), and the regulations governing 

the taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR 222–226). 

The applicant requests a five-year 

permit to conduct research on 

humpback whales off Puerto Rico. The 

purpose of the research is to investigate 

the importance of smaller winter 

habitats used by humpback whales 

during the breeding/calving season. 

Each year, up to 700 humpback whales 

would be harassed during vessel-based 

photo-identification, behavioral 

observation, and passive acoustic 

recording and by divers during 

underwater photography. Whales would 

be harassed year-round, with efforts 

focused from October through July. 

A draft environmental assessment 

(EA) has been prepared in compliance 

with the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), to 

examine whether significant 

environmental impacts could result 

from issuance of the proposed scientific 

research permit. The draft EA is 

available for review and comment 

simultaneous with the scientific 

research permit application. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: March 29, 2011. 

P. Michael Payne, 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7958 Filed 4–1–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA341 

Marine Mammals; File No. 15324 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the Alaska Department of Fish and 

Game, Division of Wildlife 

Conservation, Juneau, AK has applied 

for a permit to conduct research on 

marine mammals in Alaska. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail 

comments must be received on or before 

May 4, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the Features box on the 

Applications and Permits for Protected 

Species (APPS) home page, https:// 

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File No. 15324 from the list of available 

applications. 

These documents are also available 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the following offices: 

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 

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 

21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone 

(907) 586–7221; fax (907) 586–7249. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted to the Chief, 

Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, at the address listed above. 

Comments may also be submitted by 

facsimile to (301) 713–0376, or by email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. 

Please include the File No. in the 

subject line of the e-mail comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and 

Education Division at the address listed 

above. The request should set forth the 

specific reasons why a hearing on this 

application would be appropriate. 


Emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
18534 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 64 / Monday, April 4, 2011 / Notices 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Tammy Adams or Laura Morse, (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.), and the 

regulations governing the taking and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216). 

The applicant requests a five-year 

permit to conduct scientific research on 

spotted (Phoca largha), ringed (Phoca 

hispida), bearded (Erignathus barbatus), 

and ribbon seals (Histriophoca fasciata) 

in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort 

seas of Alaska. The purpose of this 

research is to monitor the status and 

health of all four species by analyzing 

samples from the subsistence harvest 

and by documenting movements and 

habitat use by tracking animals with 

satellite transmitters. In addition to 

sampling harvested seals, the applicant 

would capture up to 200 individuals of 

each species per year. Captured seals 

would be measured and sampled (e.g., 

blood, blubber, skin, muscle, and 

whisker), and a subsample of these (120 

per year per species) will be fitted with 

transmitters. The applicant also requests 

permission to harass non-target seals of 

each species and authorization for a 

limited number of research-related 

mortalities. Results of these studies 

would be used to monitor the health 

and status of each of the four species’ 

populations, improve population 

assessments, and develop mitigation 

measures to minimize disturbance to 

these species that are important to the 

indigenous people of Alaska for 

subsistence food, materials, and for 

cultural significance. Samples would be 

imported from Russia, Canada, Svalbard 

(Norway) and exported to Canada for 

analyses. 

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. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: March 29, 2011. 

P. Michael Payne, 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7956 Filed 4–1–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA339 

Marine Mammals; File No. 15271 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

James T. Harvey, Moss Landing Marine 

Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, 

Moss Landing, CA 95039 has been 

issued a permit to conduct research on 

blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. 

physalus), humpback (Megaptera 

novaeangliae), and gray (Eschrichtius 

robustus) whales. 

ADDRESSES: The permit and related 

documents are available for review 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the following offices: 

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; 

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: 

Kristy Beard or Amy Hapeman, (301) 

713–2289. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 

31, 2010, notice was published in the 

Federal Register (75 FR 53271) that a 

request for a permit to conduct research 

on the species identified above had been 

submitted by the above-named 

applicant. The requested permit has 

been issued under the authority of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 

as amended (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.), and the regulations governing 

the taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222–226). 

The five-year permit authorizes 

research on large whale species off 

California, Oregon, and Washington; the 

primary research area is off the 

Southern California Bight, San Luis 

Obispo, Monterey Bay, and San 

Francisco. Researchers are authorized to 

approach whales for photoidentification and biopsy sampling. A 

subset of whales may be suction-cup 

tagged, dart-tagged, or tagged with small 

implantable tags. The permit also 

authorizes incidental harassment of 

California sea lions (Zalophus 

californianus), harbor seals (Phoca 

vitulina richardii), Pacific white-sided 

dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), 

Northern right whale dolphins 

(Lissodelphis borealis), harbor porpoise 

(Phocoena phocoena) and short-beaked 

common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). 

An environmental assessment (EA) 

was prepared analyzing the effects of 

the permitted activities on the human 

environment in compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Based on 

the analyses in the EA, NMFS 

determined that issuance of the permit 

would not significantly impact the 

quality of the human environment and 

that preparation of an environmental 

impact statement was not required. That 

determination is documented in a 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI), signed on March 24, 2011. 

As required by the ESA, issuance of 

this permit was based on a finding that 

such permit: (1) Was applied for in good 

faith; (2) will not operate to the 

disadvantage of such endangered 

species; and (3) is consistent with the 

purposes and policies set forth in 

section 2 of the ESA. 

Dated: March 29, 2011. 

P. Michael Payne, 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7954 Filed 4–1–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA344 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 


Emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES