20324 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 70 / Tuesday, April 12, 2011 / Notices 

Policy priorities; and (4) provide nonnavigation constituencies with services, 

data, products and expertise. Three 

stakeholder panels will present and 

identify issues, recommend 

improvements and/or address concerns 

related to regional Pacific: Navigation 

services, vertical and horizontal 

datum’s, and hazards and coastal 

management. Other matters to be 

discussed will include NOAA 

navigation program office updates, 

NOAA budget process, HSRP meeting 

administration, and public comments. 

Dated: April 6, 2011. 

John E. Lowell, Jr., 

Director, Office of Coast Survey, National 

Ocean Service, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8728 Filed 4–11–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–JE–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Availability of Seats for the Monterey 

Bay National Marine Sanctuary 

Advisory Council 

AGENCY: Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean 

Service (NOS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice to extend application 

deadline. 

SUMMARY: The ONMS is seeking 

applications for the following vacant 

seats on the Monterey Bay National 

Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council: 

Diving, Education (alternate), Research 

(alternate), Tourism (alternate) and 

Agriculture (alternate). Applicants are 

chosen based upon their particular 

expertise and experience in relation to 

the seat for which they are applying; 

community and professional affiliations; 

philosophy regarding the protection and 

management of marine resources; and 

possibly the length of residence in the 

area affected by the sanctuary. 

Applicants who are chosen should 

expect to serve until February 2014. The 

Research alternate and Agriculture 

alternate should expect to serve until 

February 2013 because the seats were 

vacated prematurely. 

DATES: Applications are due by April 

29, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Application kits may be 

obtained from 299 Foam Street, 

Monterey, CA 93940 or online at 

http://montereybay.noaa.gov/. Complete 

applications should be sent to the same 

address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Nicole Capps, 299 Foam Street, 

Monterey, CA 93940, (831) 647–4206, 

nicole.capps@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

MBNMS Advisory Council was 

established in March 1994 to assure 

continued public participation in the 

management of the Sanctuary. Since its 

establishment, the Advisory Council has 

played a vital role in decisions affecting 

the Sanctuary along the central 

California coast. 

The Advisory Council’s twenty voting 

members represent a variety of local 

user groups, as well as the general 

public, plus seven local, State and 

Federal governmental jurisdictions. In 

addition, the respective managers or 

superintendents for the four California 

National Marine Sanctuaries (Channel 

Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 

Cordell Bank National Marine 

Sanctuary, Gulf of the Farallones 

National Marine Sanctuary and the 

Monterey Bay National Marine 

Sanctuary) and the Elkhorn Slough 

National Estuarine Research Reserve sit 

as non-voting members. 

Four working groups support the 

Advisory Council: The Research 

Activity Panel (‘‘RAP’’) chaired by the 

Research Representative, the Sanctuary 

Education Panel (‘‘SEP’’) chaired by the 

Education Representative, the 

Conservation Working Group (‘‘CWG’’) 

chaired by the Conservation 

Representative, and the Business and 

Tourism Activity Panel (‘‘BTAP’’) 

chaired by the Business/Industry 

Representative, each dealing with 

matters concerning research, education, 

conservation and human use. The 

working groups are composed of experts 

from the appropriate fields of interest 

and meet monthly, or bi-monthly, 

serving as invaluable advisors to the 

Advisory Council and the Sanctuary 

Superintendent. 

The Advisory Council represents the 

coordination link between the 

Sanctuary and the State and Federal 

management agencies, user groups, 

researchers, educators, policy makers, 

and other various groups that help to 

focus efforts and attention on the central 

California coastal and marine 

ecosystems. 

The Advisory Council functions in an 

advisory capacity to the Sanctuary 

Superintendent and is instrumental in 

helping develop policies, program goals, 

and identify education, outreach, 

research, long-term monitoring, resource 

protection, and revenue enhancement 

priorities. The Advisory Council works 

in concert with the Sanctuary 

Superintendent by keeping him or her 

informed about issues of concern 

throughout the Sanctuary, offering 

recommendations on specific issues, 

and aiding the Superintendent in 

achieving the goals of the Sanctuary 

program within the context of 

California’s marine programs and 

policies. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1431, et seq. 

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 

Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program) 

Dated: April 1, 2011. 

Daniel J. Basta, 

Director, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8614 Filed 4–11–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE M 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA354 

Endangered Species; File No. 15606 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Issuance of permit. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Andre Landry, Ph.D., Texas A&M 

University at Galveston, Department of 

Marine Biology, 5007 Avenue U, 

Galveston, TX 77553, has been issued a 

permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), 

Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 

loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and 

hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea 

turtles for purposes of scientific 

research. 

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; and 

Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th 

Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; 

phone (727) 824–5312; fax (727) 824– 

5309. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Colette Cairns or Amy Hapeman, (301) 

713–2289. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

November 24, 2010, notice was 

published in the Federal Register (75 

FR 71670) that a request for a scientific 

research permit to take green, Kemp’s 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 70 / Tuesday, April 12, 2011 / Notices 20325 

ridley, loggerhead, and hawksbill sea 

turtles had been submitted by the abovenamed individual. The requested permit 

has been issued under the authority of 

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). 

Dr. Landry was issued a 5 year permit 

to: (1) Examine green sea turtle 

assemblages in sea grass habitats off of 

Texas; (2) determine trends in seasonal 

abundance and movement of green, 

Kemp’s ridley, and loggerhead sea 

turtles in Texas and Louisiana estuaries; 

(3) characterize environmental estrogen 

uptake in green and Kemp’s ridley sea 

turtles at a Texas Superfund site; and (4) 

document impacts of the Deepwater 

Horizon oil spill on sea turtle 

assemblages in the western Gulf of 

Mexico. Researchers may capture by 

entanglement or cast net, transport, 

photograph, measure, weigh, flipper tag, 

passive integrated transponder tag, 

blood, fecal, epiphyte and tissue 

sample, attach satellite transmitters to 

and release sea turtles. 

Issuance of this permit, as required by 

the ESA, 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 or 

threatened species, and (3) is consistent 

with the purposes and policies set forth 

in section 2 of the ESA. 

Dated: April 4, 2011. 

P. Michael Payne, 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8593 Filed 4–11–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA314 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to 

Specified Activities; Marine 

Geophysical Survey in the Pacific 

Ocean off Costa Rica, April Through 

June, 2011 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of an incidental 

take authorization. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA) regulations, notification is 

hereby given that NMFS has issued an 

Incidental Harassment Authorization 

(IHA) to Lamont-Doherty Earth 

Observatory (L–DEO), a part of 

Columbia University, to take small 

numbers of marine mammals, by Level 

B harassment, incidental to conducting 

a marine geophysical survey in the 

eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) Ocean off 

Costa Rica, April through June, 2011. 

DATES: Effective April 7 through June 6, 

2011. 

ADDRESSES: A copy of the IHA and 

application are available by writing to 

P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, 

Conservation and Education Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 

or by telephoning the contacts listed 

here. A copy of the application 

containing a list of the references used 

in this document may be obtained by 

writing to the above address, 

telephoning the contact listed here (see 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) or 

visiting the Internet at: http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/

incidental.htm#applications. The 

following associated documents are also 

available at the same internet address: 

Environmental Assessment (EA) 

prepared by NMFS, and the finding of 

no significant impact (FONSI). The 

NMFS Biological Opinion will be 

available online at: http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/consultation/

opinions.htm. Documents cited in this 

notice may be viewed, by appointment, 

during regular business hours, at the 

aforementioned address. Documents 

cited in this notice may be viewed, by 

appointment, during regular business 

hours, at the aforementioned address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeannine Cody, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 713–2289, ext. 

113. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA (16 

U.S.C. 1371 (a)(5)(D)) directs the 

Secretary of Commerce to authorize, 

upon request, the incidental, but not 

intentional, taking of small numbers of 

marine mammals of a species or 

population stock, by United States 

citizens who engage in a specified 

activity (other than commercial fishing) 

within a specified geographical region if 

certain findings are made and, if the 

taking is limited to harassment, a notice 

of a proposed authorization is provided 

to the public for review. 

Authorization for the incidental 

taking of small numbers of marine 

mammals shall be granted if NMFS 

finds that the taking will have a 

negligible impact on the species or 

stock(s), and will not have an 

unmitigable adverse impact on the 

availability of the species or stock(s) for 

subsistence uses (where relevant). The 

authorization must set forth the 

permissible methods of taking, other 

means of effecting the least practicable 

adverse impact on the species or stock 

and its habitat, and requirements 

pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring 

and reporting of such takings. NMFS 

has defined ‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 

CFR 216.103 as ‘‘* * * an impact 

resulting from the specified activity that 

cannot be reasonably expected to, and is 

not reasonably likely to, adversely affect 

the species or stock through effects on 

annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’ 

Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA 

established an expedited process by 

which citizens of the United States can 

apply for an authorization to 

incidentally take small numbers of 

marine mammals by harassment. 

Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA 

establishes a 45-day time limit for 

NMFS’ review of an application 

followed by a 30-day public notice and 

comment period on any proposed 

authorizations for the incidental 

harassment of small numbers of marine 

mammals. Within 45 days of the close 

of the public comment period, NMFS 

must either issue or deny the 

authorization. NMFS must publish a 

notice in the Federal Register within 30 

days of its determination to issue or 

deny the authorization. 

Except with respect to certain 

activities not pertinent here, the MMPA 

defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: 

any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance 

which (i) has the potential to injure a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild 

[Level A harassment]; or (ii) has the potential 

to disturb a marine mammal or marine 

mammal stock in the wild by causing 

disruption of behavioral patterns, including, 

but not limited to, migration, breathing, 

nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering 

[Level B harassment]. 

Summary of Request 

NMFS received an application on 

November 12, 2010, from L–DEO for the 

taking by harassment, of marine 

mammals, incidental to conducting a 

marine geophysical survey in the 

eastern tropical Pacific Ocean within 

the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 

Costa Rica. L–DEO, with research 

funding from the U.S. National Science 

Foundation (NSF), plans to conduct the 

seismic survey from April 7, 2011, 

through May 9, 2011. Upon receipt of 

additional information, NMFS 

determined the application complete 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES