56998 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 184 / Thursday, September 23, 2004 / Notices 

observed reactions, and documentation 

of any apparent effects on accessibility 

of marine mammals to subsistence 

hunters.

BP also proposes to submit a single 

comprehensive report on the monitoring 

results from mid–2005 to mid–2009 no 

later than 240 days prior to expiration 

of the regulations, i.e., by September 

2009. That date assumes the regulations 

will become effective in May 2005 and 

expire in May 2010.

If specific mitigation is required for 

activities on the sea ice initiated after 20 

March (requiring searches with dogs for 

lairs), or during the operation of strong 

sound sources (requiring visual 

observations and shut-down), then a 

preliminary summary of the activity, 

method of monitoring, and preliminary 

results would be submitted within 90 

days after the cessation of that activity. 

The complete description of methods, 

results and discussion would be 

submitted as part of the annual report.

Any observations concerning possible 

injuries, mortality, or an unusual marine 

mammal mortality event would be 

transmitted to NMFS within 48 hours.

Request for Information

This notice is being published in 

conformance with NMFS regulations at 

50 CFR 104(b)(1)(ii). NMFS requests 

interested persons to submit comments, 

information, and suggestions concerning 

the request and the structure and 

content of the regulations to allow the 

taking. NMFS will consider this 

information in developing proposed 

regulations. Prior to submitting 

comments, NMFS recommends 

reviewers of this document first read the 

responses to comments for the current 

regulations (see 65 FR 34014, May 25, 

2000 and 66 FR 65923, December 21, 

2001). If NMFS proposes regulations to 

allow this take, interested parties would 

be provided with a 45–day comment 

period within which to submit 

comments on the proposed rule.

Dated: September 17, 2004.

Laurie K. Allen,

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 04–21400 Filed 9–22–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 091604B]

Endangered Species; File No. 1486 and 

File No. 1505

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of applications for 

permits.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

following actions regarding permits for 

scientific research on shortnose 

sturgeon (Acipenser brevirosturm): 

NMFS has received a permit application 

from the South Carolina Department of 

Natural Resources, Freshwater Fisheries 

Section (Mr. Doug Cooke, Principal 

Investigator), P.O. Drawer 190, 305 

Black Oak Road, Bonneau, SC 29431 

(File No. 1505). NMFS has received a 

request to modify a permit application 

from Mr. Harold M. Brundage, 

Environmental Research and 

Consulting, Inc., 112 Commons Court, 

Chadds Ford, PA 19317 (File No. 1486).

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments 

must be received on or before October 

25, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The applications and 

related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment in the following office(s):

All documents: Permits, Conservation 

and Education Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Room 13705, Silver 

Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713–

2289; fax (301)713–0376.

For File No. 1486: Northeast Region, 

NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, 

Gloucester, MA 01930–2298; phone 

(978)281–9200; fax (978)281–9371; and

For File No. 1505: Southeast Region, 

NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive 

North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702–2432; 

phone (727)570–5301; fax (727)570–

5320.

Written comments or requests for a 

public hearing on these applications 

should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, 

Conservation and Education 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 the 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.

Comments may also be submitted by 

e-mail. The mailbox address for 

providing email comments is 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include 

in the subject line of the e-mail 

comment the following document 

identifier: either File No. 1486 or File 

No. 1505.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Jefferies or Dr. Tammy Adams, 

(301)713–2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permits are requested 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 222–226).

File No. 1510: The South Carolina 

Department of Natural Resources seeks 

authorization to sample and track 

shortnose sturgeon in South Carolina 

coastal waters. Annually, up to 50 fish 

would be captured via gill nets, trot 

lines, and trawls, measured, weighed, 

PIT and dart tagged, tissue sampled for 

genetic testing and the fish subsequently 

released. A subset of 20 fish annually 

would also have a fin ray removed for 

aging studies, be outfitted with a radio/

sonic transmitter and tracked and/or 

have gastric lavage performed on them. 

Additionally, the researchers would 

utilize drift nets and deploy buffer pads 

to collect up to 200 shortnose sturgeon 

eggs annually. A second study would be 

conducted specifically in the SanteeCooper River system: annually, up to 48 

fish would be captured via gill nets, trot 

lines, and trawls, measured, weighed, 

PIT and dart tagged, tissue sampled for 

genetic testing, blood sampled, sexed 

via laparascopy and the fish 

subsequently released. This research 

would be conducted for five years from 

issuance of the permit. A total of 2 

incidental mortalities annually are 

requested.

File No. 1486: A notice of receipt of 

an application from Mr. Harold 

Brundage to conduct scientific research 

on shortnose sturgeon was published on 

May 27, 2004 (69 FR 30287). Mr. 

Brundage sought authorization to 

sample and track shortnose sturgeon in 

the Delaware River/Bay and Chesapeake 

Bay for five years. Annually, up to 3,500 

fish in the Delaware system and up to 

130 fish in the Chesapeake Bay were to 

be captured via gill nets and trawls, 

measured, weighed, PIT and floy T-bar 

tagged, tissue sampled, and the fish 

subsequently released. Additionally, up 

to 60 of the total fish sampled annually 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 184 / Thursday, September 23, 2004 / Notices 56999

in the Delaware system only were to 

also receive an internal sonic 

transmitter. The permit has not been 

issued yet but Mr. Brundage has 

amended his application to include the 

use of laparascopic techniques to assess 

the health and determine the sex of up 

to 50 fish annually in the Delaware 

system and Chesapeake Bay. This 

number is the total requested across 

both systems and is a subset of the fish 

listed above for capture. The 

laparascopic activities would be in 

addition to the activities listed above.

Dated: September 17, 2004.

Stephen L. Leathery,

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 04–21401 Filed 9–22–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 091304B]

Marine Mammals; File No. 87–1743

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of permit and notice of 

request for additional species.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. 

Daniel Costa, Department of Biology and 

Institute of Marine Sciences, University 

of California, Santa Cruz, California 

95064 has been issued a permit to 

conduct scientific research on northern 

elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). 

Notice is also given that California sea 

lions (Zalophus californianus) may be 

incidentally harassed during the 

research, and this activity is requested 

for inclusion in the permit.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail 

comments must be received on or before 

October 25, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The application 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.

Written comments or requests for a 

public hearing should be mailed to the 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and 

Education Division, F/PR1, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest 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 to (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.

Comments may also be submitted by 

e-mail. The mailbox address for 

providing email comments is 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include 

in the subject line of the e-mail 

comment the applicable document 

identifier: File No. 87–1743.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Sloan or Ruth Johnson, 301/713–

2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 

7, 2004, notice was published in the 

Federal Register (69 FR 18352) that a 

request for a scientific research permit 

to take northern elephant seals had been 

submitted by the above-named 

individual. 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.), and 

the Regulations Governing the Taking 

and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 

CFR part 216). The original notice and 

application did not include incidental 

harassment of California sea lions, 

which is requested for inclusion in the 

permit.

The permit authorizes continuation of 

a long-term study examining northern 

elephant seal population growth and 

status, mating and reproductive 

strategies, behavioral and physiological 

adaptations for diving, general 

physiology and metabolism, energetics 

of reproduction and foraging, sleep 

apnea, and sensory capacities. The 

permit will expire five years after the 

date of issuance.

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an environmental 

assessment was prepared analyzing the 

effects of the research activities. After a 

Finding of No Significant Impact, the 

determination was made that it was not 

necessary to prepare an environmental 

impact statement.

Dated: September 17, 2004.

Stephen L. Leathery,

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 04–21402 Filed 9–22–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary 

[Transmittal No. 04–31] 

36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Department of Defense, Defense 

Security Cooperation Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is 

publishing the unclassified text of a 

section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. 

This is published to fulfill the 

requirements of section 155 of Public 

Law 104–164 dated 21 July 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

J. Hurd, DSCA/OPS–ADMIN, (703) 604–

6575. 

The following is a copy of a letter to 

the Speaker of the House of 

Representatives, Transmittal 04–31 with 

attached transmittal and policy 

justification.

Dated: September 17, 2004. 

L.M. Bynum, 

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison 

Officer, Department of Defense.

BILLING CODE 5001–06–M