[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 127 (Friday, June 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40613-40614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16536]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061300A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 981-1578

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 Peter L. Tyack, Ph.D., Woods Hole 
Oceanographic Institution, Biology Department, 46 Water Street, Woods 
Hole, MA 02543, has applied in due form for a permit to take several 
species of marine mammals for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before July 
31, 2000.

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).
    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannie Drevenak, 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 fish and wildlife (50 CFR 222.23).

[[Page 40614]]

    The applicant is requesting to harass the species of cetaceans 
listed below in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea during the 
course of research on the impact of noise on marine mammals. The 
research will involve a variety of potential takes by harassment 
including: close approach for tagging; attachment of tags; focal 
follows; and playbacks of sound. In addition, the applicant requests 
authorization to import to the U.S. and export to foreign countries 
skin samples collected during the course of suction-cup tag retrieval. 
Incidental harassment of all species of cetaceans may occur through 
vessel approach, photographic identification and behavioral research. 
The research will be carried out over a five-year period.
    The following species may be taken by harassment during the course 
of the research: Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), Sei whale 
(Balaenoptera borealis), Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), Finback 
whale (Balaenoptera physalus), Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), 
Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Short-finned pilot whale 
(Globicephala macrorhynchus), Long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala 
melas), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), Killer whale (Orcinus orca), 
False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), Striped dolphin (Stenella 
coeruleoalba), Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), Bottlenose 
dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), Pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps), 
Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia simus), Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), 
Bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus), Blainville's beaked whale 
(Mesoplodon densirostris), Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon 
europaeus), Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens), True's beaked 
whales (Mesoplodon mirus), and Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius 
cavirostris).
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NMFS is preparing an environmental assessment 
which will be available from the Chief, Permits and Documentation 
Division, at the address listed above.
    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: June 26, 2000.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-16536 Filed 6-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F