[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 168 (Friday, August 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45880-45882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22985]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit applications received under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish 
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published 
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 part 670 
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of 
permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or reviews with respect to these permit applications by September 23, 
1997. Permit applications may be inspected by interested parties at the 
Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 775, 
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address or (703) 306-1033.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctica Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), has 
developed regulations that implement the ``Agreed Measures for the 
Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora'' for all United States 
citizens. The Agreed Measures, developed by the Antarctic Treaty 
Consultative Parties, recommended establishment of a permit system for 
various activities in Antarctic and designation of certain animals and 
certain geographic areas requiring special protection. The regulations 
established such a permit system to designate Specially Protected Areas 
and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
    The application received is as follows:
Permit Application No. 98-007
1. Applicant: Arthur L. DeVries, Department of Physiology, 524 Burrill

[[Page 45881]]

Hall, University of Illinois, 407 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, 
Illinois 61801-3704

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Introduction of Non-
indigenous Species into Antarctica.
    Fifteen (15) specimens of New Zealand black cod, Notothenia 
angustata, will be cold acclimated in a closed seawater system in the 
aquarium at McMurdo Station. The cold acclimated specimens will be used 
in experiments to determine the role of the antifreeze glycopeptides in 
freezing avoidance, and for isolating DNA. The DNA will be screened for 
the presence of an ``unexpressed'' antifreeze glycopeptide gene. 
Sensitive blood serum freezing habit tests suggest cold acclimated 
black cod synthesize small amounts of antifreeze glycopeptide after 
acclimation to +4 deg.C for 6 weeks.
    Some specimens will be injected with purified antifreeze 
glycopeptides to determine if the presence of the antifreeze 
glycopeptides in the circulation is sufficient to provide avoidance of 
freezing or if it needs to be integrated into the membranes of 
protected cells by synthetic ice crystals and the fate of the ice is 
determined.
    The integument of the cod will also be used in experiments to 
determine whether it is a barrier to ice propagation due to its 
physical properties or whether antifreeze glycopeptides provide a 
physioco-chemical barrier in conjunction with the integument. Brain 
lipids will also be analyzed to determine the degree of unsaturation of 
the phospholipid fatty acids.
    Upon completion of experiments, the black cod will be sacrificed 
and preserved in 10% formalin.
    Location: McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica.
    Dates: October 1, 1996-March 31, 1997.
Permit Application: 98-008
2. Applicant: Ian Whillans, Department of Ecological Sciences, Ohio 
State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, OH 43210

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Enter Specially Protected 
Area.
    The applicant proposes to enter Beaufort Island, Specially 
Protected Area No. 5, to measure the motion of the island with respect 
to the Transantarctic Mountains due to mountain building activity and 
related processes. Access to the area will be by twin otter or 
helicopter to an area above sea level to install GPS receivers. The GPS 
will operate for 5 days or less and then be removed. Small markers will 
be left behind for reoccupation in 1998/99 and again 10 years later. 
Every effort will be made to avoid disturbance to wildlife.
    Location: Beaufort Island, Specially Protected Area No. 5, Ross 
Sea.
    Dates: November 1, 1997-February 25, 1998.
Permit Application: 98-009
3. Applicant: Thomas A. Day, Department of Botany, Arizona State 
University, Box 871601, Tempe, AZ 85287-1601

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking, Enter Specially 
Protected Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and Import 
into the U.S. Strong evidence indicates the climate of the Antarctic 
Peninsula has changed appreciably this century. In addition, springtime 
ozone depletion events have resulted in well-documented increases in 
UV-B radiation levels. The applicant's previous work with two plant 
species collected near Palmer Station, indicate both species are 
sensitive to higher air temperatures and limited in ability to 
acclimate photosynthethically to warmer temperatures. The applicant 
proposes to enter Biscoe Point (SSSI #20) and Admiralty Bay (SSSI #8) 
to collect up to 50 shoots and up to 500 seeds of antarctic grass hair 
(Deschampsia antarctica) of antarctic perlwort (Colobanthus guitensis). 
Both plant species will be grown in the lab to examine changes in 
photosynthesis, growth and reduction following warming or exclusion of 
different UV components. The species collected from the Specially 
Protected areas will be used to determine whether different populations 
from contrasting weather regimes differ in their acclimation abilities. 
In addition, the applicant plans to visit Litchfield Island (SPA #17) 
on a site visit to assess animal damage to plant communities. The need 
for both shoots and seeds of each species is that in all but very 
favorable growing seasons, the vast majority of seeds produced by these 
plants are not viable. If seeds are not viable, plants must be 
propagated from shoots.
    Location: Biscoe Point (SSSI #20), Admiralty Bay (SSSI #8), and 
Litchfield Island (SPA #17), Antarctic Peninsula.
    Dates: October 15, 1997 to April 30, 1999.
Permit Application No. 98-010
4. Applicant: Donald Croll, Institute of Marine Science, University of 
California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking; Import into the 
U.S.; and, Enter Site of Special Scientific Interest.
    The applicant proposes to collect blood, tracheal swabs, and coacal 
swab samples from 125 adult Adelie penguins per colony (10 colonies 
total) for analysis of antibody presence. Additional blood will be 
taken from 10 Adelies per colony to test for the presence of trace 
metal or trace organic contamination. The objectives of this study are 
to test the hypothesis that introduced avian diseases are more likely 
to be present in penguins whose rookeries are located in areas of high 
human use than those located in areas of low human use. A second 
hypothesis will be tested predicting penguins in high human use 
colonies will have higher contaminate levels than those in lower human 
use colonies. While visiting the colonies, the applicant also proposes 
to collect up to 30 adult Adelie carcasses and 15 South Polar Skua 
carcasses, if found, for contaminant analysis and archival storage for 
future research needs.
    Location: From 5 of the six high human contact colonies and 5 of 
the eight low human contact colonies listed below:
    High Human Contact: Pt. Thomas, King George Island, Lions Rump 
(SSSI #34), King George Island, Arthur Harbor, Anvers Island, Hope Bay, 
Trinity Peninsula, Paulet Island, Petermann Island
    Low Human contact: Cone Island, Margueritte Bay, Barcroft Island, 
Fish Island, Grandidier Channel, Avian Island, Margueritte Bay, 
Andressen Island, Crystal Sound, North Pitt Island, Grandidier Channel, 
Danger Island, Three Sisters Point, King George Island

    Dates: December 1, 1997--March 1, 1999.
Permit Application No. 98-011
5. Applicant: Bill J. Baker, Department of Chemistry, Florida Institute 
of Technology, Melbourne FL 32901

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Introduce Non-indigenous 
species into Antarctica.
    The applicant proposes to introduce 2 slants each of the following 
species; Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, 
Microccoccus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, 
Aspergillus niger, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These eight species of 
non-pathogenic microorganisms will be used for bioassay of marine 
invertebrate extracts. The microorganisms will be propagated for each 
bioassay, then disposed of by sterilization at the conclusion of the 
field season. Sterile techniques will be used to handle the microbes to 
ensure they remain contained.

[[Page 45882]]

    Location: Crary Lab, McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
    Dates: October 1, 1997-December 31, 1997.
Permit Application No. 98-012
6. Applicant: Donald B. Siniff, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and 
Behavior, 100 Ecology Building, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 
Minnesota 55108

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Taking. Import into the 
U.S.
    The applicant plans to tag and release approximately 350 Weddell 
adult seals and approximately 550 Weddell pups as part of a continuing 
investigation of the McMurdo Sound Weddell seal population, which was 
begun in the early 1960's and has continued to the present. In 
addition, blood and tissue samples will be taken from up to 300 
individuals and imported to the U.S. for DNA extraction and toxins 
analysis. These samples are primarily to supplement future research 
into the paternity and genetic characteristics of the McMurdo 
populations specifically and Antarctic seals in general. Aspects of 
this research are: (1) To continue the long-term tagging studies by 
tagging all pups born into the McMurdo Sound population and to replace 
tags on previously tagged individuals so they will not be lost from the 
tagged population; (2) to update estimates of population parameters 
annually, using mark-recapture surveys, to continue the analyses and 
test of hypotheses associated with this data base; (3) collect blood 
and tissue samples for research examining the social structure and 
behavioral ecology of Weddell seals. The samples will be analyzed at 
the Universities of Minnesota and Alberta for DNA fingerprinting; (4) 
Previous research of stomach samples from harvested seals indicated 
that Antarctic silver fish is the major prey constituent during the 
austral summer. Since stomach content is no longer a viable option, and 
otoliths from fecal samples are often too eroded for accurate age 
estimation, lavage techniques (performed under supervision of a marine 
mammal veterinarian) offer a non-lethal technique of obtaining this 
data; and (5) VHF radio transmitters will be used to monitor the 
activity of territorial males during the breeding season in conjunction 
with the studies of behavioral ecology and paternity. The radio 
transmitters will be attached with marine epoxy and removed after use. 
If animals cannot be recaptured, the radios will fall off during their 
annual molt.
    Location: McMurdo Sound vicinity, Antarctica.
    Dates: October 1, 1997-September 30, 1998.
Permit Application No. 98-013
7. Applicant: Donald B. Siniff, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and 
Behavior, 100 Ecology Building, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 
Minnesota 55108

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Take. Import into the U.S. 
Enter Site of Special Scientific Interest.
    The applicant proposes the enter the White Island Site of Special 
Scientific Interest (SSSI#18) to tag up to 15 adult Weddell seals, and 
tag and draw blood samples from approximately 5-8 Weddell pups, as part 
of a continuing population biology study. The White Island seal 
population has been a focus of interest dating to the early 1960's. 
This group of seals represents an isolated population that is very 
small and the evidence suggests it has very limited exchange of 
individuals with the McMurdo Sound population. Since intensive 
censusing was begun in the late 1980's, no new (tagged) adults have 
appeared in the population. Thus, the genetics of this population is of 
interest because it will increase understanding of such concepts as 
inbreeding depression and genetic drift.
    Location: SSSI#18--North-west White Island, McMurdo Sound, 
Antarctica.
    Dates: October 1, 1997-September 30, 1998.
Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Officer, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 97-22985 Filed 8-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M