[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55787-55788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28444]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.092697B]


Marine Mammals; Scientific Research Permit No. 1016 (P167H)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of application for amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Ann E. Bowles, Ph.D., Senior 
Research Biologist, Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, 2595 Ingraham 
Street, San Diego, California 92109, has requested an amendment to 
Permit No. 1016.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 27, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office(s):
    Permits Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-
West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713-2289); and
    Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, 
Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (310/980-4001).
    Written data or views, or requests for a public hearing on this 
request, should be submitted to the Director, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 
20910. Those individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the 
specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be 
appropriate.
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested 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).
    Permit No. 1016 authorizes the permittee to harass several species 
of stranded rehabilitated and permanently captive pinnipeds and small 
cetaceans in order to measure their interaction with fishing gear and 
to determine the effect of introducing an auditory stimulus (i.e., 
pinger) on responses. The research is authorized to be conducted over a 
five year period. The permittee is now requesting to: add 2 pinger 
trials and 2 net trials with 14 of the 18 California sea lions 
(Zalophus californianus) currently authorized to be involved in 
motivational state trials; and increase the number of California sea 
lions to be used in the naive trials from 30 to 40.
    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.


[[Page 55788]]


    Dated: September 26, 1997.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-28444 Filed 10-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F