19646 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 63 / Monday, April 2, 2012 / Notices 

Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), to 

examine whether significant 

environmental impacts could result 

from issuance of the proposed scientific 

research permit. The draft EA is 

available for review and comment 

simultaneous with the permit 

application. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Documents may be reviewed in the 

following locations: Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

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

Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)427– 

8401; fax (301)713–0376; 

Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand 

Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, 

Seattle, WA 98115–0700; phone 

(206)526–6150; fax (206)526–6426; 

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 

21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone 

(907)586–7221; fax (907)586–7249; and 

Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West 

Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 

CA 90802–4213; phone (562)980–4001; 

fax (562)980–4018. 

Dated: March 28, 2012. 

Tammy C. Adams, 

Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7859 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB139 

Marine Mammals; File No. 17178 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Virginia Institute of Marine Science 

[Responsible Party: Elizabeth Canuel, 

Ph.D.], P.O. Box 1346, Route 1208 

Greate Road, Gloucester Point, VA 

23062, has applied in due form for a 

permit to import marine mammal parts 

for scientific research. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email 

comments must be received on or before 

May 2, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the Features box on the 

Applications and Permits for Protected 

Species (APPS) home page, https:// 

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File No. 17178 from the list of available 

applications. 

These documents are also available 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the following offices: 

Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, 

Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301)427–8401; fax (301)713–0376; 

Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West 

Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 

CA 90802–4213; phone (562)980–4001; 

fax (562)980–4018; and 

Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th 

Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, Florida 

33701; phone (727)824–5312; fax 

(727)824–5309. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted to the Chief, 

Permits and Conservation Division, at 

the address listed above. Comments may 

also be submitted by facsimile to 

(301)713–0376, or by email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 17178 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division at the address listed above. The 

request should set forth the specific 

reasons why a hearing on this 

application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Laura Morse or Amy Sloan, (301)427– 

8401. 

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.), and the 

regulations governing the taking and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216). 

The objective of the proposed 

research is to use chemical signals to 

provide insight into the dietary 

preferences and feeding ecology of 

Antarctic marine mammals by analyzing 

seal and whale samples for persistent 

organic pollutants, mercury, and stable 

isotopes. The following archived 

samples will be imported from the 

Swedish Museum of Natural History: 

fur, blood, and fat biopsies from up to 

300 crabeater seals (Lobodon 

carcinophaga), 200 Weddell seals 

(Leptonychotes weddellii), 50 Ross seals 

(Ommatophoca Rossii), and 25 leopard 

seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) that were 

collected in Antarctica in 1987–1988, 

2008–2009, and 2010–2011. The 

requested duration of the import permit 

is 5 years. 

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. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: March 27, 2012. 

Tammy C. Adams, 

Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7869 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB127 

International Whaling Commission; 

64th Annual Meeting; Nominations 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; request for nominations. 

SUMMARY: This notice is a call for 

nominees for the U.S. Delegation to the 

July 2012 International Whaling 

Commission (IWC) annual meeting. The 

non-federal representative(s) selected as 

a result of this nomination process 

is(are) responsible for providing input 

and recommendations to the U.S. IWC 

Commissioner representing the 

positions of non-governmental 

organizations. Generally, only one nongovernmental position is selected for the 

U.S. Delegation. 

DATES: The IWC is holding its 64th 

annual meeting from July 2–6, 2012, at 

the El Panama Hotel in Panama City, 

Panama. All written nominations for the 

U.S. Delegation to the IWC annual 

meeting must be received by May 7, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: All nominations for the U.S. 

Delegation to the IWC annual meeting 

should be addressed to Ms. Monica 

Medina, U.S. Commissioner to the IWC, 

and sent via post to: Melissa Andersen, 

National Marine Fisheries Service, 

Office of International Affairs, 1315 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 63 / Monday, April 2, 2012 / Notices 19647 

East-West Highway, SSMC3 Room 

10876.2, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Melissa Andersen at 

Melissa.Andersen@noaa.gov or 301– 

427–8385. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Secretary of Commerce is charged with 

the responsibility of discharging the 

domestic obligations of the United 

States under the International 

Convention for the Regulation of 

Whaling, 1946. The U.S. IWC 

Commissioner has responsibility for the 

preparation and negotiation of U.S. 

positions on international issues 

concerning whaling and for all matters 

involving the IWC. The U.S. IWC 

Commissioner is staffed by the 

Department of Commerce and assisted 

by the Department of State, the 

Department of the Interior, the Marine 

Mammal Commission, and by other 

agencies. The non-federal 

representative(s) selected as a result of 

this nomination process is(are) 

responsible for providing input and 

recommendations to the U.S. IWC 

Commissioner representing the 

positions of non-governmental 

organizations. Generally, only one nongovernmental position is selected for the 

U.S. Delegation. 

Dated: March 28, 2012. 

Rebecca Lent, 

Director, Office of International Affairs, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7852 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB128 

Western Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

hosting the Council Coordination 

Committee (CCC) meeting on Tuesday 

May 1, 2012 through Thursday May 3, 

2012, in Hawaii. The purpose of the 

meeting is to enable NMFS and NOAA 

officials and others to exchange 

information with the Regional Fishery 

Council Chairs and Executive Directors. 

DATES: The CCC general meeting session 

will be held on May 1, 2012, from 

1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., May 2, 2012 from 

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on May 3, 2012 

from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For specific times 

and agendas, see SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

ADDRESSES: The CCC meeting will be 

held at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel 

Ballroom, 68–1400 Mauna Lani Drive, 

Big Island, HI 96743; telephone: (808) 

885–6622. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 

Council office, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 

1400, Honolulu, HI 96813; telephone: 

(808) 522–8220. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

agenda for the CCC general session 

meeting will include the items listed 

here. The order in which agenda items 

are addressed may change. The CCC 

will meet as late as necessary to 

complete scheduled business. 

Schedule and Agenda for the CCC 

Meeting 

1:30 p.m.– 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, 

2012 

1. Welcome and Introductions. 

2. Opening Remarks. 

3. Remarks from the Governor. 

4. Council Reports on Status of 

Implementing Magnuson-Stevens Act 

(MSA) Provisions and Other Current 

Activities of Interest. 

8 a.m.–4 p.m., Wednesday, May 2, 2012 

5. Panel Presentation and Discussion 

on Endangered Species Act Jeopardy 

Determination in Fisheries 

Management—Past, Present and Future. 

6. Panel Discussion. 

7. Litigation. 

a. Regional Fishery Management 

Council Counsel Representation. 

b. Update on Lawsuits. 

8. Stock Assessments. 

a. Next Generation Stock 

Assessments and Priorities. 

b. Fisheries and the Environment 

(FATE). 

c. Advanced Technology. 

d. National Scientific and Statistical 

Committee (SSC) IV Recommendations. 

e. Use (or lack thereof) of Best 

Available Science. 

f. Allocating Resources to Support 

Assessments. 

9. Bycatch, Cooperative Research, 

Habitat, 5-year Council Research Plan— 

Funding Opportunities for These 

Programs. 

10. Report on the Success of MPAs for 

Fisheries. 

11. President Obama’s Executive 

Order on Improving Regulations and 

Regulatory Review (E.O. 13563). 

8 a.m.–6 p.m., Thursday, May 3, 2012 

12. Report on Legislation. 

13. Administration’s Activities on 

Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning 

and the National Ocean Council. 

14. Marginalization of Fisheries 

Through Competing Acts/Authorities. 

15. Communities and Indigenous 

Issues. 

16. International Fisheries 

Management. 

a. Leveling the Playing Field for 

Domestic Fisheries. 

b. Increasing Domestic Production 

to Reduce Trade Deficits. 

c. Bilateral Agreements (Mexico, 

Canada, Others). 

17. Budgets. 

a. FY2012 Status of Council 

Funding. 

b. FY2013 Update. 

18. Communications. 

a. NOAA Fisheries Activities. 

b. Regional Fishery Management 

Council Coordination Committee 

Recommendations. 

c. Managing Our Nations Fisheries 

3. 

19. Program Review. 

a. Department of Commerce 

Inspector General Review of NOAA 

Fisheries and Fishery Management 

Councils in Fishery Rule Making 

Process and Transparency of Rule 

Making Process under MSA. 

b. Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council Visioning Project. 

20. Administrative Matters. 

a. Freedom of Information Act 

Requests. 

b. Technology—Virtual Public 

Hearings/Scoping versus Travel. 

c. Professional Liability. 

d. Other Business and Next Annual 

CCC Meeting. 

21. Adjourn Meeting. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before this group for discussion, in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during these meetings. Actions 

will be restricted to those issues 

specifically identified in this notice and 

any issues arising after publication of 

this notice that require emergency 

action under Section 305(c) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the 

public has been notified of the Council’s 

intent to take final action to address the 

emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign 

language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to 

Kitty M. Simonds, (808) 522–8220 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES