1908 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 8 / Thursday, January 11, 2024 / Notices 

TABLE 1—TAKE ANALYSIS—Continued 

Species Authorized 

take 

Scaled 

take 1 Abundance 2 Percent 

abundance 

False killer whale ..................................................................................................... 212 62.4 3,204 1.9 

Killer whale .............................................................................................................. 7 n/a 267 2.6 

Short-finned pilot whale ........................................................................................... 30 9.0 1,981 0.5 

1Scalar ratios were applied to ‘‘Authorized Take’’ values as described at 86 FR 5322, 5404 (January 19, 2021) to derive scaled take numbers 

shown here. 2Best abundance estimate. For most taxa, the best abundance estimate for purposes of comparison with take estimates is considered here to 

be the model-predicted abundance (Roberts et al., 2016). For those taxa where a density surface model predicting abundance by month was 

produced, the maximum mean seasonal abundance was used. For those taxa where abundance is not predicted by month, only mean annual 

abundance is available. For Rice’s whale and killer whale, the larger estimated SAR abundance estimate is used. 3The final rule refers to the GOM Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni). These whales were subsequently described as a new species, Rice’s 

whale (Balaenoptera ricei) (Rosel et al., 2021). 4 Includes 6 takes by Level A harassment and 71 takes by Level B harassment. Scalar ratio is applied to takes by Level B harassment only; 

small numbers determination made on basis of scaled Level B harassment take plus authorized Level A harassment take. 5 Modeled take of 6 increased to account for potential encounter with group of average size (Maze-Foley and Mullin, 2006). 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of Chevron’s proposed survey 

activity described in its LOA 

application and the anticipated take of 

marine mammals, NMFS finds that 

small numbers of marine mammals will 

be taken relative to the affected species 

or stock sizes (i.e., less than one-third of 

the best available abundance estimate) 

and therefore the taking is of no more 

than small numbers. 

Authorization 

NMFS has determined that the level 

of taking for this LOA request is 

consistent with the findings made for 

the total taking allowable under the 

incidental take regulations and that the 

amount of take authorized under the 

LOA is of no more than small numbers. 

Accordingly, we have issued an LOA to 

Chevron authorizing the take of marine 

mammals incidental to its geophysical 

survey activity, as described above. 

Dated: January 5, 2024. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–00368 Filed 1–10–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD589] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 27099 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for 

permit amendment. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Pacific Whale Foundation (Responsible 

Party: Jens Curie), 300 Ma’alaea Rd. Ste. 

211, Wailuku, Hawaii 96793, has 

applied for an amendment to Scientific 

Research Permit No. 27099. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before February 12, 2024. 

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. 27099 from the list of 

available applications. These documents 

are also available upon written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted via email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 27099 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. The request should set forth 

the specific reasons why a hearing on 

this application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Courtney Smith, Ph.D., or Erin Markin, 

Ph.D., (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject amendment to Permit No. 27099 

is requested under the authority of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 

as amended (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 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq.), and the regulations governing the 

taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222–226). 

Permit No. 27099, issued on April 28, 

2023 (88 FR 31737, May 18, 2023), 

authorizes the permit holder to harass 

up to 1200 of the following cetaceans 

species, annually, during vessel, 

underwater, and unoccupied aerial 

systems (UAS) surveys within waters of 

the Main Hawaiian Islands: Blainville’s 

beaked (Mesoplodon densirostris), 

Bryde’s (Balaenoptera brydei), Cuvier’s 

beaked (Ziphius cavirostris), dwarf 

sperm (Kogia sima), false killer 

(Pseudorca crassidens; including the 

endangered Main Hawaiian Islands 

insular Distinct Population Segment), 

fin (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback 

(Megaptera novaeangliae), killer 

(Orcinus orca), melon-headed 

(Peponocephala electra), minke 

(Balaenoptera acutorostrata), pygmy 

killer (Feresa attenuata), pygmy sperm 

(Kogia breviceps), short-finned pilot 

(Globicephala macrorhynchus), and 

sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) 

whales; and common bottlenose 

(Tursiops truncatus), Fraser’s 

(Lagenodelphis hosei), pantropical 

spotted (Stenella attenuata), Risso’s 

(Grampus griseus), rough-toothed (Steno 

bredanensis), short-beaked common 

(Delphinus delphis), spinner (Stenella 

longistrostris longirostris), and striped 

(Stenella coeruleoalba) dolphins. The 

objective of research is to assess the 

human impacts on, and the distribution, 

abundance, social organization, 

population structure, population size, 

foraging, diet, reproduction, 

movements, habitat use, body condition, 

health, and behavior of Hawaiian 

cetaceans. Permitted research 

procedures include photo-ID, 

photogrammetry, underwater filming, 

suction-cup tagging, biopsy collection, 

fecal sampling, sloughed skin 

collection, and exhaled air sample 

collection. Up to 10 suction-cup tags 

and up to 40 biopsy samples may be 

taken from the above-listed species. The 

permit holder is requesting the permit 

be amended to include authorization to 

import up to 40 humpback whale (East 

Australia Distinct Population Segment) 

biopsy samples from Australia. The 

imported samples will be used to 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 8 / Thursday, January 11, 2024 / Notices 1909 

address a new study objective to 

understand the factors influencing 

humpback whale migration along the 

east coast of Australia within the 

context of a rapidly changing 

environment. Specifically, the study 

aims to analyze the size, age, and body 

condition of the sub-population of 

whales undertaking migration in a given 

year to provide insights into the overall 

health and status of the regional 

humpback whale population. The 

permit is valid through April 30, 2028. 

All other terms and conditions of the 

permit would remain the same. 

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 this 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: January 8, 2024. 

Julia M. Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–00450 Filed 1–10–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD644] 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council, NEFMC) 

will hold a three-day hybrid meeting 

with both in-person and remote 

participation to consider actions 

affecting New England fisheries in the 

exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 

January 30, January 31, and February 1, 

2024, beginning at 9 a.m. each day. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place 

at The Venue at Portwalk Place, 22 

Portwalk Place, Portsmouth, NH 03801; 

telephone (603) 422–6114; online at 

https://www.thevenueatportwalk

place.com. Join the webinar at https://

attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/

4656306835494284629. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; 

telephone (978) 465–0492; 

www.nefmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cate 

O’Keefe, Executive Director, New 

England Fishery Management Council; 

telephone: (978) 465–0492, ext. 113. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

Tuesday, January 30, 2024 

The Council will begin this meeting 

in Closed Session to discuss 

appointments to its Scientific and 

Statistical Committee. At 9:30 a.m., the 

open session will begin with brief 

announcements, followed by reports on 

recent activities from the Council’s 

Chair and Executive Director, the 

GARFO Regional Administrator, the 

NOAA Office of General Counsel, the 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center 

(NEFSC) Director, the Mid-Atlantic 

Fishery Management Council liaison, 

and representatives from the Atlantic 

States Marine Fisheries Commission 

(ASMFC), the U.S. Coast Guard, 

NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the 

Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section 

of the International Commission for the 

Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). 

The Council then will receive a progress 

report from its Risk Policy Working 

Group that will focus on addressing 

Terms of Reference 1 and 2 to revise the 

Council’s Risk Policy. Next, the Council 

will receive an update from GARFO and 

the NOAA National Centers for Coastal 

Ocean Science on revised siting for the 

Blue Water Fisheries offshore 

aquaculture project in federal waters off 

the coast of New Hampshire. 

After the lunch break, members of the 

public will have the opportunity to 

speak during an open comment period 

on issues that relate to Council business 

but are not included on the published 

agenda for this meeting. The Council 

asks the public to limit remarks to 3–5 

minutes. These comments will be 

received both in person and through the 

webinar. A guide for how to publicly 

comment through the webinar is 

available on the Council website at 

https://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/ 

NEFMC-meeting-remote-participation_

generic.pdf. The Council then will hear 

from its Herring Committee, which will 

provide an update on Amendment 10 to 

the Atlantic Herring Fishery 

Management Plan. This is an action to 

minimize user conflicts in the herring 

fishery. The Council will review a draft 

scoping document and scoping meeting 

schedule to gather public input on the 

range of issues that potentially could be 

addressed in this amendment. To close 

out the day, the Council will receive a 

congressional update on current 

legislative activities. Following the 

adjournment of official business, the 

Council will host a public outreach 

session to foster open lines of 

communication among Council 

members, staff, industry, and all 

meeting attendees. This event will be 

held at the AC Hotel on the Lobby 

Level, 299 Vaughn Street, which is a 

four-minute walk from the Council 

meeting room at The Venue at Portwalk 

Place in Portsmouth, NH. 

Wednesday, January 31, 2024 

The Council will begin the second 

day of its meeting with a presentation 

on the three-year review of the 

Northeast Region’s Standardized 

Bycatch Reporting Methodology. Next, 

the Council will receive a report on 

activities within the Northeast Fisheries 

Science Center’s Fishery Monitoring 

and Research Division, including: (1) 

the status of ongoing responsibilities; (2) 

at-sea monitoring and observer program 

activities; and (3) cooperative research 

updates. This report will be followed by 

an overview of a Northeast Fisheries 

Science Center white paper outlining 

potential plans for industry-based 

surveys to complement federal spring 

and fall bottom trawl surveys on the 

NOAA ship Henry B. Bigelow. The 

Council will have an opportunity to 

provide input on research priorities for 

consideration in future industry-based 

survey as they relate to its own research 

priorities. 

Following the lunch break, the 

Council will receive a NOAA Fisheries 

presentation on the Marine Recreational 

Information Program (MRIP), which will 

include an update on the status of 

MRIP’s Fishing Effort Survey (FES). 

This will be followed by the Groundfish 

Committee report, which will cover four 

items as follows. (1) Recreational 

Measures: the Council will provide 

recommendations to GARFO on fishing 

year 2024 recreational measures for 

Georges Bank cod, Gulf of Maine cod, 

and Gulf of Maine haddock. (2) The 

Atlantic Cod Management Transition 

Plan: the Council will receive an update 

on transition planning. (3) Metrics for 

the Groundfish Amendment 23 

Monitoring System Review: the Council 

will receive a progress report on this 

action. And (4) 2024 Groundfish 

Priorities: the Council will receive a 

preliminary overview of the groundfish 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1