Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 11, 2000 / Notices 60407

evidence that these companies were

affiliated prior to September 1998, we

have used only the sales and cost data

reported for Cambuhy and Cambuhy

Exportadora from September 1998

through the end of the POR for purposes

of calculating normal value. For further

discussion, see Comment 1 in the

‘‘Issues and Decision Memorandum’’

(Decision Memo) from Richard W.

Moreland, Deputy Assistant Secretary,

Import Administration, to Troy H.

Cribb, Acting Assistant Secretary for

Import Administration, dated October 4,

2000.

Analysis of Comments Received

All issues raised in the case briefs by

parties to this administrative review are

addressed in the Decision Memo which

is hereby adopted by this notice. A list

of the issues which parties have raised

and to which we have responded, all of

which are in the Decision Memo, is

attached to this notice as an Appendix.

Parties can find a complete discussion

of all issues raised in this review and

the corresponding recommendations in

this public memorandum, which is on

file in the Central Records Unit, room

B–099, of the main Department

building.

In addition, a complete version of the

Decision Memo can be accessed directly

on the Web at http://ia.ita.doc.gov. The

paper copy and electronic version of the

Decision Memo are identical in content.

Changes Since the Preliminary Results

Based on our analysis of comments

received, we have made certain changes

in the margin calculations. These

changes are discussed in the relevant

sections of the Decision Memo.

Final Results of Review

We determine that the following

percentage weighted-average margin

percentage exists for the period May 1,

1998, through April 30, 1999:

Manufacturer/exporter Percent

margin

Citrovita Agro Industrial Ltda/.

Cambuhy MC Industrial Ltda/.

Cambuhy Citrus Comercial e

Exportadora ........................... 25.87

The Department shall determine, and

Customs shall assess, antidumping

duties on all appropriate entries. In

accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b), we

have calculated importer-specific

assessment rates. We divided the total

dumping margins for the reviewed sales

by their total entered value for each

importer. We will direct Customs to

assess the resulting percentage margins

against the entered Customs values for

the subject merchandise on each of that

importer’s entries under the relevant

order during the review period.

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following deposit requirements

will be effective upon publication of

this notice of final results of

administrative review for all shipments

of FCOJ from Brazil entered, or

withdrawn from warehouse, for

consumption on or after the date of

publication, as provided by section

751(a)(1) of the Act: (1) The cash deposit

rates for the reviewed firm will be the

rate shown above; (2) for previously

reviewed or investigated companies not

listed above, the cash deposit rate will

continue to be the company-specific rate

published for the most recent period; (3)

if the exporter is not a firm covered in

this review, a prior review, or the

original less-than-fair-value (LTFV)

investigation, but the manufacturer is,

the cash deposit rate will be the rate

established for the most recent period

for the manufacturer of the

merchandise; and (4) the cash deposit

rate for all other manufacturers or

exporters will continue to be 1.96

percent. This rate is the ‘‘All Others’’

rate from the LTFV investigation.

These deposit requirements shall

remain in effect until publication of the

final results of the next administrative

review.

This notice also serves as a final

reminder to importers of their

responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)

to file a certificate regarding the

reimbursement of antidumping duties

prior to liquidation of the relevant

entries during this review period.

Failure to comply with this requirement

could result in the Secretary’s

presumption that reimbursement of

antidumping duties occurred and the

subsequent assessment of doubled

antidumping duties.

This notice also serves as the only

reminder to parties subject to

administrative protective orders (APO)

of their responsibility concerning the

return or destruction of proprietary

information disclosed under APO in

accordance with 19 CFR 351.305 or

conversion to judicial protective order is

hereby requested. Failure to comply

with the regulations and terms of an

APO is a violation which is subject to

sanction.

We are issuing and publishing this

determination and notice in accordance

with sections section 751(a)(1) and

777(i) of the Act.

Dated: October 4, 2000.

Troy H. Cribb,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Import

Administration.

Appendix—Issues in Decision Memo

Comments

1. Collapsing of Affiliated Parties

2. Calculation of Financing Expenses

3. Treatment of Citrovita’s Foreign Exchange

Losses

4. Treatment of Cambuhy’s Foreign Exchange

Losses

5. Calculation of the Cost of Oranges

Produced by an Affiliated Party

6. Calculation of Selling, General, and

Administrative Expenses and Financing

Expenses for the Collapsed Entity

[FR Doc. 00–26074 Filed 10–10–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 083000A]

Small Takes of Marine Mammals

Incidental to Specified Activities; Oil

and Gas Exploration Drilling Activities

in the Beaufort Sea

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of application

and proposed authorization for a small

take exemption; request for comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request

from Phillips Alaska, Inc., (Phillips) for

an authorization to take small numbers

of marine mammals by harassment

incidental to conducting exploration

drilling activities, during the winter,

offshore Prudhoe Bay, in the U.S.

Beaufort Sea off Alaska. Under the

Marine Mammal Protection Act

(MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments

on its proposal to authorize Phillips to

incidentally take, by harassment only,

small numbers of ringed and bearded

seals while conducting this activity.

DATES: Comments and information must

be postmarked no later than November

13, 2000. Comments will not be

accepted if submitted via e-mail or the

Internet.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the

application should be addressed to

Donna Wieting, Chief, Marine Mammal

Conservation Division, Office of

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD

20910-3225. A copy of the application

and a list of references used in this

document may be obtained by writing to

60408 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 11, 2000 / Notices

this address or by telephoning one of

the contacts listed here.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kenneth R. Hollingshead, Office of

Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-

2055, ext. 128, or Brad Smith, Western

Alaska Field Office, NMFS, (907) 271-

5006.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the

MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct

the Secretary of Commerce to allow,

upon request, the incidental, but not

intentional, taking of small numbers of

marine mammals by U.S. citizens who

engage in a specified activity (other than

commercial fishing) within a specified

geographical region if certain findings

are made and either regulations are

issued or, if the taking is limited to

harassment, notice of a proposed

authorization is provided to the public

for review.

Permission may be granted if NMFS

finds that the taking will have a

negligible impact on the species or

stock(s), will not have an unmitigable

adverse impact on the availability of the

species or stock(s) for subsistence uses,

and if the permissible methods of taking

and requirements pertaining to the

monitoring and reporting of such taking

are set forth.

On April 10, 1996 (61 FR 15884),

NMFS published an interim rule

establishing, among other things,

procedures for issuing incidental

harassment authorizations under section

101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA for activities

in Arctic waters, including requirements

for peer-review of a monitoring program

and a plan of cooperation between the

applicant and affected subsistence

users. For additional information on the

procedures to be followed for this

authorization, please refer to that

document.

Summary of Request

On August 1, 2000, NMFS received an

application from Phillips requesting a 1-

year authorization for the possible

harassment of small numbers of marine

mammals incidental to constructing an

ice road and an ice island at the

McCovey Prospect Area and drilling one

or more oil exploration wells at that

location during the winter, 2000/2001.

The drilling location at McCovey is

approximately 14 mi (22.5 kilometers

(km)) north of East Dock at Prudhoe

Bay, 7 mi (11.3 km) northwest of Cross

Island, and 12 mi (19.3 km) east of the

Northstar Unit.

The purpose of the operation is to

evaluate the oil and gas potential of

Phillips’ operated leases in the McCovey

area. The well will be drilled from an

ice island constructed at the beginning

of the winter drilling season. Some

equipment may be staged on Reindeer

Island prior to freeze-up; however, a

majority of the equipment will be staged

using the ice road.

Ice island construction is expected to

begin when ice conditions are thick

enough to allow heavy equipment to be

transported to the location via ice road

(approximately December, 2000). One

well is planned to be drilled from a

surface location in Outer Continental

Shelf Lease Block Y-1577. Depending on

the results found from this well, well

tests may be performed and a sidetrack

may be drilled as length of season

permits. All drilling and well-testing

operations will be performed only

during the 2000-2001 winter drilling

season and will be discontinued in May

2001 before ice break-up (which usually

occurs in late June or July). Drilling and

testing operations will not be conducted

in broken ice or open water periods. The

McCovey exploration well will be

plugged and abandoned regardless of

any commercial value demonstrated

during well testing and reservoir

evaluation. The exploration well is

expected to be moved back down the ice

road after operations are completed.

This is expected to occur between about

April 20 and May 2.

Prior to freeze-up in late October,

2000, materials will be barged to

Reindeer Island for staging. This

includes pumps, a support camp,

rolligons and diesel fuel in storage

tanks. The storage tanks will be in a

containment capable of holding 110

percent of the capacity of the tanks. An

ice pad will be constructed at Reindeer

Island initially for the support camp and

will be later used for the rigging camp.

A 12-14 mi (19.3-22.5 km) ice road will

be constructed from either West Dock or

East Dock in Prudhoe Bay out to the

McCovey location. The actual location

and length of the ice road will depend

on ice conditions prior to commencing

operations. The ice road will then be

used to transport the ice island

construction equipment and the drilling

rig out to the McCovey location.

The ice roads are expected to be

completed and ready for heavy traffic by

mid-February. Following construction,

the road will be maintained using

graders with snow wings and front-end

loaders with snow blowers until iceroad travel is no longer possible,

typically in mid-May.

The McCovey Ice Island will be

located in 37 ft (11.2 m) of water. Pumps

will be used to spray seawater into the

cold air to form ice-crystals. The

sprayed seawater is first used to thicken

the ice at the island location to 2-3 m

(6.6-9.8 ft). Then the water will be

redirected to the center of the island to

ground the island core. The ice island

diameter is expected to be 850 ft (259.1

m) at the waterline and 600 ft (182.9 m)

at the working surface above the water.

After completion of the ice road and

island, a land-based drilling rig will be

transported to the location. The support

camp will be located on an ice pad

constructed on Reindeer Island

throughout the drilling operations.

Reindeer Island is approximately 4.5 mi

(7.2 km) from the ice island location. All

drilling materials will be transported to

the ice island by ice road and staged on

the ice island. Muds and cuttings will

be discharged to the sea ice in

accordance with the General Offshore

National Pollution Discharge

Elimination System permit

requirements.

A more detailed description of the

work planned is contained in the

application (Phillips, 2000) and is

available upon request (see ADDRESSES).

Description of Habitat and Marine

Mammals Affected by the Activity

A detailed description of the Beaufort

Sea ecosystem and its associated marine

mammals can be found in several

documents (Corps of Engineers, 1999;

Minerals Management Service (MMS),

1990, 1992, 1996; NMFS, 1997).

Marine Mammals

The Beaufort/Chukchi Seas support a

diverse assemblage of marine mammals

including bowhead whales (Balaena

mysticetus), gray whales (Eschrichtius

robustus), beluga (Delphinapterus

leucas), ringed seals (Phoca hispida),

spotted seals (Phoca largha) and bearded

seals (Erignathus barbatus). Descriptions

of the biology and distribution of these

species, and others, can be found in

several other documents (Small and

DeMaster, 1995; Hill and DeMaster,

1998; Hill et al., 1999; NMFS, 1997).

Please refer to those documents for

information on the biology, distribution

and abundance of these species.

However, because the proposed oil

exploration activity will take place only

during the winter, only ringed seals, and

possibly a few bearded seals, have any

potential to be impacted by the project.

A description of the biology and

abundance of these latter species are

addressed in NMFS’ Environmental

Assessment (EA) on Winter Seismic

Activities (NMFS, 1998). The

documents mentioned here and in other

parts of this document are considered

part of this decision-making process.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 11, 2000 / Notices 60409

In addition to the species mentioned

in the preceding paragraph, polar bears

(Urus maritimus) also have the potential

to be taken incidental to the proposed

activity. This species is under the

jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (USFWS). As a result,

Phillips has applied for a Letter of

Authorization from the USFWS for the

taking of this species incidental to the

McCovey drilling project.

Potential Impacts on Marine Mammals

Disturbance by noise is the principal

means for potential takings by

harassment by this activity. The marine

mammal most likely to be impacted by

construction of the ice road and ice

island is the ringed seal. A slight

possibility exists to impact bearded

seals. While the applicant noted that

there is a chance that a ringed seal could

be killed during ice road construction

(and ice island construction), NMFS

believes that noise from road and island

construction activity, the timing of the

construction in December, and the

monitoring described in the next section

of this document, will make the injury

or mortality of ringed seals very

unlikely. However, the ice island

location cannot be moved due to the

engineering required for ice island

design and construction. As a result,

breathing holes or structures located

within the footprint of the island will be

covered by ice and the seals would need

to relocate. However, constructing the

island in December will mitigate the

potential for damage to birthing lairs,

since ringed seal ice structures are not

well developed at this time of the year,

pups are not born until mid-March in

this area, and several structures would

be available for each seal by that time

for use as birthing and pupping lairs.

Site specific ringed seal survey work

was conducted by Western Geophysical

at the McCovey location during April,

2000 (Coltrane and Williams, 2000). A

total of 22 seal structures were found in

the core survey area and the

surrounding 1 km (0.62 mi) monitoring

zone. An additional 21 structures were

found in the transit survey route.

Seventeen of the structures were

breathing holes, 20 were lairs, and 6

were unidentified; none of the

identified lairs were birthing lairs.

Coltrane and Williams (2000) reported

that twenty-eight structures were

revisited later. The remaining 15

structures were not rechecked as these

structures were either of unknown

status or frozen at the time of the initial

search. Four breathing holes were found

to be abandoned since the initial search

(one was abandoned due to research,

not industrial activity). The total

abandonment rate of active seal

structures after shallow hazards survey

operations was 11 percent (3 of 28). In

addition, the initial survey revealed that

19 percent (8 of 43) of the structures

located had already been abandoned

prior to any industrial searches. This

natural abandonment rate was

comparably higher than the

abandonment rate after industrial

activities in the area (19 percent

compared to 11 percent).

Aerial surveys of seal density and

abundance, conducted in 1997 in

support of the Northstar project (which

is approximately 9 miles (14.5 km) to

the west from the proposed McCovey

Prospect), indicated an average density

over the area (including the McCovey

Prospect area) of 0.43 ringed seals/km2.

The overall observed density on landfast

ice, over water depths of 5-20 m (16.4-

65.6 ft), was 0.42 ringed seals/km2

(Miller et al., 1998). Surveys conducted

in 1999 by Richardson and Williams

(2000) indicated an overall observed

density of 0.56 seals/km2. Excluding

waters less than 3 m (9.8 ft) deep where

ringed seals were rarely seen, the overall

observed density was 0.63 seals/km2.

The overall observed density in areas

greater than 3 m (9.8 ft) deep was higher

in 1999 than in either 1997 or 1998

(0.39 seals/km2).

Based on the methodology for

assessing ringed seal takes by industrial

activities at Northstar (see BP

Exploration (Alaska), 1998), Phillips

estimates that less than 31 ringed seals

may be within an area where

harassment takings might potentially

occur. This estimate is based on the

assumptions that any ringed seals

within 0.4 mi (0.644 km) of the ice road

and within 2.3 mi (3.7 km) of the ice

island may be able to hear the noise

associated with the McCovey Prospect.

This estimate is based on the density

recorded during the 1997 aerial survey

of 0.42 seals/km2 (Miller et al. 1998).

Phillips believes that this estimate of

take is very conservative, since the noise

associated with ice island construction

should be less than the noise associated

with construction of the gravel island at

Northstar. The 2.3 mi (3.7 km) was

based on noise measurements made by

Greene (1983) for construction of Seal

Island in 1982. Also, the estimated

‘‘take’’ is based on the entire ice road

length of 12.5 miles (20.12 km) with no

deduction for areas where the ice road

may cross grounded ice (with no ringed

seal presence). It should be recognized

moreover, that NMFS does not consider

a taking to have occurred simply

because an animal hears a noise or has

a minor startle reaction to the noise. In

order for NMFS to consider a taking to

have occurred, the reaction by the

marine mammal needs to result in a

behavioral response that may have

biological significance on the part of the

animal. A biologically significant

behavioral response is a response that

affects biologically important behavior,

such as survival, breeding, feeding and

migration, which have the potential to

impact the reproductive success of the

animal. For ringed seals, simply hearing

industrial noise or hearing it and

abandoning, either temporarily or

permanently, one of its several

breathing holes, is not considered

significant. A biologically significant

response, for example, would be

displacement that affects mating, access

to critical feeding areas, or weaned pups

leaving one lair for another (which

although also done naturally to avoid

predation, can, in either case, affect

survival).

Bearded seals are not expected to be

in the area except in very small numbers

and therefore should not be affected by

the activity. Bearded seals are benthic

feeders and the Beaufort Sea provides

only limited habitat for them. In

addition, their preference for open water

further limits the potential for their

being in this area at this time of the

year.

Therefore, based on the above

discussion, NMFS preliminarily

concludes that the taking, by noise

harassment incidental to construction of

the ice road and ice island, will result

in no more than a few dozen harassment

takings by this activity.

Potential Effects on Subsistence Needs

NMFS has not identified any

unmitigable adverse impacts by this

activity on the availability of the species

or stock(s) of marine mammals for

subsistence needs.

Potential Effect on Habitat

The ice island will be a temporary

structure on the winter ice. The

temporary loss of this area is negligible

when compared to the size of the

nearshore Beaufort Sea. When drilling

and well-testing operations are

completed, the well will be plugged and

abandoned in accordance with MMS

and Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation

Commission regulations. This

abandonment will leave the project area

in essentially an unmodified condition,

since there will be no wellhead or other

structures remaining above the ocean

floor.

In the unlikely event that there is an

oil spill, Phillips has prepared an oil

discharge prevention and contingency

plan (ODPCP) specifically for this

activity. The ODPCP is an extensive

60410 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 11, 2000 / Notices

document that addresses spill response,

several spill scenarios, cleanup

activities, and numerous other aspects

of oil spill prevention and response. Oil

spill response teams are located in

Deadhorse, AK. Phillips and other

operators have oil spill response

equipment available in each current or

soon-to-be oil-producing area on the

North Slope.

Mitigation

Several mitigation measures to reduce

the potential for marine mammal

harassment will be implemented by

Phillips as part of their proposed

activity. These include:

(1) Conducting a winter drilling

program using a land-based rig instead

of using either the Concrete Island

Drilling System platform, a floating

platform, or a semisubmersible

platform. The latter two platforms

would require the need for icebreaker

vessels; and

(2) Conducting drilling operations

during winter months instead of during

the open water season, and

(3) Constructing the ice road and ice

island in December before seal

structures are made into fully-developed

lairs, and especially before constructing

of the birth lair in March.

Marine Mammal Monitoring

Phillips proposes to utilize trained

dogs or visual observations to assess the

level of take of ringed seals during

project activities. Prior to commencing

ice road or ice island construction,

trained dogs would be used to locate

seal breathing holes and lairs along the

proposed footprint of the ice road route

and ice island pad. An adjacent 50-m

(164 ft) buffer along the ice road route

and a 1 km (0.62 mi) buffer around the

ice island will also be surveyed. In the

event that trained dogs are not available

for the survey due to scheduling,

Phillips proposes to employ a visual

survey prior to onset of construction

activities. The visual survey would

involve searching the designated area

for breathing holes, and examining

pressure ridges, ice hummocks, and

deep ice cracks for lairs. Attempts will

be made to confirm the presence of lairs

by using an aluminum rod to locate the

breathing hole or lair access hole where

practical. Success in visually locating

lairs will be limited by the relatively

low density of ringed seals combined

with the difficulty of finding breathing

holes or lairs on snow-covered ice

during winter conditions. A

professional marine mammal biologist

and an Inupiat hunter would be

conducting the visual survey.

Once drilling begins, a designated

polar bear watch (typically an Inupiat

hunter) will also look for and record

seal activities. Because of the low

expectation of interactions during the

winter with marine mammals that are

under the jurisdiction of NMFS,

dedicated observers are not considered

necessary on the ice island. As a result,

NMFS proposes to require as part of the

Authorization that Phillips instruct the

polar bear watchperson to maintain a

sightings-and-behavior log for seals that

is separate from the Polar Bear Sightings

Log. This latter reporting requirement is

mandated by 50 CFR 18.27.

In order to obtain an indication of

ringed seal response to Phillips’

operations, a second seal structure

survey will be conducted near the end

of the McCovey project activities. The

second survey will be conducted by

biologists on snow machines using

Differential Global Positioning System

units to relocate and determine

presence/absence of seals in lairs

identified during the first survey. Any

new holes would also be noted.

NMFS notes however, that current

regulations for winter ice road

construction for both Northstar (see 65

FR 34014, May 25, 2000) and on-ice

vibroseis surveys (see 63 FR 5277,

February 2, 1998), require ice roads to

be surveyed a distance of 150 m (492 ft)

from either side of the disturbed ice.

Preliminarily, it is NMFS’ intention to

require similar monitoring for this

project’s ice road construction. In

addition, NMFS proposes to require that

all ice roads constructed in the Beaufort

Sea be monitored by trained dogs until

such time as NMFS has clear evidence

that ice roads and other activities taking

place during the winter are not having

a cumulative impact on ringed seals or

until peer-reviewed research has shown

that human monitoring for ringed seal

structures without dogs is as effective as

using dogs. As such, trained dogs are

required to be used for surveying for

ringed seal structures, using that

information to mitigate the impact to the

greatest extent practicable, and to follow

up those surveys at an appropriate time

during or after the season to indicate the

fate of those structures. NMFS proposes

that a condition of the Incidental

Harassment Authorization (IHA) be that

if NMFS determines dogs are not

available, then, and only then, would

the human monitoring be authorized.

Failure to use dogs when available

would be considered a violation of the

IHA and may result in suspension or

termination of that IHA.

Reporting

NMFS proposes to require Phillips to

submit one report under this proposed

authorization. This report will be

required 90 days after completion of

activities authorized for marine

mammal takings.

National Environmental Policy Act

The activity proposed by Phillips was

the subject of a Final Environmental

Impact Statement prepared by MMS in

conjunction with Lease Sale 124 (MMS,

1990). In addition, in 1997 NMFS

prepared and released an EA that

addressed the impacts on the human

environment from issuance of an

authorization for taking marine

mammals incidental to conducting oil

exploration activities during winter and

the alternatives to the proposed action.

A Finding of No Significant Impact was

signed on September 25, 1997.

Conclusions

NMFS has preliminarily determined

that the short-term impact of

exploration drilling and related

activities in the Beaufort Sea will result,

at worst, in a temporary modification in

behavior by certain species of

pinnipeds. While behavioral

modifications may be made by these

species of marine mammals to avoid the

resultant noise from ice road and ice

island construction, transporting the oil

rig and supplies on the ice road, or due

to drilling activities, this behavioral

change is expected to have a negligible

impact on the animals.

While the number of potential

incidental harassment takes will depend

on the distribution and abundance of

marine mammals (which vary annually

due to variable ice conditions and other

factors) in the activity area, the number

of potential harassment takings is

estimated to be small. In addition, no

take by injury and/or death is

anticipated and takes will be at the

lowest level practicable due to

incorporation of the mitigation

measures mentioned previously. No

known rookeries, mating grounds, areas

of concentrated feeding, or other areas

of special significance for marine

mammals occur within or near the

planned area of operations during the

season of operations.

Proposed Authorization

NMFS proposes to issue an IHA to

Phillips for the possible harassment of

small numbers of ringed seals and

bearded seals incidental to constructing

an ice road and ice island and drilling

an oil exploration well at the McCovey

Prospect during the winter 2000/01,

provided the previously mentioned

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 11, 2000 / Notices 60411

mitigation, monitoring and reporting

requirements are carried out. NMFS has

preliminarily determined that the

proposed activities would result in the

harassment of only small numbers of

ringed and bearded seals, will have a

negligible impact on these marine

mammal stocks; and will not have an

unmitigable adverse impact on the

availability of these stocks for

subsistence uses.

Information Solicited

NMFS requests interested persons to

submit comments, information, and

suggestions concerning this request (see

ADDRESSES).

Dated: October 4, 2000.

Art Jeffers,

Deputy Director, Office of Protected

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–26087 Filed 10–10–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE: 3510–22 –S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 100400B]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Catch-Monitoring

Standards Workshop

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of workshop.

SUMMARY: NMFS will present a

workshop on proposed catchmonitoring standards for shoreside

processors that take deliveries of

pollock from the Bering Sea.

DATES: The workshop will be held on

Thursday, November 16, 2000, from 9

a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held

at the Nordby Center, located in

Fishermen’s Terminal, 1711 West

Nickerson Street, Seattle, WA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Kinsolving, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is

developing a proposed rule to

implement the American Fisheries Act

(AFA). One aspect of this rulemaking is

the development of catch monitoring

standards for inshore processors that

receive deliveries of pollock harvested

in the directed fishery for pollock in

Bering Sea. As currently envisioned by

NMFS, these standards would require

that the AFA shoreside processors

develop and implement a Catch

Monitoring and Control Plan (Plan). The

Plan would address performance

standards designed to ensure that all

catch delivered to the processor is

accurately weighed and accounted for.

NMFS is conducting the November

16, 2000, workshop for interested

industry members to provide guidance

on the development and

implementation of these performance

standards.

Special Accommodations

This workshop is physically

accessible to people with disabilities.

Requests for sign language

interpretation or other auxiliary aids

should be directed to Alan Kinsolving at

907–586–7228 at least 7 working days

prior to the workshop.

Dated: October 5, 2000.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries. National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–26083 Filed 10–10–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 080300B]

Marine Mammals; File No. 555-1565

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr.

James T. Harvey (Principal Investigator,

PI), Moss Landing Marine Laboratories,

P.O. Box 450, Moss Landing CA 95039

has been issued a permit to take Pacific

harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi)

for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit 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 13705,

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713-

2289);

Regional Administrator, Northwest

Region, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN

C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070,(206/

526-6150);

Regional Administrator, Southwest

Region, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite

4200, Long Beach, California 90802-

4213,(562/980-4001).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Simona Roberts or Ruth Johnson, 301/

713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 6,

2000, notice was published in the

Federal Register (65 FR 35903) that a

request for a scientific research permit

to take Pacific harbor seals had been

submitted by the above-named

individual. The requested permit has

been issued 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).

The applicant is authorized to

capture, handle and tag 1,600 Pacific

harbor seals per year of all age and sex

classes near haul-out sites throughout

California, Oregon and Washington.

Captured seals will be subject to all or

some of the following activities: blood

and tissue sampling, flipper tagging, PIT

tagging, branding, lavaging, and video

camera attachment. Acoustic playback

experiments and scat collection are also

authorized around the haul-out sites. In

addition, the applicant is authorized to

surgically implant radio tags in 15

captive, rehabilitated Pacific harbor

seals and to conduct feeding studies on

12 captive, rehabilitated Pacific harbor

seals.

Dated: October 5, 2000.

Ann Terbush,

Permit and Documentation Division, Office

of Protected Resources, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–26084 Filed 10–10–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 092700B]

Marine Mammals; File No. 990-1603

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of application.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that,

Lizabeth Bowen, John Muir Institute of

the Environment, University of

California, Davis, CA 95616, has applied

in due form for a permit to import blood

samples for purposes of scientific

research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments

must be received on or before November

13, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The application and related

documents are available for review

upon written request or by appointment

in the following office(s):