[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86842-86843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25351]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit applications received.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a 
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 in 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 views with respect to this permit application by December 2, 2024. 
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit 
Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Office of 
Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22314 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d3929092a3b6a1bebaa7a093bda0b5fdb4bca5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aaebe9ebdacfd8c7c3ded9eac4d9cc84cdc5dc">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Titmus, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address, 703-292-4479.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541, 45 CFR 670), 
as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 
1996, has developed regulations for the establishment of a permit 
system for various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain 
animals and certain geographic areas as requiring special protection. 
The regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas.

Application Details

Permit Application: 2025-019

1. Applicant: Ari Friedlaender, UC Santa Cruz, Institute of Marine 
Sciences, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 96050.

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Type, description of 
activity. Take, Harmful Interference, Import into USA. The applicant 
proposes to continue research activities to understand the population 
demography, health, behavior, and ecology of cetaceans in the Antarctic 
Peninsula region. To study these species, the applicant and agents 
would assess body condition, health, behavior, and distribution using 
remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS). Population demography and 
growth rates of cetaceans would be evaluated from remote biopsy samples 
that would be imported to the U.S. for analysis. Behavior and ecology 
of individual whales would be studied using multi-sensor suction cup 
tags that collect high-resolution behavioral information for 1-2 days, 
dart/barb tags that to collect spatial and dive data for up to one 
month, and implantable tags that collect movement and behavioral data 
on individual whales for months. The applicant and agents would biopsy, 
tag, and operate RPAS over humpback whales, Antarctic minke whales, 
blue whales, fin whales, sei whales, southern right whales, killer 
whales, and Arnoux's beaked whales. The proposed research focusing on 
cetaceans requires a permit under the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
which is currently pending.
    Location: Antarctic Peninsula Region.

[[Page 86843]]

    Dates of Permitted Activities: December 1, 2024-November 30, 2029.

Alina Pavao,
Administrative Assistant, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2024-25351 Filed 10-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P


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