[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 125 (Tuesday, June 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 35568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17339]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 062298D]


Marine Mammals; File No. P368F

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 Dr. James T. Harvey, Associate 
Professor, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, P.O. Box 450, Moss 
landing, CA 95039-0450, has requested an amendment to scientific 
research Permit No. 974 (File No. P368F).

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before July 
30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The amendment request 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, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-
4213 (562/980-4001); and
    Director, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, 
Seattle, WA 98115-0070 (206/526-4045).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this request 
should be submitted to the Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, 
F/PR1, 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 
particular amendment request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please 
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or other electronic 
media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Shapiro or Ruth Johnson, 301/713-
2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 974, 
issued on August 29, 1995 (60 FR 46577) 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. 974 authorizes the permit holder to: determine body fat 
of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina); handle 20 harbor seal pups up to four 
times and 80 pups one time annually to track changes in health, 
physiological condition, and diving behavior; handle 20 adults and 20 
juveniles four times annually to determine seasonal shifts in health, 
physiological condition, and diving behavior; and harass 600 harbor 
seals as a result of the above activities. The permit holder requests 
authorization to: increase the number of accidental mortalities from 2 
to 15 to compensate for the effects of El Nino on pup condition, and 
increase total number of takes of adults and subadults.
    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: June 23, 1998.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-17339 Filed 6-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F