Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 98 / Monday, May 21, 2001 / Notices 27941

quantify their habitat utilization from

the geographical position data, (2) to

produce a geographic information

system (GIS) database of benthic

habitats and subsequently map the

habitat types within the study area, and

(3) to test for habitat preferences of

Kemp’s ridley turtles in this region by

comparing the amount of time a turtle

spends in a given habitat relative to the

availability of all other habitat types.

Permits and Modified Permits Issued

Permit #1298

Notice was published on March 5,

2001 (66 FR 13305), that Ms. Melissa

Salmon, of Riverbanks Zoological Park

applied for a enhancement permit

(1298). The applicant has requested a 5–

year permit to continue to maintain

eleven adult shortnose sturgeon

received from the South Carolina

Department of Natural Resources in

1996 for education purposes. NMFS

believes that captive maintenance of

endangered shortnose sturgeon for

enhancement purposes is to the benefit

of the species as a whole. The source for

the captive display are shortnose

sturgeon maintained in hatchery

settings that have been deemed nonreleasable by NMFS. Because these

cultured sturgeon have been deemed

non-releasable at this time by NMFS,

alternatives to sacrifice were needed.

The recovery team for shortnose

sturgeon felt that these cultured fish

provided an excellent opportunity to

educate the public and increase

awareness of the species and its plight.

These fish are used in research activities

and, as recommended by the recovery

team, in enhancement activities such as

public education. Permit 1298 was

issued on May 4, 2001, authorizing take

of listed species. Permit 1298 expires

May 31, 2006.

Permit #1266

Notice was published on October 19,

2000 (65 FR 62709), that John Glass, of

REMSA, Inc. applied for a research/

enhancement permit (1266). The

applicant requested a 5–year permit to

take leatherback, green, loggerhead,

Kemp’s ridley and green turtles from the

Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico in

conjunction with US Army Corps of

Engineer Dredging projects for scientific

research and enhancement purposes.

Permit 1266 was issued on May 8, 2001,

authorizing take of listed species. Permit

1266 expires April 30, 2006.

Dated: May 15, 2001.

Phil Williams,

Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–12747 Filed 5–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 051401C]

Marine Mammals; Scientific Research

and Enhancement Permit (PHF# 116-

1477)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of application for

amendment.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

SeaWorld of Texas, 10500 Sea World

Drive, San Antonio, Texas, 78251, has

applied in due form for an amendment

to Permit No. 116-1477 to take Hawaiian

monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi)

for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written comments must be

received on or before June 20, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The application and related

documents are available for review

upon written request or by appointment

in the following office(s): (see

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION).

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 13705, 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 email or by other electronic media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Sloan or Ruth Johnson, (301)713–

2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

subject permit amendment 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 fish and wildlife (50 CFR

part 222.23).

Permit No. 116-1477 authorizes the

permit holder to permanently transfer

ten (10) captive, unreleasable female

Hawaiian monk seals from the National

Marine Fisheries Service’s Kewalo

Research Facility to SeaWorld of Texas

for research and enhancement purposes.

The primary objective of the Permit is

to make the seals available for scientific

research on an opportunistic basis in

order to benefit the wild population of

Hawaiian monk seals. As provided for

in the Permit, the permit holder requests

authorization to conduct research

studies on the ten captive female

Hawaiian monk seals now permanently

held at SeaWorld of Texas. The research

study involves systematic feeding of

certain prey to the captive seals and

subsequent comparison of fatty acid

composition of blubber samples with

the fatty acid composition of the food

consumed. The goal is to determine

whether the assessment of fatty acid

signatures in blubber samples of freeranging Hawaiian monk seals may be an

appropriate and reliable method for

qualitative and quantitative assessment

of their diet. This study is aimed at

reducing or eliminating adverse

interactions between current and

anticipated fishing operations with freeranging Hawaiian monk seals.

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

amendment application to the Marine

Mammal Commission and its

Committee of Scientific Advisors. The

application and related documents are

available for review in the following

office(s):

Permits Division, Office of Protected

Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West

Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring,

MD 20910; phone (301) 713–2289; fax

(301) 713–0376;

Regional Administrator, Southwest

Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean

Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA

90802–4213; phone (562) 980–4001; fax

(562) 980–4018;

27942 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 98 / Monday, May 21, 2001 / Notices

Regional Administrator, Southeast

Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center

Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702–2432;

phone (727) 570–5301; fax (727) 570–

5320; and

Protected Species Program Manager,

Pacific Islands Area Office, 1601

Kapiolani Blvd., Room 1110, Honolulu,

HI 96814–4700; phone (808) 973–2935;

fax (808) 973–2941.

Dated: May 15, 2001.

E. Ruth Johnson,

Acting Chief, Permits and Documentation

Division, Office of Protected Resources,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–12746 Filed 5–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 050901E]

Pacific Fishery Management Council;

Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery

Management Council (Council) and its

advisory entities will hold public

meetings.

DATES: The Council and its advisory

entities will meet June 10-15, 2001. The

Council meeting will begin on Tuesday,

June 12, at 8 a.m., reconvening each day

through Friday. All meetings are open to

the public, except a closed session will

be held from 8 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. on

Tuesday, June 12 to address litigation

and personnel matters. The Council will

meet as late as necessary each day to

complete its scheduled business.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at

the Park Plaza Hotel, 1177 Airport

Boulevard, Burlingame, CA 94010;

telephone: 650–342–9200.

Council address: Pacific Fishery

Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth

Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Donald O. McIsaac, Executive Director;

telephone: (503)326–6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

following items are on the Council

agenda, but not necessarily in this order.

All items listed are subject to potential

Council action.

A. Call to Order

1. Opening Remarks, Introductions,

2. Roll Call

3. Executive Director’s Report

4. Approve Agenda

5. Approve March 2001 and April

2001 Minutes

B. Salmon Management

1. NMFS Report

2. Sequence of Events and Status of

Fisheries

C. Groundfish Management

1. NMFS Report

2. Sablefish Three-Tier Program

Qualification with Setnet Landings

3. Marine Recreational Fisheries

Statistics Survey Update

4. Status of the 2001 Stock

Assessment Review Panel Meetings

5. Stock Assessment Priorities for

2002

6. Experimental Fishing Permit (EFP)

Applications

7. Limited Entry Fixed Gear Sablefish

Permit Stacking and Season for 2001

and beyond

8. Incidental Pacific Halibut Harvest

Restrictions for the Primary, Limited

Entry Longline Sablefish Fishery North

of Point Chehalis, Washington

9. Strategic Plan Implementation

10. Rebuilding Plans for Canary

Rockfish, Cowcod, Pacific Ocean Perch,

Bocaccio, Lingcod, Widow Rockfish,

and Darkblotched Rockfish

11. Preliminary Harvest Levels for

2002

12. American Fisheries Act

Management Measures

13. Status of Fisheries and Inseason

Adjustments

14. Full Retention Measures

D. Habitat Issues

Essential Fish Habitat Issues

E. Marine Reserves

1. Review of West Coast Marine

Reserves Efforts

2. Marine Reserves in the Channel

Island National Marine Sanctuary

F. Highly Migratory Species

Management

1. International Highly Migratory

Species (HMS) Discussions and Actions

2. Public Review Draft of the HMS

Fishery Management Plan (FMP)

3. Draft FMP Public Hearing Schedule

G. Coastal Pelagic Species Management

1. Exempted Fishing Permit

Applications

2. Pacific Mackerel Harvest Guideline

and Other Specifications for 2002

3. Market Squid Maximum

Sustainable Yield (MSY) Methodology

Review Workshop

H. Administrative and Other Matters

1. Report of the Budget Committee

2. Status of Legislation

3. Appointments to Advisory Bodies

or Other Council Positions

4. Council Staff Work Load Priorities

5. September 2001 Council Meeting

Draft Agenda

SCHEDULE OF ANCILLARY

MEETINGS

SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2001

Scientific and Statistical Committee

Highly Migratory Species

Subcommittee 10 a.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2001

Council Secretariate 7 a.m.

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m.

Groundfish Management Team 8 a.m.

Scientific and Statistical Committee 8

a.m.

Budget Committee 10 a.m.

Habitat Steering Group 1 p.m.

Highly Migratory Species Advisory

Subpanel 1 p.m.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2001

Council Secretariate 7 a.m.

California State Delegation 7 a.m.

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m.

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m.

Scientific and Statistical Committee 8

a.m.

Habitat Steering Group 8 a.m.-noon

Highly Migratory Species Advisory

Subpanel 8 a.m.-noon

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 8 a.m.

Groundfish Management Team: As

necessary

Enforcement Consultants:

Immediately following Council Session

Groundfish FMP EIS Scoping Meeting

7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2001

Council Secretariate 7 a.m.

California State Delegation 7 a.m.

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m.

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m.

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel: As

necessary

Groundfish Management Team: As

necessary

Enforcement Consultants: As

necessary

THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2001

Council Secretariate 7 a.m.

California State Delegation 7 a.m.

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m.

Washington State Delegation 7 a.m.

Groundfish Management Team: As

necessary

Enforcement Consultants: As

necessary

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2001

Council Secretariate 7 a.m.

California State Delegation 7 a.m.

Oregon State Delegation 7 a.m.