41290 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 132 / Tuesday, July 12, 2022 / Notices 

necessary small numbers 

determinations, through comparison 

with the best available abundance 

estimates (see discussion at 86 FR 5322, 

5391; January 19, 2021). For this 

comparison, NMFS’ approach is to use 

the maximum theoretical population, 

determined through review of current 

stock assessment reports (SAR; 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/marinemammal-stock-assessments) and modelpredicted abundance information 

(https://seamap.env.duke.edu/models/ 

Duke/GOM/). For the latter, for taxa 

where a density surface model could be 

produced, we use the maximum mean 

seasonal (i.e., 3-month) abundance 

prediction for purposes of comparison 

as a precautionary smoothing of monthto-month fluctuations and in 

consideration of a corresponding lack of 

data in the literature regarding seasonal 

distribution of marine mammals in the 

GOM. Information supporting the small 

numbers determinations is provided in 

Table 1. 

TABLE 1—TAKE ANALYSIS

Species Authorized 

take 1 Abundance 2 Percent 

abundance 

Rice’s whale ................................................................................................................................. 0 51 n/a 

Sperm whale ................................................................................................................................ 26 2,207 1.2 

Kogia spp ..................................................................................................................................... 3 10 4,373 0.2 

Beaked whales ............................................................................................................................ 116 3,768 3.1 

Rough-toothed dolphin ................................................................................................................ 20 4,853 0.4 

Bottlenose dolphin ....................................................................................................................... 95 176,108 0.1 

Clymene dolphin .......................................................................................................................... 56 11,895 0.5 

Atlantic spotted dolphin ............................................................................................................... 38 74,785 0.1 

Pantropical spotted dolphin ......................................................................................................... 255 102,361 0.2 

Spinner dolphin ............................................................................................................................ 68 25,114 0.3 

Striped dolphin ............................................................................................................................. 22 5,229 0.4 

Fraser’s dolphin ........................................................................................................................... 6 1,665 0.4 

Risso’s dolphin ............................................................................................................................. 17 3,764 0.4 

Melon-headed whale ................................................................................................................... 37 7,003 0.5 

Pygmy killer whale ....................................................................................................................... 9 2,126 0.4 

False killer whale ......................................................................................................................... 14 3,204 0.4 

Killer whale .................................................................................................................................. 0 267 n/a 

Short-finned pilot whale ............................................................................................................... 11 1,981 0.5 

1Scalar ratios were not applied in this case due to brief survey duration. 

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 the killer whale, the larger estimated SAR abundance estimate is used. 3 Includes 1 takes by Level A harassment and 9 takes by Level B harassment. 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of QuarterNorth’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 and therefore 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 

QuarterNorth authorizing the take of 

marine mammals incidental to its 

geophysical survey activity, as 

described above. 

Dated: July 5, 2022. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–14740 Filed 7–11–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XC168] 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council’s Summer 

Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass 

Monitoring Committee will hold a 

public webinar meeting. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Thursday, July 28, 2022, from 9 a.m. 

until 1 p.m. EDT. For agenda details, see 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. Connection information 

will be posted to the calendar prior to 

the meeting at www.mafmc.org. 

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, 800 N State 

Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; 

telephone: (302) 674–2331; 

www.mafmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive 

Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, telephone: (302) 

526–5255. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea 

Bass Monitoring Committee will meet 

via webinar to review previously 

adopted 2023 commercial and 

recreational Annual Catch Limits, 

Annual Catch Targets, commercial 

quotas, and recreational harvest limits 

for summer flounder, scup, and black 

sea bass and recommend changes as 

appropriate. In addition, the Monitoring 

Committee will review commercial 

management measures for all three 

species and recommend changes if 

needed. During this meeting, the 

Monitoring Committee will consider 

recent fishery performance as well as 

recommendations from the Advisory 

Panel, Scientific and Statistical 

Committee, and Council staff. Meeting 

materials will be posted to 

www.mafmc.org. 


jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 132 / Tuesday, July 12, 2022 / Notices 41291 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aid should be directed to 

Shelley Spedden, (302) 526–5251, at 

least 5 days prior to the meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: July 7, 2022. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–14786 Filed 7–11–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XC126] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 20648 

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 

Heidi Pearson, Ph.D., University of 

Alaska—Southeast, 11120 Glacier Hwy, 

AND1, Juneau, Alaska 99801, has 

applied for an amendment to Scientific 

Research Permit No. 20648–01. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email 

comments must be received on or before 

August 11, 2022. 

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. 20648 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. 20648 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 Carrie 

Hubard, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject amendment to Permit No. 20648 

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. 20648, issued on June 14, 

2019 (84 FR 27767), authorizes the 

permit holder to conduct vessel-based 

and unmanned aerial surveys on the 

following species: fin (Balaenoptera 

physalus), humpback (Megaptera 

novaeangliae; range-wide including 

those from the endangered Mexico 

Distinct Population Segment), gray 

(Eschrichtius robustus), killer (Orcinus 

orca); minke (Balaenoptera 

acutorostrata), and sperm (Physeter 

macrocephalus) whales, Dall’s 

(Hocoenoides dalli) and harbor 

porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), and 

Pacific white-sided dolphins 

(Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). 

Researchers may use the following 

methods on all or some of the above 

listed species: observation, 

photographic identification, 

photogrammetry, passive acoustic 

recording, tagging (suction-cup), remote 

biopsy and other biological sampling 

(breath/exhaled air, fecal, swabbed and 

sloughed skin), and sonar for prey 

mapping. A minor amendment to the 

permit, which increased the number of 

takes per animal from two to four, was 

issued on September 18, 2020. The 

permit holder is requesting the permit 

be amended to increase the number of 

annual biopsy takes of humpback 

whales authorized from 50 to 75, with 

a maximum of four biopsy samples per 

year from the same animal. Samples 

would be collected a minimum of 30 

days apart. No changes to the permitted 

objectives, methods, or locations are 

proposed. The permit expires on June 1, 

2024. 

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: July 6, 2022. 

Julia M. Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–14751 Filed 7–11–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XC167] 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council’s Spiny Dogfish 

Advisory Panel will hold a public 

meeting. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for agenda details. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Thursday, July 28, 2022, from 3 p.m. 

until 5 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. Connection information 

will be posted to the calendar prior to 

the meeting at www.mafmc.org. 

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, 800 N State 

Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; 

telephone: (302) 674–2331; 

www.mafmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive 

Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, telephone: (302) 

526–5255. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the meeting is for the 

Advisory Panel to create a Fishery 

Performance Report that includes 

advisor input on related specifications 

and management measures. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aid should be directed to 

Shelley Spedden, (302) 526–5251, at 

least 5 days prior to the meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: July 7, 2022. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–14783 Filed 7–11–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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