Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 23 / Thursday, February 4, 2016 / Notices 5991 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division at the address listed above. The 

request should set forth the specific 

reasons why a hearing on this 

application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosa 

L. Gonza ́lez or Carrie Hubard, (301) 

427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested under the 

authority of the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended 

(MMPA; 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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.), and the regulations governing 

the taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR 222–226). 

The applicant proposes to address a 

variety of questions regarding social 

organization, behavior, and 

communication of humpback whales 

using passive acoustic monitoring, 

active playbacks, suction cup and dart 

tagging, biopsy sampling, underwater 

photography/videography, photo ID and 

photogrammetry during aerial and 

vessel surveys. Research would occur 

off Hawaii (primarily off west Maui), 

and Alaska. Incidental harassment is 

requested for the following non-target 

species: North Pacific right whales 

(Eubalaena japonica); false killer whales 

(Pseudorca crassidens); Dall’s porpoises 

(Phocoenoides dalli); spinner (Stenella 

longirostris), pantropical spotted (S. 

attenuata), and bottlenose dolphins 

(Turisiops truncatus); killer whales 

(Orcinus orca); Hawaiian monk seals 

(Neomonachus schauinslandi); harbor 

seals (Phoca vitulina); and Steller sea 

lions (Eumetopias jubatus). The permit 

is requested for 5 years. 

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 the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: January 29, 2016. 

Perry F. Gayaldo, 

Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02059 Filed 2–3–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public hearings and 

webinar. 

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold nine public hearings and one 

webinar to solicit public comments on 

Coastal Migratory Pelagics (CMP) 

Amendment 26—Changes in 

Allocations, Stock Boundaries and Sale 

Provisions for Gulf of Mexico and 

Atlantic Migratory Groups of King 

Mackerel; and a Framework Action to 

Modify Commercial Gear Requirements 

for Yellowtail Snapper (in Key West and 

Sarasota, FL only). 

DATES: The public hearings will be held 

February 22–March 3, 2016. The 

meetings will begin at 6 p.m. and will 

conclude no later than 9 p.m. For 

specific dates and times, see 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Written 

public comments must be received on or 

before 5 p.m. EST on Friday, March 4, 

2016. 

ADDRESSES: The public documents can 

be obtained by contacting the Gulf of 

Mexico Fishery Management Council, 

2203 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, 

Tampa, FL 33607; (813) 348–1630 or on 

their Web site at www.gulfcouncil.org. 

Meeting addresses: The public 

hearings will be held in Destin, Sarasota 

and Key West, FL; Corpus Christi and 

Texas City, TX; Pascagoula, MS; Orange 

Beach, AL; Kenner, LA; and one 

webinar. For specific locations, see 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 

Public comments: Comments may be 

submitted online through the Council’s 

public portal by visiting 

www.gulfcouncil.org and clicking on 

‘‘CONTACT US’’. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Douglas Gregory, Executive Director, 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (813) 348–1630. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

agenda for the following nine hearings 

and one webinar are as follows: Council 

staff will brief the public on CMP 

Amendment 26—Changes in 

Allocations, Stock Boundaries and Sale 

Provisions for Gulf of Mexico and 

Atlantic Migratory Groups of King 

Mackerel; and a Framework Action to 

Modify Commercial Gear Requirements 

for Yellowtail Snapper (in Key West and 

Sarasota, FL only). Staff will then open 

the meeting for questions and public 

comments. The schedule is as follows: 

Locations, Schedules, and Agendas 

Monday, February 22, 2016; 

Amendment 26—Hilton Garden Inn, 

6717 S. Padre Island Drive, Corpus 

Christi, TX 78412; telephone: (361) 991– 

8200; and Amendment 26—Hilton 

Garden Inn, 2703 Denny Avenue, 

Pascagoula, MS 39567; telephone: (228) 

762–7182. 

Tuesday, February 23, 2016; 

Amendment 26—Holiday Inn Express & 

Suites, 2440 Gulf Freeway, Texas City, 

TX 77591; telephone: (409) 986–6700; 

Amendment 26—Hilton Garden Inn, 

23092 Perdido Beach Boulevard, Orange 

Beach, AL 36561; telephone: (251) 974– 

1600. 

Wednesday, February 24, 2016; 

Amendment 26—Hilton New Orleans 

Airport, 901 Airline Drive, Kenner, LA 

70062; telephone: (504) 469–5000; 

Amendment 26—Destin Community 

Center, 101 Stahlman Ave, Destin, FL 

32541; telephone: (850) 654–5184. 

Monday, February 29, 2016, 

Amendment 26—Harvey Government 

Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key 

West, FL 33040; telephone: (305) 292– 

4431. 

Tuesday, March 1, 2016, Framework 

Action Yellowtail—Harvey Government 

Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key 

West, FL 33040; telephone: (305) 292– 

4431. 

Wednesday, March 2, 2016, 

Amendment 26 and Framework 

Action—Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch, 

6231 Lake Osprey Drive, Sarasota, FL 

34240; telephone: (941) 782–4400. 

Thursday, March 3, 2016, 

Amendment 26—Webinar—6 p.m. EST 

at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/

register/6934876394687175681. After 

registering, you will receive a 

confirmation email containing 

information about joining the webinar. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Kathy Pereira (see 

ADDRESSES), at least 5 working days 

prior to the meeting date. 

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

Dated: February 1, 2016. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02110 Filed 2–3–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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