[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 197 (Thursday, October 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59606-59607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24015]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XK92


Marine Mammals; Issuance of Permits

AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice; issuance of permits.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that individuals and institutions have 
been issued Letters of Confirmation for activities conducted under the 
General Authorization for Scientific Research on marine mammals. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for a list of names and address of 
recipients.

ADDRESSES:  The Letters of Confirmation and related documents are 
available for review upon written request or by appointment in the 
following office:
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)427-2521.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Office of Protected Resources, 
Permits Division, (301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The requested Letters of Confirmation have 
been issued 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). 
The General Authorization allows for bona fide scientific research that 
may result only in taking by level B harassment of marine mammals. The 
following Letters of Confirmation were issued in Fiscal Year 2008.
    File No. 10047: Issued to Robert B. Griffin, Ph.D., Mote Marine 
Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236 on October 
22, 2007, for photo-identification, behavioral observations, and 
underwater videography of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella 
frontalis), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and rough-toothed 
dolphins (Steno bredanensis) in the Gulf of Mexico and waters off the 
Florida Keys through October 31, 2012.
    File No. 10038: Issued to David Mann, Ph.D., University of South 
Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South, St. 
Petersburg, FL 33701, on October 22, 2007, for vessel surveys of 
distribution and abundance of 22 species of cetaceans on the West 
Florida Shelf. Activities include photo-

[[Page 59607]]

identification, behavioral observations, and passive acoustics and may 
be conducted until January 31, 2010.
    File No. 10081: Issued to Natalija Lace, University of Southern 
Mississippi, 118 College Drive, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, on November 13, 
2007, to investigate how natural features and the noise levels of 
habitats affect the acoustic characteristics of the signals produced by 
bottlenose dolphins. Activities include the use of passive acoustics in 
Tampa Bay, Florida through November 15, 2010.
    File No. 1064-1748: Issued to National Ocean Service's Center for 
Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Researach, 219 Fort 
Johnson Road, Charleston, SC [Principal Investigator: Eric Zolman] on 
February 8, 2008, for photo-identification and vessel surveys of 
bottlenose dolphins off South Carolina through March 31, 2009. The 
study was modified to expand the geographic location to include east-
central Georgia and to add focal follows as a research tool to examine 
interactions between dolphins and crab pots. The amended Letter of 
Confirmation No. 1064-1748-01 supercedes version 1064-1748-00 issued on 
March 30, 2004.
    File No. 13386: Issued to The Taras Oceanographic Foundation, 905 
Stonewood Court, Jupiter, FL [Principal Investigator: Barbara Brunnick] 
on May 12, 2008, to document the abundance and distribution of 
bottlenose dolphins off the coast of Palm Beach County, Florida. 
Activities include the use of photo-identification and vessel surveys 
and are authorized through June 1, 2013.
    File No. 13427: Issued to the Pacific Whale Foundation, 300 
Ma'alaea Rd., Ste. 211, Wailuku, HI 96793 [Principal Investigator: 
Quincy A. Gibson, Ph.D.] on June 4, 2008, for line transect surveys and 
photo-identification of several non-listed cetacean species found in 
the deeper waters offshore of Maui County, Hawaii. The purpose of the 
proposed research is to gather information on the distribution, habitat 
use, abundance and behavior of several lesser studied, non-listed 
odontocetes. The activities may be conducted through June 15, 2013.
    File No. 13416: Issued to Jessica Weiss, 310 West Eden St., Kill 
Devil Hills, NC 27948, on June 4, 2008, for the close approach, photo-
identification, behavioral observations, and focal follows of 
bottlenose dolphins within North Carolina waters and the adjacent 
Atlantic Ocean. The purpose of this research is to investigate the 
seasonal and year-round residency of Western North Atlantic coastal or 
offshore bottlenose dolphins in the northern Outer Banks of North 
Carolina, in addition to identifying any biological and/or ecological 
stressors on the dolphins in the area. The activities may be conducted 
through May 31, 2013.
    File No. 1099-1846: Issued to Jamie McKee, SAIC, 1140 Eglin 
Parkway, Shalimar, FL 32578 on May 12, 2006, for line transect surveys 
for the inshore and estuarine stocks of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in 
south Georgia estuaries near the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. These 
activities may be conducted until May 31, 2011. This study was modified 
to authorize photo-identification of animals during surveys. The 
amended Letter of Confirmation No. 1099-1846-01 supercedes version 
1099-1846-00, issued on June 6, 2008.
    File No. 572-1869: Issued to Daniel K. Odell, Ph.D., Hubbs-SeaWorld 
Research Institute, 6295 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32821 on June 
17, 2008, to conduct vessel surveys, photo-identification, behavioral 
observations, passive acoustic recordings, and videography of 
bottlenose dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon on the east-central 
coast of Florida; in the Key West, FL area; and in the coastal waters 
of Georgia. In addition, aerial surveys of bottlenose dolphins may be 
conducted over the Indian River Lagoon. These activities may be 
conducted through November 14, 2011. The study was modified to include 
photo-identification work in waters from Ponce Inlet to the northern 
border of Flagler County in Florida. The amended Letter of Confirmation 
No. 572-1869-01 supercedes version 572-1869-00, issued on November 14, 
2006.
    File No. 13525: Issued to Richard Connor, Ph.D., University of 
Massachusetts at Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA 02740 on July 25, 2008, 
for behavioral observations, video documentation, and photo-
identification of bottlenose dolphins in Beaufort County, SC. The 
activities may be conducted through October 31, 2010.
    File No. 13549: Issued to Moby A. Solangi, Ph.D., Institute for 
Marine Mammal Studies, P.O. Box 207, Gulfport, MS 39502 on August 20, 
2008, for transect surveys, photo-identification, and behavioral 
observations of bottlenose dolphins in the estuaries of the Gulf of 
Mexico. Occasional aerial surveys are also authorized. The activities 
may be conducted through August 31, 2012.
    File No. 572-1869: Issued to Daniel K. Odell, Ph.D., Hubbs-SeaWorld 
Research Institute, 6295 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32821 on August 
20, 2008. The study was modified to allow aerial surveys at a minimum 
altitude of 152 meters (500 feet). The amended Letter of Confirmation 
No. 572-1869-02 supercedes version 572-1869-01, issued on June 17, 2008 
(see above paragraph for File No. 572-1869 for details).
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination was made that the 
activities are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare 
an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

    Dated: October 3, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-24015 Filed 10-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S