78404 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices 

Management Council, 4055 Faber Place 

Drive, Suite 201, N. Charleston, SC 

29405. 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council Address: 2203 N. Lois Ave., 

Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robert Mahood, Executive Director, 

SAFMC; phone: (843) 571–4366 or toll 

free: (866) SAFMC–10; fax: (843) 769– 

4520; email: Robert.mahood@safmc.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Committee will meet from 9 a.m. until 

5 p.m. on January 13–14, 2015 and from 

9 a.m. until 12 noon on January 15, 

2015. The items of discussion are as 

follows: 

The Committee will receive an update 

on the status of draft Amendment 35 to 

the Snapper Grouper Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP) for the South 

Atlantic that includes measures to 

remove black snapper, dog snapper, 

mahogany snapper, and schoolmaster 

from the FMP. The Committee will then 

review the Draft Joint Amendment to 

the FMP for the Reef Fish Resources of 

the Gulf of Mexico and the FMP for the 

Snapper Grouper Resources of the South 

Atlantic Region. The draft amendment 

is being developed by the Committee 

and includes actions to modify both the 

Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish FMP and the 

Snapper Grouper FMP for the South 

Atlantic. The draft amendment includes 

options to: delegate management of 

black grouper, mutton snapper and 

yellowtail snapper to the Florida Fish 

and Wildlife Conservation Commission 

(FWC); specify allocations of mutton 

snapper and black grouper to the State 

of Florida with bycatch allowances for 

other Gulf and South Atlantic states; 

modifications to the bag limit and 

commercial trip limits for mutton 

snapper in the Gulf of Mexico and 

South Atlantic; modify the black 

grouper bag limit and implement a 

recreational spawning season closure; 

specify accountability measures 

specifically for South Florida species 

(yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper 

and black grouper); modify the shallowwater grouper species compositions and 

seasonal closures in the Gulf of Mexico 

and South Atlantic; and options to 

modify the current circle hook 

requirements in the Gulf and South 

Atlantic. 

The Committee will continue to 

review and modify the draft 

amendment. Additional presentations 

will be provided relative to the 

management boundaries and 

responsibility for hogfish, a progress 

report on speckled hind and warsaw 

grouper management, and the status of 

the goliath grouper stock assessment. 

The Committee will discuss these issues 

and provide recommendations. 

Public comment will be accepted at 

the end of each meeting day. Written 

comments will be accepted prior the 

beginning of the Committee meeting and 

should be mailed to Robert Mahood, 

South Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 

201, N. Charleston, SC 29406 or emailed 

to mike.collins@safmc.net. Briefing 

materials will be posted on both the 

SAFMC Web site at www.safmc.net and 

the GMFMC Web site at 

www.gulfcouncil.org by January 7, 2015. 

Documents regarding these issues are 

available from the Council office (see 

ADDRESSES). 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before this group for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this meeting. Action will 

be restricted to those issues specifically 

identified in this notice and any issues 

arising after publication of this notice 

that require emergency action under 

section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act, provided the public has been 

notified of the Council’s intent to take 

final action to address the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for auxiliary aids should be 

directed to the council office (see 

ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meeting. 

Note: The times and sequence specified in 

this agenda are subject to change. 

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

Dated: December 22, 2014. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30280 Filed 12–29–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD613 

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 

addresses of recipients. 

ADDRESSES: The Letters of Confirmation 

and related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment in the Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Room 13705, Silver 

Spring, MD 20910; phone: (301) 427– 

8401; fax: (301) 713–0376. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Office of Protected Resources, Permits 

and Conservation Division; phone: (301) 

427–8401. 

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 (LOC) 

were issued in Fiscal Year 2014. 

File No. 13549: Issued to Moby A. 

Solangi, Ph.D., Institute for Marine 

Mammal Studies, P.O. Box 207, 

Gulfport, Mississippi 39502 on August 

20, 2008, for transect surveys, aerial 

surveys, photo-identification, and 

behavioral observations of bottlenose 

dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in 

estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. The 

LOC was modified on October 31, 2013 

to extend the duration of the LOC until 

December 20, 2013. This LOC was 

terminated on November 20, 2013, 

when a new LOC (File No. 18185) was 

issued to Dr. Solangi. 

File No. 18185: Issued to Moby A. 

Solangi, Ph.D., Institute for Marine 

Mammal Studies, P.O. Box 207, 

Gulfport, Mississippi 39502 on 

November 20, 2013, for close approach 

via vessels during abundance surveys, 

photo-identification, behavioral 

observations, passive acoustics, and 

videography of bottlenose dolphins. The 

objectives of the research are to: (1) 

Ascertain population dynamics of 

bottlenose dolphins in the northern Gulf 

of Mexico, and (2) examine the 

dolphins’ usage of different habitats, 

including lakes, bays, and sounds. 

Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella 

frontalis), pantropical spotted dolphins 

(S. attenuata), spinner dolphins (S. 

longirostris), and pygmy sperm whales 

(Kogia breviceps) may also be studied if 

sighted opportunistically. Occasional 

aerial surveys flown at 750 ft are also 

authorized. Research may occur in 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices 78405 

Mississippi Sound, Chandeleur Sound, 

Breton Sound (including the Louisiana 

Marsh area), Lake Borgne, Lake 

Pontchartrain, Mobile Bay, and adjacent 

waters of the north central Gulf of 

Mexico. The LOC expires on November 

30, 2018. 

File No. 18218: Issued to the Dolphin 

Research Center [Responsible Party: 

Armando Rodriguez], 58901 Overseas 

Hwy., Grassy Key, FL 33050 on 

November 25, 2013, for close vessel 

approach, photo-identification, 

behavioral observations, and focal 

follows of bottlenose dolphins in the 

Middle Keys, FL. Specifically, the study 

area ranges from the southeast side of 

Lignumvitae Key to the northeast side of 

Pigeon Key, out to 2.5 miles offshore on 

the Atlantic side, and 5 miles offshore 

on the Gulf side. The objectives of the 

research are to: (1) Study population 

demographics in the Middle Keys, (2) 

augment two on-going photoidentification studies in the Lower Keys 

and Upper Keys, (3) contribute to the 

Gulf of Mexico Dolphin Identification 

System (GoMDIS), and (4) provide 

baseline information on this population. 

The LOC expires on November 30, 2018. 

On July 7, 2014, the LOC was modified 

to slightly expand the study area on the 

Gulf side of the Keys to include Bamboo 

and Tripod Banks. The LOC expires on 

November 30, 2018. 

File No. 14219: Issued to Tara Cox, 

Ph.D., Savannah State University, PO 

Box 20467, Savannah, GA 31404 on 

February 23, 2009, to conduct close 

approach, photo-identification, 

behavioral observations, passive 

acoustics, and focal follows of coastal 

and offshore bottlenose dolphins, 

Atlantic and pantropical spotted 

dolphins, short-finned pilot whales 

(Globicephela macrorhynchus), beaked 

whales (Mesoplodon spp.; Ziphius spp.), 

and Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) 

in estuarine and coastal waters of 

Georgia and South Carolina. The 

research investigates foraging ecology, 

social structure, and population 

structure, including begging behaviors 

and interactions between bottlenose 

dolphins and shrimp trawls. On January 

30, 2014, the expiration date of the LOC 

was extended until March 1, 2015. This 

LOC was subsequently terminated on 

February 28, 2014, when a new LOC 

(File No. 18605) was issued to Dr. Cox. 

File No. 13729: Issued to the Wild 

Dolphin Project, 612 N. Orange Ave. 

Ste. #A–12, Jupiter, Florida 33458, on 

February 13, 2009. The LOC authorizes 

close approach, photo-identification, 

and behavioral observations of 13 

cetacean species within the Intracoastal 

Waterway (ICW) from southern Martin 

County, FL to the Florida Keys, and in 

the adjacent Atlantic Ocean from the 

coast to 20 miles into the Gulf Stream. 

The objectives of the research are to: (1) 

Study abundance, distribution, and 

residency of bottlenose dolphins in the 

ICW of Palm Beach County, FL, (2) 

determine species diversity, abundance, 

and distribution of cetaceans offshore of 

Palm Beach County, FL, (3) study 

Atlantic spotted dolphins inhabiting 

waters along the Florida Keys and 

compare data with the Bahamas 

population. On February 24, 2014, the 

LOC was modified to extend the 

expiration date until February 28, 2015. 

File No. 18605: Issued to Tara Cox, 

Ph.D., Savannah State University, PO 

Box 20467, Savannah, GA 31404 on 

February 28, 2014, to conduct close 

approach, photo-identification, 

behavioral observations, passive 

acoustics, and focal follows of coastal 

and offshore bottlenose dolphins, 

Atlantic and pantropical spotted 

dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, 

beaked whales, and Risso’s dolphins in 

estuarine and coastal waters of Georgia 

and South Carolina. The study is 

designed to continue research on 

dolphin-human interactions related to 

coastal fisheries, foraging ecology, and 

social structure of the local bottlenose 

dolphins. The LOC expires on March 1, 

2019. 

File No. 14590: Issued to the National 

Marine Mammal Laboratory [Principal 

Investigator: Peter Boveng, Ph.D.], 7600 

Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115, 

on July 24, 2009. The LOC authorizes 

aerial surveys of harbor seals (Phoca 

vitulina richardii), harbor porpoise 

(Phocoena phocoena), gray whales 

(Eschrichtius robustus), beluga whales 

(Delphinapterus leuca), and killer 

whales (Orcinus orca) along the entire 

coast of Alaska south of Cape 

Newenham, at the northern end of 

Bristol Bay. The results of the surveys 

form the basis of the NMFS Stock 

Assessment Reports and provide 

information on the haul-out behavior 

and habitat requirements of harbor seals 

in Alaska. On April 14, 2014, the 

expiration date of the LOC was 

extended until August 1, 2015. 

File No. 18715: Issued to William 

McGlaun, Texas Sealife Center, 14220 

South Padre Island Drive, TX 78418 on 

June 26, 2014, for close vessel approach, 

photo-identification, and behavioral 

observations of bottlenose dolphins to 

estimate population abundance in south 

and central Texas. Specifically, the 

study area includes the internal bays 

and estuaries along the Texas Coast 

form Keller Bay to South Bay. The LOC 

expires on July 1, 2019. 

File No. 18859: Issued to the National 

Ocean Service Center for Coastal 

Environmental Health and Biomolecular 

Research [Responsible Party: Patricia A. 

Fair, Ph.D.], 219 Fort Johnson Rd., 

Charleston, SC 29412, on August 25, 

2014, for close vessel approach, photoidentification, behavioral observations, 

and focal follows of bottlenose 

dolphins. The studies may occur in the 

Charleston Harbor area, primarily in 

portions of the main channels and 

creeks of the Ashley, Cooper, and 

Wando Rivers. The research will 

continue monitoring dolphins in the 

area with the objective of analyzing 

their site fidelity and local contaminant 

exposure. In addition, the study will 

quantify the effects of a 2016 harbor 

deepening project on the dolphins’ 

distribution, abundance and behavior. 

The LOC expires on August 31, 2019. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final 

determination has been made that the 

activities are categorically excluded 

from the requirement to prepare an 

environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

Dated: December 16, 2014. 

Julia Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30398 Filed 12–29–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XX47 

Marine Mammals; File No. 14097 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit 

amendment. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a 

major amendment to Permit No. 14097– 

04 has been issued to the National 

Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest 

Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) 

(Responsible Party: Lisa Ballance, 

Ph.D.), Protected Resources Division, 

8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 

92037. 

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and 

related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment in the Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Room 13705, Silver 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES