[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32116-32117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15957]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XQ12


Marine Mammals; File No. 540-1811

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

ACTION: Notice; Issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Mr. John Calambokidis, Cascadia 
Research Collective, Waterstreet Building, 218 1/2 West Fourth Avenue, 
Olympia, WA 89501, has been issued an amendment to scientific research 
Permit No. 540-1811.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment (See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore or Carrie Hubard, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 7, 2008, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (73 FR 25668) that a request for a scientific research 
permit amendment to take cetacean species had been submitted by the 
above-named

[[Page 32117]]

individual. The requested permit amendment has been issued 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).
    Permit No. 540-1811, issued to John Calambokidis, authorizes aerial 
and vessel surveys, photo-identification, behavioral observations, 
tagging (using suction-cup attached tags), biopsy, video and acoustic 
recording, and incidental harassment of all species of odontocetes and 
baleen whales in the North Pacific Ocean. The permit has been amended 
to authorize dart tagging of the following species of marine mammals: 
blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus), sei (B. borealis), 
gray (Eschrichtius robustus), sperm (Physeter macrocephalus), Bryde's 
(B. edeni), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) and minke (B. 
acutorostrata) whales, Mesoplodon beaked whales (Mesoplodon spp), 
Cuvier's (Ziphius cavirostris) and Baird's (Berardius bairdii) beaked 
whales, and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and Risso's (Grampus 
griseus) dolphins. For each species, 20 animals have been authorized to 
be taken via dart tags, with the exception of sei whales, where only 5 
takes were requested and granted. Additionally, an increase in biopsy 
sampling and suction-cup tagging has been authorized for several 
cetacean species (fin, sperm, and short-finned pilot whales 
(Globicephala macrorhynchus) and Baird's, Cuvier's, and Mesoplodon 
beaked whales). No additional Level B harassment was requested. Dart 
tagging will occur concurrently with already permitted activities 
(i.e., vessel surveys, photo-identification, suction-cup tagging etc), 
primarily in the waters off California, though some species may be 
tagged opportunistically elsewhere where activities are authorized 
(i.e., U.S. and international waters of the Pacific including Alaska, 
Washington, Oregon, and other U.S. territories). The amended permit is 
valid until April 14, 2011.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an environmental assessment (EA) was prepared 
analyzing the effects of the permitted activities on the human 
environment. Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS determined that 
issuance of the permit amendment would not significantly impact the 
quality of the human environment and that preparation of an 
environmental impact statement was not required. That determination is 
documented in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), signed on 
June 29, 2009.
    Issuance of this amended permit, as required by the ESA, was based 
on a finding that such permit: (1) was applied for in good faith; (2) 
will not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and 
(3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 
of the ESA.
    Documents may be reviewed in the following locations:
    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;
    Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907)586-7221; fax (907)586-7249;
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018; and
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941.

    Dated: June 30, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-15957 Filed 7-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S