Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 201 / Thursday, October 19, 2017 / Notices 48701 

Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis 

and Determination 

Impacts to subsistence uses of marine 

mammals resulting from the proposed 

action are not anticipated. The proposed 

action would occur outside of the 

primary subsistence use season (i.e., 

summer months), and the study area is 

100–200 nmi seaward of known 

subsistence use areas. Harvest locations 

for ringed seals extend up to 80 nmi 

from shore during the summer months 

while winter harvest of ringed seals 

typically occurs closer to shore. Based 

on this information, NMFS has 

preliminarily determined that there will 

not be an unmitigable adverse impact on 

subsistence uses from the Navy’s 

proposed activities. 

Endangered Species Act (ESA) 

Section 7(a)(2) of the ESA of 1973 (16 

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that each 

Federal agency insure that any action it 

authorizes, funds, or carries out is not 

likely to jeopardize the continued 

existence of any endangered or 

threatened species or result in the 

destruction or adverse modification of 

designated critical habitat. To ensure 

ESA compliance for the issuance of 

IHAs, NMFS consults internally with 

our ESA Interagency Cooperation 

Division whenever we propose to 

authorize take for endangered or 

threatened species. 

No incidental take of ESA-listed 

species is proposed for authorization or 

expected to result from this activity. 

Therefore, NMFS has determined that 

formal consultation under section 7 of 

the ESA is not required for this action. 

Proposed Authorization 

As a result of these preliminary 

determinations, NMFS proposes to issue 

an IHA to the Navy for conducting 

submarine training and testing provided 

the previously mentioned mitigation, 

monitoring, and reporting requirements 

are incorporated. This section contains 

a draft of the IHA itself. The wording 

contained in this section is proposed for 

inclusion in the IHA (if issued). 

1. This Authorization is valid from 

February 1, 2018 through May 1, 2018. 

2. This Authorization is valid only for 

activities associated with submarine 

training and testing in the Beaufort Sea 

and Arctic Ocean. 

3. General Conditions. 

(a) A copy of this IHA must be in the 

possession of the Navy, its designees, 

and work crew personnel operating 

under the authority of this IHA. 

(b) The number of animals and 

species authorized for taking by Level B 

harassment is 1,676 ringed seals. 

4. Prohibitions. 

(a) The taking, by incidental 

harassment only, is limited to the 

species and number listed under 

condition 3(b). The taking by death of 

these species or the taking by 

harassment, injury or death of any other 

species of marine mammal is prohibited 

and may result in the modification, 

suspension, or revocation of this 

Authorization. 

5. Mitigation Measures. 

The holder of this Authorization is 

required to implement the following 

mitigation measures. 

(a) Shutdown Measures. 

(i) The Navy shall implement 

shutdown measures if a marine mammal 

is detected by submarines via passive 

acoustics during use of active sonar 

transmissions from submarines and 

torpedoes. 

(ii) The Navy shall not restart acoustic 

transmissions until after 15 minutes 

have passed with no marine mammal 

detections. 

(b) The Navy shall avoid on-ice take 

by implementing the following: 

(i) Foot and snowmobile movement 

shall avoid pressure ridges; 

(ii) The ice camp, including runway, 

shall be built on multi-year ice without 

pressure ridges; 

(iii) Snowmobiles shall follow 

established routes; 

(iv) Camp deployment shall be 

gradual with activity increasing over the 

first five days and shall be completed by 

March 15, 2018. 

(vi) Implementation of 100-meter 

avoidance distance of all marine 

mammals. 

6. Reporting. 

The holder of this Authorization is 

required to: 

(a) Submit a draft exercise monitoring 

report within 90 days of the completion 

of proposed training and testing 

activities. 

(b) The draft exercise monitoring 

report will include data regarding sonar 

use and any marine mammal sightings 

or detection. It will also include 

information on the number of sonarrelated shutdowns recorded. 

(c) If no comments are received from 

NMFS within 30 days of submission of 

the draft final report, the draft final 

report will constitute the final report. If 

comments are received, a final report 

must be submitted within 30 days after 

receipt of comments. 

(d) Reporting injured or dead marine 

mammals: 

(i) In the unanticipated event that the 

specified activity clearly causes the take 

of a marine mammal in a manner 

prohibited by this IHA, such as an 

injury (Level A harassment), serious 

injury, or mortality, the Navy shall 

immediately cease the specified 

activities and report the incident to the 

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 

and the Alaska Regional Stranding 

Coordinator, NMFS. The Navy shall 

adhere to protocols outlined in the 

Stranding Response Plan for Atlantic 

Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) 

Study Area (November 2013). 

7. This Authorization may be 

modified, suspended or withdrawn if 

the holder fails to abide by the 

conditions prescribed herein, or if 

NMFS determines the authorized taking 

is having more than a negligible impact 

on the species or stock of affected 

marine mammals. 

Request for Public Comments 

We request comment on our analyses, 

the draft authorization, and any other 

aspect of this Notice of Proposed IHA 

for the Navy’s proposed ICEX18 training 

and testing activities. Please include 

with your comments any supporting 

data or literature citations to help 

inform our final decision on the request 

for MMPA authorization. 

Dated: October 13, 2017. 

Catherine Marzin, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–22637 Filed 10–18–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XF745 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting 

(webinar). 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

Coastal Pelagic Species Management 

Team (CPSMT) and Coastal Pelagic 

Species Advisory Subpanel (CPSAS) 

will hold a webinar meeting that is open 

to the public. 

DATES: The webinar will be held 

Tuesday, November 7, 2017, from 1 p.m. 

to 4 p.m., or until business has been 

completed. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. A public listening station 

is available at the Pacific Council office 

(address below). To attend the webinar, 


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48702 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 201 / Thursday, October 19, 2017 / Notices 

(1) join the meeting by visiting this link: 

https://www.gotomeeting.com/webinar/ 

join-webinar, (https://

www.gotomeeting.com/webinarhttps://

global.gotomeeting.com/join/ 

9556681252) enter the Webinar ID: 486– 

474–157, and (3) enter your name and 

email address (required). After logging 

in to the webinar, please dial this TOLL 

number 1–646–749–3131 (not a toll-free 

number), and enter your audio phone 

pin (shown after joining the webinar). 

Note: We have disabled Mic/Speakers as 

an option and require all participants to 

use a telephone or cell phone to 

participate. Technical Information and 

System Requirements: PC-based 

attendees are required to use Windows®

7, Vista, or XP; Mac®-based attendees 

are required to use Mac OS® X 10.5 or 

newer; Mobile attendees are required to 

use iPhone®, iPad®, AndroidTM phone 

or Android tablet (See the https://

www.gotomeeting.com/webinar/ipadiphone-android-webinar-apps). You 

may send an email to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt at Kris.Kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov or contact him at (503) 820– 

2280, extension 411 for technical 

assistance. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE. 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kerry Griffin, Pacific Council; 

telephone: (503) 820–2409. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the meeting is to discuss 

items on the agenda of the November 

Pacific Council meeting, being held 

November 14–20, 2017 in Costa Mesa, 

CA. These may include exempted 

fishing permit proposals, methodology 

review proposals, and administrative 

matters. The CPSAS and CPSMT may 

develop reports to the Pacific Council 

on those items, and public comment 

may be taken at the discretion of the 

CPSMT and CPSAS Chairs. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agenda may be 

discussed, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal action during this 

meeting. Action will be restricted to 

those issues specifically listed in this 

document and any issues arising after 

publication of this document 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 intent to take final action to address 

the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

This public listening station is 

physically accessible to people with 

disabilities. Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov); (503) 820–2411 at least 10 

days prior to the meeting date. 

Dated: October 13, 2017. 

Jeffrey N. Lonergan, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–22641 Filed 10–18–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; Protocol for 

Access to Tissue Specimen Samples 

From the National Marine Mammal 

Tissue Bank 

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paperwork and 

respondent burden, invites the general 

public and other Federal agencies to 

take this opportunity to comment on 

proposed and/or continuing information 

collections, as required by the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before December 18, 

2017. 

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 

14th and Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at pracomments@doc.gov). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument and instructions should be 

directed to Sarah Wilkin, (301) 427– 

8470 or sarah.wilkin@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for extension of a 

current information collection. 

In 1989, the National Marine Mammal 

Tissue Bank (NMMTB) was established 

by the National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS) Office of Protected 

Resources (OPR) in collaboration with 

the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST), Minerals 

Management Service (MMS), and the 

U.S. Geological Survey/Biological 

Resources Division (USGS/BRD). The 

NMMTB provides protocols, techniques, 

and physical facilities for the long-term 

storage of tissues from marine 

mammals. Scientists can request tissues 

from this repository for retrospective 

analyses to determine environmental 

trends of contaminants and other 

substances of interest. The NMMTB 

collects, processes, and stores tissues 

from specific indicator species (e.g., 

Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic 

white sided dolphins, pilot whales, 

harbor porpoises), animals from mass 

strandings, animals that have been 

obtained incidental to commercial 

fisheries, animals taken for subsistence 

purposes, biopsies, and animals from 

unusual mortality events through two 

projects, the Marine Mammal Health 

and Stranding Response Program 

(MMHSRP) and the Alaska Marine 

Mammal Tissue Archival Project 

(AMMTAP). 

The purposes of this collection of 

information are: (1) To enable NOAA to 

allow the scientific community the 

opportunity to request tissue specimen 

samples from the NMMTB and, (2) to 

enable the Marine Mammal Health and 

Stranding Response Program 

(MMHSRP) of NOAA to assemble 

information on all specimens submitted 

to the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology’s Marine 

Environmental Specimen Bank (Marine 

ESB), which includes the NMMTB. 

II. Method of Collection 

Respondents must complete a 

specimen banking information sheet for 

every sample submitted to the Bank. 

Methods of submitting reports include 

Internet, mail and facsimile 

transmission of paper forms. Those 

requesting samples send the 

information, and their research findings, 

mainly via email. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0468. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(extension of a current information 

collection). 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households; business or other for-profit 

organizations; not-for-profit institutions; 

state, local, or tribal government; federal 

government. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

105: 100 specimen submission forms 

(from ∼20 different organizations); 

5 requests for tissue samples. 

Estimated Time per Response: 

Request for tissue sample, 2 hours; 

specimen submission form, 45 minutes. 


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