[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12763-12764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4892]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121200J]


Marine Mammals; File No. 87-1593-00

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Daniel Costa (Principal 
Investigator), Institute of Marine Sciences, Earth & Marine Sciences 
Bldg. A316, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, has been 
issued a permit to take California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) 
and Antarctic pinnipeds for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
March 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289); and
    Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long 
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson, 301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 15, 2000, and on November 15, 
2000, notices were published in the Federal Register (65 FR 49786 and 
68983) that a request for a scientific research permit to take 
California sea lions and Antarctic pinnipeds had been submitted by the 
above-named individual.
    Project I - The Holder is studying the foraging ecology and 
energetics of California sea lions of all age and sex classes in 
southern and central California, including San Nicolas, Ano Nuevo and 
San Miguel Islands. The Permit authorizes, annually, for 5 years, 40 
adult sea lions and 100 pup sea lions will be captured, tagged, bleach 
marked, instrumented with satellite linked TDRs, blood sampled, and 
measured. In addition the Holder is authorized to incidentally harass 
up to 6,650 animals annually and is allowed up to five accidental 
mortalities over the five-year period.
    Project II - The Holder is studying Crabeater seals (Lobodon 
carcinophagus). The Permit authorizes annually, for up to 5 years, 25 
L. carcinophagus and 10 each for leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), 
Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii), and Ross seal (Ommatophoca 
rossii). Animals will be captured, immobilized, weighed/measured, 
sampled [blood and biopsy, whisker], administered tritiated saline 
water, flipper tagged, marked, lavaged for stomach contents, and 
instrumented

[[Page 12764]]

with VHF/satellite transmitters. The project will determine the 
distribution and foraging behavior of adult Crabeater seals and 
simultaneously assess the impact that oceanographic features and prey 
aggregations have on foraging strategies employed. Equivalent data will 
be obtained for other species. Research will occur in Marguerite Bay, 
West Antarctic Peninsula. Opportunistic samples will be collected from 
dead beach cast seals for deposit in the natural history collection at 
the University.
    The requested permit has 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).

    Dated: February 21, 2001.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4892 Filed 2-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S