11156 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 36 / Thursday, February 22, 2001 / Notices

occurring in Puerto Rican waters for

purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments

must be received on or before March 26,

2001.

ADDRESSES: The application and related

documents are available for review

upon written request or by appointment.

(See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Sloan or Ruth Johnson, office of

Protected Resources, NMFS, 301/713–

2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

subject permit is requested 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

parts 18 and 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 parts 17

and 222-226).

The Applicant requests authorization

to conduct aerial surveys for marine

mammals and sea turtles in near-shore

waters of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Marine

mammal species include: from Suborder

Mysticeti, Family Balaenopteridae:

Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni), fin

whale (Balaenoptera physalus), sei

whale (Balaenoptera borealis),

humpback whale (Megaptera

novaeangliae), minke whale

(Balaenoptera acutorostrata); from

Suborder Odontoceti, Family

Physeteridae: Sperm whale (Physeter

macrocepahalus), pygmy sperm whale

(Kogia breviceps), dwarf sperm whale

(Kogia simus); from Suborder

Odontoceti, Family Ziphiidae: Cuvier’s

beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris),

Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon

densirostris), Gervis’ beaked whale

(Mesoplodon europaeus), True’s beaked

whale (Mesoplodon mirus); from

Suborder Odontoceti, Family

Delphinidae: Melon-headed whale

(Peponocephala electra), short-finned

pilot whale (Globicephala

macrorynchus), Risso’s dolphin

(Grampus griseus), false killer whale

(Pseudorca crassidens), pygmy killer

whale (Feresa attenuata), bottlenose

dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), roughtoothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis),

Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella

frontalis), pantropical spotted dolphin

(Stenella attenuata), striped dolphin

(Stenella coeruleoalba), spinner dolphin

(Stenella longirostris), clymene dolphin

(Stenella clymene), common dolphin

(Delphinus delphis (capensis)), killer

whale (Orcinus orca), Fraser’s dolphin

(Lagenodelphis hosei); from Order

Carnivora, Suborder Pinnipedia, Family

Phocidae: Hooded seal (Cystophora

cristata); from Order Sirenia, Family

Trichechidae: West Indian manatee

(Trichechus manatus). Sea turtle species

include: from Suborder Cryptodira,

Family Dermochelyidae: Leatherback

sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea); from

Family Cheloniidae: Green sea turtle

(Chelonia mydas), hawksbill sea turtle

(Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp’s

Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii),

loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta),

olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys

olivacea).

The surveys would take place from

fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft

flying no lower than 500 ft (152 m)

above ground or sea level. level. The

objective of the surveys is to determine

occurrence, migration routes, and

habitat utilization for the species

occurring in the Inner Range, Atlantic

Fleet Weapons Training Facility,

Vieques. This area includes all waters

surrounding the east end of Vieques for

a distance of approximately 2 miles

offshore. The results of this study will

be used to assist the Navy in the

planning of exercises conducted in this

area. Data from these surveys would

also be used in ongoing section 7

consultation under the ESA.

In compliance with the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial

determination has been made that the

activity proposed is categorically

excluded from the requirement to

prepare an environmental assessment or

environmental impact statement.

Written comments or requests for a

public hearing on this application

should be mailed to the Chief, Permits

and Documentation Division, F/PR1,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705,

Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those

individuals requesting a hearing should

set forth the specific reasons why a

hearing on this particular request would

be appropriate.

Comments may also be submitted by

facsimile at (301) 713-0376, provided

the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy

submitted by mail and postmarked no

later than the closing date of the

comment period. Please note that

comments will not be accepted by email or by other electronic media.

Concurrent with the publication of

this notice in the Federal Register,

NMFS is forwarding copies of this

application to the Marine Mammal

Commission and its Committee of

Scientific Advisors.

Documents associated with this

application are in the following

locations:

Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130,

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713–

2289);

Regional Administrator, Northeast

Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive,

Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930 (978/

281–9138)

Regional Administrator, Southeast

Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center

Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702–

2432 (813/570–5312); and

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office

of Management Authority, 4401 North

Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (1-

800–358–2104).

Dated: January 29, 2001.

Eugene T. Nitta,

Acting Chief, Permits and Documentation

Division, Office of Protected Resources,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

Dated: January 30, 2001.

Timothy J. Van Norman,

Chief, Branch of Permits, Division of

Management Authority, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 01–4414 Filed 2–21–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 020901E]

Fisheries off West Coast States and in

the Western Pacific; Western Pacific

Crustacean Fisheries; 2001 Bankspecific Harvest Guidelines

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: No harvest guideline for

crustaceans.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that annual

harvest guidelines for the commercial

lobster fishery around the Northwestern

Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) will not be

issued for 2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of background

material pertaining to this action may be

obtained from Dr. Charles Karnella,

Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands

Area Office, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite

1101, Honolulu, HI 96814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alvin Katekaru at 808-973-2937.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

Fishery Management Plan for the

Crustacean Fisheries of the Western

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 36 / Thursday, February 22, 2001 / Notices 11157

Pacific Region, 50 CFR 660.50(b)(2),

NMFS is required to publish by

February 28 of each year, the harvest

guidelines for lobster Permit Area 1

around the NWHI. The year 2000 NWHI

lobster fishery was closed because of

concerns raised by NMFS scientists

about the health of the fishery and as a

precautionary measure to prevent

overfishing of the lobster resources.

Furthermore, NMFS is under a Court

Order issued by the U.S. District Court

for the District of Hawaii to keep the

crustacean fisheries closed until an

Environmental Impact Statement and a

Biological Opinion have been prepared

and issued for the crustacean fisheries.

In addition, recently issued Executive

Orders 13178 and 13196 appear to close

indefinitely the entire NWHI crustacean

fishery. Given these events, NMFS

announces that it will not be publishing

any harvest guidelines for this fishery

for the year 2001. Although no

regulatory action has been taken to close

the NWHI lobster fishery for 2001,

NMFS anticipates that this will occur in

the near future. Therefore, no harvest of

NWHI lobster resources will be allowed

and effectively the harvest guideline

will be zero. In addition, there is still

uncertainty regarding the model

assumptions used by NMFS scientists to

estimate the exploitable lobster

population. However, as indicated in

the NMFS 2001 ‘‘Report to Congress’’ on

the status of fisheries, the lobster stock

is not overfished. NMFS intends to

conduct biological research on the

status of NWHI lobster resources and to

examine the resulting data for

indications as to the appropriate

direction for future fishery management

actions.

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

Dated: February 15, 2001.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–4415 Filed 2–21–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Defense Science Board; Notice of

Meeting

ACTION: Notice of Advisory Committee

Meetings.

SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board

(DSB) Task Force on Intelligence Needs

for Homeland Defense Follow-On

Initiative will meet in closed session on

February 27–28, 2001; March 27–28

2001; and April 24–25, 2001, at

Strategic Analysis, Inc., 3601 Wilson

Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201. This

Task Force will explore the intelligence

ramifications posed by a changing

spectrum of threat regimes, including

biological, chemical, information,

nuclear, and radiological weapons.

The mission of the Defense Science

Board is to advise the Secretary of

Defense and the Under Secretary of

Defense for Acquisition, Technology &

Logistics on scientific and technical

matters as they affect the perceived

needs of the Department of Defense. At

these meetings, the Defense Science

Board Task Force will: consider the

broad spectrum of intelligence issues

from early threat detection to

deterrence, through response including

attribution; evaluate the collection and

analysis of target-related information

and weapon unique information;

examine the role of HUMINT against

these missions as well as the technology

that the HUMINT collectors need to be

equipped with; consider strategic

indications and warning and tactical

warning dissemination and how the two

need to be merged; analyze

methodology to correlate large data

flows spatially temporally and

functionally (Low SNR); and assess the

robustness of today’s intelligence

apparatus for coping with these

challenges.

In accordance with section 10(d) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act,

Pub. L. No. 92–463, as amended (5

U.S.C. App. II), it has been determined

that these Defense Science Board

meetings, concern matters listed in 5

U.S.C. 552b(c)(1), and that accordingly

these meetings will be closed to the

public.

Due to critical mission requirements

and scheduling conflicts, there is

insufficient time to provide timely

notice required by section 10(a)(2) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act and

Subsection 101–6.1015(b) of the GSA

Final Rule on Federal Advisory

Committee Management, 41 CFR Part

101–6, which further requires

publication at least 15 calendar days

prior to the meeting of the Task Force.

Dated: February 14, 2001.

L.M. Bynum,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison

Officer, Department of Defense.

[FR Doc. 01–4333 Filed 2–21–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5001–10–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Defense Science Board; Notice of

Meeting

ACTION: Notice of Advisory Committee

Meetings.

SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board

(DSB) Task Force on Training for Future

Conflicts will meet in closed session on

February 28, 2001, at SAIC, 4001 N.

Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201.

This Task Force will focus on

identifying and characterizing what

education and training are demanded by

Joint Vision 2010/2020, and will

address the development and

demonstration time phasing over the

next two decades for the combined triad

of technology modernization,

operational concepts, and training.

The mission of the Defense Science

Board is to advise the Secretary of

Defense and the Under Secretary of

Defense for Acquisition, Technology &

Logistics on scientific and technical

matters as they affect the perceived

needs of the Department of Defense. At

these meetings, the Defense Science

Board Task Force will also identify

those approaches and techniques that

potential enemies might take that could

prepare them to revolutionize their

warfare capabilities, thereby achieving a

training surprise against the U.S. or its

allies. This review will include, but not

be limited to, unique training/education

developments which might be spawned

by allies or an adversary, training

techniques and methodologies which

might be transferred from the U.S. or

through third parties, and finally, the

possibilities emerging as a result of the

globalization of military and

information technologies, related

commercial services and their

application by other nations.

In accordance with section 10(d) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act,

Pub. L. No. 92–463, as amended (5

U.S.C. App. II), it has been determined

that this Defense Science Board

meeting, concerns matters listed in 5

U.S.C. 552b(c)(1), and that accordingly

this meeting will be closed to the

public.

Due to critical mission requirements

and scheduling conflicts, there is

insufficient time to provide timely

notice required by section 10(a)(2) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act and

Subsection 101–6.1015(b) of the GSA

Final Rule on Federal Advisory

Committee Management, 41 CFR Part

101–6, which further requires

publication at least 15 calendar days

prior to the meeting of the Task Force.