Notice2023-01292
Marine Mammals; File No. 22156
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 24, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that Douglas Nowacek, Ph.D., Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd., Beaufort, NC 28516, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 22156-02.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4156-4157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01292]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC712]
Marine Mammals; File No. 22156
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Douglas Nowacek, Ph.D., Nicholas
School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke
Marine Lab Rd., Beaufort, NC 28516, has applied for an amendment to
Scientific Research Permit No. 22156-02.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before February 23, 2023.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the
``Features'' box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species
(APPS) home page, <a href="https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov">https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov</a>, and then selecting File
No. 22156 mod No. 9 from the list of available applications. These
documents are also available upon written request via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b6f8fbf0e598e6c487f5d9dbdbd3d8c2c5f6d8d9d7d798d1d9c0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c38d8e8590ed93b1f280acaeaea6adb7b083adaca2a2eda4acb5">[email protected]</span></a>.
Written comments on this application should be submitted via email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#155b5853463b456724567a7878707b6166557b7a74743b727a63"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="337d7e75601d634102705c5e5e565d4740735d5c52521d545c45">[email protected]</span></a>. Please include File No. 22156 mod 9 in
the subject line of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a
written request via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a9e7e4effa87f9db98eac6c4c4ccc7dddae9c7c6c8c887cec6df"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aae4e7ecf984fad89be9c5c7c7cfc4ded9eac4c5cbcb84cdc5dc">[email protected]</span></a>. The request
should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this application
would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Shasta McClenahan,
Ph.D., (301)427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 22156-02
is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of
1972, as amended (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 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.),
and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Permit No. 22156, issued on May 8, 2020, (85 FR 35637), authorizes
the permit holder to conduct research on 31 cetacean species in U.S.
and international waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Species include
endangered blue (Balaenoptera musculus); fin (B. physalus); sei (B.
borealis); and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales. The purpose of
the research is to study cetacean behavior, foraging ecology, body
condition, health status, population structure, and use of and response
to sounds. The permit authorizes surveys by vessel and an unmanned
aircraft system (UAS) to approach, count, observe, photograph, remotely
measure, and track cetaceans. During surveys, researchers may conduct
acoustic playback trials, collect biological samples, and tag (suction-
cup or dart) animals, with some species receiving two tags at a time.
Non-target cetaceans in the vicinity of research may be unintentionally
harassed. Biological samples collected in international waters may be
imported into the United States and cell lines may be developed from
tissue samples. Two minor amendments to the permit were issued to
update biopsy sampling mitigation measures (Permit No. 22156-01;
January 29, 2021) and expand the use of UAS to all authorized species
(Permit No. 22156-02; May 23, 2022). The permit holder is requesting to
amend the permit to allow dart tagging of juveniles and adults of 12
species currently authorized for other research methods: Atlantic
spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis); blue whales; bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus); clymene
[[Page 4157]]
dolphins (S. clymene); false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens);
melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra); minke whales (B.
acutorostrata); pantropical spotted dolphins (S. attenuata); pygmy
killer whales (Feresa attenuata); Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus);
sei whales; and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis).
Annual take numbers currently authorized for each species would not
increase, but would be reallocated to allow for dart tagging of 50
animals of each species of baleen whale and 30 animals of each
odontocete species annually. In addition, the permit holder is
requesting to reallocate takes of fin whales to increase the number of
whales authorized for dart tagging from 10 to 50 whales per year. The
purpose of the amendment is to continue to monitor the movement and
distribution of these species along the U.S. East Coast; this is work
that was previously conducted with a collaborator under a separate
research permit. The amendment would be valid for the duration of the
permit, until May 31, 2025.
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.
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.
Dated: January 18, 2023.
Amy Sloan,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-01292 Filed 1-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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