Notice2023-25574
Marine Mammals; File No. 23188
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
November 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California at Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (Responsible Party: Daniel Costa, Ph.D.), has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 23188-03.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80694-80695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25574]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XD538]
Marine Mammals; File No. 23188
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for a permit amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Institute of Marine Sciences,
University of California at Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz,
CA 95060 (Responsible Party: Daniel Costa, Ph.D.), has applied for an
amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 23188-03.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 20,
2023.
ADDRESSES: The application is 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. 23188 from the
list of available applications. The application and related documents
are also available upon written request via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b5fbf8f3e69be5c784f6dad8d8d0dbc1c6f5dbdad4d49bd2dac3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6e2023283d403e1c5f2d0103030b001a1d2e00010f0f40090118">[email protected]</span></a>.
Written comments on this application should be submitted via email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#733d3e35205d230142301c1e1e161d0700331d1c12125d141c05"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e1afaca7b2cfb193d0a28e8c8c848f9592a18f8e8080cf868e97">[email protected]</span></a>. Please include File No. 23188 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#8dc3c0cbdea3ddffbccee2e0e0e8e3f9fecde3e2ececa3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="26686b60750876541765494b4b43485255664849474708414950">[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: Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D., or Amy
Sloan, (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 23188-03
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).
[[Page 80695]]
Permit No. 23188, issued on September 25, 2020 (85 FR 63524),
authorizes the permit holder to conduct scientific research on northern
elephant seals (NES; Mirounga angustirostris) in California. The permit
activities continue a long-term research program started in 1968 to
study NES population growth and status, reproduction, behavioral and
physiological adaptations for diving and fasting, general physiology
and metabolism, and sensory physiology. Authorized activities include
behavioral observations, marking, capture, biological sampling
(including skin, blubber, and muscle biopsies), active and passive
acoustics, instrumentation, translocation studies, short-term captive
holding for laboratory studies, use of hormone challenges and standard
clinical tracer techniques, and unmanned aircraft system surveys. The
permit authorizes unintentional mortalities of up to 5 NES annually
during research, and euthanasia of up to 10 moribund or abandoned NES
pups annually. Three amendments to the permit were issued to: increase
take numbers and add a new study area (No. 23188-01; April 27, 2021);
add new study areas and update methods for acoustic studies (No. 23188-
02; November 19, 2021); and update methods for biological sampling and
instrumentation (No. 23188-03; February 2, 2022). The permit holder is
requesting the permit be amended to include authorization for
additional reproductive studies to investigate embryonic diapause in
NES. Over a 2-year study period, 39 adult females would be captured,
anesthetized, marked, sampled, and instrumented, as currently
authorized. Researchers would use a transrectal ultrasound to check for
pregnancy and non-pregnant females would then have uterine endoscopy,
cytology, lavage, and biopsy sampling. The lavage and biopsy procedures
may result in egg, sperm, or blastocyst removal from the uterus. A
subset of these females may be captured and sampled twice per year. An
additional 390 NES may be unintentionally harassed during these
reproductive studies. The amendment would be valid for the duration of
the permit, until September 30, 2025.
A draft environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), to examine whether significant environmental
impacts could result from issuance of the proposed scientific research
permit amendment. The draft EA is available for review and comment
simultaneous with the scientific research permit amendment application.
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: November 14, 2023.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-25574 Filed 11-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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