Notice2024-02278
Marine Mammals; File Nos. 27408, 27499, and 27503
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
February 6, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Sea Life Center (ASLC), P.O. Box 1329, 301 Railway Avenue, Seward, AK 99664 (Responsible Party: Tara Reimer, Ph.D.); Alaska Fisheries Science Center's Marine Mammal Laboratory (MML), 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (Responsible Party: John Bengston); and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802 (Responsible Party: Michael Rehberg), have applied in due form for permits to conduct research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8171-8172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02278]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XD710]
Marine Mammals; File Nos. 27408, 27499, and 27503
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Sea Life Center (ASLC),
P.O. Box 1329, 301 Railway Avenue, Seward, AK 99664 (Responsible Party:
Tara Reimer, Ph.D.); Alaska Fisheries Science Center's Marine Mammal
Laboratory (MML), 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
(Responsible Party: John Bengston); and the Alaska Department of Fish
and Game (ADF&G), P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802 (Responsible Party:
Michael Rehberg), have applied in due form for permits to conduct
research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 7, 2024.
ADDRESSES: The applications 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
home page, <a href="https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov">https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov</a>, and then selecting the File No.
27408 (ASLC), 27499 (MML), or 27503 (ADF&G) from the list of available
applications. These documents are also available upon written request
via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8fc1c2c9dca1dffdbecce0e2e2eae1fbfccfe1e0eeeea1e8e0f9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e7a9aaa1b4c9b795d6a4888a8a82899394a789888686c9808891">[email protected]</span></a>.
Written comments on this application should be submitted via email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ad4d7dcc9b4cae8abd9f5f7f7fff4eee9daf4f5fbfbb4fdf5ec"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a24272c39443a185b290507070f041e192a04050b0b440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>. Please include the File Nos. 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#2e6063687d007e5c1f6d4143434b405a5d6e40414f4f00494158"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="47090a01146917357604282a2a22293334072928262669202831">[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: Sara Young, Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D.,
or Jennifer Skidmore at (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits are 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 part 216), the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226), and the Fur
Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
For File No. 27408: ASLC proposes to conduct research to monitor
population vital rates of the endangered western distinct population
segment (wDPS) of Steller sea lions and determine what factors most
affect vital rates and the potential for population recovery, focusing
on population dynamics, health, diet, and behavior. Individuals may be
taken in the Gulf of Alaska by the following means: disturbance
associated with capture, observational studies, and material/scat/
carcass collection; capture, restraint, and sampling; and remote
biopsy. Captured sea lions will undergo morphometrics, digital imaging,
hot-branding, biological sampling, temporary marking, and ultrasound
exams. ASLC requests four unintentional mortalities from the wDPS over
the duration of the permit. California sea lions (Zalophus
californianus) may be disturbed during the research. See the
application for complete numbers of animals requested by species and
procedure. The requested duration of this permit is 5 years.
For File No. 27499: MML proposes to conduct research to measure
population status, vital rates, foraging ecology, habitat requirements,
and effects of natural and anthropogenic factors impacting Steller sea
lion populations pursuant to fulfilling the NMFS legal requirements
under the MMPA and ESA, and to test hypotheses of mechanisms underlying
population trends in Alaska. Proposed activities include surveys
(aerial, vessel, and land) including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS),
capture and handling, marking, hot branding, sampling (including but
not limited to blood, blubber, swabs of all mucus membranes and
lesions, skin samples, vibrissae, feces, urine, hair, and nail),
tagging, and unintentional disturbance. Animals may be disturbed by
surveys, captured, sampled and released for vital rates, foraging
ecology and/or health studies multiple times per year. MML requests
four unintentional mortalities from the wDPS annually, not to exceed
eight over the duration of the permit. Non-target species that may be
disturbed unintentionally to these studies include northern fur seals
(Callorhinus ursinus), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and California
sea lions. Collected samples may be exported for analysis. See the
application for complete numbers of animals requested by species and
procedure. The requested duration of this permit is 5 years.
For File No. 27503: ADF&G proposes to continue their long-term
Steller sea lion research program, to investigate recovery trends,
collecting survival and reproduction data, investigating movement
between and within the populations, and monitoring threats. Proposed
activities include: aerial (including UAS), vessel and ground-based
surveys including counts, photography, and observations; remote biopsy
sampling; captures including morphometrics, marking, external
instrument attachment, biological sampling, ultrasound, and hot
branding; and collection, import, export, and receipt of pinniped
parts. ADF&G requests four unintentional mortalities annually from each
the wDPS and eastern DPS, not to exceed eight per DPS over the duration
of the permit. Non-target species that may be disturbed during these
studies include northern fur seals, and harbor, spotted
[[Page 8172]]
(Phoca largha), ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata), ringed (Pusa hispida),
and bearded (Erignathus barbatus) seals. See the application for
complete numbers of animals requested by species and procedure. The
requested duration of this permit is 5 years.
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 activities proposed are consistent with the Preferred Alternative
in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Steller
Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Research (NMFS 2007) and a supplemental
environmental assessment (NMFS 2014) prepared for the addition of
unmanned aerial surveys to the suite of Steller sea lion research
activities analyzed under the EIS that concluded that issuance of the
permits would not have a significant adverse impact on the human
environment. An environmental review memo is being prepared to
summarize these findings.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the application to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: January 31, 2024.
Amy Sloan,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-02278 Filed 2-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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