82 FR 5538 - Marine Mammals; File No. 20294

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 11 (January 18, 2017)

Page Range		5538-5539
FR Document		2017-00952

Notice is hereby given that Robert DiGiovanni, Jr., 6 Wakefield Rd. Hampton Bays, New York 11946, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and 44 other protected marine mammal and sea turtle species.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5538-5539]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00952]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF148


Marine Mammals; File No. 20294

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 Robert DiGiovanni, Jr., 6 
Wakefield Rd. Hampton Bays, New York 11946, has applied in due form for 
a permit to conduct research on North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena 
glacialis) and 44 other protected marine mammal and sea turtle species.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before February 17, 2017.

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, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
No. 20294 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment in the Permits and Conservation Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376.
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above. 
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-0376, or by 
email to [email protected]. Please include the File No. in the 
subject line of the email comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division at the 
address listed above. The request should set forth the specific reasons 
why a hearing on this application would be appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Courtney Smith or Amy Hapeman, (301) 
427-8401.

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 part 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 222-226).
    The applicant proposes to conduct aerial, vessel, and ground 
surveys of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and 44 
other protected cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sea turtles in the Mid-
Atlantic U.S. waters, from Massachusetts to North Carolina. Nine of the 
target species are threatened or endangered: North Atlantic right, blue 
(Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus), sei (B. borealis), and 
sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales; and green (Chelonia mydas), 
Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and 
leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles. Surveys will be 
conducted using fixed wing aircraft and vessels to assess seasonal 
abundance and distribution of marine mammals in the area. Ground 
surveys will be conducted on foot and with remote cameras to obtain 
counts of seals throughout different tidal cycles and to document 
prevalence of human interaction around seal haul-out sites accessible 
to the public. Seal scat will be collected for health assessment 
studies. The permit would be valid for five 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 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 the application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.


[[Page 5539]]


    Dated: January 11, 2017.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-00952 Filed 1-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

5538 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2017 / Notices

life stages of each species would be Harbor during November through April. to the Chief, Permits and Conservation
intentionally collected and killed to Upon capture, individual fish would be Division at the address listed above. The
document occurrence of spawning in measured, weighed, PIT tagged, tissue request should set forth the specific
systems. Up to three Atlantic sturgeon sampled, and photographed. Early life reasons why a hearing on this
and two shortnose sturgeon may stages of each species would be application would be appropriate.
unintentionally die annually during intentionally collected and killed to
research. document occurrence of spawning in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
File No. 20528: Bill Post, South systems. Courtney Smith or Amy Hapeman, (301)
Carolina Department of Natural Dated: January 11, 2017.
427–8401.
Resources, 217 Fort Johnson Road, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Julia Harrison,
Charleston, SC 29412, requests a permit
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, subject permit is requested under the
to conduct research on Atlantic and Office of Protected Resources, National
shortnose sturgeon to determine their authority of the Marine Mammal
Marine Fisheries Service. Protection Act of 1972, as amended
presence, status, health, habitat use, and
[FR Doc. 2017–00956 Filed 1–17–17; 8:45 am] (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the
movements in South Carolina waters.
Studies would involve using gill nets to BILLING CODE 3510–22–P regulations governing the taking and
capture fish. Upon capture, fish would importing of marine mammals (50 CFR
be measured, weighed, PIT tagged, part 216), the Endangered Species Act of
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
tissue sampled, and photographed. A 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531
subset of individuals would be National Oceanic and Atmospheric et seq.), and the regulations governing
acoustically tagged, fin ray sampled, Administration the taking, importing, and exporting of
and gonadal biopsied. Early life stages endangered and threatened species (50
of each species would be intentionally RIN 0648–XF148
CFR 222–226).
collected and killed to document Marine Mammals; File No. 20294 The applicant proposes to conduct
occurrence of spawning in systems. Up aerial, vessel, and ground surveys of
to two sturgeon of each species may AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena
unintentionally die annually during Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), glacialis) and 44 other protected
research.
File No. 20548: Dewayne Fox, Commerce. cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sea turtles in
Delaware State University, Department the Mid-Atlantic U.S. waters, from
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Massachusetts to North Carolina. Nine
1200 North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that of the target species are threatened or
19901, requests a permit to conduct Robert DiGiovanni, Jr., 6 Wakefield Rd. endangered: North Atlantic right, blue
research on Atlantic and shortnose Hampton Bays, New York 11946, has (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B.
sturgeon using gillnets, D-ring nets, egg applied in due form for a permit to physalus), sei (B. borealis), and sperm
pad collectors, biotelemetry, and conduct research on North Atlantic right (Physeter macrocephalus) whales; and
hydroacoustic tools in the Delaware whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and 44 green (Chelonia mydas), Kemp’s ridley
River/Estuary, Hudson River/Estuary, other protected marine mammal and sea (Lepidochelys kempii), loggerhead
and coastal environment between turtle species. (Caretta caretta), and leatherback
Virginia and New York to develop DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles.
quantitative estimates of run size, comments must be received on or before Surveys will be conducted using fixed
recruitment, and habitat assessment. February 17, 2017. wing aircraft and vessels to assess
Upon capture, fish would be measured, ADDRESSES: The application and related seasonal abundance and distribution of
weighed, PIT tagged, tissue sampled, documents are available for review by marine mammals in the area. Ground
and photographed. A subset of selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public surveys will be conducted on foot and
individuals would be externally and/or Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on with remote cameras to obtain counts of
internally tagged, fin ray sampled, blood the Applications and Permits for
sampled, and gonadal biopsied. Early seals throughout different tidal cycles
Protected Species (APPS) home page,
life stages of Atlantic sturgeon would be https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then and to document prevalence of human
intentionally collected and killed to selecting File No. 20294 from the list of interaction around seal haul-out sites
document occurrence of spawning in available applications. accessible to the public. Seal scat will
systems. Up to one sturgeon of each These documents are also available be collected for health assessment
species may unintentionally die upon written request or by appointment studies. The permit would be valid for
annually during research. in the Permits and Conservation five years.
File No. 20651: Anthony Vitale, Division, Office of Protected Resources, In compliance with the National
Entergy Indian Point, 450 Broadway, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
Buchanan, NY 10511, requests a permit 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial
to conduct research on Atlantic and (301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376. determination has been made that the
shortnose sturgeon for the Hudson River Written comments on this application activity proposed is categorically
Biological Monitoring Program should be submitted to the Chief, excluded from the requirement to
(HRBMP) using trawls and seines. The Permits and Conservation Division, at prepare an environmental assessment or
HRBMP takes place within in the the address listed above. Comments may
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

environmental impact statement.
Hudson River estuary and involves also be submitted by facsimile to (301)
fisheries sampling to monitor 713–0376, or by email to Concurrent with the publication of
ichthyoplankton and juvenile fish NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please this notice in the Federal Register,
abundance and distribution from include the File No. in the subject line NMFS is forwarding copies of the
Battery Park, Manhattan, upstream to of the email comment. application to the Marine Mammal
Troy Dam during March through Those individuals requesting a public Commission and its Committee of
October, and in portions of New York hearing should submit a written request Scientific Advisors.

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Document Created: 2018-02-01 15:19:12
Document Modified: 2018-02-01 15:19:12

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice; receipt of application.
Dates		Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or before February 17, 2017.
Contact		Courtney Smith or Amy Hapeman, (301) 427-8401.
FR Citation		82 FR 5538
RIN Number		0648-XF14

82 FR 5538 - Marine Mammals; File No. 20294

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 11 (January 18, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration