Document
Marine Mammals; File No. 1076-1789
Notice is hereby given that Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, 418 North Pitt Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 [Kristi West, Ph.D., Principal Investigator], has ap...
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.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151
et seq.).
The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums members participate in multiple research and husbandry programs with the overall objective to study and document the health and biology of wild marine mammals as well as those marine mammals maintained in public display, research, or stranding facilities. To fully achieve this objective, the applicant is requesting a permit to import/export parts and specimen samples (hard and soft parts) collected from all species of marine mammals (all cetaceans and pinnipeds, except for walrus). The majority of the specimens will be obtained from animals maintained in Alliance member facilities for public display. However, specimens from stranded animals and those involved in legally authorized research projects would also be covered by this permit. Topics of particular interest include diseases of marine mammals, effects of environmental contaminants, artificial insemination, stock structure, age determination, mortality determinations, pregnancy rates, calf production, feeding habits and nutrition, and distribution. Parts and specimen samples may be taken at any time during the year and in all areas worldwide. The requested duration of the permit is 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 this application to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Documents may be reviewed in the following locations:
Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376;
https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/review.htm;
Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone (206)526-6150; fax (206)526-6426;
Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone (907)586-7221; fax (907)586-7249;
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018;
Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941;
Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298; phone (978)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371;
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.
Dated: November 10, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.