Marine Mammals; File No. 731-1509-00

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 92 (Thursday, May 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25875-25876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12118]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 043099A]


Marine Mammals; File No. 731-1509-00

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Robin W. Baird, Ph.D., C201-2747 
S. Kihei Road, Kihei, Hawaii 96753, has applied in due form for a 
permit to take several species of marine mammals for purposes of 
scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before June 
14, 1999.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits and Documentation 
Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals 
requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a 
hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please 
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or by other 
electronic media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannie Drevenak, 301/713-2289.

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 fish and wildlife (50 CFR 222.23).
    The applicant is requesting to harass the species of cetaceans 
listed here during the course of photo-identification, behavioral 
research, and tagging (using suction-cup attached tags) of several 
species of cetaceans in U.S. waters of the Pacific Ocean (including 
Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska) as well as 
international waters (particularly the Mediterranean). Incidental 
harassment of all species of cetaceans may occur through vessel 
approach, photographic identification and behavioral research. The 
research will be carried out over a 5-year period. The research will 
focus primarily on diving and night-time behavior, as well as 
population estimation, social organization and inter-specific 
interactions.
    The following species may be taken by harassment during the course 
of the research: Northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), Minke 
whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis), 
Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni), Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), 
Finback whale (Balaenoptera physalus), Humpback whale (Megaptera 
novaeangliae), Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), Short-beaked common 
dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus 
capensis), Pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata), Short-finned pilot 
whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), 
Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), Northern 
right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis), Killer whale (Orcinus 
orca), Melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), False killer whale 
(Pseudorca crassidens), Pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella 
attenuata), Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), Spinner dolphin 
(Stenella longirostris), Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), 
Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), Harbor porpoise (Phocoena 
phocoena), Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli), Pygmy sperm whale 
(Kogia breviceps), Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia simus), Sperm whale 
(Physeter macrocephalus), Baird's beaked whale (Berardius bairdii), 
Bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon sp.), Hubbs' beaked whale (Mesoplodon 
carlhubbsi), Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris), 
Ginkgo-toothed whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens), Hector's beaked whale 
(Mesoplodon hectori), Stejneger's beaked whale (Mesoplodon stejnegeri), 
Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris).
    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 and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point 
Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070 (206/526-6426);
    Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean 
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (562/980-4027);
    Protected Species Program Manager, Pacific Islands Area Office, 
NMFS, 2570 Dole Street, Room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-2941 (808/973-
2987); and
    Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, 709 W. 9th 
Street, Federal Building, Room 461, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802 
(907/586-7235).


[[Page 25876]]


    Dated: May 6, 1999.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-12118 Filed 5-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F