Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

The National Science Foundation, as directed by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), has developed regulations that implement the ``Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora'' for all United States citizens. The Agreed Measures, developed by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties, recommended establishment of a permit system for various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and certain geographic areas as requiring special protection. The regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (formerly called Specially Protected Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest). The applications received are as follows: 1. Applicant: Bruce R. Mate, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365-5269. Permit Application No.: 2000-015. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Take, and Import into the U.S.A. The applicant proposes to conduct tagging studies of humpback whales, blue whales, and fin whales along the Antarctic Peninsula. The applicant proposes to apply Argos satellite-monitored radio tags to approximately 24 humpback whales annually, and if the opportunity arises, 5 each of blue and fin whales. The objectives of the proposed research are to: (1) Track whale movements within their feeding habitat during the austral summer; (2) examine the relationship between these movements and prey distribution, as well as physical and biological oceanographic conditions; and, (3) identify migration routes from their summer feeding grounds in the Antarctic Peninsula region to their winter breeding and calving areas. The applicant also proposes to conduct biopsy sampling of all tagged whales for sex determination and genetic analysis. The samples will be collected and returned to the U.S. for final analysis. Location: Antarctic Peninsula Region. Date: January 01, 2000 to January 01, 2004.

2. Applicant: Philip R. Kyle, E&ES Department, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801. Permit Application No.: 2000-016. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area. The applicant proposes to enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 130, Tramway Ridge, Mt. Erebus, Ross Island, to measure the temperature of the soil as a means of monitoring the volcanic activity of Mount Erebus. In addition, the applicant wishes to measure the quantity of CO2 in the soil and its rate of flux into the atmosphere. This will provide information on the degassing behavior of the magmata system underlying Mount Erebus. Location: Tramway Ridge, Mt. Erebus, Ross Island (ASPA #130). Dates: December 01-30, 1999.

3. Applicant: Bess B. Ward, Geosciences Department, M-51 Guyot Hall, Washington Road, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544. Permit Application No.: 2000-017. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Introduction of a non- indigenous species. The applicant proposes to measure denitrification raters at Lake Bonney, by performing positive control experiments using cultures of bacteria originally isolated from the lake during the 1992-93 season. The original samples were purified and characterized in the laboratory. During the intervening time since collection, the cultures were stored at -70 deg.C, except when grown for experiments. The applicant plans to initiate new transfers from the frozen stock to produce inoculate to be used in the Crary Lab at McMurdo Station. There is a slight chance that the original organism may have changed during the prolonged culture/ storage period, such that returning them to Antarctica may constitute introduction of a non-indigenous species. The isolates will be used in experiments carried out in solely in Crary Lab. After use, the cultures and any contaminated containers will be autoclaved and discarded as appropriate. Location: Crary Science and Engineering Center, McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Dates: November 01, 1999-December 15, 1999.

4. Applicant: Brenda Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469- 5790. Permit Application No.: 2000-018. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area. The applicant is currently studying the lake-level changes in the Dry Valley region of Antarctica. As a result, they have discovered that over the past 30,000 years, the Dry Valleys have been repeatedly filled with large lakes that were up to 400m deeper than the present lakes. The applicant plans to document evidence of past lake-level fluctuations and developing an accurate chronology. There has been very little work done in the Barwick Valley, which was last mapped in the 1960's and then only at a reconnaissance level. The applicants mapping reconnaissance over the past few years led to the identification of widespread lacustrine deposits, including small deltas with datable organic material. The applicant proposes to enter the Barwick Valley Special Site of Scientific Interest No. 123 to continuing the mapping program and to collect a few samples of evaporates and, if present, algae, from key lacurstirne deposits for radiocarbon and uranium-thorium dating. The applicant will sample an area of about 10 cm x 10 cm and replace all surface material (gravel, artifacts) that might be disturbed. Location: Barwick Valley, Victoria Land. Dates: November 01 to December 31, 1999.

5. Applicant: Donal T. Manahan, Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0371. Permit Applicant No.: 2000-019. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Introduce Non-indigenous Species into Antarctica. The applicant proposes to bring bacterial cultures of E. coli to Antarctica as a component of several molecular biology DNA cloning kits that will be used by the Integrative Biology course at McMurdo Station. E. coli will be used to replicate DNA during gene cloning. The bacterial stocks will be transported on dry ice, along with other kit reagents. All experiments will be conducted in the Crary Science and Engineering Center at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Immediately after conducting experiments using E. coli cultures, all media and materials will be sterilized by autoclaving. Standard P-2 containment guidelines will be strictly followed for the subsequent disposal of all materials and supplies. All E. coli cultures will be sterilized and killed at the end of the season. Location: McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Dates: December 20, 1999 to February 20, 2000.

6. Applicant: Gerald L. Kooyman, Scholander Hall, Rm. 0204, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093. Permit Application No.: 2000-020.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Taking. The applicant proposes to continue seabird research during the Antarctic Pack Ice Seals cruise in the eastern Ross and Amundsen Seas. The objectives are to: (1) Survey bird molt habitat and determine bird density; (2) conduct bird counts for general distribution and density from line transects along the route of the ship, and from helicopter survey tracks; (3) determine prey type from stomach samples collected from approximately 20 birds; (4) determine foraging behavior by attaching TDR's to Emperor penguins, then recovering the TDR's using VHF locating transmitters; and (5) attach Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTT) to approximately 10 birds to obtain tracks of post-molt birds. In order to achieve objectives 3, 4 and 5, up to 20 Emperor penguins will be captured, then released. Diet studies of large penguins that range widely are usually accomplished after a long journey back to the colony. This will be one of the few, if not the only, study to conduct a diet analysis at the foraging site concurrent with a study of prey distribution and abundance. Also, Emperor penguins have never been tracked from the molt area back to the colony to determine the favored foraging areas. As one of the most important top predators in the Ross Sea, this information will be valuable for an ecosystem analysis of the Ross Sea. Location: Ross and Amundsen Seas pack ice. Dates: December 15, 1999 to April 01, 2000.

7. Applicant: John L. Bengtson, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, N.E., Seattle, WA 98115. Permit Application No.: 2000-021. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Taking; Import into the U.S. and Export from the U.S. The applicant is a participant in the Antarctic Pack Ice Seals project that consists of penniped studies in the circumpolar pack ice zone and land-based studies at selected sites around the continent. A primary objective is to study the feeding ecology, seasonal movements, diving patterns, reproduction, and population dynamics of Antarctic seals and to examine their role in the marine ecosystem. The applicant plans to capture and release up to 500 Crabeater seals, 300 Leopard and Weddell seals, and 100 Ross, Antarctic fur and Southern elephant seals for purposes of attaching time-depth recorders and radio transmitters to monitor their feeding and diving behavior. In addition, selected individuals may be tagged to assist in identification and to monitor migrations. Seals will also be marked, weighed, measured, and tissue samples collected. Tissue specimens may also be collected form dead seals. Aerial surveys will be conducted to assess the abundance and distribution of pinnipeds in various habitats. To optimize the use of specimen materials collected, the applicant proposes to exchange specimens with researchers in various countries. The collected materials will be imported into the U.S., then exported to collaborating investigators in other countries. Location: Circumpolar pack ice areas. Dates: January 01, 2000 to December 31, 2003. Nadene G. Kennedy, Permit Officer, Office of Polar Programs. [FR Doc. 99-26164 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555-01-M