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

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic

Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit applications received under the Antarctic

Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish

notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated

under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published

regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670

of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of

permit applications received.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments,

or views with respect to these permit applications by September 2,

1994. Permit applications may be inspected by interested parties at the

Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755,

Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson

Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address

or (703) 306-1031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 requiring special protection. The regulations

establish such a permit system to designate Specially Protected Areas

and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

The applications received are as follows:

1. Applicant Permit Application No. 95-003

Gerald L. Kooyman

Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

University of California, San Diego

La Jolla, CA 92093

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

Taking. Enter Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Ground counts will be made at three major colonies and the smallest

and most southern colony bordering the Ross Sea. This is the

continuation of the longest series of censuses of emperor penguins in

Antarctica. Two adult emperors each from Coulman Island and Bartlett

Island and two fledglings from Cape Washington will be fitted with

satellite transmitters and released. Blood and muscle samples will be

taken from 50-60 chicks collected over the course of the season from

various locations and later released. Experiments on twenty captured

adults will be conducted over two months to explore and comprehend the

physiological responses that support the great diving capacities of

these birds. In addition, 15 chicks that fail to fledge will be

collected, moved to the vicinity of McMurdo Station, hand-fed and

fattened while studying the development of their diving abilities.

Afterwards they will be released.

Location

Coulman Island, Bartlett Inlet, Cape Washington, and Cape Crozier

(SSSI #4).

Dates

October 1, 1994--March 1, 1995.

2. Applicant Permit Application No. 95-004

Wayne Z. Trivelpiece

Department of Biology

Montana State University

Bozeman, MT 59717

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

Taking. Import into the U.S. Enter Site of Special Scientific

Interest.

Between 500-2,000 chicks of each penguin species will be banded,

plus adults as needed, to fulfill research goals in the continuing

study of the behavioral ecology and population biology of the Adelie,

Gentoo, and Chinstrap penguins and the interactions among these species

and their principal avian predators: Skuas, gulls, sheathbills, and

Giant Fulmars. Up to a maximum of 50 adults of each penguin species

will be fitted with radio transmitters and time-depth recorders to

continue studying penguin foraging habits. All captured birds will be

released unharmed. Carcasses and skeletons of penguins and other

antarctic flying birds salvaged at the study site will be imported into

the U.S. for educational and scientific study. In addition, fish

samples, frozen or parts of skeletons, from work on penguin and skua

diets, will also be imported for identification.

Location

SSSI #48--Western Shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South

Shetland Islands, Antarctica.

Dates

October 1, 1994-April 1, 1995.

3. Applicant Permit Application No. 95-005

Diana W. Freckman

College of Natural Resources

Colorado State University

Ft. Collins, CO 80523

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

Enter Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Import into the U.S.

The applicant proposes to enter five (5) Sites of Special

Scientific Interest to collect soil samples to examine the distribution

and trophic structure of nematode communities. Site access will be by

helicopter to the landing pad designated for each site and the duration

of visit to the site will be limited to several hours with a group of

no more than 4-5 people. Soil sampling protocols have been selected to

minimize site disturbance. Manner of taking: Soil and/or rock samples

will be placed in sterile plastic bags and returned to McMurdo where

the nematodes will be immediately extracted. Remaining soil samples

will be shipped to the U.S. for further biological and chemical

analysis.

Location

Barwick Valley, Victoria Land (SSSI #3); Cape Crozier, Ross Island

(SSSI #4); Caughley Beach, Cape Bird, Ross Island (SSSI #10); Canada

Glacier, Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, Victoria Land (SSSI #12); and,

Linnaeus Terrace, Asgaard Range, Victoria Land (SSSI #19).

Dates

November 9, 1994-January 21, 1995.

4. Applicant Permit Application No. 95-006

Arthur L. DeVries

Physiology Department

University of Illinois

524 Burrill Hall

407 South Goodwin

Urbana, Illinois 61801

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

Introduction of Non-indigenous Species into Antarctica. Fifteen

specimens of adult male and female wetas, Hemideina maori (flightless

insects), will be transported from New Zealand to the Crary Science and

Engineering Center at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The wetas are a

freeze tolerant insect which will be used in experiments to determine

if small amounts of fish antifreeze glycopeptides can enhance freezing

tolerance. The wetas are the only freeze-tolerant insects large enough

(2 to 3 inches) for implanting a cannula for removal of hemolymph and

injection of AFGPs, which makes the proposed experiments feasible. The

insects will be maintained in a temperature controlled walk-in-freezer.

Upon completion of experiments, the wetas or their remains will be

returned to New Zealand or preserved in formalin.

Location

McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica.

Dates

October 1, 1994-February 27, 1995.

5. Applicant Permit Application No. 95-007

Arthur L. DeVries

Physiology Department

University of Illinois

524 Burrill Hall

407 South Goodwin

Urbana, Illinois 61801

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

Introductin of Non-indigenous Species into Antarctica. Fifteen (15)

specimens of New Zealand black cod, Notothenia angustata (Family

Nototheniidae), will be cold acclimated in a closed seawater system in

the aquarium at McMurdo Station. The cold acclimated specimens will be

used in experiments to determine the role of the antifreeze

glycopeptides in freezing avoidance, and for isolating DNA. The DNA

will be screened for the presence of an ``unexpressed'' antifreeze

glycopeptide gene. Upon completion of experiments, the black cod will

be sacrificed and preserved in formalin.

Location

McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica.

Dates

October 1, 1994-February 27, 1995.

6. Applicant Permit Application No. 95-013

Ron Naveen

Oceanities, Inc.

2378 Rt. 97

Cooksville, MD 21723

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

Taking. Enter Site of Special Scientific Interest. The applicant

proposes over the next two seasons to catalogue the physical and

biological characteristics of more than 60 locations that are visited

in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The efforts to inventory, mark, or

photograph such sites or to demarcate discrete groups, colonies, or

plots of penguins, flying seabirds, or terrestrial plants may involve

very slight disturbance to these animals. Access to the sites will be

via tourist vessels, national research and supply vessels, and perhaps

yachts and aircraft. The researchers may be required to occasionally

hold over for short periods at either national research stations or at

specific research field sites, including the study site on the Western

Shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island (SSSI #8), to meet the next

available vessel in order to effectively cover the maximum number of

sites during the summer season.

Location

Various visitor sites in the Antarctic Peninsula Region, including

a possible stop over at the research site at Admiralty Bay (SSSI #8).

Dates

November 1, 1994-March 1, 1996.

Nadene G. Kennedy,

Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs.

[FR Doc. 94-19190 Filed 8-5-94; 8:45 am]

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