Marine Mammals; P66J

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 052298B]

Marine Mammals; P66J

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of application for amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Alaska Department of Fish and

Game, has requested an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 965.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before July

6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The amendment request and related documents are available

for review upon written request or by appointment in the following

office(s):

Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources,

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/

713-2289); and

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668 (907/586-

7221).

Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this request

should be submitted to the Chief, Permits and Documentation Division,

F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway,

Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals requesting a

hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this

particular amendment request would be appropriate.

[[Page 30202]]

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 other electronic

media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Johnson, 301/713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 965,

issued on June 19, 1995 (60 FR 34233) is requested under the authority

of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (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 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the regulations governing the taking,

importing, and exporting of endangered fish and wildlife (50 CFR

222.23), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et

seq.).

Permit no. 965 authorizes the permit holder to: to take a maximum

of 150 Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) by trapping, darting,

sampling, and gas anesthesia (including a maximum of 20 by recapture

for follow-up blood sampling and removal of instruments); a maximum of

400 Steller pups over 6 months old by hand capture, gas anesthesia, and

marking; a maximum of 10,000 Stellers by harassment during the course

of capturing suitable animals; a maximum of 15 Stellers by

unintentional mortality during the course of capture and chemical

immobilization and salvaged specimens of stranded animals, premature

pups, and mortalities associated with this and other research

activities. The holder is also authorized to take up to 30

rehabilitated California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) by

injection with experimental immobilization drugs and a maximum of 3 for

unintentional mortality. All takes will be over a 5-year period.

The permit holder requests an amendment to the permit to take an

additional 25 juvenile Stellers to adequately describe the basic life

history and ecology of this age class.

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.

Dated: May 28, 1998.

Ann D. Terbush,

Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98-14745 Filed 6-2-98; 8:45 am]

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