Marine Mammals; File No. 1045-1713

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Issuance of permit.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that Dr. Stephen J. Insley, Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, 2595 Ingraham St., San Diego, California 92109 has been issued a permit to take northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES:

The permit and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):

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; and

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone (907)586-7221; fax (907)586-7249.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Jefferies or Amy Sloan, (301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On May 12, 2003, notice was published in the Federal Register (68 FR 25349) that a request for a scientific research permit to take the species identified above had been submitted by the above-named individual. The requested permit has been issued 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), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).

This research project is designed to remotely investigate at-sea interactions between northern fur seals and ships, particularly the impact of commercial fishing vessels on the northern fur seals. Annually, ten lactating female northern fur seals from the Pribilof Islands in Alaska will be captured, measured, outfitted with datalogging instrumentation, and released. The individuals will be tracked and recaptured, the datalogger removed and the animals subsequently released. Additionally, Level B Harrassment of northern fur seals is authorized for 50 pups, 50 breeding females, 25 mature males, and 50 immature males, annually. These activities will be authorized over five years. The results of this research will provide important information for management decisions regarding northern fur seals.