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	<summaries>

	<summary><p type="2">SUMMARY:</p>
<p type="1">Notice is hereby given that National Marine Fisheries Service, <applicant>National Marine Mammal Laboratory</applicant> (NMML), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (<applicant>Dr. John Bengtson</applicant>, Responsible Party), 7600 Sand Point Way, NE., <applicant_location woeId="12798958" type="Zip" name="98115, Seattle, WA, US">Seattle, Washington 98115-6349</applicant_location>, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on narwhals, <species_scientific name="Monodon monoceros">Monodon monoceros</species_scientific>.</p>
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	<supplementary_information>

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<p type="2">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</p>
<p type="1">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. ), and the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).</p>
<p type="1">On April 27, 2010 notice (80 FR 22119) was published that NMML requests a 5-year permit to conduct research on marine mammals in the <research_location woeId="55959717" type="Ocean" name="Pacific Ocean">Pacific</research_location>, <research_location woeId="12589258" type="County" name="Atlantic, NJ, US">Atlantic</research_location>, Arctic, and Southern Oceans to monitor cetaceans for scientific and management purposes. NMFS is in the midst of processing this request. Due to recent changes in narwhal distribution NMML now requests as part of this application to take narwhals during aerial and vessel surveys to document sightings in North Pacific and Arctic waters and monitor their status and trends. Up to 1,000 animals would be taken annually by each survey platform for observation, monitoring, counts, photo-identification and photogrammetry. During vessel surveys researchers would opportunistically collect sloughed skin, fecal samples, and carcass remains.</p>
<p type="1">An environmental assessment is being prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ) to examine whether significant environmental impacts could result from issuance of the proposed scientific research permit.</p>
<p type="1">Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register , NMFS is forwarding copies of the application to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.</p>
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