[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 75 (Thursday, April 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23284-23285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09067]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2012-0019; FF07CAMM00-FXFR13370700000M7]
Marine Mammal Protection Act; Draft Revised Stock Assessment
Reports for the Pacific Walrus and Three Northern Sea Otters
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,
as amended (MMPA), and its implementing regulations, we, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (Service), have developed a draft revised marine
mammal stock assessment report (SAR) for the Pacific walrus stock and
for each of the following three northern sea otter stocks in Alaska:
Southwest, Southcentral, and Southeast. We now make the SARs available
for public review and comment.
DATES: Comments must be received by July 17, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Document Availability: You may view the draft revised stock
assessment reports on http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FWS-
R7-ES-2012-0019. You may also view them in Adobe Acrobat format by
navigating to the species information page at http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/reports.htm. Alternatively, you may contact the Chief,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management Office, 1011
East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; telephone: 907-786-3800.
Written Comments: You may submit comments on the draft revised
stock assessment reports by one of the following methods:
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2012-0019; Division of Policy and Directives
Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS
2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203; or
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R7-
ES-2012-0019.
Please indicate to which revised stock assessment report(s)--the
Pacific walrus, or the southeast, southcentral, or southwest Alaska
northern sea otter stock--your comments apply. We will not accept email
or faxes. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide
us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles S. Hamilton, Marine Mammals
Management Office, 800-362-5148 (telephone). Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
We announce for review and comment the availability of draft
revised marine mammal stock assessment reports (SAR) for the Pacific
walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) stock and for each of the
following three northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) stocks in
Alaska: Southwest, Southcentral, and Southeast.
Under the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and its implementing
regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 18,
we regulate the taking, possession, transportation, purchasing,
selling, offering for sale, exporting, and importing of marine mammals.
One of the goals of the MMPA is to ensure that stocks of marine mammals
occurring in waters under U.S. jurisdiction do not experience a level
of human-caused mortality and serious injury that is likely to cause
the stock to be reduced below its optimum sustainable population level
(OSP). OSP is defined under the MMPA as ``* * * the number of animals
which will result in the maximum productivity of the population or the
species, keeping in mind the carrying capacity of the habitat and the
health of the ecosystem of which they form a constituent element'' (16
U.S.C. 1362(3)(9)).
To help accomplish the goal of maintaining marine mammal stocks at
their OSPs, section 117 of the MMPA requires the Service and the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to prepare a SAR for each
marine mammal stock that occurs in waters under U.S. jurisdiction. Each
SAR must include:
1. A description of the stock and its geographic range;
2. A minimum population estimate, maximum net productivity rate,
and current population trend;
3. An estimate of human-caused mortality and serious injury;
4. A description of commercial fishery interactions;
5. A categorization of the status of the stock; and
6. An estimate of the potential biological removal (PBR) level.
The MMPA defines the PBR as ``the maximum number of animals, not
including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine mammal
stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its OSP'' (16
U.S.C. 1362(3)(20)). The PBR is the product of the minimum population
estimate of the stock (Nmin); one-half the maximum
theoretical or estimated net productivity rate of the stock at a small
population size (Rmax); and a recovery factor
(Fr) of between 0.1 and 1.0. This can be written as:
PBR = (Nmin)(\1/2\ of the Rmax)(Fr)
Section 117 of the MMPA requires the Service and NMFS to review the
SARs (a) At least annually for stocks that are specified as strategic
stocks, (b) at least annually for stocks for which significant new
information is available, and (c) at least once every 3 years for all
other stocks. If our review of the status of a stock indicates that it
has changed or may be more accurately determined, then the SAR must be
revised accordingly.
A strategic stock is defined in the MMPA as a marine mammal stock
``(a) for which the level of direct human-caused mortality exceeds the
PBR level; (b) which, based on the best available scientific
information, is declining and is likely to be listed as a threatened
species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) [the ``ESA''], within the foreseeable future; or (c)
which is listed as a threatened or endangered species under the ESA, or
is designated as depleted under [the MMPA].'' 16 U.S.C. 1362(3)(19).
The Pacific walrus SAR was last revised in December of 2009. In the
final 2009 revised stock assessment, we classified the Pacific walrus
as a strategic stock because the total human-caused mortality or
removals exceeded PBR. Therefore, the Service has reviewed the stock
assessment for the Pacific walrus annually and, in 2010, concluded that
revision of the SAR was not warranted at that time because the status
of the stock had not changed significantly, nor could it be more
[[Page 23285]]
accurately determined. SARs for the Southwest, Southcentral, and
Southeast stocks of northern sea otters were last revised in August of
2008. The Southwest stock of northern sea otter qualifies as a
strategic stock due to its listing as a threatened species under the
ESA; therefore, the Service has reviewed the SAR for the Southwest
stock annually in 2009 and 2010 and concluded both times that revision
of the SAR was not warranted because the status of the stock had not
changed, nor could it be more accurately determined. The Southcentral
and Southeast stocks of northern sea otter are considered non-
strategic, and the Service also reviewed these SARs annually in 2009
and 2010 due to the availability of significant new information. During
both these reviews, the Service determined that revision of the SARs
for the Southcentral and Southeast stocks of northern sea otter was not
warranted. However, upon review in 2011, the Service determined that
revision was warranted for the Pacific walrus stock, as well as the
Southwest, the Southcentral, and the Southeast northern sea otter
stocks; the Service has consulted with the Alaska Regional Scientific
Review Group concerning these revisions.
The following table summarizes the information we are now making
available in the draft revised stock assessment reports for the Pacific
walrus and the southwest, southcentral and southeast stocks of the
northern sea otter, which lists the stock's Nmin,
Rmax, Fr, PBR, annual estimated human-caused
mortality and serious injury, and status. After consideration of any
public comments we receive, the Service will revise and finalize the
SARs as appropriate for these stocks. We will publish a notice of
availability and summary of the final SARs, including responses to
submitted comments.
Summary: Draft Revised Stock Assessment Reports for the Pacific Walrus, and Southwest, Southcentral, and Southeast Stocks of the Northern Sea Otter
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Annual estimated human-caused
mortality and serious injury (5-
Stock Nmin Rmax Fr PBR year average) Stock status
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Fishery/other Subsistence
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Pacific Walrus...................... 129,000 0.08 0.5 2,580 12.................. 4,852 Strategic.
Northern Sea Otter, Southwest Stock. 45,064 0.20 0.1 450 <10................. 76 Strategic.
Northern Sea Otter, Southcentral 14,661 0.20 1.0 1,466 1................... 293 Non-Strategic.
Stock.
Northern Sea Otter, Southeast Stock. 21,798 0.20 1.0 2,179 Unknown............. 447 Non-Strategic.
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Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
References
In accordance with section 117(b)(1) of the MMPA, we include in
this notice a list of the sources of information or published reports
upon which we based the draft revised SAR. The Service consulted
technical reports, conference proceedings, refereed journal
publications, and scientific studies prepared or issued by Federal
agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals with expertise
in the fields of marine mammal biology and ecology, population
dynamics, Alaska Native subsistence use of marine mammals, modeling,
and commercial fishing technology and practices.
These agencies and organizations include: the Service, the U.S.
Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
the National Park Service, the Arctic Institute, the North American
Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference, the Marine Mammals of the
Holarctic V Conference, the Aleutian Islands Risk Assessment Management
Team, the Exxon Valdez Restoration Project, and the Outer Continental
Shelf Environmental Assessment Program. In addition, the Service
consulted publications such as the Journal of Wildlife Management,
Conservation Biology, Marine Mammal Science, Ecological Applications,
Biological Conservation, Aquatic Mammals, and Journal of Zoology, as
well as other refereed journal literature, technical reports, and data
sources in the development of these SARs.
A complete list of citations to the scientific literature relied on
for each of the four draft revised SARs is available on the Federal
eRulemaking portal (http://www.regulations.gov) under Docket No. FWS-
R7-ES-2012-0019. The list can also be viewed in Adobe Acrobat format at
http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/reports.htm.
In the past, the Service has published a complete list of citations
to each technical report, scientific paper, and journal publication
upon which the draft revised SAR is based at the end of the Notice of
Availability. However, in order for the public to more easily
understand how the agency has used and interpreted the sources relied
upon in the draft revised SARs, the Service is making the complete list
of literature citations available at the end of each of the draft
revised SARs. In recognition that the public typically reviews our
draft SARs, or any revision thereof, in conjunction with the list of
supporting literature citations found at the end of draft SARs, the
Service believes it is unnecessary to also publish the complete list of
references separately in this notice of availability. Instead, we are
including the complete list of references in the draft revised SARs as
a single document available to the public through the Government's
regulations portal and our own Web page.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Marine Mammal Protection Act
of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et al.).
Dated: April 9, 2013.
Rowan W. Gould,
Acting Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-09067 Filed 4-17-13; 8:45 am]
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