[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 87 (Thursday, May 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27170-27171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10520]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0065; FXIA16710900000-156-FF09A30000]


Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Emergency Exemption; Issuance 
of Permits

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of issuance/emergency issuance of permits.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued 
the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered 
species, marine mammals, or both. We issue these permits under the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

ADDRESSES: Brenda Tapia, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of 
Management Authority, Branch of Permits, MS: IA, 5275 Leesburg Pike, 
Falls Church, VA 22041; fax (703) 358-2281.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, (703) 358-2104 
(telephone); (703) 358-2281 (fax); DMAFR@fws.gov (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On the dates below, as authorized by the 
provisions of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended, and/or the 
MMPA, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), we issued requested permits 
subject to certain conditions set forth therein. For each permit for an 
endangered species, we found that (1) The application was filed in good 
faith, (2) The granted permit would not operate to the disadvantage of 
the endangered species, and (3) The granted permit would be consistent 
with the purposes and policy set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

A. Endangered Species

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                                                                  Receipt of application
            Permit No.                       Applicant            Federal Register notice   Permit issuance date
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68465B............................  Tanganyika Wildlife Park..  80 FR 73207; November 24,   April 5, 2016.
                                                                 2015.
10836A............................  University of Michigan....  81 FR 791; January 7, 2016  March 21, 2016.
80482B............................  Duke Lemur Center.........  81 FR 2899; January 19,     April 19, 2016.
                                                                 2016.
79093B............................  Kinsey Robinson...........  81 FR 5778; February 03,    March 22, 2016.
                                                                 2016.
81613B............................  William Parks.............  81 FR 5778; February 03,    March 22, 2016.
                                                                 2016.
85776B............................  Scott Linter..............  81 FR 5778; February 03,    March 22, 2016.
                                                                 2016.
82278B............................  William Perrine...........  81 FR 5778; February 03,    March 28, 2016.
                                                                 2016.
82246B............................  Santa Barbara Zoo.........  81 FR 5778; February 03,    April 18, 2016.
                                                                 2016.
83947B............................  Harry Peterson............  81 FR 8093; February 17,    March 21, 2016.
                                                                 2016.
86982B............................  Cynthia Lagueux,            81 FR 8093; February 17,    March 28, 2016.
                                     University of Florida.      2016.
69024B............................  Yerkes National Primate     80 FR 62089, October 15,    May 2, 2016.
                                     Research Center.            2015; 81 FR 3452, January
                                                                 21, 2016.
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B. Marine Mammals

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                                                                  Receipt of application
            Permit No.                       Applicant            Federal Register notice   Permit issuance date
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186914............................  Monterey Bay Aquarium.....  80 FR 62089; October 15,    April 18, 2016.
                                                                 2015.
81843B............................  Indianapolis Zoological     81 FR 8093; February 17,    April 18, 2016.
                                     Society.                    2016.
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C. Emergency Exemption

    On May 2, 2016, the Service issued a permit (PRT-94614B) to the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Austwell, Texas, to import four viable 
eggs from captive-bred whooping crane (Grus americana) for the purpose 
of enhancement of the survival of the species. This action was 
authorized under Section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The Service determined that an 
emergency affecting the health and viability of the whooping crane eggs 
existed, and that no reasonable alternative was available to the 
applicant for the following reason:
    The Service's Whooping Crane Coordinator requested a permit to 
import these fertile eggs from the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada, due 
to the ongoing 30-day comment period that their existing import permit 
(PRT-

[[Page 27171]]

013808) was undergoing. Not being able to import these eggs by early 
May 2016 under their existing permit would cause undue hardship on the 
species recovery program, forcing Calgary Zoo to consider culling the 
eggs. If shipped, the eggs will be hatched and the chicks will be 
raised at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland, 
with the chicks ultimately being reintroduced into Southwest Louisiana 
as part of an ongoing recovery project.

Availability of Documents

    Documents and other information submitted with these applications 
are available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy 
Act and Freedom of Information Act, by any party who submits a written 
request for a copy of such documents to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Division of Management Authority, Branch of Permits, MS: IA, 
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041; fax (703) 358-2281.

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2016-10520 Filed 5-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P