Notice of Permit Modification Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

• Citation: 84 FR 53477
• Record Number: 2019-21772
• Published date: 07 October 2019
• Section: Notices
• Court: National Science Foundation

Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 194 (Monday, October 7, 2019)

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 194 (Monday, October 7, 2019)]
                [Notices]
                [Page 53477]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2019-21772]
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                NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
                Notice of Permit Modification Received Under the Antarctic
                Conservation Act of 1978
                AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
                ACTION: Notice of permit modification request.
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                SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a
                notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities
                regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. This is the
                required notice of a requested permit modification.
                DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments,
                or views with respect to this permit application by November 6, 2019.
                Permit applications may be inspected by interested parties at the
                Permit Office, address below.
                ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Office of
                Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
                Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at
                the above address, 703-292-8030, or [email protected].
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed
                by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), as amended
                by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, has
                developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for
                various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and
                certain geographic areas a requiring special protection. The
                regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic
                Specially Protected Areas.
                 Description of Permit Modification Requested: The Foundation issued
                a permit (ACA 2019-001) to Ron Naveen, Oceanites Inc., on August 7,
                2018. The issued permit allows the permit holder and agents to engage
                in take and harmful interference, as well as to enter Antarctic
                Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs), to continue data collections
                activities conducted to support the Antarctic Site Inventory. Visitor
                site surveys may include censusing penguin and seabird colonies
                throughout the Antarctic Peninsula. There is the potential for slight
                disturbance of the birds during surveying and censusing. This permit
                addresses the potential for infrequent, minimal take or harmful
                interference of the several penguin and other seabird species. While
                conducting visitor site surveys and censuses, the permit holder and
                agents may enter a number of ASPAs in the Antarctic Peninsula region.
                Now the permit holder proposes a modification to his permit to collect
                samples from adult gentoo penguins (Pygoselis papua) for genetic
                analysis in order to study range expansion, colonization of new areas,
                and gene flow. A research team member with significant bird handling
                experience would conduct and oversee activities that include capturing
                the penguins by hand or handheld net, temporary restraint, plucking of
                five feathers, and sampling blood from the foot or flipper. Penguins
                will only be captured as they return from foraging trips at sea to
                ensure that an adult penguin remains on or near the nest. The permit
                holder also proposes to opportunistically salvage muscle tissue samples
                from penguin chicks found dead. Feather, blood, and tissue samples
                would be transported to laboratories in the UK and USA for analysis.
                 Location: Antarctic Penisula region
                 Dates of Permitted Activities: December 1, 2019-August 31, 2023.
                Erika N. Davis,
                Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
                [FR Doc. 2019-21772 Filed 10-4-19; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE 7555-01-P