| File Number: |
23896 |
| Application Status: |
Submitted
|
| Project Title: |
Co-Management of Marine Mammals on the Pribilof Islands Alaska by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government Ecosystem Conservation Office |
| Project Status: |
Renewal |
| Previous Federal or State Permit/Authorization: |
19436-02 |
| Permit/Authorization Requested: |
- MMPA/ESA Research/Enhancement permit
|
| Where will activities occur? |
US Locations including offshore waters
|
| Research Timeframe: |
Start: 10/01/2021 End: 09/30/2026 |
| Sampling Season/Project Duration: |
Research activities on northern fur seals occurs year-round but are concentrated from April through December. Activities are conducted daily at some locations during the fur seal breeding season and less frequently at other times of year. Fur seal habitat use studies are conducted twice per week from April to June, daily for 10 days in mid-July, and once per week from October through April. Monitoring Steller sea lion presence and brand re-sights are conducted on average once per week throughout the year. Aerial surveys of fur seals, sea lions, and harbor seals are conducted throughout the year as feasible. Sampling of dead animals (subsistence hunted/harvested and stranded) occurs throughout the year. Timing and frequency of specific activities are listed under each project description and are based on timing of historical sample collections and on northern fur seal, Steller sea lion, and harbor seal behaviors. Projects are initiations or continuations of long-term monitoring studies. |
| Abstract: |
The purpose of this research is to fulfill our co-management agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the management of northern fur seals (NFS; Callorhinus ursinus), Steller sea lions (SSL; Eumetopias jubatus) and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) on St. Paul Island, Alaska. Up to 36,001 NFS may be taken annually, including up to 600 by capture and handle, 400 by import/export/receive samples, 35,000 by incidental disturbance, and 1 by unintentional mortality. SSL disturbance is estimated to be 2,331 annually for the proposed projects, including 100 by import/export/receive samples and 1 by unintentional mortality. Harbor seal disturbance is estimated to be up to 610 annually, including 50 by import/export/receive samples. Unlimited numbers of samples may be salvaged from stranded unidentified cetaceans and other pinnipeds (up to 10 each), received, and/or exported for analysis. Captures of NFS for the purpose of disentanglement are currently covered under our Marine Mammal Stranding Agreement with NMFS, but not incidental and non-target animals, which are included here. Non-target animals include NFS, SSL or harbor seals that are not the focus of the research. All activities are organized into 5 projects: 1. Marine Mammal Population Monitoring/Assessment; 2. NFS Disturbance using VHF; 3. NFS Habitat Use Studies; 4. Biosample/ Salvage Program; and 5. NFS Disentanglement. Take activities involve ground survey, aerial survey, observation, photograph/video, and capture/handling. Procedures to be performed on handled animals include mark (flipper tag), measure (standard morphometrics), restrain (board, hand), and weigh. Requested duration of this permit is 5 years from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2026. The proposed activities are a continuation of Permit 19436-02, which covered September 14, 2016 to September 30, 2021. |
1) If your activities will involve equipment (e.g., scientific instruments) or techniques
that are new, untested,or otherwise have unknown or uncertain impacts on the biological or physical environment , please discuss
the degree to which they are likely to be adopted by others for similar activities or applied more broadly.
The research does not involve any new, innovative, controversial and/or experimental equipment or techniques.
2) If your activities involve collecting, handling, or transporting potentially infectious
agents or pathogens (e.g., biological specimens such as live animals or blood), or using or transporting hazardous substances
(e.g., toxic chemicals), provide a description of the protocols you will use to ensure public health and human safety are not
adversely affected, such as by spread of zoonotic diseases or contamination of food or water supplies.
The activities do not involve the collection, handling, or transport of potentially infectious agents or pathogens and/or the use or transport of hazardous substances; any samples would not be shipped using hazardous materials and any tissue collected is not considered infectious or a potential to contain pathogens. The research techniques are established for stranded marine mammals and have been shared with Alaska Native communities through the "Cooperative Effort between Alaska Native People and Federal Agencies on Marine Mammal and Bird Stranding Program".
3) Describe the physical characteristics of your project location,
including whether you will be working in or near unique geographic areas such as state or National Marine
Sanctuaries, Marine Protected Areas, Parks or Wilderness Areas, Wildlife Refuges, Wild and Scenic Rivers,
designated Critical Habitat for endangered or threatened species, Essential Fish Habitat, etc. Discuss
how your activities could impact the physical environment, such as by direct alteration of substrate during
use of bottom trawls, setting nets, anchoring vessels or buoys, erecting blinds or other structures, or ingress
and egress of researchers, and measures you will take to minimize these impacts.
None of our activities impacts the physical environment through any sort of alteration of the substrate or otherwise.
4) Briefly describe important scientific, cultural, or historic resources
(e.g., archeological resources, animals used for subsistence, sites listed in or eligible for listing in the National
Register of Historic Places) in your project area and discuss measures you will take to ensure your work does not
cause loss or destruction of such resources. If your activity will target marine mammals in Alaska or Washington,
discuss measures you will take to ensure your project does not adversely affect the availability (e.g., distribution,
abundance) or suitability (e.g., food safety) of these animals for subsistence uses.
The activities will not cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural or historic resources. In fact, allowing coastal Alaska Native subsistence users to send in parts or specimens to a permitted Alaska Native organization acknowledges the cultural importance and continued uses of marine mammals.
5) Discuss whether your project involves activities known or suspected of introducing
or spreading invasive species, intentionally or not, (e.g., transporting animals or tissues, discharging ballast water, use
of equipment at multiple sites). Describe measures you would take to prevent the possible introduction or spread of non-indigenous
or invasive species, including plants, animals, microbes, or other biological agents.
Samples will only be taken from dead stranded (also sometimes referred to as beach cast) marine mammals and/or from Alaska Native subsistence users practicing customary and traditional use of marine mammals. Transportation will be in sealed containers of frozen parts or parts fully bathed in a suitable storage agent such as ethanol. Such transport will only occur first, with the understanding and approval of regional NMFS officials and second, where the items are being transported to approved and designated personnel at an approved facility.
