Authorizations and Permits for Protected Species (APPS)

• MMPA/ESA Research/Enhancement permit

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.

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.