Fairbanks firm seeks permit to study 14 marine mammal species

Alaskans have until Aug. 26 to comment on a Fairbanks firm's request to conduct research on 14 marine mammal species, four pinniped species and 10 cetacean species.

ABR, Inc. Environmental Research and Services filed the application with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. The responsible party is Adrian Gall, Ph.D., at the firm, which markets expertise in disturbance and impact studies on birds and mammals across Alaska and the Arctic.

The published notice does not name the species, the study area, or the methods. NOAA Fisheries requires applicants to submit that detail, including a table of animals exposed to each activity. Documents are available on request from the agency.

Most research involving take of marine mammals requires a federal permit. Limited activities under NOAA's General Authorization are exempt.

A separate federal effects analysis of polar bear research, involving capture, sampling, aerial surveys and biopsy darting, found those methods can cause disturbance and, rarely, injury or death. The notice does not indicate whether ABR proposes any of those methods.

Comments and hearing requests go to [email protected], citing File No. 29716. Anyone requesting a public hearing must set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on the application would be appropriate.

Until the agency releases the application documents, the animals, the waters, and the methods remain unnamed in the public record.