[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41229-41230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20633]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 072498C]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of an application for a research/enhancement permit
(1174); issuance of a modification to a scientific research permit
(1015).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding
permits for takes of endangered and threatened species for the purposes
of scientific research and/or enhancement: NMFS has received a permit
application from: Mr. Harold Brundage III, Environmental Research and
Consulting, Inc (ERCI)(1174); NMFS has issued a modification to a
permit subject to certain conditions set forth therein, to: Dr. Frank
A. Chapman, of Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
(DFAS)(1015).
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the
application must be received on or before September 2, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the
permit application should be sent to:
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-
713-1401).
All documents pertaining to permits in this notice are available
for review,
[[Page 41230]]
by appointment, by contacting the above address, or:
Director, Southeast Region, NMFS, NOAA, 9721 Executive Center
Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432 (813-893-3141).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terri Jordan, Endangered Species
Division, (301) 713-1401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Permits are requested under the authority of section 10 of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and the NMFS
regulations governing ESA-listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR
parts 217-227).
All statements and opinions contained in the below application
summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the
views of NMFS. The holding of a hearing on this permit is at the
discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA.
Issuance of this modification, as required by the ESA, was based on
a finding that such modification: (1) Was applied for in good faith;
(2) will not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species which is
the subject of the permit; and (3) is consistent with the purposes and
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. This modifications was also
issued in accordance with and is subject to parts 217-222 of Title 50
CFR, the NMFS regulations governing listed species permits.
New Application Received
ERCI (1174) requests a 5-year permit to take and conduct research
on endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) in the
Delaware River and Estuary system and in the lower Susquehanna River/
Chesapeake Bay Complex. The objectives of the study are to collect data
on current distribution, abundance, length structure and movements of
shortnose sturgeon in the Delaware River Estuary and in the lower
Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. Emphasis will be placed on
calculating reliable population estimates, determining aggregation
areas, and obtaining information on juvenile shortnose sturgeon.
Information on population size and length distribution for the Delaware
River population will be compared with that during the 1980s.
Modification Issued
On June 15, 1998 NMFS received a request from DFAS for a
modification to Permit 1015. Permit 1015 allows shortnose sturgeon to
be maintained in captivity. The fish would be PIT-tagged,
anaesthetized, handled, have blood and tissue samples taken, and be
spawned and progeny reared, in accordance with the application and
current handling standards. The modification to the permit increases
the number of sturgeon that the applicant may maintain in captivity
from 200 to 619. The 619 consist of: 100 1- to 3-year old sturgeon; 50
2-year old sturgeon; 30 ripe female sturgeon; 20 ripe male sturgeon; 69
sturgeon transferred from Mote Marine Laboratory (#1028) and 350 1997-
year class sturgeon obtained as part of a group of 5,000 from the USFWS
hatchery in Bear Bluff, SC between May and June, 1997. Modification 1
is good for the duration of the permit, which expires on September 30,
2001.
Dated: July 28, 1998.
Patricia A. Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-20633 Filed 7-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F