[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]


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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).

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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