[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8331-8332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4139]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021299C]


Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1199, 
1200); Issuance of a scientific research permit (1180) and a 
modification to a scientific research permit (1162)

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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 permit 
applications from: Guam Department of Agriculture (GDA) (1199) and Mr. 
David J. Stiers, Director of Springfield Science Museum (SSM) (1200); 
NMFS has issued a permit to Thomas R. Payne and Associates (TRPA) 
(1180); and NMFS has issued a modification to a scientific research 
permits to Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) (1162).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
new applications must be received on or before March 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permits 1162 and 1180: Protected Species Division, NMFS, 777 
Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 (707-575-6066).
    For permit 1199: Office of Protected Resources, Endangered Species

[[Page 8332]]

Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301-
713-1401).
    For permit 1200: Protected Resources Division, F/SER3, 9721 
Executive Center Dr., St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432 (813-570-5312).
    All documents may also be reviewed by appointment in the Office of 
Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permits 1162 and 1180: Dan Logan, 
Protected Resources Division, (707-575-6066).
    For permit 1199: Karen Salvini, Silver Spring, MD (301-713-1401).
    For permit 1200: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD (301-713-1401).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the 
ESA, is based on a finding that such permits/modifications: (1) Are 
applied for in good faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of 
the listed species which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA. Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are 
subject to parts 217-222 of Title 50 CFR, the NMFS regulations 
governing listed species permits.

Species Covered in this Notice

    The following species and evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) 
are covered in this notice:
    Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill sea turtle 
(Eretmochelys imbricata), Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum).
    Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch): Central California coast (CCC), 
Southern Oregon/northern California coast (SONCC).
    Steelhead trout (O. mykiss): Southern California coast (SCC).

New Applications Received

    GDA (1199) requests a 5-year permit to take green and hawksbill sea 
turtles, record biological data, take sample tissue and run DNA 
analysis according to NMFS sampling protocols. A few of the turtles 
will be satellite-tagged. The purpose of the research is to: 1) Collect 
baseline population size structure (age and sex) and genetic 
information for sea turtles in and about Guam, 2) survey Guam's beaches 
for sea turtle nesting activity for both species throughout the nesting 
period, and 3) establish a Guam based sea turtle working group of 
stakeholders in the management of sea turtles and ensure they have an 
active voice and opportunity to support recovery efforts.
    SSM (1200) requests a 5-year permit to maintain up to five 
endangered shortnose sturgeon in captivity for educational purposes. 
The sturgeon will be captive sturgeon received from the Conte 
Anadromous Research Center that have been classified as ``non-
releasable'' by NMFS.

Permits and Modifications Issued

    Notice was published on November 17, 1998 (63 FR 63910) that NMFS 
issued Permit 1162 to SPAWN, authorizing takes of juvenile, threatened, 
CCC coho salmon associated with fish population studies on San Geronimo 
Creek and its tributaries. On January 19, 1998, SPAWN requested a 
modification to Permit 1162 to authorize fish rescue activities for 
adult CCC coho salmon. The rescue would occur at Roy's Dam on San 
Geronimo Creek, which is currently impassable by the salmon. Without 
intervention, adult CCC coho will be prevented from reaching available 
spawning habitat present upstream of the dam. As the health of these 
salmon was threatened and no reasonable alternative was available to 
the applicant, the 30-day public comment period was waived in 
accordance with 50 CFR 222.24(e). This modification was issued on 
February 11, 1999, and is valid for the duration of the permit which 
expires on June 30, 2003.
    Notice was published on October 21, 1998 (63 FR 56148), that an 
application had been filed by TRPA for a scientific research permit. 
Permit 1180 was issued to TRPA on February 11, 1999, and authorizes 
takes of adult and juvenile, threatened CCC and SONCC coho salmon, and 
adult and juvenile, endangered SCC steelhead associated with fish 
population and habitat studies throughout these ESUs in California. 
ESA-listed fish may be observed or captured, anesthetized, handled, 
allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released. Indirect 
mortalities are also authorized. Permit 1180 expires on June 30, 2004.

    Dated: February 12, 1999.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-4139 Filed 2-18-99; 8:45 am]
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