[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 106 (Thursday, June 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29839-29841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14075]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 052599D]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application for a scientific research permit 
(1219); receipt of an application to modify a permit

[[Page 29840]]

(1203); and issuance of permits (1198, 1214).

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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. Larry Goodman, of US-Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) (1219); NMFS has received an application for modifications 
to an existing permit from the Washington Department of Fish and 
Wildlife in Olympia, WA (WDFW) (1203); and NMFS has issued permits to 
Mr. J. Alan Huff, of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection 
(FL-DEP) (1198) and Ms. Jane Anne Provancha, of Dynamac Corporation 
(DYNCo) (1214).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
new applications or modification requests must be received on or before 
July 6, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permits 1198, 1214, and 1219: Office of Protected Resources, 
Endangered Species Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910 (301-713-1401).
    For permit 1203: Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE 
Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    For permits 1198, 1214, and 1219: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD 
(301-713-1401).
    For permit 1203: Tom Lichatowich, Portland, OR (503-230-5438).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (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. Authority to 
take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permits. 
Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are subject 
to the ESA and NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife 
permits (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on an application listed in 
this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such 
hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit 
action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily 
reflect the views of NMFS.

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following species and evolutionarily significant units (ESU's) 
are covered in this notice:

Sea Turtles

    Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) (threatened/endangered), Hawksbill 
turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) (endangered), Kemp's ridley turtle 
(Lepidochelys kempii) (endangered), Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys 
coriacea) (endangered), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) 
(threatened).

Fish

    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Upper Columbia River 
(UCR) spring (endangered).
    Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): UCR (endangered).
    Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) (endangered).

New Application Received

    EPA (1219) requests a 1-year permit to take shortnose sturgeon for 
scientific research in Gulf Breeze, Florida. The purpose of the 
research is to obtain information on the tolerances of port-larval and 
early-juvenile shortnose sturgeon, to low dissolved oxygen levels, 
particularly in relation to temperature and salinity.

Modification Request Received

    On March 9, 1999 a notice was published (64 FR 11444) that NMFS had 
received an application (1203) from WDFW for a 5-year permit that would 
authorize takes of adult and juvenile UCR spring chinook salmon 
associated with a broad salmonid monitoring research program in UCR 
tributaries and the mainstem river. In the juvenile fish migration 
portion of the proposed research program, migrating smolts are proposed 
to be captured with screw traps, anesthetized, sampled for biological 
data and released downstream. NMFS has received a request for 
modifications to the permit (1203) that would authorize annual takes of 
juvenile, naturally produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead 
in the proposed juvenile fish migration study. Data from the study will 
provide managers valuable information that will be used to assess the 
survival of migrating juvenile salmonids. The modifications are 
requested for the duration of the permit.

Permits and Modifications Issued

    Notice was published on February 4, 1999 (64 FR 5030), that FL-DEP 
had applied for a 5-year research permit to take up to 700 loggerhead, 
250 green, 5 leatherback, 25 hawksbill, and 100 Kemp's ridley sea 
turtles annually from Florida waters. Turtles captured will include all 
life history stages from post-hatchling through adult. Of the 700 
loggerheads authorized annually, 400 will be hatchlings. This research 
will further the understanding of life histories, habitat requirements, 
migratory behaviors, and threats to these five species of sea turtles 
occurring in Florida waters. The turtles will be captured by tended, 
straight-set, large-mesh tangle nets; tended, drifting large-mesh 
tangle nets; tended, encircling (strike) large-meshed nets; dip nets; 
and hand-capture. Captured turtles will be weighed, measured, 
photographed, and flipper and PIT tagged. Select turtles will be blood 
sampled, lavaged and will receive radio, sonic, and/or satellite 
transmitters. Additionally, laparoscopy and tumor collection will be 
performed on selected turtles. This work is a continuation of research 
permitted under scientific research Permit 878, which expired on 
February 28, 1999. Permit 1198 was issued on May 13, 1999, and expires 
March 31, 2004.
    Notice was published on April 7, 1999 (64 FR 16937), that DYNCo had 
applied for a 5-year research permit to take listed green and 
loggerhead sea turtles for scientific research in Mosquito Lagoon, 
Florida. The purpose of the research is to continue work that began 
under NMFS Permit 942, granted in 1995; specifically, to: (1) Continue 
the comparison of current marine turtle population structure and 
distribution in Mosquito Lagoon to baseline data collected in 1976-
1979, (2) evaluate current seasonal distribution and occurrence of sea 
turtles, (3) evaluate distribution patterns relative to submarine 
resource distribution, (4) determine regional ``importance value'' of 
this lagoon relative to other studied juvenile habitats on the east 
coast of Florida, and (5) determine the sex ratio of the subadult 
marine turtles inhabiting Mosquito Lagoon. Permit 1214 was issued on 
May 25, 1999, and expires May 31, 2004.


[[Page 29841]]


    Dated: May 27, 1999.
Margaret Lorenz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-14075 Filed 6-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F