[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 62 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 16894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7924]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 032200B]


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 
(1247); issuance of modifications to existing permits (1051, 1189).

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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. Tom Savoy, of the 
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) (1247); and 
NMFS has issued modifications to scientific research permits to Mr. 
Jorgen Skjeveland, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (JS-FWS) 
(1051) and Dr. James Kirk, of the Corps of Engineers Waterways 
Experiment Station (COE-WES) (1189).

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the new application 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5:00pm eastern standard time on May 1, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the new application should be sent to 
the Office of Protected Resources, Endangered Species Division, F/PR3, 
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Comments may also be 
sent via fax to 301-713-0376. Comments will not be accepted if 
submitted via e-mail or the internet. The application and related 
documents are available for review 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: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD (ph: 
301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376, e-mail: [email protected]).

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 the application listed in 
this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on the 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such 
hearing(s) 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 is covered in this notice: shortnose sturgeon 
(Acipenser brevirostrum).

New Application Received

    CTDEP (1247) has requested a 5-year permit for annual lethal takes 
of up to 300 shortnose sturgeon spawned eggs and larvae; annually 
capture, examine, collect stomach contents samples via gastric lavage, 
PIT tag, and release up to 400 adult and 100 juvenile sturgeon; and 
implant sonic tags in up to 25 adult sturgeon annually. The research 
proposes to determine general seasonal movements and fine scale diurnal 
movement patterns as well as food habits and prey preferences of 
shortnose sturgeon in the Connecticut River below Holyoke Dam.

Permit Modifications Issued

    Notice was published on October 22, 1999 (64 FR 57069), that JS-FWS 
had applied for a modification to permit 1051. Modification #2 to 
permit 1051 was issued on March 21, 2000, and authorizes the deployment 
of an additional 15 sonic tags on 15 of the shortnose sturgeon captured 
from the Delaware River, and to change the tagging methodology from 
external to completely internal. The purpose of the sonic tagging is to 
determine if there is migration back and forth via the Chesapeake and 
Delaware Canal. The sturgeon will be measured, tagged, have tissues 
sampled and released. Modification #2 to Permit 1051 is valid for the 
duration of the permit, which expires May 31, 2002.
    Modification #1 to Permit 1189 was issued to COE-WES on March 21, 
2000, and authorizes the addition of baited trotlines as a sampling 
method for shortnose sturgeon, thus increasing the effectiveness of 
seasonal sampling. Modification #1 to Permit 1189 is valid for the 
duration of the permit, which expires December 31, 2002.

    Dated: March 23, 2000.
Wanda L. Cain,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-7924 Filed 3-29-00; 8:45 am]
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