[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 112 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36666-36667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14673]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D.060100C]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for an enhancement permit (1258); 
Issuance of permits 1245 and 1231; Issuance of Amendment #1 to Permit 
#1178.

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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 the North Carolina Zoological Park (NCZP) (1258); NMFS 
has issued permit 1245 to Mr. J. David Whitaker, of South Carolina 
Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) (1245); Amendment #1 to permit 
1178 to Mr. Darryl Christenson, of the National Marine Fisheries 
Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NMFS-NEFSC) (1178);and 
permit 1231 to Dr. Llewellyn M. Ehrhart, of University of Central 
Florida, Dept. of Biological Science (UCF) (1231).

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the new 
applications or modification requests must be received at the 
appropriate address or fax number no later than 5:00 pm eastern 
standard time on July 10, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on any of the new applications or 
modification requests should be sent to the appropriate office as 
indicated below. Comments may also be sent via fax to the number 
indicated for the application or modification request. Comments will 
not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the internet. The 
applications and related documents are available for review in the 
indicated office, by appointment:
    For Amendment #1 to permit 1178, and permits 1258, 1231 and 1245, 
Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910 (Ph.: 301-713-1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Amendment #1 to permit 1178, and 
permits 1258, 1231 and 1245: 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 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:
    The following species are covered in this notice: endangered 
shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), endangered Green turtle 
(Chelonia mydas), Endangered Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys 
kempii), Endangered Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), 
Threatened Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).

New Applications Received

    NMFS has received and application from the North Carolina 
Zoological Park has requested a five year permit to continue to 
maintain four (4) adult shortnose sturgeon in captivity for enhancement 
purposes. The applicant currently possesses four adult shortnose 
sturgeon received from the US Fish and Wildlife Service hatchery at 
Warm Springs Georgia in November 1996 under scientific research permit 
#986. Permit 986 will expire on December 31, 2000 and the permit holder 
does not wish to renew the enhancement aspects of the permit. As a 
result, the North Carolina Zoological Park is applying for an 
individual permit to continue maintenance of these fish.

Permits and Amendments Issued

    Notice was published on March 21, 2000 (65 FR 15131) that Mr. J. 
David Whitaker, of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 
applied for a scientific research permit (1245). The applicant has 
requested a three year permit to establish scientifically-valid indices 
of abundance for the northern sub-population of the threatened 
loggerhead turtle and the endangered Kemp's ridley, green and 
leatherback sea turtles which occur in the Atlantic Ocean off the 
southeastern United States. This study is intended to capture juveniles 
and adults, thereby providing a more comprehensive assessment of total 
population abundance and an assessment of the health of individual 
animals. Permit 1245 was issued on May 19, 2000, authorizing take of 
listed species. Permit 1245 expires October 31, 2002.
    NMFS has amended permit #1178 issued October 19, 1998. The 
amendment removes three annual

[[Page 36667]]

reporting requirements and revises a permit special condition. The 
permit holder possesses a 5-year scientific research permit to take 
listed sea turtles incidentally taken in foreign and domestic 
commercial fisheries operating in state waters and the Exclusive 
Economic Zone in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. The work will be 
conducted by scientific observers aboard commercial fishing vessels. 
This research supports the National Marine Fisheries Service's mission 
of assessing the impacts of commercial fisheries on marine resources of 
interest to the United States. Amendment #1 to Permit 1178 was issued 
on May 31, 2000, authorizing take of listed species. Permit 1178 
expires December 21, 2003.
    Notice was published on January 14, 2000 (65 FR 2381) that Dr. 
Llewellyn M. Ehrhart, of the University of Central Florida, Dept of 
Biological Science applied for a scientific research permit (1231). The 
Recovery Plan for the U.S. Population of Atlantic Green Turtle states 
that the foremost problem in management and conservation of sea turtles 
is the lack of basic biological information. This study proposes to 
capture turtles living in the Indian River Lagoon Estuary of central 
Florida in Brevard and Indian River counties. The data provided by the 
study will include information regarding habitat requirements, seasonal 
distribution and abundance, movement and growth, feeding preferences, 
sex distribution and the prevalence and severity of fibropapilloma. 
Permit 1231 was issued on May 31, 2000, authorizing take of listed 
species. Permit 1231 expires March 31, 2005.

    Dated: June 5, 2000.
Wanda L. Cain,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-14673 Filed 6-8-00; 8:45 am]
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