[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 51295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21543]



[[Page 51295]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081700B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Issuance of permits (1239); and modifications to existing 
permits (1245).

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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 issued permit 1239 to Dr. Boyd Kynard, of U.S. Geological 
Survey (USGS); NMFS has issued modification #1 to permit 1245 to Mr. J. 
David Whitaker, of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SC-
DNR).

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 p.m. eastern 
standard time on September 22, 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 permits 1239 and 1245, Endangered Species Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 
20910 (301-713-1401).
    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: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD, (301-
713-1401 x148).

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 are covered in this notice:
    Endangered Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Endangered Hawksbill 
turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Endangered Kemp's ridley turtle 
(Lepidochelys kempii), Endangered Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys 
coriacea), Threatened Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).
    Endangered Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum).

Permits and Modifications Issued

Modification #1 to Permit 1245

    Notice was published on July 12, 2000 (65 FR 42992) that Mr. J. 
David Whitaker, of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 
applied for a modification to permit 1245. Modification #1 increases 
the authorized take of loggerhead turtles from 200 to 250 animals 
annually, green turtles from 1 to ten annually, Kemp's ridley turtles 
from 23 to 50 annually and adds the take of five hawksbill turtles 
annually. The applicant possesses a three year permit to establish a 
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. Modification #1 to 
Permit 1245 was issued on August 11, 2000, authorizing take of listed 
species. Permit 1245 expires October 31, 2002.

Permit #1239

    Notice was published on 03/02/2000 (65 FR 11288) that Dr. Boyd 
Kynard, of U.S. Geological Survey applied for a scientific research 
permit (1239). The proposed research continues over 20 years of 
research on life history of shortnose sturgeon in the Connecticut 
river, will collect new information on spawning, migration, habitat and 
fish passage of the species. The applicant has requested a 5-year 
permit to lethally take up to 200 spawned eggs, embryos and larvae 
annually; capture, PIT tag and release up to 350 juvenile and adult 
sturgeon annually; and authorization to lethally take up to 1000 pre-
spawned eggs; radio tag and release 3 pre-spawned females and 7 pre-
spawned males for 3 years of the permit. Permit 1239 was issued on 
August 17, 2000, authorizing take of listed species. Permit 1239 
expires June 30, 2005.

    Dated: August 17, 2000.
Chris Mobley,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-21543 Filed 8-22-00; 8:45 am]
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