[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 213 (Thursday, November 2, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65840-65841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28155]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D.102600D]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for a enhancement permit (1268) and 
issuance of permit (1259).

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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 National Aquarium in Baltimore (1268) and NMFS has 
issued an incidental take permit to the North Carolina Division of 
Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) that authorizes incidental take of Endangered 
Species Act-listed sea turtles, incidental to the operation and 
management of the large mesh gillnet fishery in southeastern Pamlico 
Sound, subject to certain conditions set forth therein (1259).

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 p.m. eastern standard 
time on December 4, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on any of the new applications should be 
sent to the appropriate office as indicated. 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 1268 & 1259: Endangered Species Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 
20910 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 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.

[[Page 65841]]

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following species are covered in this notice:

Sea Turtles

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

Fish

    Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum).

New Applications Received

    Application 1268: The applicant requests a 5-year permit to 
continue to maintain 1 adult shortnose sturgeon in captivity for 
enhancement purposes. The applicant currently possesses an adult 
shortnose sturgeon received from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
hatchery at Bears Bluff, SC in February 1997, 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 his 
permit. As a direct result, the National Aquarium in Baltimore is 
applying for an individual permit to continue maintenance of this fish.

Permits Issued

    Notice was published on August 3, 2000 (65 FR 47715), that an 
application had been filed by NCDMF for an incidental take permit. 
Permit 1259 was issued to NCDMF on October 5, 2000. Permit 1259 
authorizes the incidental take of threatened loggerhead and green sea 
turtles and endangered Kemp's ridley, hawksbill, and leatherback sea 
turtles. NCDMF's covered activities include the management of the fall 
2000 season of the large mesh gillnet fishery in a specified area in 
southeastern Pamlico Sound and the prosecution of that fishery by North 
Carolina fishermen in compliance with NCDMF's implementing regulations. 
The activities are described in NCDMF's June 21, 2000, permit 
application and conservation plan (plan) and the associated Draft 
Environmental Assessment (EA), Final EA and Finding of No Significant 
Impact, and the permit. Issuance of the permit was based on a finding 
that NCDMF had met the permit issuance criteria of 50 CFR 222.307(c). 
Permit 125 9 was effective upon issuance and expires on December 16, 
2000.

    Dated: October 27, 2000.
Craig Johnson,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-28155 Filed 11-1-00; 8:45 am]
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