[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 2 (Thursday, January 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-130]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121401A]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for two research permits (1355, 1356).

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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 under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): NMFS has 
received an application for a scientific research permit from Mr. 
Eugene Greer, of Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) and NMFS 
has received an application for a scientific research permit from Mr. 
Michael J. Bresette, of Inwater Research Group Inc.

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the new 
applications must be received at the appropriate address or fax number 
no later than 5 p.m. eastern standard time on February 4, 2002.

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:
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, F/PR1, 1315 East West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone: 301-713-2289, fax: 301-713-
0376).
    Documents may also be reviewed by appointment in the Office of 
Protected Resources, F/PR1, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910-3226 (phone: 301-713-2289).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lillian Becker, Silver Spring, MD 
(phone: 301-713-2319, 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. Scientific 
research and/or enhancement permits are issued under section 
10(a)(1)(A) 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:

Sea turtles

    Threatened and endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
    Endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
    Endangered Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
    Threatened loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)

Fish

    Endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)

New Applications Received

Application 1355

    The applicant proposes to test the effects of the ambient levels of 
discharged waste found in the waters of North Carolina on the growth 
and survival of shortnose sturgeon fry. Preliminary results of acute 
toxicity tests indicate these species are among the more sensitive fish 
relative to contaminant effects, indicating the importance of testing 
the hypothesis that water quality may be a limiting factor to the 
species recovery. Up to 3,000 fry will be placed into water shipped in 
from the rivers of North Carolina and observed for growth and survival.

Application 1356

    The applicant proposes to investigate the demographic composition 
and genetic origin of sea turtles within the Key West National Wildlife 
Refuge. This will be done by the capturing of up to 100 green, 100 
loggerhead, 50 Kemp's ridley, and 50 hawksbill turtles with nets and by 
hand. The turtles will be weighed, measured, blood sampled, PIT and 
flipper tagged, have stomach lavage and released back into the area 
where they were captured.

    Dated: December 21, 2001.
Ann Terbush,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-130 Filed 1-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S