[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 59 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 14949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7367]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022003E]


Endangered Species; File No. 1353

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Steve W. Ross, Ph.D., North 
Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, MCS 5600 Marvin Moss 
Lane, Wilmington, North Carolina 28409, has been issued a permit to 
take shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirosturm, for purposes of 
scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. 
Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; phone (727)570-5301; fax (727)570-5320.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Jefferies or Gene Nitta, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 30, 2001, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (66 FR 59780) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take shortnose sturgeon had been submitted by Dr. 
Steve W. Ross. The requested permit has been issued under the authority 
of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.) and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and 
exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    Due to habitat loss and overfishing, the North Carolina population 
of shortnose sturgeon are in danger of extinction. This research will 
sample and track the shortnose sturgeon in North Carolina river 
systems. Thirty fish annually will be collected by gillnetting, 
trawling, and electroshocking. The fish will then be measured, tagged 
with a Peterson tag, and released. A subset of these fish will also 
receive an internal ultrasonic transmitter.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species which is the 
subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: March 21, 2003.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-7367 Filed 3-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S