[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 104 (Friday, May 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 32466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-13557]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 052003A]


Endangered Species; File No. 1352

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 Dr. Colin Simpfendorfer, Mote 
Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Florida 34236 
has been issued a permit to take smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) 
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 Ruth Johnson, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 25, 2001, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (66 FR 53983) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take smalltooth sawfish had been submitted by Dr. 
Colin Simpfendorfer, Mote Marine Laboratory. 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).
    Dr. Simpfendorfer is authorized to take endangered smalltooth 
sawfish by capture using longline, rod and reel, set lines, gillnets, 
and beach seines; tagging with rototags, plastic headed dart tags, PIT 
tags, acoustic tags, PAT tags, and SPOT tags; and the collecting of 
tissue biopsies. This is to take place on the coast of central and 
southern Florida over 5 years. The purpose of the proposed research is 
to compile data on biology, distribution, and abundance of smalltooth 
sawfish through tracking and genetic sampling in order to facilitate 
the recovery of the species.
    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: May 23, 2003.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-13557 Filed 5-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S