[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 51267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18955]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081104J]


Endangered Species; File No. 1449

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

ACTION: Receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Christine A. Tomichek, 
Kleinschmidt Associates, Kleinschmidt Building, 35 Pratt Street, Essex, 
Connecticut, 06426, has applied in due form for a permit to take 
shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific 
research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before September 17, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The application 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)427-2521; and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and 
Education Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 
East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those 
individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons 
why a hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)427-2521, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.
    Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for 
providing email comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 1449.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested 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 
222-226).
    The purpose of the proposed study is to conduct research on the 
impacts of the hydroelectric facility's activities on shortnose 
sturgeon in the Connecticut River as part of the Holyoke Hydroelectric 
Project (FERC No. 2004) license renewal. Limited evidence suggests that 
shortnose sturgeon may migrate downstream during high flow events; 
however, information is lacking with regards to time of year or time of 
day that the migration might occur. To address these objectives, the 
researchers are requesting authorization to conduct three projects. In 
the first project, 30 captively bred juvenile sturgeon would be 
externally tagged with a radio tag, released into the canal, tracked 
and recaptured after exiting the canal. In the second project, 20 adult 
sturgeon would be captured annually for four years via trawls and 
gillnets, measured, weighed, tagged with PIT and external radio tags, 
released and tracked. In the third project, 200 eggs and larvae would 
be captured via D-nets and preserved to evaluate spawning behavior. 
This permit would be authorized for five years from date of issuance.

    Dated: August 12, 2004.
Carrie W. Hubard,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-18955 Filed 8-17-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S