[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 184 (Thursday, September 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56998-56999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21401]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 091604B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1486 and File No. 1505

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding 
permits for scientific research on shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser 
brevirosturm): NMFS has received a permit application from the South 
Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Freshwater Fisheries Section 
(Mr. Doug Cooke, Principal Investigator), P.O. Drawer 190, 305 Black 
Oak Road, Bonneau, SC 29431 (File No. 1505). NMFS has received a 
request to modify a permit application from Mr. Harold M. Brundage, 
Environmental Research and Consulting, Inc., 112 Commons Court, Chadds 
Ford, PA 19317 (File No. 1486).

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
October 25, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office(s):
    All documents: 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.
    For File No. 1486: Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930-2298; phone (978)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371; and
    For File No. 1505: Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center 
Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; phone (727)570-5301; fax 
(727)570-5320.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on these 
applications 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 the particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)713-0376, 
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: 
either File No. 1486 or File No. 1505.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Jefferies or Dr. Tammy Adams, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits are 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).
    File No. 1510: The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 
seeks authorization to sample and track shortnose sturgeon in South 
Carolina coastal waters. Annually, up to 50 fish would be captured via 
gill nets, trot lines, and trawls, measured, weighed, PIT and dart 
tagged, tissue sampled for genetic testing and the fish subsequently 
released. A subset of 20 fish annually would also have a fin ray 
removed for aging studies, be outfitted with a radio/sonic transmitter 
and tracked and/or have gastric lavage performed on them. Additionally, 
the researchers would utilize drift nets and deploy buffer pads to 
collect up to 200 shortnose sturgeon eggs annually. A second study 
would be conducted specifically in the Santee-Cooper River system: 
annually, up to 48 fish would be captured via gill nets, trot lines, 
and trawls, measured, weighed, PIT and dart tagged, tissue sampled for 
genetic testing, blood sampled, sexed via laparascopy and the fish 
subsequently released. This research would be conducted for five years 
from issuance of the permit. A total of 2 incidental mortalities 
annually are requested.
    File No. 1486: A notice of receipt of an application from Mr. 
Harold Brundage to conduct scientific research on shortnose sturgeon 
was published on May 27, 2004 (69 FR 30287). Mr. Brundage sought 
authorization to sample and track shortnose sturgeon in the Delaware 
River/Bay and Chesapeake Bay for five years. Annually, up to 3,500 fish 
in the Delaware system and up to 130 fish in the Chesapeake Bay were to 
be captured via gill nets and trawls, measured, weighed, PIT and floy 
T-bar tagged, tissue sampled, and the fish subsequently released. 
Additionally, up to 60 of the total fish sampled annually

[[Page 56999]]

in the Delaware system only were to also receive an internal sonic 
transmitter. The permit has not been issued yet but Mr. Brundage has 
amended his application to include the use of laparascopic techniques 
to assess the health and determine the sex of up to 50 fish annually in 
the Delaware system and Chesapeake Bay. This number is the total 
requested across both systems and is a subset of the fish listed above 
for capture. The laparascopic activities would be in addition to the 
activities listed above.

    Dated: September 17, 2004.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-21401 Filed 9-22-04; 8:45 am]
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