[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 66 (Thursday, April 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 17661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6938]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 030805B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1510

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Liberty Science Center 
(Richard Weddle, Principal Investigator), 251 Phillip Street, Jersey 
City, New Jersey 07305, has been issued a permit to take shortnose 
sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of enhancement through 
educational display.

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
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 15, 2004, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (69 FR 75047) that a request for an enhancement 
permit to take shortnose sturgeon had been submitted by the above-named 
organization. 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).
    The Liberty Science Center is authorized to receive and use five 
individual, captive-bred, non-releaseable shortnose sturgeon for an 
educational display exhibit. This project of displaying endangered 
captive bred shortnose sturgeon responds directly to a recommendation 
of the NMFS recovery outline for this species. In addition, the 
facility will formulate a public education program and exhibit to 
increase awareness of the shortnose sturgeon and its status. This 
project will educate the public on shortnose sturgeon life history and 
the reason for its declining numbers.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that this permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species which is the 
subject of the permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: March 31, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-6938 Filed 4-6-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S