[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 213 (Friday, November 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 67141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22042]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 102805A]


Endangered Species; File No. 1553 and File No. 1555

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications and modification request

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SUMMARY: NMFS has received applications from the following entities for 
permits for scientific research on shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser 
brevirostrum):
    Michael Mangold, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maryland Fishery 
Resources Office, 177 Admiral Cochrane Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401 (File 
No. 1553); and
    David J. Stier, Springfield Science Museum, 220 State Street, 
Springfield, MA 01103 (File No. 1555).

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before December 5, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    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; or
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9328; fax (978)281-9394.
    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)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: 
either File No. 1553, or File No. 1555.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For File No. 1555: Shane Guan or 
Kelsey Abbott, (301)713-2289.
    For File No. 1553: Shane Guan or Layne Bolen, (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. 1553: Mr. Michael Mangold of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service's (FWS's) Maryland Fishery Resources Office proposes to release 
up to 12 sterile shortnose sturgeon into the Potomac River in hopes 
that these fish would lead the researchers to location(s) where 
possible remnant wild fish aggregate. These fish would carry internal 
CART tags for tracking and would be released on May 1, 2006. The 
researchers plan to recapture the sterile fish on or around November 1, 
2006. Sterile fish would be provided by FWS's Warm Springs Regional 
Fisheries Center in Georgia.
    File No. 1555: Mr. David J. Stier, Director of Springfield Science 
Museum, proposes to obtain and use five captive-bred, non-releaseable 
juvenile shortnose sturgeon from the Silvio O. Conte Anadramous Fish 
Research Center in Turners Falls, MA. The proposed project to display 
endangered cultured shortnose sturgeon responds directly to a 
recommendation from the NMFS recovery plan outline for this species. 
This sturgeon display would be used to increase public awareness of the 
shortnose sturgeon and its status. The proposed project would educate 
the public on shortnose sturgeon life history and the reasons for the 
species decline. The permit is requested for a duration of 5 years.

    Dated: October 28, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-22042 Filed 11-3-05; 8:45 am]
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