[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 38137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10464]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061906B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1538

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS, Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, Florida 33149 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)427-2521; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 10, 2005, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (70 FR 46492) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take smalltooth sawfish 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).
    Researchers will annually capture up to 5 smalltooth sawfish using 
bottom longline gear. Animals will be sexed, measured, biopsy sampled, 
photographed, external dart tagged, and tagged with a pop-up satellite 
archival tag. The research will provide information on the survival 
rates of smalltooth sawfish captured and released from commercial 
fishing gear; habitat for adult sawfish; and daily and seasonal 
movement patterns and migration corridors that could aid management 
efforts in reducing further fishery interactions. The research will be 
concentrated in areas offshore of the Marquesas Keys, Florida Keys, and 
south of the Florida Keys in the Florida straights outside of Florida 
state waters. The permit is issued for 5 years.
    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 any endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: June 27, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-10464 Filed 7-3-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S