[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1707-1708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-368]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 010507B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1486

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

ACTION:  Notice; receipt of application for modification of permit.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that Harold M. Brundage, Environmental 
Research and Consulting Inc., PMB 781, 873 East Baltimore 
Pike, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, has requested a modification 
to scientific research Permit No. 1486.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before February 15, 2007.

ADDRESSES:  The modification request 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)281-9300; fax (978)281-9394.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this request 
should be submitted 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 modification 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 e-mail comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 1486.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Brandy Hutnak or Malcolm Mohead, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 1486, 
issued on December 22, 2004 (69 FR 77998) is requested under the 
authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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).
    Permit No. 1486 authorizes the permit holder to capture, measure, 
weigh, Floy T-bar tag, PIT tag, fin clip, and release 1750 juvenile and 
adult shortnose sturgeon in the Lower Delaware River/Estuary. A subset 
of 30 juvenile and 30 adult shortnose sturgeon may be internally 
implanted with an ultrasonic tag, in addition to a subset of 24 
(juveniles and adults) that may be visually assessed (externally), 
anesthetized (MS-222), laparoscopically evaluated (coelomic cavity), 
have blood collected, and a biopsy of the gonads taken (if the sex is 
unclear). The permit holder now requests authorization to locate and 
document occurrences of early life stages (eggs and larvae) of 
shortnose sturgeon in the Delaware River. Specific goals of this 
additional research are to: (1) document occurrences of shortnose 
sturgeon eggs and larvae and their specific habitats in the Delaware 
River; (2) incorporate occurrence information into the Endangered and 
Nongame Species Program's Biotics database and Riparian Landscape 
Project database; and (3) identify critical habitat and, if supported 
by the data collected, pursue critical area designation for shortnose 
sturgeon spawning and nursery areas. Up to 1,000 eggs and 1,000 larvae 
would be taken during three consecutive spawning seasons (March - May) 
over the remainder of the permit, which expires on January 31, 2010. 
Shortnose sturgeon eggs and larvae would be collected by the following 
methods: (1) artificial substrates - these will consist of floor 
buffing pads that are anchored to the river bottom; (2) passive 
ichthyoplankton nets - these nets will be 0.5 m in diameter and will be 
set downstream of probable spawning locations on the river bottom for 
approximately 1-3 hours; (3) epibenthic sled - this sled will be fitted 
with an ichthyoplankton net and towed in locations suitable for such 
gear; and (4) pump sampling - water is pumped from the river, via a 
suction hose, and filtered through a 0.5 mm plankton net.


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    Dated: January 5, 2007.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-368 Filed 1-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S