[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 71 (Friday, April 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 18636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6970]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040607C]


Endangered Species; File No. 1604

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

ACTION:  Notice; application for permit.

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Dr. Chester Figiel, Principal Investigator), 5308 Spring 
Street, Warm Springs, GA 31830, has applied in due form for a permit to 
take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of 
enhancement and scientific research.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before May 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES:  The application 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; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application 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 this 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: 
File No. 1604.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is 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).
    The proposed action would be issuance of an enhancement and 
scientific research permit (File No. 1604) to the FWS (Dr. Chester 
Figiel, Principal Investigator), pursuant to the ESA. The primary 
objective would be to utilize the available captive brood stock 
population to provide information needed for implementation of recovery 
efforts, as described in the ``Final Recovery Plan for the Shortnose 
Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)'' (NMFS, 1998). Captive fish would be 
maintained, conditioned, spawned and the gametes and progeny used for 
scientific studies, such as cryo-preservation, genetics, culture 
techniques, behavioral studies, nutrition, and tagging techniques. An 
additional study characterizing the wild genetic strains of sturgeon in 
rivers of the Southeast Atlantic coast would be accomplished using 
tissue samples archived at the NOAA/NOS Laboratory in Charleston, South 
Carolina. The permit is requested for five years.

    Dated: April 6, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-6970 Filed 4-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S