[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 35 (Thursday, February 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9525-9526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3258]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF59


Endangered Species; File No. 10115

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Douglas Peterson, University 
of Georgia, Warnell School of Forest Resources, Athens, GA 30602, has 
applied in due form for a permit to take shortnose

[[Page 9526]]

sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before March 24, 2008.

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)713-0376; 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)713-0376, 
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. 10115.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brandy Belmas or Malcolm Mohead, 
(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).
    Dr. Douglas Peterson is seeking a five-year scientific research 
permit to conduct a presence/absence study of shortnose sturgeon in the 
St. Marys and Satilla Rivers, Georgia. The purpose of the proposed 
research is to assess the current status of shortnose sturgeon in these 
rivers, as well as evaluate the current habitat availability in each 
river. If shortnose sturgeon are found, another objective of the 
proposed research would be to quantify the genetic discreteness and 
effective population size of the extant stock. The applicant is 
requesting to capture (by anchored gill or trammel nets), measure, 
weigh, PIT tag, fin clip, and fin ray sample 73 shortnose sturgeon 
annually from each river. Blood samples would be collected from another 
12 fish from each river annually, and internal radio tags would be 
implanted in a total of 10 fish from each river over the life of the 
permit.
    Those fish that have blood collected and internal tags implanted 
would also be anesthetized and have their sex determined using 
laparoscopic procedures. Up to 20 eggs and larvae from each river would 
be collected by egg mats annually. A total of one unintentional 
mortality, for both rivers combined, is being requested each year.

    Dated: February 14, 2008.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-3258 Filed 2-20-08; 8:45 am]
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