[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17955-17956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6849]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG83


Endangered Species; File No. 13330

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 the Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center (Responsible Official - Bonnie Ponwith), National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 75 Virginia Drive, Miami, Florida 33149 has applied 
in due form for a permit to take smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) 
for purposes of scientific research.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before May 2, 2008.

ADDRESSES:  The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office(s):

[[Page 17956]]

    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 e-mail comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 13330.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Patrick Opay 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 applicant proposes to collect data on the biology, distribution 
and abundance of the endangered smalltooth sawfish in order to 
facilitate the recovery of the species. All sawfish captured during 
field surveys would be handled, measured, tagged, sampled, and released 
alive. Capture methods would include longline, rod and reel, set lines 
(drum lines), gill nets, and beach seines. Tagging methods include 
rototags (fin tags), plastic headed dart tags, Passive Integrated 
Transponder (PIT) tags, acoustic tags (transmitters), Pop-Up Archival 
Transmitting (PAT) tags, and Smart Position Only Transmitting (SPOT) 
tags. Sampling would include a small fin clip and a small blood sample. 
Sawfish acquired through dead strandings or from law enforcement 
confiscations would be measured and sampled for scientific purposes. 
Sampling would occur in Florida, with the goal of taking 45 smalltooth 
sawfish per year. The applicant requests a permit for five years. 
Incidental take of sea turtles, sturgeon, coral, dolphins, alligators, 
crocodiles and manatees are unlikely but possible.

    Dated: March 27, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-6849 Filed 4-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S