[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 150 (Monday, August 4, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45215-45216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17818]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XJ41


Endangered Species; File No. 1549

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

[[Page 45216]]


ACTION:  Notice; receipt of application for modification

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SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that Dr. Boyd Kynard, S.O. Conte 
Anadromous Fish Research Center (USGS-BRD), Box 796, One Migratory Way, 
Turners Falls, MA 01376, has requested a modification to scientific 
research Permit No. 1549.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before September 3, 2008.

ADDRESSES:  The modification request 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
    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. 1549.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 1549, 
issued on February 1, 2007 (72 FR 5680), 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. 1549 currently authorizes the permit holder to determine 
up and downstream migrations, habitat use, spawning periodicity, 
seasonal movements, and growth of shortnose sturgeon in the Connecticut 
River (from Agawan to Montague, MA), and in the Merrimack River (at 
Haverhill, MA), and in the Androscoggin River (ME). In addition, Dr. 
Kynard is authorized to take a total of 1,000 fertilized eggs annually 
from each of the following rivers: Kennebec River and Androscoggin 
River (ME); Merrimack River (MA); Hudson River (NY); Delaware River 
(DE); Potomac River (MD); and Santee-Cooper River (SC).
    The permit holder is now requesting to conduct new research in the 
Merrimack River authorizing him: (1) to take 200 adult/large juvenile 
and 100 small juvenile (0-3 years) shortnose sturgeon; (2) to use 
trawls for capture of smaller juveniles; (3) to telemetry tag 15 
adults/large juveniles and 15 early juveniles; (4) to change the action 
area to include the Estuary to I-495 at Haverhill, Massachusetts; and 
(5) to increase incidental mortality of shortnose sturgeon to a total 
of three fish. The purpose of the proposed modification is to provide a 
mark/recapture population estimate for the river and to provide 
evidence for recolonization verses recruitment to explain an apparent 
recent increase in abundance of shortnose sturgeon found in the river. 
This modification would be valid through the expiration date of the 
original permit, January 31, 2012.

    Dated: July 28, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-17818 Filed 8-1-08; 8:45 am]
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