[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 72 (Thursday, April 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 17634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8757]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XO56


Endangered Species; File No. 1549-01

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit 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 been issued a modification to scientific 
research Permit No. 1549-01.

ADDRESSES: The modification 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, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 
01930; phone (978)281-9300; fax (978)281-9333.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 4, 2008, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (73 FR 45215) that a modification of Permit No. 
1549 had been requested by the above-named individual. The requested 
modification has been granted 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).
    In addition to all research activities authorized under Permit No. 
1549, this modification authorizes the researcher to conduct new 
research in the Merrimack River to: (1) take 200 adult/large juvenile 
and 100 small juvenile (0-3 years) shortnose sturgeon; (2) use trawls 
for capture of smaller juveniles; (3) telemetry tag 15 adults/large 
juveniles and 15 early juveniles; (4) change the action area to include 
the Estuary to I-495 at Haverhill, MA; and (5) increase incidental 
mortality of shortnose sturgeon to a total of two sturgeon, but only 
one adult per year. The purpose of the modification is to provide a 
mark/recapture population estimate of shortnose sturgeon for the river 
and to provide evidence for recolonization verses recruitment to 
explain an apparent recent increase in abundance of shortnose sturgeon 
recently found in the river. This modification is valid through the 
expiration date of the original permit, January 31, 2012.
    Issuance of this modification, as required by the ESA, was based on 
a finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: April 9, 2009.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-8757 Filed 4-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S