[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 3092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1039]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA147


Endangered Species Permit No. 1578-01 and Permit No. 1595-04

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given the following applicants have been 
issued a modification to research permits (Permit Nos. 1578 and 1595-
03) to take shortnose sturgeon for purposes of scientific research:
    Maine Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) (Gail S. Wippelhauser, 
Principal Investigator), 21 State House Station, Augusta, ME, 04333 
(Permit No. 1578); and
    Michael M. Hastings, University of Maine, 5717 Corbett Hall, Orono, 
ME 04469, (Permit No. 1595-03).

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

 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
 Northeast Region, NMFS, Protected Resources Division, 55 Great 
Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930; phone (978) 281-9328; fax (978) 
281-9394.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 24, 2010, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (75 FR 58350) that a request for an amendment 
to Permit No. 1578 and Permit No. 1595-03 to conduct research on 
shortnose sturgeon had been submitted by the above-named organizations. 
The requested permit modifications have been issued 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 parts 222-226).

Permit Modification No. 1578-01

    The existing permit authorized sampling of 500 shortnose sturgeon 
adults and sub-adults annually in the main stem of the Kennebec River 
between Augusta, ME and Lockwood Dam focusing on the location of 
spawning and foraging habitat, migratory pathways, and effects of river 
flow on migration and habitat use. The researcher is now authorized to 
document the use of other river systems by shortnose sturgeon in the 
Gulf of Maine (GOM) capturing up to 600 from (1) The Kennebec River 
mouth to Lockwood Dam; (2) the Androscoggin River mouth to Brunswick 
Dam; (3) the Sheepscot River mouth to Reversing Falls; (4) the Sasanoa 
River, the Back River, and Sagadahoc Bay; (5) Tottman Cove; and (6) the 
lower Saco River. New research methods include: use of Floy tags for 
external identification; endoscopic examination with borescopes to 
verify sex; blood sampling; gastric lavage for diet analysis; scute 
sampling for elemental analysis; and electro-narcosis for 
anesthetization. Researchers are also authorized an increase in the 
number of fish acoustically tagged (up to 60 annually); and an increase 
of early life stage sampling (up to 60 annually) in the Kennebec 
complex and Saco River.

Permit Modification No. 1595-03

    The objectives of the original research remains the same as the 
modification, assessing the distribution, movements, abundance and 
spawning of shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River system; however, 
the number of shortnose sturgeon captured with gill and trammel nets is 
increased from 200 to 300 annually. Other new research activities 
include: (1) Lowering the minimum water temperature to 0[deg]C in order 
to sample shortnose sturgeon adults and sub-adults; (2) using Floy tags 
for externally identifying; (3) using electro-narcosis for 
anesthetization; (4) using scute sampling for elemental analysis; (5) 
using gastric lavage for diet analysis; and (6) including September to 
December to sample early life stages.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit 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 species; and (3) is 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA.

    Dated: January 12, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-1039 Filed 1-18-11; 8:45 am]
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