[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31597-31598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13547]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA452


Endangered Species; File No. 15614

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Tom Savoy, Connecticut Department 
of Environmental Protection, Marine Fisheries, PO Box 719, Old Lyme, CT 
06731, has been issued a permit to take shortnose sturgeon for purposes 
of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit 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
     Northeast Region, NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930; phone (978) 281-9328; fax (978) 281-9394.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 2010, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (75 FR 78974) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take shortnose sturgeon had been submitted by the 
above-named individual. The requested permit has 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

[[Page 31598]]

governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and 
threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    The applicant is authorized to conduct a five-year scientific study 
determining biological and life history information on shortnose 
sturgeon in Connecticut waters, including the Connecticut, Thames, and 
Housatonic Rivers. The permit authorizes non-lethal sampling with 
anchored gill nets and trawls, capturing up to 500 fish annually. Each 
fish will be captured, weighed, measured, passive integrated 
transponder tagged, and sampled for genetic tissue analysis. Of those 
500 fish, 225 will also have a fin ray clipped for ageing analysis, and 
100 will undergo gastric lavage. A sub-set of 25 fish will be acoustic 
tagged internally, released, and tracked, to determine seasonal 
movement and habitat selection.
    Issuance of this permit, 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: May 23, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-13547 Filed 5-31-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P