[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 231 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 74778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30959]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA850
[File No. 16439]


Endangered Species

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 the New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation, 21 South Putt Corners Rd., New Paltz, NY 
12561 [Responsible Party: Kathryn Hattala], has been issued a permit to 
take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) 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) 427-8401; 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: Malcolm Mohead or Colette Cairns, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 9, 2011, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (76 FR 33703) that a request for a scientific research 
permit to take shortnose sturgeon had been submitted by the above-named 
applicant. 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 governing the taking, importing, and 
exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    The Permit Holder is issued a five-year permit to study shortnose 
sturgeon in the Hudson River Estuary from New York Harbor (RKM 0) to 
Troy Dam (RKM 245). Gill nets, trammel nets and trawls will be used to 
capture up to 240 and 2,340 shortnose sturgeon in years one through 
three and years four and five, respectively. Research activities 
include: capture; measure, weigh; tag with passive integrated 
transponder (PIT) tags and Floy tags, if untagged; and sample genetic 
fin clips. Subsets of fish will also be anesthetized and tagged with 
acoustic transmitters; have fin rays sampled for age and growth 
analysis; have gastric contents lavaged for diet analysis; as well as 
blood samples taken for contaminants. A total of four (4) unintended 
mortalities are authorized over the life of the permit.
    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: November 28, 2011.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-30959 Filed 11-30-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P