[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 15706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05617]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC252


Endangered Species; File No. 17316

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 George Burgess, Ph.D., Florida 
Museum of Natural History, Dickinson Hall, University of Gainesville, 
Gainesville, FL 32611, has been issued a permit to take smalltooth 
sawfish (Pristis pectinata) 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 and Conservation 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
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; 
phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Cairns or Jennifer Skidmore, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 24, 2012, notice was published 
in the Federal Register (77 FR 58812) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take smalltooth sawfish 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 governing the taking, 
importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 
parts 222-226).
    The permit holder is authorized to gather life history information 
on smalltooth sawfish populations of Florida, primarily in Florida Bay 
and the upper Keys area. The purpose of the research is to investigate 
the movements and habitat use of smalltooth sawfish in Florida waters. 
Annually, up to 80 sawfish may be captured by gillnet, longline, or 
angling gear, measured, passive integrated transponder, roto, dart, and 
external satellite tagged, tissue, muscle, and blood sampled, and 
released. Dead sawfish acquired through strandings or from law 
enforcement confiscations may be sampled for scientific purposes. The 
permit is authorized for a duration of 5 years.
    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: March 7, 2013.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-05617 Filed 3-11-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P