[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 149 (Monday, August 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45182-45183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18334]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA713


Endangered Species; File No. 16436-01

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

ACTION: Issuance of a permit modification and termination of a permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation, 21 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 
12561 [Kathryn Hattala: Responsible Party], has been issued a permit 
modification (Permit No. 16436-01) to take to take Atlantic sturgeon 
(Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser 
brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific research. Additionally, Permit 
No. 16439, issued to the same Permit Holder for study of shortnose 
sturgeon, is hereby terminated.

ADDRESSES: The permit modification and related documents are available 
for review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office:
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room

[[Page 45183]]

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-
0376.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Malcolm Mohead, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Permit No. 16436 was issued April 6, 2012 
(77 FR 21754) to the Permit Holder to capture Atlantic sturgeon life 
stages in the Hudson River estuary to assess juvenile abundance, 
characterize the adult spawning stock, and generate population 
estimates. Atlantic sturgeon were authorized captured with gill nets, 
trammel nets, and trawls; measured, weighed, tissue sampled, fin 
clipped for aging, PIT tagged and Floy tagged, internally and 
externally acoustic tagged, anesthetized with 150 ppm MS-222, and 
gastric lavaged.
    The permit modification (Permit No. 16436-01) now consolidates 
takes of shortnose sturgeon issued in Permit No 16439 with those 
Atlantic sturgeon authorized in Permit No. 16436. Permit No. 16439 was 
terminated upon issuance of the modification. The takes of both 
Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon were increased in the modification to 
meet further objectives, including understanding impacts on each 
species from (1) construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge; (2) laying high 
voltage cable in the Hudson River; and (3) measuring contaminants 
levels in the Hudson River. New methods authorized in the modification 
include contaminant research sampling by performing laparoscopic liver 
biopsy, and anesthetizing animals with 250 mg/l MS-222 and electro-
narcosis. A total of three incidental mortalities of shortnose and 
Atlantic sturgeon are now authorized annually as a result of increased 
research activity. The modification would be valid through the original 
expiration date of Permit No. 16436 on April 5, 2017.
    Issuance of this permit 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: July 30, 2014.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18334 Filed 8-1-14; 8:45 am]
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