[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 221 (Friday, November 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54334-54335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24946]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF801


Endangered Species; File Nos. 20590 and 20610

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Nicole Phillips, Ph.D., The 
University of Southern Mississippi, Department of Biological Sciences, 
118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 (File No. 20590) and 
David Portnoy, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, TX 78412 
(File No. 20610), have applied in due form for permits to receive and 
import sawfish and scalloped hammerhead shark samples for purposes of 
scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before December 18, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the 
``Features'' box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File 
Nos. 20590 or 20610 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available upon written request or by 
appointment in the 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.
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above. 
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-0376, or by 
email to [email protected]. Please include the File No. in the 
subject line of the email comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division at the 
address listed above. The request should set forth the specific reasons 
why a hearing on this application would be appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore (File Nos. 20590 or 
20610), Malcolm Mohead (File No. 20590), or Erin Markin (File No. 
20610), (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested 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).
    File No. 20590: The applicant (Dr. Phillips) is requesting 
authorization to import tissue samples from 5 species of listed sawfish 
including the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), largetooth 
sawfish (P. pristis), green sawfish (P. zijsron), dwarf sawfish (P. 
clavata), and narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidate) to assess the 
impact of population decline through genetic diversity. This study will 
use tissue samples obtained opportunistically from saws with known 
location data held in museums, educational and private collections to: 
(1) Assess whether there has been a recent loss of genetic diversity in 
sawfishes globally, and (2) evaluate the long-term survival outlook for 
sawfishes. The applicant proposes to import tissue samples from up to a 
total of 500 sawfish specimens, from all species, annually from at 
least Mexico, Belize, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and 
Australia to The University of Southern Mississippi for analysis. The 
requested duration of the permit is five years.
    File No. 20610: The applicant (Dr. Portnoy) is requesting 
authorization to import scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) tissue in 
the form of fin clips or small muscle biopsies from Belize (Central & 
SW Atlantic DPS, up to 50 samples), Trinidad (Central & SW Atlantic 
DPS, up to 50 samples), Mexico (Eastern Pacific DPS, up to 100 samples; 
NW Atlantic & GOM DPS, up to 50

[[Page 54335]]

samples), Cuba (Central & SW Atlantic DPS, up to 50 samples), and 
Sierra Leone (Eastern Atlantic DPS, up to 50 samples) for genetic 
analysis at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. These samples would 
be used as part of a larger project to characterize the stock structure 
of S. lewini populations within the western Atlantic, as well as 
between the western Pacific and Atlantic, using next generation 
sequencing techniques. Tissue samples would be from animals that have 
been previously collected, or will be taken opportunistically as 
scalloped hammerheads are encountered in fish markets. The requested 
duration of the permit is five years.

    Dated: November 14, 2017.
Julia Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24946 Filed 11-16-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P