[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63832-63833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26838]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG655


Endangered Species; File Nos. 21857, 22078, and 22324

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications for permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that three applicants have applied in 
due form for permits to take smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) for 
purposes of scientific research, with one also requesting to receive, 
import, and export parts of five foreign species of sawfish, including 
dwarf (P. clavata), narrow (Anoxypristis cuspidata), green (P. 
zijsron), largetooth (P. Pristis), and non-U.S. DPS smalltooth sawfish 
for scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before January 11, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The permit requests 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 the 
applicable File No. 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 the pertinent 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 the application would be appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Malcolm Mohead or Erin Markin at (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permits are 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. 21857: Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation, 5120 
Beacon Road, Palmetto, FL 34221, requests a 10-year permit document the 
occurrence, distribution, biology, movements, and habitat use of 
smalltooth sawfish found in United States waters. Sampling may occur 
anywhere within the species' range, but primarily in the Gulf of Mexico 
coastal areas of Florida bordering Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough, 
Pinellas, Hernando and Pasco counties. To capture sawfish, researchers 
would use bottom longline, drum line, gillnet, angling gear, seine net, 
and cast net. Captured smalltooth sawfish would be sexed, measured, 
weighed (if possible), marked with passive integrated transponder (PIT) 
tags, dart tags, and roto tags, photographed, ultrasounded, and tissue 
sampled (i.e., blood, fin clip, muscle biopsy). A maximum of 50 neonate 
and juvenile life stages and 50 adult and sub-adult life stages would 
be taken annually with subsets of 25 of each life stage group fitted 
with internal or external telemetry tracking devices. Up to one sawfish 
from each life stage group may unintentionally die during research 
activities. Additionally, the applicant requests to collect, receive, 
necropsy, analyze, and archive up to 100 salvaged dead smalltooth 
sawfish specimens (whole or parts) that have been legally collected or 
archived elsewhere within the U.S.
    File No. 22078: The NFMS Southeast Fisheries Science Center 
(Responsible Party: Theo Brainerd, Ph.D.), 75 Virginia Beach Drive 
Miami, FL 33149, requests a 10-year permit monitoring the biology, 
habitat use, and movements of smalltooth sawfish primarily within the 
Everglades National Park, the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife 
Refuge, and Florida Bay.
    Sampling would be conducted year-round with gillnets, longlines, 
seines, cast nets, and angling gear. The applicant anticipates annually 
capturing and sampling a maximum of 150 sawfish annually (100 neonates 
and juveniles and 50 subadults and adults). Depending on the life stage 
and research objective, research activities would include: Measurement, 
weigh (when possible), ultrasound, photograph/video, genetic tissue fin 
clip, muscle biopsy, external dart tag, PIT tag, and blood draw. 
Additionally, subsets of each life stage group would receive internal 
or external telemetry devices

[[Page 63833]]

prior to release. Up to one sawfish from each life stage group may 
unintentionally die during research activities. Additionally, the 
applicant requests to collect, receive, necropsy, analyze, and archive 
up to 30 salvaged dead smalltooth sawfish specimens (whole or parts) 
that have been legally collected or archived elsewhere within the U.S.
    File No. 22324: The University of Florida (Responsible Party: Gavin 
Naylor, Ph.D.), Florida Museum of Natural History, Dickinson Hall, 
Gainesville, FL 32611, requests a 10-year permit to study smalltooth 
sawfish movements, habitat use, temporal and spatial distribution, and 
population structure using tagging, telemetry, and population genetic 
methods. Sawfish would be collected year-round in the Florida Bay and 
the upper Florida Keys using gillnets, longlines, and angling gear. The 
applicant anticipates capturing each year up to 60 sawfish, including 
20 neonates and juveniles and 40 sub-adult and adult life stages. 
Research activities would include measurement, weigh (when possible), 
ultrasound, photograph/video, genetic tissue fin clip, muscle biopsy, 
skin biopsy, external dart tag, PIT tag, and blood draw. Subsets of 
each life stage group would receive either internal or external 
telemetry tracking devices prior to release. Additionally, the 
applicant further requests to collect, receive, necropsy, analyze and 
archive up to 100 salvaged dead smalltooth sawfish specimens (whole or 
parts) that have been legally collected or archived elsewhere within 
the U.S. Other objectives include receiving, importing, and exporting 
tissue samples (or parts) from five other foreign species of sawfish 
for scientific and archival purposes, including dwarf, narrow, green, 
largetooth, and non-U.S. DPS smalltooth sawfish.

    Dated: December 6, 2018.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-26838 Filed 12-11-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P