[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 9309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04763]



[[Page 9309]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG862


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Abalone

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

ACTION: Notice; application for one enhancement permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a revised permit 
application request for one new enhancement permit. The original permit 
application was released for public comment on September 26, 2018. 
However, before the permit application was processed, the applicant 
requested substantive changes that required additional public review 
and comment. The proposed work is intended to increase knowledge of 
species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide 
management, conservation, and recovery efforts. The application may be 
viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the application 
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see 
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on April 15, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the application should be submitted to 
the Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
562-980-4027 or by email to [email protected] (include the permit 
number in the subject line of the fax or email).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Wang, Long Beach, CA (ph.: 562-
980-4199, Fax: 562-980-4027, email: [email protected]). Permit 
application instructions are available from the address above, or 
online at https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Endangered white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni).

Authority

    Enhancement permits are issued in accordance with section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and regulations 
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226). NMFS 
issues permits based on findings that such permits: (1) Are applied for 
in good faith; (2) if granted and exercised, would not operate to the 
disadvantage of the listed species that are the subject of the permit; 
and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policy of section 2 of the 
ESA. The authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set 
forth in the permits.
    Anyone requesting a hearing on the application listed in this 
notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on the 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are 
held at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NMFS.

Application Received

Permit 18116

    The NMFS West Coast Region (WCR) has requested a five-year 
enhancement permit to annually take larval, juvenile, and adult white 
abalone in California. The original permit application was submitted on 
August 25, 2018 and posted for public comment on September 26, 2018. 
Since then, the WCR has requested changes to the proposed action that 
are substantive enough to require additional public comment.
    The purpose of the proposed work is to experimentally outplant 
white abalone along the Southern California Coast and determine which 
methods, locations, habitats, sizes, and densities are optimal for 
white abalone growth and survival. The activities would benefit the 
listed species by increasing numbers of white abalone in the wild and 
informing future large-scale outplanting efforts designed to create 
self-sustaining populations in locations where white abalone are at 
risk of being extirpated. The NMFS WCR proposes to evaluate three 
approaches. First, captive-bred juveniles would be outplanted using two 
different types of outplanting modules: (1) Baby abalone recruitment 
trackers (BARTs); and (2) smaller, short-term abalone fixed enclosures 
(SAFEs). Second, captive-reared larvae would be outplanted using a 
larval pump module and a net ``tent'' designed to retain larvae until 
settlement. Third, captive-bred adults or wild-collected broodstock 
would be hand-placed at sites where wild white abalone have been 
observed previously. All outplanting would be conducted within the 
Southern California Bight and would use white abalone maintained and 
collected under Enhancement Permit 14344-2R, issued under section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA to the University of California, Davis--Bodega 
Marine Laboratory. Growth, survival, genetics, health, and habitat 
quality would be monitored at regular intervals following outplanting. 
Post-outplant monitoring would primarily consist of observing, 
counting, and measuring the abalone, and collecting tissue and/or fecal 
samples using non-lethal methods. Post-outplant monitoring will occur 
on a quarterly to annual basis for each outplanting method and will 
involve collecting shell length, genetic samples, fecal samples, time 
lapse camera images, and empty shells. The researchers do not intend to 
kill any listed white abalone, but some may die as an inadvertent 
result of the research and enhancement activities.
    Substantive changes to the permit application include requests to: 
(1) Outplant greater numbers of small, captive-bred adults that may be 
too large for outplanting to the BARTs or SAFEs; and (2) collect white 
abalone that are dead (i.e., not attached to substrate and 
unresponsive) or obviously unhealthy (i.e., noticeably shrunken, unable 
to adhere firmly to substrate, and unable to right itself when placed 
upside down on substrate--indicating death within days). These 
specimens would undergo further analysis to determine the cause of 
death.
    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments 
submitted to determine whether the application meets the requirements 
of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit 
decision will not be made until after the end of the 30-day comment 
period. NMFS will publish notice of its final action in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: March 11, 2019.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-04763 Filed 3-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P