[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 83 (Wednesday, April 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 23813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09034]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA143]


Endangered Species; File No. 20314

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for a permit modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Virginia Fisheries Field Office, 11110 Kimages Road, Charles 
City, VA 23030 (Responsible Party: Albert Spells), has requested a 
modification to scientific research Permit No. 20314.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before May 29, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The modification request 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 
No. 20314-04 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: Malcolm Mohead or Erin Markin, (301) 
427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 
20314, issued on March 29, 2017 (82 FR 16996), is requested under the 
authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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).
    Permit No. 20314 authorizes the permit holder to conduct scientific 
research on Atlantic sturgeon to identify the overall health of the 
Chesapeake Bay discreet population segment, monitor reproductive 
success, spawning adult and juvenile abundance in tributaries, and 
evaluate movement patterns and habitat preferences in and between 
tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Sampling gear includes anchored/
floating gillnets and trawl nets. After capture, fish are externally 
tagged, tissue sampled, measured, and weighed prior to release. A 
subset of fish are fin ray sampled and internally tagged with acoustic 
devices. Early life stages of Atlantic sturgeon are lethally collected 
to document occurrence of spawning in river systems. Up to two Atlantic 
sturgeon juvenile and one adult/sub-adult life stages may 
unintentionally die during research annually. Due to an increase in the 
abundance of juvenile year classes of Atlantic sturgeon in the James 
River and to accommodate improvements in population abundance and index 
estimates, the permit holder is requesting an increase in the numbers 
of this juvenile life stage that may be captured, marked, measured, 
weighed, photoed, and released from 100 to 500 animals, annually. The 
permit expires March 31, 2027.

    Dated: April 23, 2020.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-09034 Filed 4-28-20; 8:45 am]
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