[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 138 (Friday, July 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43540-43541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15531]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA286]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Abalone

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt; application to renew one scientific research 
permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a request to 
renew an existing scientific research permit. 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 provided email address (see ADDRESSES) no later 
than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on August 17, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Because all West Coast NMFS offices are currently closed, 
all written comments on the application should be submitted by email to 
[email protected]. Please include the permit number (18761-2R) in 
the subject line of the email.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Wang, Long Beach, CA (ph.: 562-
980-4199, 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 black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii).

Authority

    Scientific research 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 18761-2R

    The University of California, Santa Cruz, has requested to renew a 
research permit to monitor the status and trends of endangered black 
abalone at sites throughout California for an additional five years. 
Under the previous permit, researchers surveyed black abalone 
populations at long-term monitoring sites throughout California. The 
data collected informed the five-year status update for black abalone 
(NMFS. 2018. Black Abalone (Haliotis cracherodii) Five-Year Status 
Review: Summary and Evaluation). Researchers also tested the 
feasibility of recruitment modules and were able to successfully deploy 
and maintain the modules at a few sites.
    This renewal request would allow researchers to track population 
trends at long-term monitoring sites and deploy recruitment modules at 
a few sites for an additional five years. The renewal request differs 
from the previous permit in that it does not include pilot 
translocation studies using the recruitment modules; these studies were 
proposed but not conducted under the previous permit. In addition, the 
renewal request includes two new components: (1) Habitat surveys to 
assess black abalone habitat associations along segments of the coast, 
and (2) collection of tissue samples for genetic analysis. The 
activities proposed in the renewal request would benefit black abalone 
by providing valuable long-term monitoring data on black abalone 
numbers, sizes, spatial distribution, habitat, recruitment, genetic 
diversity, and health throughout the coast. These data will inform our 
assessments of black abalone status and recovery.
    Proposed activities include:
    (1) Continued annual surveys of black abalone populations at 
established long-term rocky intertidal monitoring sites;
    (2) Abalone habitat surveys to document black abalone densities, 
habitat quality, and habitat associations along segments of the coast;
    (3) One-time or more frequent monitoring as needed for projects 
(e.g., jetty or breakwater repair) or in response to unexpected 
circumstances (e.g., oil spills, mudslides); and
    (4) Deployment of recruitment modules to monitor juvenile 
recruitment.
    Monitoring would consist primarily of non-lethal, non-capture take 
to measure and count abalone. Tissue samples would be collected using 
non-lethal methods for genetic analysis. Abalone would not be removed 
from the substrate. At a few experimental sites, recruitment modules 
would be deployed in crevice habitat to monitor juvenile recruitment. 
Researchers would be permitted to collect dead or obviously dying black 
abalone for further analysis to determine the cause of death and to 
detect disease outbreaks. Researchers would also be permitted to 
collect empty black abalone shells for research, outreach, and 
educational purposes. The information resulting from the activities 
outlined above would be used to track black abalone status

[[Page 43541]]

and recovery, evaluate their health and genetic population structure, 
and better understand habitat their preferences to help in their 
recovery.
    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: July 14, 2020.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-15531 Filed 7-16-20; 8:45 am]
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