[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8331-8332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4139]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021299C]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1199,
1200); Issuance of a scientific research permit (1180) and a
modification to a scientific research permit (1162)
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding
permits for takes of endangered and threatened species for the purposes
of scientific research and/or enhancement: NMFS has received permit
applications from: Guam Department of Agriculture (GDA) (1199) and Mr.
David J. Stiers, Director of Springfield Science Museum (SSM) (1200);
NMFS has issued a permit to Thomas R. Payne and Associates (TRPA)
(1180); and NMFS has issued a modification to a scientific research
permits to Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) (1162).
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the
new applications must be received on or before March 22, 1999.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review in the following offices, by appointment:
For permits 1162 and 1180: Protected Species Division, NMFS, 777
Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404-6528 (707-575-6066).
For permit 1199: Office of Protected Resources, Endangered Species
[[Page 8332]]
Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301-
713-1401).
For permit 1200: Protected Resources Division, F/SER3, 9721
Executive Center Dr., St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432 (813-570-5312).
All documents may also be reviewed by appointment in the Office of
Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permits 1162 and 1180: Dan Logan,
Protected Resources Division, (707-575-6066).
For permit 1199: Karen Salvini, Silver Spring, MD (301-713-1401).
For permit 1200: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD (301-713-1401).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the
ESA, is based on a finding that such permits/modifications: (1) Are
applied for in good faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of
the listed species which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the
ESA. Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are
subject to parts 217-222 of Title 50 CFR, the NMFS regulations
governing listed species permits.
Species Covered in this Notice
The following species and evolutionarily significant units (ESUs)
are covered in this notice:
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill sea turtle
(Eretmochelys imbricata), Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum).
Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch): Central California coast (CCC),
Southern Oregon/northern California coast (SONCC).
Steelhead trout (O. mykiss): Southern California coast (SCC).
New Applications Received
GDA (1199) requests a 5-year permit to take green and hawksbill sea
turtles, record biological data, take sample tissue and run DNA
analysis according to NMFS sampling protocols. A few of the turtles
will be satellite-tagged. The purpose of the research is to: 1) Collect
baseline population size structure (age and sex) and genetic
information for sea turtles in and about Guam, 2) survey Guam's beaches
for sea turtle nesting activity for both species throughout the nesting
period, and 3) establish a Guam based sea turtle working group of
stakeholders in the management of sea turtles and ensure they have an
active voice and opportunity to support recovery efforts.
SSM (1200) requests a 5-year permit to maintain up to five
endangered shortnose sturgeon in captivity for educational purposes.
The sturgeon will be captive sturgeon received from the Conte
Anadromous Research Center that have been classified as ``non-
releasable'' by NMFS.
Permits and Modifications Issued
Notice was published on November 17, 1998 (63 FR 63910) that NMFS
issued Permit 1162 to SPAWN, authorizing takes of juvenile, threatened,
CCC coho salmon associated with fish population studies on San Geronimo
Creek and its tributaries. On January 19, 1998, SPAWN requested a
modification to Permit 1162 to authorize fish rescue activities for
adult CCC coho salmon. The rescue would occur at Roy's Dam on San
Geronimo Creek, which is currently impassable by the salmon. Without
intervention, adult CCC coho will be prevented from reaching available
spawning habitat present upstream of the dam. As the health of these
salmon was threatened and no reasonable alternative was available to
the applicant, the 30-day public comment period was waived in
accordance with 50 CFR 222.24(e). This modification was issued on
February 11, 1999, and is valid for the duration of the permit which
expires on June 30, 2003.
Notice was published on October 21, 1998 (63 FR 56148), that an
application had been filed by TRPA for a scientific research permit.
Permit 1180 was issued to TRPA on February 11, 1999, and authorizes
takes of adult and juvenile, threatened CCC and SONCC coho salmon, and
adult and juvenile, endangered SCC steelhead associated with fish
population and habitat studies throughout these ESUs in California.
ESA-listed fish may be observed or captured, anesthetized, handled,
allowed to recover from the anesthetic, and released. Indirect
mortalities are also authorized. Permit 1180 expires on June 30, 2004.
Dated: February 12, 1999.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-4139 Filed 2-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
