[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 106 (Thursday, June 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29839-29841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14075]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 052599D]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of an application for a scientific research permit
(1219); receipt of an application to modify a permit
[[Page 29840]]
(1203); and issuance of permits (1198, 1214).
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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 a permit
application from Mr. Larry Goodman, of US-Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) (1219); NMFS has received an application for modifications
to an existing permit from the Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife in Olympia, WA (WDFW) (1203); and NMFS has issued permits to
Mr. J. Alan Huff, of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(FL-DEP) (1198) and Ms. Jane Anne Provancha, of Dynamac Corporation
(DYNCo) (1214).
DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the
new applications or modification requests must be received on or before
July 6, 1999.
ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for
review in the following offices, by appointment:
For permits 1198, 1214, and 1219: Office of Protected Resources,
Endangered Species Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910 (301-713-1401).
For permit 1203: Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE
Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For permits 1198, 1214, and 1219: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD
(301-713-1401).
For permit 1203: Tom Lichatowich, Portland, OR (503-230-5438).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (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. Authority to
take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permits.
Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are subject
to the ESA and NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife
permits (50 CFR parts 222-226).
Those individuals requesting a hearing on an application listed in
this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such
hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit
action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily
reflect the views of NMFS.
Species Covered in This Notice
The following species and evolutionarily significant units (ESU's)
are covered in this notice:
Sea Turtles
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) (threatened/endangered), Hawksbill
turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) (endangered), Kemp's ridley turtle
(Lepidochelys kempii) (endangered), Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys
coriacea) (endangered), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
(threatened).
Fish
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Upper Columbia River
(UCR) spring (endangered).
Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): UCR (endangered).
Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) (endangered).
New Application Received
EPA (1219) requests a 1-year permit to take shortnose sturgeon for
scientific research in Gulf Breeze, Florida. The purpose of the
research is to obtain information on the tolerances of port-larval and
early-juvenile shortnose sturgeon, to low dissolved oxygen levels,
particularly in relation to temperature and salinity.
Modification Request Received
On March 9, 1999 a notice was published (64 FR 11444) that NMFS had
received an application (1203) from WDFW for a 5-year permit that would
authorize takes of adult and juvenile UCR spring chinook salmon
associated with a broad salmonid monitoring research program in UCR
tributaries and the mainstem river. In the juvenile fish migration
portion of the proposed research program, migrating smolts are proposed
to be captured with screw traps, anesthetized, sampled for biological
data and released downstream. NMFS has received a request for
modifications to the permit (1203) that would authorize annual takes of
juvenile, naturally produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead
in the proposed juvenile fish migration study. Data from the study will
provide managers valuable information that will be used to assess the
survival of migrating juvenile salmonids. The modifications are
requested for the duration of the permit.
Permits and Modifications Issued
Notice was published on February 4, 1999 (64 FR 5030), that FL-DEP
had applied for a 5-year research permit to take up to 700 loggerhead,
250 green, 5 leatherback, 25 hawksbill, and 100 Kemp's ridley sea
turtles annually from Florida waters. Turtles captured will include all
life history stages from post-hatchling through adult. Of the 700
loggerheads authorized annually, 400 will be hatchlings. This research
will further the understanding of life histories, habitat requirements,
migratory behaviors, and threats to these five species of sea turtles
occurring in Florida waters. The turtles will be captured by tended,
straight-set, large-mesh tangle nets; tended, drifting large-mesh
tangle nets; tended, encircling (strike) large-meshed nets; dip nets;
and hand-capture. Captured turtles will be weighed, measured,
photographed, and flipper and PIT tagged. Select turtles will be blood
sampled, lavaged and will receive radio, sonic, and/or satellite
transmitters. Additionally, laparoscopy and tumor collection will be
performed on selected turtles. This work is a continuation of research
permitted under scientific research Permit 878, which expired on
February 28, 1999. Permit 1198 was issued on May 13, 1999, and expires
March 31, 2004.
Notice was published on April 7, 1999 (64 FR 16937), that DYNCo had
applied for a 5-year research permit to take listed green and
loggerhead sea turtles for scientific research in Mosquito Lagoon,
Florida. The purpose of the research is to continue work that began
under NMFS Permit 942, granted in 1995; specifically, to: (1) Continue
the comparison of current marine turtle population structure and
distribution in Mosquito Lagoon to baseline data collected in 1976-
1979, (2) evaluate current seasonal distribution and occurrence of sea
turtles, (3) evaluate distribution patterns relative to submarine
resource distribution, (4) determine regional ``importance value'' of
this lagoon relative to other studied juvenile habitats on the east
coast of Florida, and (5) determine the sex ratio of the subadult
marine turtles inhabiting Mosquito Lagoon. Permit 1214 was issued on
May 25, 1999, and expires May 31, 2004.
[[Page 29841]]
Dated: May 27, 1999.
Margaret Lorenz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-14075 Filed 6-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
