[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 112 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36666-36667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14673]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.060100C]
Endangered Species; Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of application for an enhancement permit (1258);
Issuance of permits 1245 and 1231; Issuance of Amendment #1 to Permit
#1178.
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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 the North Carolina Zoological Park (NCZP) (1258); NMFS
has issued permit 1245 to Mr. J. David Whitaker, of South Carolina
Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) (1245); Amendment #1 to permit
1178 to Mr. Darryl Christenson, of the National Marine Fisheries
Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NMFS-NEFSC) (1178);and
permit 1231 to Dr. Llewellyn M. Ehrhart, of University of Central
Florida, Dept. of Biological Science (UCF) (1231).
DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the new
applications or modification requests must be received at the
appropriate address or fax number no later than 5:00 pm eastern
standard time on July 10, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on any of the new applications or
modification requests should be sent to the appropriate office as
indicated below. Comments may also be sent via fax to the number
indicated for the application or modification request. Comments will
not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the internet. The
applications and related documents are available for review in the
indicated office, by appointment:
For Amendment #1 to permit 1178, and permits 1258, 1231 and 1245,
Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910 (Ph.: 301-713-1401).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Amendment #1 to permit 1178, and
permits 1258, 1231 and 1245: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD (ph: 301-
713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376, e-mail: [email protected]).
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:
The following species are covered in this notice: endangered
shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), endangered Green turtle
(Chelonia mydas), Endangered Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys
kempii), Endangered Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea),
Threatened Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).
New Applications Received
NMFS has received and application from the North Carolina
Zoological Park has requested a five year permit to continue to
maintain four (4) adult shortnose sturgeon in captivity for enhancement
purposes. The applicant currently possesses four adult shortnose
sturgeon received from the US Fish and Wildlife Service hatchery at
Warm Springs Georgia in November 1996 under scientific research permit
#986. Permit 986 will expire on December 31, 2000 and the permit holder
does not wish to renew the enhancement aspects of the permit. As a
result, the North Carolina Zoological Park is applying for an
individual permit to continue maintenance of these fish.
Permits and Amendments Issued
Notice was published on March 21, 2000 (65 FR 15131) that Mr. J.
David Whitaker, of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
applied for a scientific research permit (1245). The applicant has
requested a three year permit to establish scientifically-valid indices
of abundance for the northern sub-population of the threatened
loggerhead turtle and the endangered Kemp's ridley, green and
leatherback sea turtles which occur in the Atlantic Ocean off the
southeastern United States. This study is intended to capture juveniles
and adults, thereby providing a more comprehensive assessment of total
population abundance and an assessment of the health of individual
animals. Permit 1245 was issued on May 19, 2000, authorizing take of
listed species. Permit 1245 expires October 31, 2002.
NMFS has amended permit #1178 issued October 19, 1998. The
amendment removes three annual
[[Page 36667]]
reporting requirements and revises a permit special condition. The
permit holder possesses a 5-year scientific research permit to take
listed sea turtles incidentally taken in foreign and domestic
commercial fisheries operating in state waters and the Exclusive
Economic Zone in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. The work will be
conducted by scientific observers aboard commercial fishing vessels.
This research supports the National Marine Fisheries Service's mission
of assessing the impacts of commercial fisheries on marine resources of
interest to the United States. Amendment #1 to Permit 1178 was issued
on May 31, 2000, authorizing take of listed species. Permit 1178
expires December 21, 2003.
Notice was published on January 14, 2000 (65 FR 2381) that Dr.
Llewellyn M. Ehrhart, of the University of Central Florida, Dept of
Biological Science applied for a scientific research permit (1231). The
Recovery Plan for the U.S. Population of Atlantic Green Turtle states
that the foremost problem in management and conservation of sea turtles
is the lack of basic biological information. This study proposes to
capture turtles living in the Indian River Lagoon Estuary of central
Florida in Brevard and Indian River counties. The data provided by the
study will include information regarding habitat requirements, seasonal
distribution and abundance, movement and growth, feeding preferences,
sex distribution and the prevalence and severity of fibropapilloma.
Permit 1231 was issued on May 31, 2000, authorizing take of listed
species. Permit 1231 expires March 31, 2005.
Dated: June 5, 2000.
Wanda L. Cain,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-14673 Filed 6-8-00; 8:45 am]
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