Endangered Species; Permits

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 148-149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34797]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 122398B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research permits (1189, 
1190).

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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: Dr. James Kirk, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Waterways Experiment Station (WES) (1189), and Charles Karnella, NMFS 
Southwest Region (NMFS-SER) (1190).

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the 
applications must be received on or before February 3, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The applications and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    For permit 1189: Protected Resources Division, F/SER3, 9721 
Executive Center Dr., St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432 (813-570-5312)
    For permit 1190: Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean 
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 (310-980-4016).
    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 permit 1189: Terri Jordan, Silver 
Spring, MD (301-713-1401)
    For permit 1190: Michelle Rogers, 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 are covered in this notice: Green sea turtle 
(Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), 
Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Loggerhead sea turtle 
(Caretta caretta), Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and 
Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum).

New Applications Received

    WES (1189) requests a 3-year permit to take and conduct research on 
endangered shortnose sturgeon to characterize the Ogeechee River system 
shortnose sturgeon population size, age, structure and growth; document 
seasonal movement and habitat preferences; identify, if possible, 
spawning and rearing sites and develop

[[Page 149]]

population models to evaluate anthropogenic effects, population trends, 
and define a recovering or steady-state population.
    NMFS-SWR (1190) requests a 5-year scientific research permit to 
take up to 150 loggerhead, 10 green, 10 hawksbill, 25 leatherback, and 
10 olive ridley sea turtles annually in the Pacific Basin for the 
purpose of determining take rates of sea turtles taken incidental to 
the Hawaiian longline fishery, and to determine the fate of sea turtles 
released alive after incidental capture. Trained observers may weigh, 
measure, flipper tag, satellite tag, tissue sample, blood sample, 
stomach lavage, and release sea turtles taken incidental to the 
Hawaiian longline fishery. This is a continuation of work permitted 
under scientific research permit 924, which expires on February 28, 
1999.

    Dated: December 28, 1998.
Margaret Lorenz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-34797 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]
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