[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 199 (Friday, October 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 53216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24840]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XS29


Endangered Species; File No. 14394

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Douglas Peterson, Ph.D., Warnell 
School of Forest Resources (Fisheries Division), University of Georgia, 
Athens, GA 30602, has been issued a permit to take shortnose sturgeon 
(Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Malcolm Mohead or Kate Swails, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 24, 2009, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (74 FR 30054) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take shortnose sturgeon had been submitted by the 
above-named individual. The requested permit has been issued under the 
authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the regulations governing the taking, 
importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 
parts 222-226).
    The purpose of the proposed research is to assess the current 
status of shortnose sturgeon in the Altamaha River, Georgia, studying 
the distribution, abundance, and movement of adults and sub-adults of 
the species. The permit authorizes non-lethal sampling methods on up to 
500 shortnose sturgeon annually, not exceeding a total of 1,500 over 
the life of the permit. Research activities include gill and trammel 
netting, measuring (length, weight, photos), genetic and fin-ray tissue 
sampling, PIT and sonic tagging, anesthesia, laparoscopy, and gastric 
lavage. To document spawning in the river, up to 20 eggs or larvae are 
to be lethally collected with artificial substrates annually. 
Additionally, one unintentional mortality or serious injury of a 
shortnose sturgeon is authorized over the life of the permit.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: October 8, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-24840 Filed 10-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S