21750 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices 

8An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer 

employees or that otherwise qualifies as a small 

business under SBA regulations (see http://

www.sba.gov/services/contracting_opportunities/

sizestandardstopics/index.html). Parent companies, 

affiliates, and subsidiaries will be considered when 

determining business size. The dual pricing reflects 

the Commercial Service’s user fee schedule that 

became effective May 1, 2008 (see http://

www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/

initiatives.html for additional information). 

Israel as well as U.S. companies seeking 

to enter to the Israeli market for the first 

time may apply. A minimum of 10 and 

a maximum of 20 companies will be 

selected for participation in this 

mission. 

Fees and Expenses 

After a company has been selected to 

participate on the mission, a payment to 

the DOC in the form of a participation 

fee is required. The participation fee is 

$3,285 for large firms and $2,675 for a 

small or medium-sized enterprise 

(SME) 8, which covers one 

representative. The fee for each 

additional representative is $500. 

Participants in Israel Energy and 

Business Conference will pay showrelated expenses directly to the show 

organizer. Expenses for travel, lodging, 

meals, and incidentals will be the 

responsibility of each mission 

participant. Delegation members will be 

able to take advantage of U.S. Embassy 

rates for hotel rooms. 

Conditions for Participation 

An applicant must submit a 

completed and signed mission 

application and supplemental 

application materials, including 

adequate information on the company’s 

products and/or services, primary 

market objectives, and goals for 

participation. If the Department of 

Commerce receives an incomplete 

application, the Department may reject 

the application, request additional 

information, or take the lack of 

information into account when 

evaluating the applications. 

Each applicant must also certify that 

the products and services it seeks to 

export through the mission are either 

produced in the United States, or, if not, 

marketed under the name of a U.S. firm 

and have at least 51 percent U.S. 

content of the value of the finished 

product or service. 

Selection Criteria for Participation 

• Suitability of the company’s 

products or services to the market. 

• Applicant’s potential for business 

in the targeted industries in Israel, 

including likelihood of exports resulting 

from the mission. 

• Consistency of the applicant’s goals 

and objectives and business with the 

stated scope of the mission. 

• Diversity of company size, sector or 

subsector, and location may also be 

considered during the review process. 

Referrals from political organizations 

and any documents containing 

references to partisan political activities 

(including political contributions) will 

be removed from an applicant’s 

submission and not considered during 

the selection process. 

Timeframe for Recruitment and 

Applications 

Mission recruitment will be 

conducted in an open and public 

manner, including publication in the 

Federal Register, posting on the 

Commerce Department trade mission 

calendar (http://www.ita.doc.gov/

doctm/tmcal.html) and other Internet 

Web sites, press releases to general and 

trade media, direct mail, notices by 

industry trade associations and other 

multiplier groups, and publicity at 

industry meetings, symposia, 

conferences, and trade shows. 

Recruitment for the mission will 

conclude no later than August 24, 2012. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce will 

review applications and make selection 

decisions on a rolling basis beginning 

May 21, 2012, until the maximum of 20 

participants is selected. Applications 

received after August 24, 2012 will be 

considered only if space and scheduling 

constraints permit. 

Contacts 

U.S. Commercial Service Tel Aviv 

Ms. Irit van der Veur, Senior 

Commercial Specialist, 972–3–519– 

7540, irit.vanderveur@trade.gov. 

U.S. Commercial Service Washington, 

DC 

Mr. David McCormack, International 

Trade Specialist, 202.482.2833, 

david.mccormack@trade.gov. 

Elnora Moye, 

Trade Program Assistant. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8608 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–FP–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB155 

Endangered Species; File Nos. 16549 

and 17095 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish 

Research Center, U.S. Geological 

Survey; Box 796, 1 Migratory Way, 

Turners Falls, MA 01376, has applied in 

due form for a permit to take shortnose 

sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum); and 

also that Entergy Nuclear Operations 

Inc., 450 Broadway, Suite 3, Buchanan, 

NY 10511, has applied in due form for 

a permit to take shortnose sturgeon 

(Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic 

sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus 

oxyrinchus) for purposes of scientific 

research. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email 

comments must be received on or before 

May 11, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the Features box on the 

Applications and Permits for Protected 

Species (APPS) home page, https:// 

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File Nos. 16549 or 17095 from the list 

of available applications. 

These documents are also available 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the following offices: 

Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, 

Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 

427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376; and 

Northeast Region, NMFS, 55 Great 

Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930; 

phone (978) 281–9328; fax (978) 281– 

9394. 

Written comments on either 

application should be submitted to the 

Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division 

• By email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov (include 

the File No. in the subject line of the 

email), 

• by facsimile to (301) 713–0376, or 

• at the address listed above. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division at the address listed above. The 

request should set forth the specific 

reasons why a hearing on the 

application(s) would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Malcolm Mohead or Colette Cairns at 

(301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permits are requested under the 

authority of the Endangered Species Act 

of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.) and the regulations 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices 21751 

governing the taking, importing, and 

exporting of endangered and threatened 

species (50 CFR 222–226). 

File 16549: The applicant is 

requesting authorization for a scientific 

research permit for takes of shortnose 

sturgeon in the wild and captivity. The 

applicant proposes to determine up and 

downstream migrations, habitat use, 

spawning periodicity, seasonal 

movements of shortnose sturgeon in the 

Connecticut River (from Agawam, MA 

to Montague, MA). The applicant also 

proposes captive animal research in 

laboratory tests of up- and downstream 

fish passage studies, swimming 

performance tests, tagging studies, 

anesthesiology, behavior, physiology 

and contaminant studies, as well as 

producing progeny for further research. 

Additionally, the applicant requests 

authorization to collect fertilized 

embryo from each of the following 

rivers: Merrimack River (MA), Kennebec 

River and Androscoggin River (ME). The 

permit would be valid for five years 

from the date of issuance. 

File 17095: The purpose of the 

research would be the monitoring of 

sturgeon abundance and distribution 

through the Hudson River Biological 

Monitoring Program (HRBMP). The 

action area includes the Hudson River 

from River Mile 0 (Battery Park, 

Manhattan, NY) to River Mile 152 at 

Troy Dam (Albany, NY). The focus of 

the monitoring program would be fish 

identification, mark and recapture, and 

enumeration within defined Hudson 

River regions and depth strata. 

Researchers would non-lethally capture, 

handle, measure, weigh, scan for tags, 

insert passive integrated transponder 

(PIT) and dart tags, photograph, tissue 

sample, and release up to 82 shortnose 

sturgeon and 82 Atlantic sturgeon 

annually. Additionally, researchers 

would be permitted each year to lethally 

collect up to 40 shortnose sturgeon and 

up to 40 Atlantic sturgeon eggs and/or 

larvae (ELS). The permit would be valid 

for five years from the date of issuance. 

Dated: April 5, 2012. 

Tammy C. Adams, 

Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8605 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB152 

Endangered Species; File No. 16645 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the Georgia Department of Natural 

Resources (GA DNR) has applied in due 

form for a permit pursuant to the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (ESA). The permit application 

is for the incidental take of ESA-listed 

shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum) and 

Atlantic sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus) 

associated with the otherwise lawful 

commercial shad fishery in Georgia. The 

duration of the proposed permit is 10 

years. NMFS is furnishing this notice in 

order to allow other agencies and the 

public an opportunity to review and 

comment on the application materials. 

All comments received will become part 

of the public record and will be 

available for review. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received at the appropriate address or 

fax number (see ADDRESSES) on or before 

June 11, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: The application is available 

for download and review at http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ 

esa_review.htm under the section 

heading ESA Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permits 

and Applications. 

The application is also available upon 

written request or by appointment in the 

following office: Endangered Species 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13626, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301) 427–8403; fax (301) 713–4060. 

You may submit comments on this 

document, identified by NOAA–NMFS– 

2012–0090, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal 

www.regulations.gov. To submit 

comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, 

first click the ‘‘submit a comment’’ icon, 

then enter NOAA–NMFS–2012–0090 in 

the keyword search. Locate the 

document you wish to comment on 

from the resulting list and click on the 

‘‘Submit a Comment’’ icon on the right 

of that line. 

• Mail: Submit written comments to 

Endangered Species Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Room 13626, Silver 

Spring, MD 20910; Attn: Kristy Beard or 

Angela Somma. 

• Fax (301) 713–4060; Attn: Kristy 

Beard or Angela Somma. 

Instructions: Comments must be 

submitted by one of the above methods 

to ensure that the comments are 

received, documented, and considered 

by NMFS. Comments sent by any other 

method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered. All comments received are 

a part of the public record and will 

generally be posted for public viewing 

on www.regulations.gov without change. 

All personal identifying information 

(e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted 

voluntarily by the sender will be 

publicly accessible. Do not submit 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive or protected 

information. NMFS will accept 

anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in 

the required fields if you wish to remain 

anonymous). Attachments to electronic 

comments will be accepted in Microsoft 

Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe 

PDF file formats only. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kristy Beard or Angela Somma at (301) 

427–8403. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9 

of the ESA and Federal regulations 

prohibit the ‘‘taking’’ of a species listed 

as endangered or threatened. The ESA 

defines ‘‘take’’ to mean harass, harm, 

pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, 

capture, or collect, or to attempt to 

engage in any such conduct. NMFS may 

issue permits, under limited 

circumstances, to take listed species 

incidental to, and not the purpose of, 

otherwise lawful activities. Section 

10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA provides for 

authorizing incidental take of listed 

species. NMFS regulations governing 

permits for threatened and endangered 

species are promulgated at 50 CFR 

222.307. 

Background 

NMFS received a draft permit 

application from GA DNR on September 

12, 2011. Based on a review of the 

application, NMFS requested further 

information. The applicant submitted a 

complete application on March 6, 2012 

for take of ESA-listed shortnose and 

Atlantic sturgeon that may be caught 

incidental to the Georgia shad fishery. 

The State of Georgia has amended their 

commercial fishing regulations for the 

Georgia shad fishery to minimize the 

incidental capture of ESA-listed 

shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon. The 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES